Merry Christmas!

As our GCDF colleagues know, Carla and I like to use acronyms in our trainings. During this holiday season, we extend a holiday greeting in the form of a GCDF acronym. We wish each of you a healthy, happy holiday season and look forward to being with you in the new year. The following are certainly traits that remind us of you!


Make opportunities happen!
Encouragers
Really awesome brainstormers
Role models
Yeomen and women during summer work programs

Caring beyond a doubt
Handle stress and pressure with grace
Resume experts
Integraters of new programs and ideas
Significant members of your communities
Talented professionals
Marketing gurus
Accomplished professionals
Super strategizers

Capitalize on the Holidays!

Each year at this time we hear clients say, "I think I will take the holidays off and begin my search again in January". There is certainly a myth out there that no one hires in December or that December is the worst month of the year to be job seeking. By the amount of activity my clients have been experiencing the past few weeks, there is nothing further from the truth! Let's encourage our clients to put their best foot forward and use this month to purposefully reconnect and build relationships with previous managers, supervisors and co-workers. The economy is stronger than we have seen in a few years. Take advantage of any holiday open houses or parties. In fact, many businesses will even have open houses this month. Encourage clients to send cards, emails, or simply make a telephone call wishing others a happy holiday season. Even follow-up on old job postings. This is the time of year when feelings of peace on earth and goodwill make networking much easier. Yes, social occassions and year end networking can go a long way towards building trust and may help open doors for business opportunities next quarter.

Dr. John Maxwell Leadership Conference

Internationally renowned author, speaker and leadership expert John Maxwell was recently in Lexington for a conference that featured attendees from several sectors of the workforce (i.e. government, education, profit and non-profit). There was also a youth leadership track where high school students from around the state participated in sessions led by Dr. Tim Elmore. Dr. Elmore has recently written a book on how to lead Gen Y. What a wonderful surprise to see fellow GCDFs from EKCEP attend this dynamic conference!

Dr. Maxwell shared from his most recent leadership book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What The Most Effective People Do Differently. His presentation was an excellent reminder that success is really just being able to connect with people. Similar to networking, we need to be conscious of other people and how we can help them. We are either a plus or a minus, adding to or subtracting from relationships. Essentially, connecting is about character. Similar to GCDF trainings, Dr. Maxwell also touched upon the importance of not only what we say, but how we say it and non-verbal communication. The following were some of Dr. Maxwell's suggested tips for connecting. Be available and open for others. In getting to know someone new, ask them genuine questions. Be conscious of what you can do to help others. Create experiences that make time with others more enjoyable.

If you are not already a fan, consider reading a few of Dr. Maxwell's leadership books as part of your own personal and professional development plan.

Celebrating Entrepreneurs

During our fall GCDF trainings, we have talked quite a bit about entrepreneurial characteristics and resources available in your communities to help people begin businesses. In small groups, we have also brainstormed some great business ideas for a recession and business ideas targeting baby boomers. In fact, in 2009 about 6% of job seekers went off unemployment because they started their own business.

Last week (November 15-21) was Global Enrepreneur Week where millions of people around the world gathered to generate new ideas and seek better ways of doing things. The goal of the week was to especially encourage young people to embrace innovation, imagination, and creativity. In Kentucky, the folks over at Awesome, Inc. launched the first ever Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. Some of the inductees included John Y. Brown who grew the KFC dynasty worldwide and John Schnatter who founded Papa Johns Pizza.

Each year, Awesome, Inc. in Lexington hosts StartUp weekends where entrepreneurial minded folks network, brainstorm, develop ideas, and learn tools to launch a business. They also offer business/meeting space, mentoring, and technology development labs. Such business incubators are proving to be a beneficial resource.

What can we as GCDFs do to help clients in our region consider beginning a business as their next career?

Middle KY Site Visit

Last week took us to Jackson, Kentucky and the Middle Kentucky Community Action Agency for a first time training opportunity. We enjoyed meeting the local staff, having lunch together, and taking a driving tour of Breathitt and Lee counties. It is amazing how large these counties are and how competitive their sports teams are. We look forward to future visits with the Middle Kentucy folks.

Contractions!!!!!!!

As a GCDF, you know the job market is tight, right?


