Independent Practice Archives
Empowering Clients to Manage Uncertainty in the Job Search
By Kathryn Smith
Job searches are associated with pervasive stressors and emotional toll. Rooted in the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, the “F.A.C.E.” framework developed by Dr. Russ Harris can support a comprehensive career counseling approach that emphasizes the importance of managing mental health challenges alongside practical job search strategies.
Complete Article >Individual Strategic Planning for Career Development: An Appreciative Inquiry Approach via SOAR Analysis
By Dan Erikson
Career development may benefit from appreciative inquiry and the strategic planning tool of SOAR analysis. SOAR stands for strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results. This workshop empowered four healthcare professionals to reflect upon the development of their careers by moving through the steps of SOAR analysis.
Complete Article >A Roadmap for Supporting Neurodivergent Clients
By Maisie Lynch
Neurodivergent career coaching clients have unique needs. This article highlights critical areas where neurodivergent individuals may need more support than their neurotypical peers. This article also includes suggestions of ways that career service providers can support neurodivergent clients and highlights the role that career services providers can play in changing the job landscape for these clients.
Complete Article >Integrating Strengths Assessments into Career Coaching
By Jennifer Doyle Vancil
Using strengths-based assessments can maximize the process of career exploration for career development professionals, add clarity to personal marketing and branding materials, and assist in suggesting job search strategies that will be most effective for each unique jobseeker.
Complete Article >Using Natural Curiosity to Guide Clients Through Career Transition
By Brian Hogan
Unexpected and involuntary career transitions come with a unique set of challenges while presenting an opportunity for clients to find deeper meaning and life satisfaction. Fostering curiosity has many research-backed benefits and will empower clients to search for their new career from a place of meaning rather than fear.
Complete Article >Intentional Change Theory: A Useful Framework for Career and Executive Coaching
By Millicent N. Simmelink
Intentional Change Theory (ICT) has implications for independent practice career and executive coaching. Offering an innovative, evidence-based framework for supporting intentional change, coaches help clients learn to mindfully develop new habits, set new goals, overcome limiting beliefs and create a personalized change plan.
Complete Article >Your Clients Need a Job Search Project Plan- Here’s Why!
By Paul Cecala
It is the role of a career services professional to provide clients with all the best tools they can to support a successful job search. Incorporating the methodology of project management into the job search makes sense for both the client and the career professional.
Complete Article >ChatGPT: Tips for Career Searching
By Maggie Kuhn
As the breadth of technology rapidly expands, career search processes are increasingly subject to innovation. A timely example of this growth is ChatGPT. This tool is dynamic and powerful and has a wide range of capabilities, especially pertaining to the career searching process. Like any tool, it has pros and cons for the career development professional to consider.
Complete Article >Retirement Coaching with US Populations: Supporting Clients to Define Routine, Structure, and Community after Full Time Work
By Jennifer Landis-Santos
In addition to financial requirements, preparation for the retirement transition includes nonfinancial components, as summed by stress inventories and confidence surveys. Career professionals who take culture into consideration and address three elements, specifically community, routine and structure, can aid retirees to embrace a healthy and meaningful new life chapter.
Complete Article >Questions Your Clients Need to Ask About Career Growth
By Leigh Branham
Job seekers looking for career growth can avoid making a career-damaging misstep by doing a reasonable amount of homework and knowing the right questions to ask. The author, citing extensive research on why employees leave, presents key questions designed to explore and reveal the degree of a prospective employer’s commitment to employees’ career growth.
Complete Article >A Review of “Designing and Implementing Career Interventions: A Handbook for Effective Practice”
Book Review by Mallory Becraft
This new publication offers practical strategies for anyone leading innovation and improvement efforts. Drs. Sampson and Lenz provide valuable insights, emphasizing collaboration and thoughtful planning. The handbook's adaptable chapters and eight-step model empower the implementation team to launch interventions effectively. Readers will find this a vital resource for enhancing career development worldwide.
Complete Article >The Revolutionary Collaborative Interviewing Process
By Micah Lorenc
The employment interviewing process is outdated. Candidates and hiring organizations would both benefit from more candid discussion during interviews by focusing on the four components of work fit: Person-Job, Person-Organization, Person-Group, and Person-Supervisor Fit. A more collaborative approach to interviewing can improve job satisfaction for employees and retention for companies.
Complete Article >Helping Our Clients Become More Resilient
By Stacey Bevill
This article encourages career transition practitioners to help their clients become more resilient. It describes resilience and the benefits of growing one’s capacity for resilience as a response to stress.
Complete Article >Three Steps to Help Clients Create an Engaging LinkedIn Presence
By Gail McCowan
LinkedIn is an essential tool for job seekers to demonstrate the value they create in the workplace and to connect with professionals who can aid in their job search. Career professionals can guide their clients to leverage its potential by following three key steps: Build, Connect, and Share.
Complete Article >Supporting Late Career Changers: Applying Super's Theory and Offering New Tools
By Jane Frisch
As people live and work longer, many people will consider training for new careers later in life. Late career changers bring a wealth of life experiences and skills to their new professions, but face different challenges from younger colleagues. How can career professionals support these individuals more effectively?
Complete Article >Four Effective Ways of Building on Clients’ Inner Strengths to Accelerate Career Transition
By Esther Wang
Developing ways in working with clients as they build on their inner strengths can be used to accelerate career transitions. Four ways, “Role model”, “Mantra”, “Successful events”, and “Creating a new self-image,” are described here for the career professional to use.
Complete Article >Helping Clients Reduce Anxiety Symptoms at Work
By Megan Myers
Statistics show an increased level of anxiety in the workplace. While companies are working to restructure their internal offerings to adapt to employees’ emotional needs, career coaches can further support individuals by understanding the impact of anxiety and learning tools to mitigate the intensity of these feelings.
Complete Article >Reimagining the Job Search: Prioritizing Work Environment before Role
By Shamis Pitts
Job searches often focus on finding the best job fit without substantive consideration for the best organizational fit. This article unpacks how starting with the end in mind - understanding what an ideal work environment looks like - can help clients think more holistically about identifying roles within organizations where they can thrive.
Complete Article >Employment after Prison: The Importance of Supporting Workers Who are Seeking Work after Incarceration
By Kelly Parker
People with criminal records face many obstacles after leaving the justice system. Finding a sufficient paying job that is meaningful to them is instrumental in reducing the probability of recidivism. Career services providers could benefit from gaining more knowledge about serving individuals who have been incarcerated in order to better serve this population.
Complete Article >Integrating Somatics into Career Coaching
By Stephanie Simpson
Navigating changes in one’s career can cause many emotions to surface. The human body is filled with wisdom that can help coaches and clients. Somatic practices may be used to identify and get curious about sensations in the body so that new pathways can be unlocked during the coaching process.
Complete Article >Helping Clients Overcome Ageism in Their Job Search
By Amy Geffen
Because older individuals are living longer, they may desire to continue working instead of retiring. Unfortunately, they may also face ageism when job searching. The career professional can help older job seekers combat the stereotypes so as to enjoy a purposeful life.
Complete Article >Values-Guided Career Searching
By Edward Kuras
Career decision-making may involve many constructs of varying significance to the individual. Defining values and their importance is a relevant task in the career coaching process. This article covers that task and addresses the impact of societal change on the workplace. Strategies and interventions to conceptualize and identify values are provided to help career coaches support their clients.
Complete Article >7 Steps for Helping Your Clients Build a Professional Online Portfolio
By Jill Boatright
Having a well-developed online, professional portfolio has become important for job seekers in many industries, especially those in creative industries and/or professions. This article will review the purpose and importance of an online portfolio and detail seven essential steps for building a strategic portfolio that highlights in-demand skills and demonstrates value to a future employer.
Complete Article >Anxiety and Career Exploration: The C/AAP Framework Applied to Two Cases
By Michelle Tullier
Anxiety disorders are a leading contributor to the global mental health crisis and can impede a client’s ability to engage fully in the career development process. The Career/Anxiety Alignment Protocol framework aligns career counseling/coaching approaches with anxiety disorder treatment methods, enabling career practitioners to provide effective, complementary support.
Complete Article >Digital Communication Tools for a Future-focused Career Development Practice
By Beth Dutton
Innovative digital tools can enable career development professionals to connect and engage dynamically with diverse populations. Communicating in a multi-channel digital environment, such as through video messages, white board animation, customer relationship management tools, and texting allows career practitioners to inform, educate, and share resources with clients.
Complete Article >Tailoring Career Development Practices for Clients with ADHD
By Hunter Dickson
Career development practitioners can better support clients with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) by educating themselves to recognize and understand ADHD symptoms, providing structure, instilling hope amidst the hardships of ADHD challenges, and being familiar with legal and accommodation resources.
Complete Article >Future-proofing Careers: How to Help Clients Stay Vigilant, Relevant, and Marketable
By Donna Gaspar Jarvis
Rapid changes and uncertainty in the world of work bring an imperative for career practitioners to help clients future-proof their careers. Strategies and resources for helping clients assess and secure their future readiness are offered, including understanding employment trends, sources for upskilling, and advanced networking recommendations.