The overall unemployment rate in the United States is sitting at around 9.6 percent.

This statistic is almost double the unemployment rate for years. What is really going on? Economists are trying to gain a grasp on all the complexity of the market, when really it is quite simple:

Technology just blew up a HUGE balloon, tied the knot and now is sqeezing the workforce.

Let me explain.

The huge balloon of technology

Technology has ended the industrial age as we know it. We are know in a knowledge economy where information is instant and available to the masses. This access to knowledge is like someone took an empty balloon, filled it with air and gave a new dimension to what has previously been lifeless.

The explosion of the computer, technological resources and the Internet has flourished for the most part. The dot-com bust caused the big balloon to be tied with a knot.

Now, the balloon is being squeezed. If you took a balloon, blew it up, tied a knot and squuezed it, you would see the American economy at work.

How?

Well, when you sqeeze one section and it contracts, another section of the baloon is forced to expand. It is the nature of expansion.

Our recession that has been so negatively portrayed by the media is a contraction in the market. The key to our dismay is that NO ONE is pointing to the expansion and movement in another part of this balloon. When one part contracts, another expands.

So what is contracted in the market? The jobs that are no longer viable because technology has made them faster, easier and cheap. What is expanding? The businesses that make it faster, easier and cheaper for the employer using technology as the catalyst for change. It is a simple equation that has had devastating results because we have been largely unprepared for the intensity of the squeeze.

In the end, if our nation recognized and prepared for the contraction, this unemployment rate would have been minimized. Economists can only predict. However, it would be a beneficial resource to have a career counselor as an advisor to the President. They focus on when the balloon is has air being pumped into it not just cry like a baby when everyone thinks it has popped.

It hasn't. It has just been squeezed. In a future postI will focus on our major resource to take us to the height of this new economy. You can probably guess what that is.

Bell Whitley Site Visit

Today's training took us to Pineville where we met with our GCDFs and some of their colleagues for resume and interview training. There was some lively discussion related to local norms and how jobs are obtained. During the afternoon we had the chance to learn more about client communities. Thanks for your wonderful hospitality.

Training Date Change

Please note the following new date.

March 4-5, 2011 GCDF Class of 2008 Training #5

"GCDF Forecast Tools for Client Success"

National Career Development Month

November is National Career Development Month. Hopefully your agencies have some special programs planned. For a list of creative ideas for all populations go to http://associationdatabase.com/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/ncdmonth (Look on the right hand column under NCD Month Resources).

Site Visits to Daniel Boone and LKLP

This week the high winds blew us down to Manchester for training and a site visit with Terrina, Shirley, Alesia, Phillip, Jo Ann, and Linda. Thanks for the delicious potluck luncheon and homemade pies. On a tour of the county, we learned more about the documentary Appalachian Dawn and how local ministers collaborated to fight back against drugs in the community. It is being touted as a model in others areas of the country.

Also this week we spent time in Hazard training with Allison, Mona, Lynn, Mary, Donna, Jack, Shirley, Bobbie, Brian, Kathy, and Irene. Another potluck lunch was greatly appreciated. The peanut butter cake and pumpkin rolls were amazing! Community visits in the afternoon took us to Hindman and the Artisan Center, Bobbie and Mary's office (as well as where their new office will be located), and a shopping spree at Yoders. We also took in the Community Sports complex. A special thank you to Brian and Donna for sitting on the reclaimed coal mine ridge for three hours watching for elk. Of the supposed 7000 elk in the area, we did not see a single one. Our motto for the viewing was "any minute now" or "it won't be much longer". Fortunately, we had excellent company and beautiful views of the region from our peak viewing spot.

Site Visits

This week we have put the miles on the Careerspan car visiting our GCDF colleagues across the region. We have had beautiful weather and the fall leaves have been lovely. Yesterday we travelled to Harlan to meet with Celia, Chris and Flora. Chris shared a 1939 copy of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles that the libary was about to toss. Lots of "R" jobs. After our GCDF CEU training, we visited the CAA's remodeled building. What a transformation. Then we surprised Karen and dropped in on her at Harlan County High School near the end of her school day. My is her classroom, lab, and kitchens impressive as is the school. It features lots of glass windows with terrific views of the mountains, and an amazing gym and theater. There are so many activitites for students to get involved in, it's not surprising that the drop out rate last year was extremely low! Who wouldn't want to go to this school.