Complete Article >A Paradoxical Mindset Framework for Coaching Leaders
By Sunitha Narayanan
As the global health crisis continues, many leaders are operating from a place of exhaustion as they attempt to rally and support a restless talent community to make collective business decisions and achieve results. A coaching framework, encouraging a paradoxical mindset, can help leaders build back trust, hope, and purpose.
Complete Article >Working Mothers and the Role of Paid Work Post-Pandemic: Using Super’s Life Career Rainbow as a Modern Tool
By Michele Johnson
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many working mothers had to reduce work hours or stop working altogether to care for their families as schools and daycare centers closed. Some women may now be re-evaluating the role of paid work in their lives. Super’s Life Career Rainbow can assist in that process.
Complete Article >What Can a Teacher Become? Facilitating Career Transitions Beyond the Classroom
By Alexandra Rizzi and Kate Rizzi
Teaching is a challenging profession, and the pandemic has exacerbated the challenges. Teachers desiring a career change may struggle to shape a new self-concept and to see options beyond the classroom. With theories and practices from Savickas and Krumboltz, career practitioners can help teachers get unstuck.
Complete Article >Life Coaching Exercises Can Enhance Career Development
By Caitlin C. Williams
Life coaching tools can enhance career practitioners’ assessment process as clients develop careers within the broader task of designing their lives. Specific life coaching exercises are cited in this article to address a holistic approach to career/life planning, meet the needs of various learning styles, and help clients take action.
Complete Article >Hope is a Leadership Strategy: Coaching Clients through Turbulent Times
By Sunitha Narayanan
The pandemic upended life globally, with disrupted routines and challenges in delivering business results. The vagueness of what lies ahead requires leaders to refocus business vision, talent development, and daily practices. A framework of hope enables coaches to help clients embrace and navigate the turbulence.
Complete Article >Seeing Beyond Eye Contact: Nonverbal Communication Strategies in Interviews
By Diane Miller
Career practitioners have an opportunity to enhance clients’ interview performance by coaching on the language of nonverbal communication. Going beyond the basics of eye contact and smiling, this article examines the role that microexpressions, hand and arm movements, and posture play in effective body language.
Complete Article >Career Development in the Age of Legal Marijuana: Issues, Trends, and Solutions
By Christopher Pisarik and Rachel Schleier
Laws and attitudes regarding marijuana use are rapidly changing. Career counselors and coaches will best serve clients by staying abreast of research findings that have implications for career development and by being aware of workplace policies and laws that may affect clients who use marijuana.
Complete Article >Beyond the Boom: Practical Tips for Helping Baby Boomers Thrive in Their Third Act
By Libby Scanlan
Many baby boomers have both a financial need and personal desire to work long past traditional retirement age. Career practitioners are being called upon to help boomers shape satisfying working identities for their ‘Third Act,’ enhance their employability, and embrace age and experience as a strength.
Complete Article >Designing Your Work Life: How to Thrive and Change and Find Happiness at Work
Book Review by Janine Rowe
Designing Your Work Life blends concepts from self-determination theory, growth mindset research, positive psychology, and design thinking to help readers create a more satisfying working life. Practical tips provided can be used by career professionals to empower and engage clients in their career development.Complete Article >5 Strengths that Will Help Women Stand Out as Leaders in a Post-Pandemic World
By Theresa White
To succeed in a post-pandemic world, organizations will need resilient, bold leaders with emotional intelligence. Research has shown that female leaders are perceived to possess these and other critical qualities. Career development professionals have an opportunity to help women tap into these strengths to lead during the rebounding and rebuilding of a post-pandemic world.
Complete Article >Taming the Stress: Addressing Client Challenges with a Response Platform
By Karen Sherfick
When clients experience stress that prevents them from moving forward in a job search, career development professionals have an opportunity to help by utilizing a response platform tailored for the situation. A response platform for calming stress is presented here to help clients trust in the process, manage time, attend to self-care, and adjust for changing conditions.
Complete Article >Singular They is Okay: Practical Approaches for Creating Inclusivity for all Genders
By Melanie Miller & Amanda Schagane
Creating welcoming career development spaces for gender-diverse clients is an increasingly important goal for practitioners. This article offers an overview of gender and sexual identity, gender pronouns, and simple strategies for creating a gender-inclusive environment, with a focus on communication.
Complete Article >The Intersection of Career Development and Spirituality: Considerations for Career Professionals
By Amber Samuels
Spirituality is part of the fabric of multiculturalism and an important identity element of clients seeking career services. This article offers tools to address the intersection of spirituality and career across various dimensions of the career counseling process, including interests and values, sources of support, and career decision-making.
Complete Article >A Field Guide for Career Practitioners: Helping Clients Create Their Next Move
Book review by Karen James Chopra
New and seasoned career development professionals can benefit from the wisdom shared in Jim Peacock’s A Field Guide for Career Practitioners: Helping Clients Create Their Next Move. This review highlights the multi-faceted approach the book takes to addressing the mindset and strategic needs of both client and practitioner.
Complete Article >Heeding the Call of Transition: Helping Clients Move Past Fear and Resistance
By Alyssa Yeo Jones
Inspired by John Krumboltz’ Happenstance Learning Theory and Joseph Campbell’s notion of transitions as a call to action from the universe, this article provides practical strategies for helping clients confront their fears and trust themselves when faced with uncertainty from forced or voluntary change.
Complete Article >“The Future Ain’t What It Used to Be”: Helping Clients Future-Proof their Careers
By Willa Smith
The COVID-19 pandemic has had great impact on small and big businesses and their workforces. Career practitioners can help clients “future-proof” their careers in these uncertain times by reviewing labor market trends of the past, present, and future, identifying skills to develop, and updating their decision-making approach.
Complete Article >[Recognition Award Winner] Using Adlerian Counseling Strategies to Help Career Clients Design Their Futures
By Mariagrazia Buttitta and Marion Cavallaro
The purpose of this article is to provide career practitioners with specific techniques that integrate three effective Adlerian Counseling strategies during the various stages of career counseling: (a) the strength-based interview, (b) early recollections, and (c) the "acting as if" technique. [Editor's Note: This article was recognized by NCDA in 2020 for the authors' contribution to the web magazine. Career Convergence is re-running the article in July 2020 in honor of all award winners typically recognized at the annual NCDA Global Career Development Conference.]
Complete Article >Leading Authentically: A Coaching Framework
By Sunitha Narayanan
As leaders grapple with leading authentically in a COVID-19 world, career development professionals engaged in executive or leadership coaching can employ a four-part framework based on clients’ strengths, curiosity, kindness, and connection. This framework can help leaders understand and practice authentic leadership in turbulent times.
Complete Article >Stay-at-Home Parents and COVID-19: What to Explore Before Starting a Job Search
By Christine Walker
With unemployment rates at record highs, many stay-at-home parents may need to return to the workforce to contribute to family finances. Clarifying parents’ needs around timing and work-life balance and exploring their strengths and sources of meaning are important steps before they embark on a job search.
Complete Article >Hold onto Your Hats: The Multi-faceted Role of Career Practitioners During the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Michelle Tullier
The COVID-19 pandemic brings career, financial, medical, mental health, and logistical challenges for our clients. As independent practitioners, we can make a major, positive impact in others’ lives during this crisis by examining the sub-roles of a career development professional. These roles, or “HATS,” are Helper/Healer, Advisor, Teacher, and Strategist.
Complete Article >Boundaries as a Key to Work-Life Balance for Career Development Practitioners
By Teena Evert
When we do not set boundaries, the person we most often disappoint is ourselves. Work-life balance depends on firm boundaries that reflect our priorities, values, and goals. Boundary-setting is about more than saying “no” and is a critical element in our growth and satisfaction as successful career development practitioners.
Complete Article >When Past Trauma Impacts a Career’s Future: EMDR Therapy as a Career Development Tool
By Danielle Menditch
When clients have difficulty moving forward, the problem might lie in unresolved trauma, and our usual approaches as career practitioners may be insufficient. Trauma-informed psychotherapy practices, specifically Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), may help. Licensed mental health clinicians can receive training to add EMDR to their career counseling toolkits, while others may refer to an EMDR clinician.
Complete Article >To Digitize or Not to Digitize: The Question of Scale for Independent Career Development Professionals
By Erica Sosna
After fifteen years of career coaching one-on-one and facilitating live, on-site workshops, I decided to create my own online program in career navigation and change. By sharing elements of my journey, I aim to help you answer the question of whether to digitize or not for your own practice.
Complete Article >Business Model Basics for Clients’ Career Advancement: Getting Ahead without Getting an MBA
By Bruce Hazen
Professionals with operational savvy who can see and articulate a business’s big picture are able to have connect-the-dots conversations that help them advance. The business modeling methodology described here enables clients to apply savvy systems thinking to their career advancement or job searches. Think of it as a short-cut to the MBA mindset.
Complete Article >Relaunch: Stagnation, Change, and Renewal in Mid Career and Beyond
Book Review by Mason Murphy
Is your client around the age of 40 or 50 and wanting to change careers? Is your client ready to look at their skills, the risks, and potential for stress associated with this change? What might be the long-term impact of this change or the connection to life-long learning? What is happening in your own career? This "Relaunch" book might help you and your client find the answers.
Complete Article >Don’t Burn the Candle at Both Ends: Crowdsourcing our Practice Challenges and Solutions
By Michelle Tullier
Managing an independent practice while serving clients effectively can feel like a daily series of large and small decisions to make, often with incomplete data or limited knowledge. Through this web magazine, we all have an opportunity to share best practices for choosing wisely when it comes to our time, money, and energy.
Complete Article >What’s Mom Still Got To Do With It?
Book Review by Maggie O’Brien
This review of the book, "What’s Mom Still Got To Do With It?" by Ilana Tolpin Levitt, fills a needed gap in career development literature that will assist a variety of readers, including career practitioners, daughters, and mothers. Understanding the mother daughter relationship in career development can shed light on possible interventions.
Complete Article >Career Counseling during the Establishment Stage Derailed by a Child’s Medical Crisis
By Mary Rose Tichar
Adults typically establish careers during the ages of 24–44. Donald Super describes this Establishment Stage as the time for creating career identities around personal work values and missions. An unexpected issue can significantly impact this stage. This article provides a real-life crisis scenario and effective ways career counselors can work with clients derailed by their children’s serious illnesses.
Complete Article >Surfacing Bias for Better Career Coaching
By David Hosmer
Unconscious biases exist in our coaching practices. While biases are normal, we should not accept them as such. As career practitioners, our unconscious biases might influence us in several ways. To help others we must first look inward. Our biases are rooted in complex filters, including background, cultural environment, and personal experiences. This article reviews some ways to surface and manage biases for new coaching potential.
Complete Article >Using Adlerian Counseling Strategies to Help Career Clients Design Their Futures
By Mariagrazia Buttitta and Marion Cavallaro
The purpose of this article is to provide career practitioners with specific techniques that integrate three effective Adlerian Counseling strategies during the various stages of career counseling: (a) the strength-based interview, (b) early recollections, and (c) the "acting as if" technique.
Complete Article >Portfolio Careers: Are You Ready for the Challenge?
By Gloria Dansby-Giles
A portfolio career is an appealing choice for individuals who are looking for a flexible work schedule and the opportunity to combine part-time jobs. Types of portfolio careers, career theory application, and portfolio career advantages will be explored in this article.
Complete Article >Career Transition – Helping Clients Survive the Neutral Zone
By Jennifer Armenta
As Career Services Providers, our main focus is helping clients find employment. However, there could come a time when your effort becomes not helping your clients get a job, but helping them succeed without one.
Complete Article >Strategies to Help Clients with Introductions and Informal Interviews
By Ruth Pankratz
The way jobs are promoted and filled continues to evolve. While there is not one ideal way to help clients through a job search process, providing a few service options to support client introductions and informal interviews can accelerate positive outcomes.
Complete Article >Strategies Seasoned Professionals Use to Connect with Clients, Colleagues and the Market
By Nancy J. Miller
Career Convergence archives contain a wealth of knowledge and experience shared by seasoned career practitioners in private practice. Their advice for ways to connect for growing, organizing, and marketing your business may inspire you.Complete Article >Career Interviews as a Resource for Career Professionals
By Meg Gerry
Learn how a career professional created career interview videos after reflecting on her services, her client's needs and relevant career theories. Committing to a career goal often involves a significant investment of time and money. The more we can assist our clients in learning about a profession they are considering, the fewer surprises there will be.
Complete Article >It’s Their Outcome, Not Ours
By Laura Lee
In this article, career professionals will learn the importance of being outcome focused and not get distracted by their own personal views of what success looks like. This article describes a process for maintaining the client’s desired outcome by staying curious and helping them overcome obstacles to achieve their desired goal.
Complete Article >How to Help Clients Dodge Those Pesky Salary Questions
By Karen James Chopra
Do your clients dread being asked about salary history in their interviews? Handling questions about current salary or salary requirements during an interview can make job seekers understandably anxious. Here are some tips on how to coach clients on the best ways to navigate difficult salary questions and negotiate the best employment agreement.
Complete Article >The Power of Planting Seeds for Nurturing a Client’s Career Passion and Interests
By Juliana Parker
As career counselors, we are fortunate to have the role of helping support and encourage our clients along their career journeys. Nurturing our clients in their careers can be compared to nurturing a seed. As career professionals, we help that seed to grow by helping our clients water the seed with career options, a foundation for growth, and strong networks that provide the deep roots of resilience.
Complete Article >Managing the Challenges Associated with Career Advancement
By Beth Wingert
Clients seeking to advance in their career paths will inevitably encounter some bumps along the way. Having the support of a career practitioner helps them build confidence, balance their roles, and mitigate challenges – self-imposed or otherwise––as they progress into leadership positions.
Complete Article >Becoming a Volunteer
By Ron Elsdon
As career counselors, we encourage clients to volunteer for career development. While the benefits of practical and altruistic volunteering are clear, becoming a volunteer in a meaningful way is sometimes challenging. This article explores volunteering for our clients and for ourselves, addressing purpose, selection criteria, and different life stages
Complete Article >How To Build Your Career Brand In the Digital Age
By Wendi Weiner
We are living in the “digital age.” It is a time when career professionals are being accessed online and vetted by prospective employers and even potential clients prior to meeting in-person or as a follow up after meeting. Having a strategy for building a career brand is not only important for our job searching clients, but just as important for us as career professionals.
Complete Article >Feeling Significant, Competent, and Likable: Keys to Success
By Lindsay Hayes
Students and clients seek information and validation about their goals, feelings and decisions when they meet with a career development practitioner. We can encourage a safe environment for career exploration by learning how to help others feel significant, competent, and likable.
Complete Article >Navigating Disrupted Careers with Proven Transition Writing Tools: An Essential Guide for Career Professionals
By Jennifer Bradley and Leia Francisco
Today’s career professionals serve more people with disrupted work lives than they have in the past. In this article, we discuss transition-writing tools as a proven, flexible, and low-cost approach to supporting individuals through challenging career transitions.
Complete Article >Fear: A Common Theme in Private Practice
By Beth Wingert
We’ve all worked with a client who desires, yet is fearful of, making a career change. The key is to help the client identify, break down, and manage the fear so that it is no longer a barrier to career development.
Complete Article >Create a Social Media Marketing Strategy for Your Private Practice
By Jim Peacock
Social media has many free resources career practitioners can use to help build and maintain their private practice. This article describes strategies for using five social media platforms and two ways to organize them. Marketing is the key to driving customers/clients to your business so that you can help them create success.
Complete Article >Preparing Your Client to be a STAR Interviewee in a Behavioral Interview
By Kevin Nash
Your client has an important job interview. You worked with her on the obvious job search preparation tips: research the company, look your best, etc., but all the candidates will be doing this. Take the next step by helping her prepare for a behavioral interview.
Complete Article >Getting Yourself Booked Solid with Clients
By Mark Danaher
It takes more than a website to create a profitable practice. Build your client base by growing your network, developing trusting relationships, and acting consistently and purposefully. Learn strategies you need to do every day to get booked solid.
Complete Article >Finding the Ultimate Career Happiness
By Maggie McCormick
It is fitting that the theme of the 2017 NCDA conference is “The Joy of Working.” After all, it takes place near what has been billed as “the happiest place on Earth.” Learn the three levels of happiness and how you can use them to find deeper levels of career happiness for you and your clients.
Complete Article >Renew Yourself: A Six-Step Plan for More Meaningful Work
Book Review by Caitlin Williams
If your clients have been asking, “What if I want something more from my work? Is this all there is?” Then the book, “Renew Yourself,” may be the resource you could use to help them. Through self-exploration exercises, key questions, and a renewal plan, readers can return to work with renewed enthusiasm.
Complete Article >The Four Desires: The Pursuit of Happiness in the Workplace
By Jay Block
Landing the right job, promotion, or career opportunity needs to be fueled by the intensity of desire. Not all desires are created equal. By understanding the four desires, the career practitioner will become masterful at empowering their client to achieve success.
Complete Article >Why Talented People Disengage Quietly
By Sunitha Narayanan
This article describes observations and exercises a coach can implement to help employees and their employers recognize and address the underlying process of disengagement.
Complete Article >Engaging Client Assessment Tools That Rock!
By Herky Cutler
Engagement is the key to moving clients forward on their career path. That is why I use these assessment tools and train other practitioners to use them. In each case, these three tools assess a client’s interests, values, skills and passion.