Today we headed to Paintsville. What a crowd Valerie gathered up for our morning training session. So good to see "yall". After lunch, we toured the Carl Perkins Vocational Rehabilitation Center and the local Entrepreneur Resource Center. Thanks for a great day!

LinkedIn Summary Section Tips

Social Media expert Jason Alba is a "go to" person for tips on using LinkedIn (LI). You may be familiar with his book I'm On LinkedIn Now What? or his DVDs on how to use LinkedIn more effectively. He recommends the following four tips for making the most of your LI Summary section.

1) You are allowed up to 2000 characters in this section - use them.
2) Don't cut and paste your resume in this section (it should go in the Profile section).
3) Tell up to six compelling STAR (Situation/Task, Action, Results) stories emphasizing prior work accomplishments. Quantify when possible (i.e. #, $, %)
4) Load up on industry key words and phrases.

Remember to make sure that you stay on brand. Also, communicate what you are passionate about and what you bring to the table. By utilizing these tips, your LI summary section will be much stronger.

KCEOC Site Visit

Mid-October led us to the Barbourville KCEOC site. What a beautiful drive! The fall color is certainly prettier this year as we head outside of Lexington. A highlight of our Resume and Interview CEU training was a discussion on how to help clients who feel as if they do not have anything to put on a resume. Or how to help those clients who when asked what are their qualifications, they say "none" or they can't answer. Ultimately we are striving to help our clients see that they have transferable, marketable skills and then to take ownership of those skills. Our group felt that asking a client to describe their skills was less intimidating than to ask them what are their qualificaitons. For those clients who perhaps lack self-confidence, try to get them to talk about their skills in each of the following categories - 1) tools/machine 2) Ideas 3) People 4) Data. This information can then be translated into roles and various other resume headers. Are you asking your clients the right questions when it comes to helping them build their resumes and see their transferable skills? What questions do you rely upon to get your clients to share their skills? As always, we welcome your comments.

Emotional Intelligence and Work

Several years ago as my UK graduate school days in Educational Psychology were coming to a close, the concept of Emotional Intelligence (EI) was just beginning to appear on the scene. Peter Salovey at Yale University and Jack Mayer a professor of psychology at the University of New Hampshire conducted initial research on the concept and are well known for their continued contributions in the EI field. However, reading Daniel Goleman's best seller Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ is what got me interested. So what is EI? In essence, EI is expanding our traditional definition of IQ and cognitive intelligence to a definition that includes an awareness of our emotions and the ability to use them effectively. In Goleman's later research he developed the argument that non-cognitive factors such as self-awareness, self-discipline, and empathy determine workplace success, as much if not more than, technical skills and I.Q. In a recent GCDF training, we had a great discussion on the resiliency factor and how so many of our clients overcome great difficulties to go on and ultimately achieve success. See how this also comes into EI? So how does/can EI impact our jobs and those of our clients?

Studies show that EQ is a better predictor of performance than employee skill, knowledge, or expertise. In order to reduce costs associated with turnover, absenteeism, and low performance, progressive employers are finding ways to integrate EQ into hiring and training as well as into corporate culture. Fortunately, EQ competencies can be measurable and learned. To learn more about the links between emotional intelligence and performance at work, Google "The Business Case for Emotional Intelligence" and read more books and articles on the topic.

From the Master Career Counselor Blog

Found in a recent article:


For every one posting, there were at least 5 to 6 workers that were applying and needed the job.

In essence, according to grim views of the job market, there are more job seekers than there are jobs at a 1 to 5 or 6 ratio. Most of the research data is based on the number of online job postings.

Here's something to consider:

First and foremost, NOT ALL JOBS ARE POSTED!!!!!!!

When a job seeker learns this imperative rule, he or she is on the road to job recovery. I would estimate that at least 70% of all job openings (if not more) are never posted online or in some type of print advertisement.

Job titles are constantly evolving and altering nearly daily due to technology, the global economy and the shifting labor force with diverse and broad needs. Thus, a company may have an opening with a certain job title but within weeks or months, such a title has become obsolete.