Complete Article >Video Feedback Shows Surprising Insights for Interview Success
By Carlyn Saltman
The author relates the story of how video feedback heightened awareness of voice, words, and body language in job-seekers who viewed themselves answering a common interview question. The author developed Video Mirror Feedback® for her Independent Practice from her research in which clients received the invaluable instant insights experienced in activities such as the one-hour exercise outlined here.
Complete Article >Three Suggestions for Powering through Perseverance
By Laura Lanham
Steady persistence will help clients power through career development challenges. Defining perseverance and highlighting the career traits of athletes and role models demonstrate ways to implement and follow through with professional and business goals for clients.
Complete Article >A Lifeline for Career Counselors in Private Practice
By Dave Gallison
Career counselors in solo private practice often struggle with learning how to run a successful business as well as balance their needs for peer connection. A new paradigm for career counselors supporting each other as well advancing the field is presented, based on a promising collective formed in Portland, Oregon.
Complete Article >Five Questions to Design or Redefine Your Private Practice
By Marie Zimenoff and Ruth Pankratz
A private practice is also a business therefore, considering business best practices is key to success for both. Whether you are just thinking about striking out on your own or looking to redefine your practice, asking yourself a few key questions can help you strengthen your business foundation.
Complete Article >Letting Go of Career Beliefs That No Longer Serve Us
By Willa Smith
Our career beliefs can be the key to feeling satisfaction with our career choices and life satisfaction. As with our other beliefs, career beliefs are shaped by our experiences and knowledge. When they are no longer helpful, we can replace them with beliefs that support our life, work, passion and purpose.
Complete Article >Five Ways a Code of Ethics Helps Guide the Business of a Career Professional
By Nancy J. Miller
A professional code of ethics is a resource for providing insights into successful practices for career professionals. This article will explore five examples of how a professional code of ethics can be helpful with defining your role as a career professional.
Complete Article >When Career Assessments are Not Enough: Helping Clients after an Unexpected Career Transition
By Jennifer Del Corso
Learn the importance of processing the stages of grief before giving career assessments after an unexpected career change. Clients may not be ready to move forward until they process the cause of the career change and can feel more optimistic about the future.
Complete Article >Ten Tips for Starting Your Private Practice
By Jim Peacock
Thinking about starting your own private practice? After four years of private practice, the author shares some of his thoughts on lessons learned.
Complete Article >Career Counseling for Career Counselors?
by William H. Waldorf and Kim H. Tay
As career professionals, many of us assume we are (or should be) immune to shifts in career direction ourselves. This article points to theoretical, practical and professional reasons why this need not be the case. Rather, it argues that all of us in the career profession (counselors, consultants, coaches) might seek career counseling ourselves.
Complete Article >Volunteer Career Services in a Prison
By Ron Elsdon
Volunteer career services in a prison provide a valuable benefit given the substantial career support needs of people approaching re-entry to society after incarceration. This article describes the rewards and challenges of such volunteer work, and how to contribute career counseling expertise in this meaningful way.
Complete Article >Workplace Communication Issues Across Multiple Generations
By Sue Aiken
Four generations occupy seats in our workforce ranging from 90 years of age to early 20’s. Generational Theory matters to career professionals. Here are reflections on the challenges and opportunities for career counselors and coaches.
Complete Article >Aboriginal Career Development in Canada: Techniques Also Applicable to Other Clients Facing Barriers
By Sharon Ferriss
Strengths-based career development strategies can help practitioners to meet the needs of diverse clients in culturally relevant ways.
Complete Article >The Value of Career Coaching: Supporting Clients Beyond Choosing a Career
By Dora Grote
We hear it all the time: building education plans, transitioning careers, and entering or reentering the workforce is a daunting process when a person lacks the support of others. Ideally, their support includes an experienced and credentialed professional.
Complete Article >Increasing the Motivation of Entry Level Workers to Job Search
By Julie LaCroix
How can a young adult pinpoint a starting place, when the world of work is huge and from their perspective, unexplored? This article offers a practical and highly effective method for helping young adult job seekers identify a starting place and most importantly, take steps forward to begin their job search.
Complete Article >Utilizing LinkedIn As A Career Development Professional
By Mason Murphy
LinkedIn is a powerful online resource that can connect both candidates and employers to global career development opportunities. There are eight aspects when developing a profile and connecting with other professionals to keep in mind. Career development professionals should utilize LinkedIn to heighten their own careers.
Complete Article >Challenges and Opportunities in Working Independently
By Ellen Supple
Why do we attend conferences? In addition to the ability to earn valuable, required CEUs, we seek collegial support and rapport. Our challenges seem bigger when we face them individually – conferences reinforce that we are not alone.
Complete Article >The Business of Private Practice: A Sampling of Who Is Doing What
Nancy J. Miller
The purpose of this article is to share a sampling of what career professionals are doing in private practice. Gathered from Career Convergence web magazine articles and an anonymous online survey of seventeen career professionals, most of the practitioners work in the United States and are associated with NCDA.
Complete Article >Establishing a Business Referral Network: A New Revenue Approach for Career Counselors in Private Practice
By Mary Konow
Establishing your own career services practice can be challenging, but with creativity and a few key partnerships, it can grow as you serve your clientele.
Complete Article >Time Management Tips For Career Counselors
By Robert White
Effective time management can be difficult for many career counselors who freely give of their time and resources in order to help others. If you fall into this category, this helpful article provides a variety of tips and strategies for improving time management skills and increasing productivity. [Ed. Note: This article was originally published in Career Convergence in 2010 and is being re-run due to its value today.]
Complete Article >Helping Millennials Discover Life Purpose: A Narrative Approach
By Danielle Menditch
Studies have found that Millennials value meaning in their careers. This article explains the importance of exploring purpose in career development with Millennials and provides a narrative tool to help clients tap into it.
Complete Article >Best Practices For Career Counselors: The Advantage Of Having A Dual Specialty Private Practice
By Beverly Baskin
Counseling as a business: How continuing education, dual certifications, and an entrepreneurial spirit led to an expanding private practice with several employees.
Complete Article >Free Will, Choice, and Discovery on the Career Voyage
By Eric Anderson
The element of choice is present in every facet of life, from the food we select at the grocery store, to the friends we choose to spend time with, to the work that we choose. Our belief in Free Will is strong, but when we are helping clients figure out what is satisfying to them, the first step shouldn’t involve Free Will. There’s a better option that can be revealed with a simple exercise.
Complete Article >Avoid the Shell-Shock of Job Loss
By Louise Kursmark
Losing one’s job is never easy. Yet, career practitioners can help employees (and themselves) minimize the “shell shock” of getting laid off by following these suggestions. [Eds. Note: This article originally appeared here in 2012. Because of its value it is being reprinted now.]
Complete Article >Best Business Practices For Independent Career Professionals For 2015!
By Sue Aiken
Let’s look at what constitutes best practices from the perspective of independent practitioners. What are the pitfalls, the successes, useful tips and resources that we can share with one another? Does this include your own professional development?
Complete Article >Encouraging Career Asset Building Among Low-Income Individuals
By Amy Johnson
Urging low-income adults to "get a job, any job" and creating programming based on this position is shortsighted and leads to poor job retention, welfare cycling, inadequate wages, and greater costs than investing in meaningful career exploration and choice. Service providers may be interested in an online comprehensive career development program for lower-income adults that focuses on career asset-building . [Eds. Note: This article originally appeared here in 2006. It is being repeated due to its high value.]
Complete Article >The Role of Metrics in Executive Coaching: My Observations
By Sunitha Narayanan
As a coach, how can you quantify for the individual or organization what is a very qualitative process? Showing ROI is difficult, at least in the first interview where the decision is being made to hire you as a coach.
Complete Article >A Healthy Lifestyle Increases Career Success
By Nancy J. Miller
If you knew that practicing a healthy lifestyle would improve your chances of getting a job, help you work better, and increase your career success, would you exercise and eat more vegetables? A healthy lifestyle is an important part of successful career development.
Complete Article >Successful Career Planning…. It’s Never Too Late
By Karen Atkins
I have had three career changes in thirty-five years. I always dreamed I would retire and enjoy each career until my retirement. Life events happen, plans change, and happenstance creeps into our lives. What we do with happenstance events is up to us. I decided to get my mind and heart together and place my thoughts and realistic goals into practice. Based on my personal experience, here are 7 tips for career practitioners to use with clients considering a career change.
Complete Article >Advocating, Educating, Inspiring: The Expanding Role of Career Professionals
By Angela Londoño-McConnell
The role of social justice in career development is, once again, becoming a central focus (Borgen 2005; Arthur et al, 2009). Historically, career development, social justice, and advocacy have been intrinsically intertwined. The founder of vocational psychology, Frank Parsons, advocated for the poor and disadvantaged; worked against discrimination and oppression; and believed in justice and social change. But, does social justice matter? [Eds. Note: This article originally appeared here in Sept 2012. It is being repeated in celebration of Career Convergence's All Conference issue. See NCDA NEWS for more details.]
Complete Article >My Reality Check Bounced
Book Review by Lakeisha Moore Mathews
A book for helping Generation Y achieve their career goals, without complaining about Gen Y work habits. Recommended for every career counselor, regardless of age, to gain strategies on guiding this unique generation to success. [Eds. Note: This article originally appeared here in November 2010. It is being repeated in celebration of Career Convergence's All Conference issue. See NCDA NEWS for more details.]
Complete Article >Distance Career Counseling: An In-Demand Profession
By Betty McWillie
Distance counseling is an in-demand profession as busy clients seek to accommodate their lifestyles balancing a career, education, home, and family. Clients can be involved in the career counseling process at home, on their lunch hour, and at times convenient to them without having to go to an office and meet face to face with a career counselor. Counselors who meet the qualifications can obtain training and certification as a Distance Credentialed Counselor, providing behaviorally based career plans with documented steps and outcomes to their clients.
Complete Article >Career and Chronic Illness
By Beth Lulgjuraj
Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is a life-altering event. Once diagnosed, career decisions can become overwhelming. Suggestions follow on how to help clients make more informed career decisions and find work-life balance.
Complete Article >Discover, Internalize, CREATE!
By Leslie Arnold
Embarking on a career change can be overwhelming. It is common for clients to feel powerless and fearful. The process can affect not only a client’s self-esteem but also their confidence levels. The following case study is an example of a client’s feelings of “being stuck” and an original exercise I use to support my clients during their career search journey.
Complete Article >Finding Meaning and Purpose in Retirement: Work and Non-Work Retirement Options
By Mary E. Ghilani
This article is the second in a two-part series focusing on retirement career counseling. Today’s retirees are healthier, living longer, and more active than their predecessors. Some will continue to work for financial reasons, while others will choose to work part-time, volunteer, or start their own business in order to stay active and productive. For many retirees, retirement is an opportunity to learn or do something new. With a little creativity, the options for retirees are limited only by their imagination.
Complete Article >Help Clients Change Careers -- Retool Their Career “Story”
By Alexandra White
With a simple two-part technique, help clients seeking a career change to distill their work experience into a meaningful “story” to align it to a new position, even one in a new industry. Part 1 helps client mine their past experience to align it with the job skills a company is seeking, while Part 2 helps clients practice storytelling through a mock interview.
Complete Article >Make a Retirement Plan BEFORE You Retire
By Mary E. Ghilani
This article is the first in a two-part series focusing on retirement career counseling. The transition from work to retirement can be very challenging if steps are not taken to replace the lack of structure, social contact, purpose, and meaning that work once provided. This article provides a list of questions that career counselors and coaches can use to help their clients make appropriate plans about their retirement.
Complete Article >A Practical 'Happenstance' or 'Voyage' Exercise
By Eric Anderson
Replacing career “path” with career “voyage” has led to an exploration of new methods of delivery for career planning. In one example, a “thought experiment” with clients was effective in awakening them to the reality of their largely unpredictable voyage ahead, and prepared them to consider two practical approaches to career planning as they face life’s unpredictability.
Complete Article >Reflections and Projections: Onto the Second Century for NCDA!
Sue Aiken, Associate Editor, Independent Section
In 2013 we traveled through time on a journey looking through the rear view mirror, reflecting on past challenges/ accomplishments and out through the front windshield projecting what the future holds for our profession. Here are lessons learned and questions to encourage even more learning.
Complete Article >When Did You Last Think About Theory?
By Deirdre A. Pickerell
This article offers a brief glimpse into the world of career theory, with the goal of inspiring career practitioners to pause to reflect on how, or perhaps if, career theory is embedded in their practice.
Complete Article >Career Conversations with Millennials: A Few Observations
By Sunitha Narayanan
Millennials, generally described as being born anywhere from the early 1980s to the early 2000s, may excite, perplex and expand us as career professionals. Observations from both personal and professional interactions with millennials generated these suggestions for successful career development conversations.
Complete Article >Beating the Odds: Building a Private Practice
By Linda Crowder
Most small businesses fail within their first five years. A Career Coaching practice that not only survives but thrives, needs to build multiple streams of income and take full advantage of the Internet to both attract new clients and deliver service. The author shares her practical approach to building a successful practice in the rural state of Wyoming.
Complete Article >The Work Book: How to Build Your Personal Brand and Get Hired!
Book Review By Liane H. Gould
Are you looking for a book for your clients that will help them create a strong personal brand, learn the process of securing the job offer, or explain how to elevate personal brand once in the position? This quick read may be just what your clients need.
Complete Article >How to Show Up the Moment Your Prospect Wants to Buy Your Services
by Jack Chapman
The trick to building a successful private practice is to be the person "waiting in the wings," when a career need pops up. By sending a newsletter each month you will remind people that you're ready, willing, and able to work with them. Learn how to create a newsletter that's PIP.From the author of "Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1000 a Minute." In honor of NCDA's 100th anniversary, Career Convergence is publishing articles of historical significance. This month, our web magazine is reprinting articles from our debut issue in 2003.
Complete Article >Career Planning for Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome
By Barbara Bissonnette
Typical protocols don’t work for these atypical individuals. Despite being bright, college-educated, and skilled, many individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism, struggle to find and maintain employment. Helping them find work that is satisfying and manageable requires an understanding of their unique profile of abilities and challenges.
Complete Article >A Narrative Career Management Program that Increases Hope, Optimism, Confidence, Resilience: Outcome Study
By Mark Franklin
We’re hearing more and more about using ‘narrative’ and ‘storytelling’ in career counseling, coaching and advising, but how does it work? How can we listen in new ways to our clients’ stories that inevitably tumble out, and help our clients distill what matters from what happened, to answer ‘what now?’ This article gives an overview of the results of a recent outcome study of the CareerCycles narrative framework and method of practice that’s creating a new language for career management, and supporting a move toward evidence-based practice. Also included is a Practice Tip.
Complete Article >An Interview with Richard Bolles: The Lasting Power of 41 Editions of What Color Is Your Parachute?
By Jenn Long
According to author Richard N. Bolles, the passion behind 41 editions of What Color Is Your Parachute? is “Keeping the book absolutely up to date!” An interview with the author provides insights into the popular job-search book from conception to reinvention, industry shifts along the way, and advice for aspiring authors.
Complete Article >Career Development Time vs. Full-Time Work
By Sally Power
Here are some unusual tactics for making time for independent career development while working full time. Our increasingly mobile workforce will need to implement these tips in the future. Also in this article: ideas to aid people in making the time management shift.
Complete Article >Stop Saying Career “path”!
By Eric Anderson
Most career development practitioners use the term “career path”, and we should stop. This implicitly standardized term has fit well with the way that conventional career theories characterize the career development process, but it’s a barrier to fully embracing emerging theories like Krumboltz’s Happenstance Career Theory, because it embeds a misleading metaphor. “Career path” implies to our clients that their career plans are visible and stable.
Complete Article >Recovering Self-Identity Amidst Long-Term Unemployment
By Dave Gallison
Now that the election cycle, with its emphasis on unemployment as an upward or downward-moving data point, has passed, what real hope is there for the millions of long-term unemployed? More to point, as counselors, how can we make a difference in the outlook and coping strategies of our clients?
Complete Article >Practical Passion – Make Your Dream Happen!
By Sunitha Narayanan
Passion and purpose are considered the bedrock of life-enriching work. How does this concept change for people in today’s business environment, where more gets done with less, when employee morale is expected to be low and the norm is to hear of companies laying-off even their superstars?
Complete Article >Helping Females Overcome Glass Barriers to Advancement
By Joan Runnheim Olson
While the landscape continues to change for women in the workplace, it sometimes feels like it is one step forward and two back. This article highlights the challenges women face when trying to move up the next rung on the career ladder and how career practitioners can help guide their clients in breaking through the invisible barriers.
Complete Article >To Offer Social Media, You Have to Model Social Media
By Joshua Waldman
Your clients are asking for social media help more and more each day. For many in the career profession, this has become problematic. First, Social takes up a lot of time. Second, it's just so darn confusing. I offer a three step solution which you can use for your own social media.
Complete Article >Shaping the Story
Book Review by William C. Briddick
From author/editor Kobus Maree comes the much awaited American edition of the 2007 publication, "Shaping the Story: A Guide to Facilitating Narrative Career Counseling". This book has something for everyone, from those already utilizing a narrative approach in career counseling to those who are seeking to learn more about narrative career counseling.
Complete Article >Starting and Growing a Business in the New Economy
Book Review by Denise Saunders
Many career development professionals dream of a solo practice or business venture maximizing their unique skill set. This monograph highlights contributions of 17 successful career entrepreneurs who share first-hand accounts and suggestions for how to make the dream become a reality.
Complete Article >Community Champions: How to influence generations of workers
By Jan McCormick
Accomplished people share a simple secret. They’ve had supportive and inspiring mentors. Equally true, GCDF's can look to Community Champions for insight and guidance in translating the demands of a changing workplace in a changing world. Through collaborative relationships, practitioners can influence generations of workers by facilitating employer-infused career development activities.