Employers are not posting openings online because they are looking for a worker that goes beyond a static job posting or description. They want TALENT, VISION, COMPETENCE and ENERGY. What they are looking for is not found online or posted in bright lights at multiple search engine job boards. Yes, people do find jobs online. It is a tool but not the ONLY tool. It doesn't have the best rate of success.

What does? It is called "getting out and connecting to the world around you more than searching online".

I want to know who is counting the number of people that find jobs that were never posted online? What about the job seekers who got of their behinds and got out of the house and met people? What about the ones who were very intentional in going for a company they wanted to work for even when no opening was officially posted? After all, that is the majority of the authentic pool of employers and those who seek employment.

Yes it may be true that there is one job online for every five to six job seekers. But that is not the full picture.

The more important story is that there are employers who never post such openings and are hiring that never get accounted for in data that makes the job market seem abysmal.

That is a very sad illusion that has disconnected and depressed people from even trying to find a job. Never forget...when one part of the market contracts, there is another part expanding.

The key is whether or not the job seeker knows how to navigate the course to locating that expansion.

Complete GCDF Training Schedule Through April 2011

Here is the complete list of GCDF CEU training times available through next spring. If you missed any previous training, please know you can make it up at a training time with a different class. Every training has been developed to build on one another. All you need to do is send an RSVP to me to attend.

Each training weekend has the same schedule. Friday from 3:00pm until 9:00pm. Saturday from 8:00am until 11:00am.


October 22-23, 2010 the class of 2008 comes together for training #4, "Expanding GCDF Knowledge and Resources".

November 19-20, 2010 the class of 2009 comes together for training #3, "Increasing the Effectiveness of Your GCDF Competencies".

January 14-15, 2011 the class of 2006 comes together for training #7, "Helping Our Clients Stay Motivated".

February 11-12, 2011 the class of 2007 comes together for training #6, "Career Resiliency".

March 11-12, 2011 the class of 2008 comes together for training #5, "GCDF Forecast Tools for Client Success".

April 8-9, 2011 the class of 2009 comes together for training #4, "Expanding GCDF Knowledge and Resources".

Feel free to email me and let me know you are attending. Reservations are open at all times.

Gateway Site Visit

It is that time of year again when we get to travel to your work places and enjoy the beautiful fall Kentucky weather. The last week of September took us to the Gateway Center in West Liberty. After a morning of resume and interview training, Sydney and Karen took us on a tour of Morgan and Menefee counties. Highlights of the trip included a tour of the Frenchburg Job Corp site (http://frenchburg.jobcorps.gov/home.aspx) run by the US Department of Forestry. Karen and Sydney have had a long-term collaboration with Job Corp. Two of their students led us through the campus and shared with us what it was like to be a Job Corp student. We learned a lot about his government program for youth 16 - 24 years old. Then we headed to Red River George and experienced the extremely narrow Nada Tunnel. Thanks for a wonderful day!

New Career Lingo

As a GCDF, keeping up with the latest career trends is our job. The following are some terms I recently learned.


"VUCA" World - Sounds like it could be derogatory, but it is just an acronym for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguos. A career development author who spoke at a recent conference used this term to describe our rapidly changing world. You can bet she touched upon the importance of remaining flexible.


"Slash Careers" - This term recently came on my radar in a blog that I follow. It is used to describe how so many professionals these days are combining their interests and skills into more than one job or career - often simultaneously. For example, a client could be a Dental Hygienist/Professional Photographer or a CPA/Jewelry Company Representative. Some people are slashing careers by choice, others are having to combine fields inorder to recreate themselves in this tight economy. Do you have a slash career?

"Slow Careers" - You've heard of the slow food movement that started in Piazza di Spagna, Italy several years ago in protest to the communities first McDonald's restaurant? The "Slow Movement" is a conscious cultural change toward slowing down one's life pace and making decisions in a more sustainable way. The "Slow Career" movement acknowledges that career transitions give one a chance to re-evaluate their life values and strive to obtain greater balance in each life role. What does slow career mean to you? What is your ideal work environment?

What are some new terms you could share with the group?

Training dates, RSVP needed

We are looking forward to our upcoming training opportunities with GCDF colleagues.

October 22-23, 2010 will be our weekend with the class of 2008. Remember, it starts on Friday at 3:00pm until 9:00pm and again on Saturday from 8:00am until 11:00am.

November 19-20, 2010 will be our weekend with the class of 2009.

If you missed a training, all of these training opportunities rotate between classes. So, check with us to see if you can make up one you may have earlier been unable to attend.

Continuing education is a critical component of your GCDF credential. We will constantly strive to make sure you have sufficient opportunities to enhance, develop and stretch your competencies.

Career Theorist Spotlight - Sunny Hansen

In the GCDF and career development fields, we certainly have our "rock stars". I recently attended the National Career Development Association's annual conference and was fortunate enough to participate in break out sessions with heroes such as Dick Bolles, Jim Bright, and Sunny Hansen. As you may recall for our GCDF training, Dr. Hansen is most well known for developing "Integrative Life Planning" (ILP) which is a more holistic approach to career/life planning issues. This theory encompasses six critical tasks for an individual to obtain for a more integrated life.

1) Find work that needs you on a local, national, or even global level.
2) Find ways to weave life into a meaningful whole by taking into consideration the people in your life.
3) Find ways to connect family and work.
4) Make choices that validate diversity and include others.
5) Explore values, spirituality, and the meaning of life while also integrating how each affects your life.
6) Learn how to manage change and transition in your life.

In a recent email, Dr. Hansen shared the following:

"My relatively new concept of ILP - translate that as holistic life planning, looking at not only work but at other major life roles and goals - has been well received by many adult and college career professionals, as well as those involved in their own career decision-making. Although ILP is designed for both women and men, I have found that it has been of special interest to women, whose life roles have gone through major changes in the last decade. We know that many people who currently need jobs have resources available to them, but for those who have time to do more long-term planning, I believe ILP has much to offer. For further information, see my original book, Integrative Life Planning: Critical Tasks for Career Development and Changing Life Patterns, (for which I am developing a second edition). There is also a short article on my website called "Using Integrative Life Planning in Your Professional Development" (Hansen & Suddarth, Career Developments, Fall, 2008), http://www.sunnyhansenbornfree.com/.

So how do we as busy GCDF professionals integrate ILP both into our career and life roles? Does this career theory have relevance to your population of clients?

Green Jobs

There has been a lot of talk lately about "green jobs" and "green industries". But what exactly are green jobs and industries? Part of the problem in identifying green jobs has been to figure out how to define and label them. Unfortunately, most employers simply list a job by a generic title and don't designate it as a "green job". Also, employers usually do not list in the job description a link to the job and the environment. A green job is simply any job that is good for the environment. The green economy is a an infrastructure of our society being developed to increase sustainability of natural resources that reduce harm to natural resources that are considered to be finite. According to Jim Cassio, author of Green Careers Resource Guide,

• Between 1% and 8% of all jobs in the U.S. are green jobs
• The current Administration's goal is to create 5 million new green jobs over the next 10 years
• There are 340 occupations that can lead to a green job or career.

The O*NET Resource Center has listed twelve green sectors. They are renewable energy generation, transportation, energy efficiency, green construction, energy trading, energy and carbon capture and storage, research, design, and consulting services, environment protection, agriculture and forestry, manufacturing, recycling and waste reduction, and governmental and regulatory administration. The O*NET also lists Green Increased Demand Occupations, Green New and Emerging Occupations, and Green Occupations with the Most Openings.

Some green job hunting resources include:

www.greenjobs.com

www.renewableenergyaccess.com

www.findsolar.com

www.area.org (wind industry)

www.goinggreenjobs.com

www.ases.org

www.careersinwind.com

As you discover new sources for green information or job leads, please post your comments and share with our group. In the mean time, we encourage you to pick one recent book on green jobs and read for professional development.