Complete Article >What does Career Resiliency Mean to You?
By Sunitha Narayanan
In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (V.U.C.A) business world, change is constant. This article looks at career ownership and resiliency as a pathway to career happiness.
Complete Article >Values In Coaching
By Trudy Leijte
We want clients to find their strengths and core values in order to make a good career choice. But are we, career facilitators, aware of our own values and strengths? Knowing one's values can contribute to a better career choice and knowing yours makes you a better career coach.
Complete Article >Aligning Strengths with Goals: Creating a Self-Concordant Journey
By Linda Faucheux
The alignment of strengths and goals provides the opportunity to embark on a self-concordant journey. Self-concordance is the capacity to pursue a set of personal goals with feelings of intrinsic interest and identity congruence. Exploring your strengths zone is a powerful pathway to experience self-concordance. Setting self-concordant goals enables us to develop a deeply meaningful and satisfying career and contributes to higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction.
Complete Article >Rediscovering Personal Meaning in Work
By Tim Lutenski
Many people today are able to successfully achieve a strong sense of purpose and inner meaning through their work. However, as time goes on, they can become disconnected and disengaged. To rediscover meaning, individuals are responsible for shaping their own version of success and assuming the initiative in making positive changes.
Complete Article >A Counselor’s Advice to Counselors: A Conversation with Marty Nemko, Part 2
By Maureen P. Nelson
Continuing our talk with the author of Cool Careers for Dummies, we find out what Marty Nemko uses instead of a traditional career guidance approach, learn the “three-minute career makeover” techniques he utilizes on his radio show, and where he thinks career counselors can add real value.
Complete Article >What To Do When You’re Not In Kansas Anymore: A Transformative Seminar For People In Transition
By Sunitha Narayanan and Linda Tefend
Job-seekers today are bombarded with electronic information and job search advice. Our high-touch, group approach is an energizing and practical solution to help your transitioning clients become confident, avoid pitfalls and shorten their job search.
Complete Article >More Than A Job Search: Enhance Career Management Skills Using Social Media
By Nancy J. Miller
Social media provides effective tools career professionals can use to: 1) Improve writing skills; 2) Build a network of colleagues, friends, and professionals; 3) Brand yourself as a leader in your field; 4) Show gratitude; and 5) Mentor others.
Complete Article >Making Space for Insight and Change: Using the Metaphorical Process of Clean Space
By Barbara Stainman and Gina Campbell
Client metaphors offer a powerful way to connect to the hidden feelings, beliefs, fears and thoughts around career issues. Using the Clean Space process, developed by psychotherapist David Grove, a facilitator uses movement and mindfulness within a network of physical spaces to help clients develop new insights or strategies to reach their desired outcomes.
Complete Article >Cool Careers in any Economy: A Conversation with Marty Nemko
By Maureen Nelson
Find out from one of career development's most fearless pundits and avid trend watchers how today's global megatrends are affecting the job market. First of a multi-part interview with the popular speaker, blogger, radio host and author of Cool Careers for Dummies.
Complete Article >Career Flow: A Hope-Centred Approach to Achieving Dreams
By Roberta Neault
Most people dream about career success and job satisfaction. The author has demonstrated that optimism can be learned. Fostering an optimistic attitude in our clients may be an important focus for career practitioners.
Complete Article >10 Best Practices for Accelerating the Success of Millennials
By Julie LaCroix
90 million people are expected to enter the workforce between approximately 2002 and 2022. They face a more competitive global economic climate than ever before and need the tools for success in their careers. This article introduces 10 best practices career counselors can use with their emerging professional clientele to keep them committed, focused and differentiated from the rest.
Complete Article >Strengths and Careers: Applying a Strengths Approach to Help Clients Move Ahead
By Jennifer Bradley and Emma Trenier
How can career professionals help clients succeed in a world of work where jobs and career paths are increasingly less defined? In this article we discuss how a strengths approach can benefit clients and empower them to create and pursue a productive and satisfying career.
Complete Article >Applying the Concept of Mental Toughness to the Job Search Process
by Mary E. Ghilani
The job search process requires a degree of mental fortitude, patience, and perseverance. The author proposes keys for career counselors to share with job seekers to help them adapt the concept of “mental toughness” to sustain them through the job search process.
Complete Article >The Dalai Lama and Career Transition
By Sunitha Narayanan
A transition brings joy and pain into people’s lives. Life goes on, and it may even get better after going through the transition. The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, has heartfelt and simple strategies that can transform people who are facing a career transition. This article looks at applying the Dalai Lama’s concepts to empower people going through a transition, life or career.
Complete Article >A Two-sided Resume? Standing out from the crowd!
By Rhonda Messinger
Whether or not to use a two-sided resume is not a simple question. There is no correct resume method for every industry and every potential employer. Insights gathered from colleagues formed the basis for the following recommendations for using two-sided resumes and other creative approaches in job searching.
Complete Article >Incorporating Motivational Interviewing into Career Counseling
By Liz Lierman
Research has shown that Motivational Interviewing (MI) is effective in a variety of settings. This article offers background on MI, suggestions for using MI as a career counseling framework, and specific tips for practitioners to incorporate into their work with clients.
Complete Article >Mindset of the Career Searcher
By Aricia E. LaFrance
One of the most challenging problems for career professionals is the client in an unproductive mindset. Many professionals will screen to learn if potential clients are “coachable” in hopes to screen out those clients who are obstinate and close minded. Learn techniques to help your work with difficult clients.
Complete Article >What are Career Coaches Afraid of?
By Greg Fall
This article is a call for career coaches to take the medicine we have been prescribing. We strive to help our clients overcome their anxieties and emotional barriers. But what about taking our own advice?
Complete Article >Masks of Anxiety Exercise
By Greg Fall
This exercise is a companion to the article, "What are Career Coaches Afraid of?"
Complete Article >Building Meaning in Work
By Tim Lutenski
Today, many people are seeking meaning in work by finding personal fulfillment and satisfaction. Failure to build a significant “work-meaning connection” can lead to cynicism and disillusionment. This article presents several proactive measures for career counselors to implement for themselves or their clients.
Complete Article >Building a Bridge to a Brighter Future for Unemployed Adults
By Michael F. Campbell, Lindsay M. Andrews, and Emily E. Bullock
The current economic downturn in the United States has lead to the unemployed population growing immensely. Unemployment is currently at a twenty-five year high and still on the rise. This article highlights concerns and barriers as well as resources for use in career counseling.
Complete Article >Part II - Changing Careers After 40: Real Stories, New Callings
By Terry Pile and David Lingle
In the June issue of NCDA Career Convergence, we introduced readers to research we have been conducting with mid-life career changers. In this follow-up article, we introduce Harvey. The theme of his career transition focuses on turning a survival job into a satisfying career.
Complete Article >Changing Careers After 40: Real Stories, New Callings
By Terry Pile and David Lingle
What motivates a popular television talk show host to quit his career and become an auctioneer? Why does an ambitious advertising executive abandon her thriving business to become a healing coach? How does an IBM employee leave a comfortable 30-year career to start a pet sitting service?
Complete Article >Social Media: The Revolution in Career Development
By Jane Finkle
Missed opportunities abound as clients search for career information and jobs using only traditional resources. Social Media is an energetic process that employs simple technology and produces quick results. This article gives testimony as to how this revolutionary resource is empowering professionals as they expand their network and target job goals.
Complete Article >Helping the BRAC Affected Civilian Employee of the Military: A Primer for Resume Preparation
By Patricia Van Haste
Counselors all over the country may be seeing BRAC (Base Realignment and Closing) affected civilian employees of the military looking for their next career opportunity. Understanding their unique situations and needs is necessary in order to provide on target assistance and support.
Complete Article >Coaching Clients in Identifying Skills
By Tim Lutenski
Career specialists assisting clients looking for work or making career decisions must help them in identifying their major skills, understanding the significance of these skills, and using them to build a successful career and work life. A critical task for career professionals is helping clients to recognize and communicate key career skills and align them with work that provides personal satisfaction and fulfillment.
Complete Article >Career and Caregiving as Related to Private Practice
Sue Aiken, Interviewer
An interview with Sally Gelardin, author of Career & Caregiving: Empowering the Shadow Workforce of Family Caregivers (NCDA, 2009), with the purpose of understanding how and why the subject of caregiving relates to career counseling and it's meaning in today's world.
Complete Article >Transition Road: Well Traveled Or Lesser Known?
By Sue Aiken
Private practices around the world are filled with clients in transition as we experience economic chaos. Lessons learned from past upheavals and reliable tools to assist clients on this journey are provided.
Complete Article >Career Counseling for a Green Economy
By Willa Smith Davis
There is a lot of talk about the "green economy" and "green jobs". The purpose of this article is to raise awareness in the career counseling community about these terms and the career pathways related to them. It will explore what it means to be "sustainable". Readers will be more prepared to counsel their students/clients about green careers.
Complete Article >Serendipitous Moments - More Than Just Chance
By Danielle Gruen
Each and every day, potentially opportune encounters take place in a person's life. These moments are not always capitalized on, especially in times of stress or turmoil. This article discusses why this happens for many people, and how to increase the chance of turning serendipity into opportunity.
Complete Article >Giving Hope to the Homeless
By Tim Lutenski
Homeless shelter residents seeking employment often require help in dealing with both personal and work related issues. In assisting these individuals it is important to help them break through self imposed barriers, minimize negative thinking, enhance their self image, assume greater responsibility for decisions and actions, and make improved life and vocational choices in order to realize a better future.
Complete Article >Understanding Grief In The Context Of Job Loss & Lifestyle Adjustment
by Millicent Nuver Simmelink
Today’s marketplace and economy have resulted in loss of jobs, self confidence, career dreams, financial power and much more. The article examines grief from this context, reviews the emotional stages of grief and provides counseling strategies for empowering clients. Originally published in September, 2006, this article is extremely relevant today.
Complete Article >Starting a Private Practice -- Colleagues To The Rescue!
By Patricia A. Van Haste
Inspired by two recent Career Convergence articles, this article encourages those considering a private practice or those just starting out not to overlook how valuable a source of help colleagues can be.
Complete Article >Can I Use Coaching Techniques And Still Be An Effective Professional Career Counselor?
By Richard L. Knowdell
Different settings require different skills and techniques when providing solutions to career problems and issues. Coaching techniques can be more effective than counseling techniques in certain settings. Successful career practitioners can (and should) employ both coaching and counseling techniques when helping clients solve career problems. There are more similarities than differences between career counseling and career coaching.
Complete Article >Revitalizing Retirement: Reshaping Your Identity, Relationships, and Purpose.
Book Review by Aricia LaFrance
Nancy Schlossberg does it again with a retirement book suitable for anyone wanting to "reshape" their life and find balance. With a natural flow, examples and exercises, "Revitalizing Retirement" provides helpful, immediately applicable insights for retirees as well as coaches working in the fields of career development, retirement and life balance.
Complete Article >You Need The Oxygen First!
By Sharon McCormick
Help your clients who suffer a job loss cope using these practical steps that will help them place their needs first during this transition.
Complete Article >The Emergence of Creating an Online Presence
By Bob McDonald
In the ever-changing paradigm that is the Internet, career counselors should always be aware of the new online tools that can ultimately benefit clients by increasing their chance of employment.
Complete Article >Getting Lucky: A Simple Approach to Successful Transition
By Millicent N. Simmelink
A case study illustration offers a fresh approach to empowering clients by helping them understand the role of luck, outlook and strategy in improving job search outcomes.
Complete Article >Career Transition: A Checklist for Re-entry Success
By Laura Demarse
This article addresses the uncertainty of the world of work - non-linear career paths and the need for a new model. Moreover, it is a holistic guide for practitioners to use to help displaced workers engage in a positive dialogue about returning to work. Exercises and talking points for the counselor and the client are provided.
Complete Article >Mystery Gardening: A Job Hunt Parable
By Barry L. Davis
For many of our clients, the job search is a lonely and seemingly futile process with little feedback or encouragement along the way. The following provides a metaphor for the job search as a “Mystery Garden” that guarantees a “good harvest” if the seeker continues to “work the soil”!
Complete Article >Queen Bee Syndrome
By Steve Bohler
Past research paints a picture of an ecosystem of variables which exert their own influence on job satisfaction and employee engagement. One powerful yet largely overlooked factor is one's Specialist/Generalist orientation. This article examines the hallmarks of the hidden Specialists, why they may be dissatisfied in most traditional, corporate jobs, and what career practitioners can do to assist them.
Complete Article >Helping Clients Choose You
By Karen James Chopra
This article is Part 2 of "Launching a Successful Private Practice". Most career counselors considering a private practice dread the prospect of marketing their services. A hard sell is neither necessary nor recommended. When clients start looking for a counselor, they are desperate to find not just help, but a connection with someone they can trust. Learn how to respond to this need and make it easy for clients to choose you as their career counselor.
Complete Article >If You Never Leave Your Network You Never Have To "Comeback"
By Brianna Koucos
Networking is an effective tool to manage career transitions during all stages of work and life, especially for those moving away from traditional, full-time careers. Read on for helpful networking tips that can assist you and your clients alike.
Complete Article >Launching a Successful Private Practice: Part 1: Clearing the Decks
By Karen James Chopra
Career counselors considering a private practice confront a number of common concerns, from fears about how to find clients or run a business to a dread of marketing. These are not insurmountable barriers. Exercises and tools- including some we use with our clients- are included to guide and encourage.
Complete Article >The Business Side of Private Practice
By Sue Aiken
As career counselors, most of us try to answer the question of whether or not we want to open a private practice at some point in our career. This article introduces two future articles that will provide specific ideas and tools to assist you in your decision making. Initially, relevant questions are raised here.
Complete Article >Managing a Career Change During a Recession
By Angel L. Roman
The plethora of layoffs and downsizings have spurred many professionals to rethink their career goals and explore life in a new industry. This article provides some tips on how to manage career change in the midst of a volatile job market.
Complete Article >What Do You Do If You Are Stuck? Using Creativity in Career Counseling
By Mary Ann Hollingsworth
Career indecision is a common obstacle for many students in the selection of college majors, as well as for adults selecting both initial career paths and making subsequent career changes. The result is often a sense of being "stuck". This article provides unique activities and suggestions that use creativity as a tool for resolution to help clients become "unstuck." While this article is well-suited for graduate students and new professionals looking for new interventions to expand their "tool box", seasoned counselors will also benefit from this refresher.
Complete Article >Obesity Issues and Career Counseling
By Morgan Litchfield
Despite advances in employment equality over the last 50 years, discrimination can still be a reality for many American workers, especially for obese employees. Career development practitioners may be called upon to help obese clients mitigate this potential discrimination both during the hiring process and within the workplace.
Complete Article >Strategy Replaces Stress
By Arlene R. Barro
This case study will show new strategies for career development practitioners to reduce their clients’ stress in their personal and professional lives. Clients who embrace changing their behavior and effectively implement these strategies will have the tools to prevent future stress.
Complete Article >Case Note Writing Tips for Career Development Facilitators
By: David A. Scott & Michelle Grant Scott
CDF's working in One-Stop centers, other agencies and schools may find themselves responsible for writing case notes. If they have not received training in this area, lack of proper skills and techniques can create problems for themselves and the agency. Included are some guidelines to help CDF's write appropriate case notes.
Complete Article >Finding Life Work Balance Through Community
By Sue Aiken
Working definitions of “life work balance” and “community” provide a foundation for considering two growing issues among clients of all ages. Options and resources are provided for consideration with your private practice clients.
Complete Article >Personal Branding: Developing Your Clients' Competitive Edge
By Dan Schawbel
Personal Branding is defined as an individual's total perceived value, relative to competitors, as viewed by their audience. A Personal Brand is composed of four main elements: appearance, personality, competencies and a differentiator. When these elements are integrated, they become the client's core message; the client's most powerful interviewing pitch. After creation, you must ensure that this identity continues to fit your client over time.
Complete Article >Spiral Careers Support the 21st Century Workplace
By Martin Elliot Jaffe
This article describes the concepts of linear, steady state and spiral careers, reflecting the career turbulence and flattened organizational structures that reduced long term career stability and upward movement in large organizations, particularly for clients in mid-life or mid-career involuntary career transition. Case examples of this 21st century career model are presented.
Complete Article >Taking Ownership - A Career Advantage
By Sunitha Narayanan
One of the important steps in career exploration is taking action to move forward. This article follows the story of one individual client’s quest into reflecting upon his career plan and learning how to create a path to his future through a series of self-assessment exercises.
Complete Article >Working with Lawyers as Clients: Tips for Career Development Professionals
By Nancy Gibson
Given the high levels of stress associated with practicing law, it's likely that one day you, as a career development professional, may find yourself working with a client who is a lawyer. This article sheds light on some common misconceptions about lawyers and provides tips on developing a successful working relationship.
Complete Article >The Seasonal Rhythm of Career Decision-Making
By Sally Gelardin
As we help our clients progress in their career development, it is equally important to assess and evaluate our own career progression. As summer winds down and fall approaches, this is a perfect time for self-evaluation and future goal setting. This article discusses the cyclical, year round nature of career development, and provides career practitioners with tangible and helpful tools to aid in self-assessment and self-care.
Complete Article >Professional Development Comes to Your Desktop: Spend an hour with Rich Feller!
By Sue Aiken
The value of professional development to independent career counselors as well as the convenience of online learning are achieved in this new video. The application and effectiveness of Rich Feller's message in "Career Coaching Clients for Success: 10 Lifelong Career Rules" on the NCDA website, is presented here through the eyes of a career counselor.
Complete Article >What If: Exploring the Possibility of Radical Change in One's Work and Life
By Kendall Dudley
Given the events of this turbulent world, clients may come to our private practice with radical ideas for changing their life frame and work focus. Challenging to the career consultant is assessing what is actually happening with the client but also monitoring his or her own responses to matters of risk-taking and change as it affects family, finances and other sacred cows of our culture.
Complete Article >Revitalize Your Style: Spring Cleaning for Counselors
By Sarah M. Backes-Diaz
Interested in revitalizing your counseling approach? Bored with the same intake questions, assessments, and standard interventions? Unsure whether or not your approach fits the needs and preferences of your clients? Then perhaps its time to clean out and upgrade your counseling tool box!
Complete Article >Writing a Book is Good for Business: A Conversation with Sally Gelardin
By Sue Aiken
This article attempts to answer the question about the value of publishing. What services and opportunities spin off from a new book? Should a career counselor in private practice consider either editing and/or authoring books?
Complete Article >Reflections on a Theme of "Buts"
By Mary E. Ghilani
Making the decision to return to school can be frightening and difficult for adults who have constraints of family and finances. This article will explore techniques career counselors can use to guide adults to explore and manage their arsenal of "buts" when it comes to making decisions about changing careers and/or returning to college.
Complete Article >The Growing Divide Calls for Advocacy
By Ron Elsdon
Growing inequality in income and wealth in the U.S. threatens the well being of our society, and leads to sustained poverty, reduced circumstances and constrained life choices for many. This article explores these changes, and challenges us as career counselors to engage in advocacy for those who need it most.
Complete Article >Flexibility and Willingness to Learn Are Not Enough!
By Sally J. Power
Experienced, white-collar people are struggling to maintain their levels of reward in the more competitive job market. Flexibility and willingness to learn are not enough. This article explores how they can proactively meet this challenge.
Complete Article >Private Practice: Issues, Realities & Ideas
by Wilma Fellman
Private Practice can be a most rewarding environment in which to serve others in career development. As we suggest to our clients, it is essential to check out the positives and negatives of any job before launching in with both feet. This article explores the issues Private Practitioners should consider.
Complete Article >Socially Responsible Career Development of Black Males for Workplace Success
by David P. Newman
This article defines and discusses a new career development model called Socially Responsible Career Development (SRCD), its benefits in helping at-risk black males achieve workplace success; and clarifies the unique role of the career counselor as an architect in implementing the model.
Complete Article >Combining Groups, Narratives and Online Tools Satisfies Clients and Counselors
by Lisa Severy
Combining a narrative-based, online tool with a solid curriculum for groups is an effective solution for engaging your clients and energizing your practice. Not only do you have a balance for the short versus long term counseling relationship, you have an efficient creative method, based on theory that is flexible for both clients and counselors.
Complete Article >Collaborative, Not Combative, Action Planning
by Sunitha Narayanan
How can a consultant achieve collaboration in action planning? Help clients become more aware of choices and opportunities and form a practical and supportive structure to reap the benefits of collaboration.
Complete Article >Empowering Clients Using a Veritable Goldmine of Interactive Web Tools
by Janet E. Wall
Even more helpful than the millions of career related websites are interactive Web tools that tailor the information or outcome to the person's need and wants. This article provides an introduction to many great interactive Web tools that can help career development professionals assist their students or clients in taking control of their own career destiny.
Complete Article >Metaphor: A New Way Of Thinking About Careers
by Kerr Inkson
The use of metaphor is common in people's thinking, including thinking about careers. The development of metaphors and the use of multiple metaphors may liberate career development by facilitating perception of new possibilities. This article discusses common career metaphors, and the potential of metaphor to contribute to improved counseling practice.
Complete Article >Decision Time: A Guide to Career Enhancement
Reviewed by Robert Reardon
NCDA's Publications Advisory Council invited the author to create a second edition of Decision Time because it was judged to be potentially a good book for both career practitioners and their clients. In this reviewer's mind, that was a good decision.
Complete Article >Strained Credulity: The Career Counselor as Parent
by Ellen Weaver Paquette
Parenting is a difficult role, fraught with emotions, second guessing, dreams, ambitions, regrets and bills. Career counselors as parents are often caught in a double helix of professionalism and strained credulity. Viewed as valued consultants in the workplace, the career counselor may find themselves questioned by their offspring when career aspirations are mentioned.
Complete Article >It Only Hurts When I (Don't) Laugh: Humor Your Clients' Job Search
by Janet Ruck
Have you ever considered the value of a good belly laugh to alleviate the stress of your clients' job search? Humor heals through the release of endorphins, among other medical reasons. Learn some techniques to humor your clients' job search, while giving yourself a lift at the same time.
Complete Article >Counseling Clients Who Relocate
by Sunitha Narayanan
When a client's employment opportunity is affected by a relocation, the career consultant may need several strategies to overcome feelings of helplessness and disappointment.
Complete Article >Want to Pay $4,400 for Career Help?
by Sharon McCormick
Protect career counseling clients by educating them about questionable practices that are advertised under the guise of "career counseling" or "career marketing" services. Determining the services, staff qualifications and costs is essential for every jobseeker to understand prior to making a financial commitment. This is my client's odyssey.
Complete Article >Career Counseling: An In-Demand Profession
by Betty McWillie
A private practitioner with 20 years experience shares her view of the profession. The distinction between Career Counselors and Career Coaches is briefly discussed. The increased need for career development services by clients is addressed. The career counseling membership categories offered by the National Career Development Association are presented for clarification.
Complete Article >Mapping Careers with LD and ADD Clients: Guidebook and Case Studies
Book Review by Sarah Lucas Hartley and Beth Lulgjuraj
Janus' book, Mapping Careers with LD and ADD Clients, offers insight into LD and ADD, providing career counselors with practical applications and counseling strategies, while also providing employers with examples of workplace accommodations. This resource is a much-needed reference for working productively with individuals who have LD or ADD.
Complete Article >Client Selection: Clarity or Confusion? Success or Struggle?
by Sharon McCormick
The Internet is a great source of clients. In-depth telephone screening strategies are recommended to ensure a good match between client requests for services and actual professional services available.
Complete Article >Lifestyle Loss: An Emerging Career Transition Issue
by Millicent Nuver Simmelink
Lifestyle loss as a career transition issue is defined and examined. Practical guidelines for practitioners helping clients cope with this precarious dilemma are outlined.
Complete Article >"Know Yourself, Co-Workers and Your Organization"
Book Review by Debbie Walker
Juchnowski's book Know Yourself, Co-Workers and Your Organization, can serve as invaluable learning resource for new professionals in the career counseling profession and as a reference book for seasoned professionals who are familiar with John L. Holland's theory.
Complete Article >Helping Clients Ease the Stress of a Career Identity Crisis
by Betty Boza
When someone is contemplating a career change, there are many challenges associated with the process. One of the key issues, which may be overlooked, is that of career identity. The stress from making a transition can prevent someone from reaching her/his goal. This article is a reminder to career counseling professionals of the struggles that clients experience and reflects a summary of ideas to help your clients through this process.
Complete Article >The Career Portfolio Workbook by Frank Satterthwaite and Gary D'Orsi
Book Review by Katarzyna Ganko and Cynthia Kivland
In today's job market of ever-increasing competition and rigid selection, the saying "actions speak louder than words" rings especially true. Thus, an accurate and attention-drawing conveyance of your accomplishment and potential to a prospective employer becomes a task both indispensable and complex. In their innovative and reader-friendly guide to creating a success-securing career portfolio, Frank Satterthwaite and Gary D'Orsi acquaint you not only with techniques to promote yourself but also with ways to be noticed and heard.
Complete Article >What is a Career Anyway?
by Michelle L. Casto
In the modern world, the idea of what "career" means is changing. This article takes a look at definitions and different metaphors used to explain career development. The author offers a new way of viewing career as a "wardrobe," where what you do reflects your current style, taste, and work preferences.
Complete Article >Purposeful Listening: Spiritual Coaching Techniques for Career Development Practitioners
by Gail Liebhaber, M.Ed.
Purposeful listening, as a coaching and counseling technique, is explained and explored. The author describes how the art of purposeful listening can transform your sessions with clients into satisfying experiences for you both.
Complete Article >Dream Teams Aren't Just for the Olympics
By Gail Rognan
Personal and professional career and life coaching has really taken off in the past few years. What if you need a "kick in the pants" and also want to share your experiences and ideas with others, but don't want to spend money on a private coach? A new approach is offered that combines the best of personal coaching with a team structure.
Complete Article >The 6 Stages of Modern Career Development
by Michelle L. Casto
Learn about the 6 stages of modern career development: Assessment, Investigation, Preparation, Commitment, Retention, and Transition. The key tasks of each stage are included.
Complete Article >Grandma and Grandpa Go Back to Work
by Marilyn Tellez
How many mature/older workers want to go back to work? Maybe you are one of them? Perhaps you know someone who is. Learn about three types of mature/older workers and tips on easing their transition back into the workforce.
Complete Article >