2010 - 2011 GCDF Training Calendar

Fall Schedule 2010

August 27-28, 2010 (Class of 2006 - Training #6 "Career Resiliency and Challenges of Today's Diverse Clients"

September 10 - 11, 2010 (Class of 2007 - Training #5 "GCDF Tools for Client Success"

October 22 -23, 2010 (Class of 2008 - Training #4 "Expanding GCDF Knowledge and Resources"

November 19 - 20, 2010 (Class of 2009 - Training #3 "Increasing the Effectiveness of Your GCDF Competencies"


Spring Schedule 2011

January 14 -15, 2011 (Class of 2006 - Training #7 "Helping Our Clients Stay Motivated"

February 11 - 12, 2011 (Class of 2007 - Training #6 "Career Resiliency and Challenges of Today's Diverse Clients"

March 11 -12, 2011 (Class of 2008 - Training #5 "GCDF Forecast Tools for Client Success"

April 8 - 9, 2011 (Class of 2009 - Training #4 "Expanind GCDF Knowledge and Resources"

April Visits

We have had the pleasure of visiting so many of you recently across the region and truly have witnessed spring coming to the mountains. At the end of March, we visited Manchester (City of Hope) and the folks at Daniel Boone CAA. If you have not been to their office, it sits a mile and a half straight up a hill. Quite steep for us flat road city slickers. Such an amazing view though! When the weather is bad, we are told that employees park at the bottom of the hill and are transported up to the office by four wheel drive vehicles. That same day we headed over to Jackson and spent time with Alesia in the McKee Office and with Sherrie and Mary Ann at the Jackson County Vocational School. The new high school is being built at the vocational school site. It will be so nice for the students to have both schools together.

In mid-April the redbuds were in full color as we travelled to Northeast CAA in Sandy Hook to visit with Stephanie. Her office is located in the local library and the youth center is just a few buildings away. Next we took the most adventurous road of the season and headed to Louisa to see Bonnie in action. On one hairpin turn, we had to completely stop the car to allow a large truck, coming in the opposite direction, to make the curve. In Louisa, we had the most delicious milkshakes at Dee's. Yum! Later that day we met with the folks in the Olive Hill office and attended their evening board meeting.

That same week we headed to Hazard to see the new LKLP office. What a transformation? Brian transported us to Whitesburg in the afternoon and provided awesome commentary along the way. So nice to see Irene and Kathy's office in the heart of their city.

Next on the agenda was Harlan where we spent time with Flora at the community college, ate in the campus cafe and met with the President. Flora took us up to Kingdom Come (above photo), and showed us Lynch and the Benham School House. The dogwoods and redbuds made for a lovely drive. Later that day we met with Chris and Celia at their community college location.

Additional visits included the Gateway West Liberty office where we observed Karen and Sidney teaching an ethics class to JobCorp participants. Ask us sometime about the impromptu skit that we put on for their students.

Lastly, our month ended with a day in Barbourville. We spent time with Stephen and Shanna as they taught a class for out of school youth on communication. That afternoon we were able to visit a growing local business - Troll and Toad.

How can we thank you enough for your wonderful hospitality?

Free Microsoft Computer Training Deadline April 27th

In order to meet workforce demands of the 21 st century, Kentuckian's must become more technologically savvy. Help your clients take advantage of Elevate Kentucky. For more information go to: https://kyelevateamerica.ky.gov/.

ROWE - Results Only Work Environment

http://preview.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124705801

A recent NPR story on how one Minnesota Government agency made a radical switch to a ROWE work environment. Similar discussions have surfaced in our GCDF trainings, especially in light of generational work styles/differences. Could this work in your office?

Big Sandy Visits

Today we traveled to Pikeville and visited with Jim and April. So nice to finally see their workspace. Then we were on to Prestonsburg where we visited Valerie, Sandy G., Sandy C., Anita, Zeth, Brian, and Reva. We applaud the wonderful work you are doing with so many dislocated workers. You are certainly utilizing your GCDF training during these challenging economic times.

GCDF Recertification Updates

The Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE) recently updated their GCDF continuing recertification requirements. The new guidelines are posted on their website at http://www.cce-global.org/extras/cce-global/pdfs/GCDFRecertificationGuide.pdf

On the Road Again...

Just like Willie Nelson, we are on the road again and enjoying every minute of spring 2010 site visits. Yesterday we were at Bell-Whitley to visit and brainstorm with Janet, Shawn, Pam and Sandy. The outside of the Youth building features a beautiful mural their youth painted.

Fall 2010 Training Dates

Hold the following dates for GCDF continuing education.

Class of 2006
August 27-28, 2010

Class of 2007
September 10-11, 2010

Class of 2008
October 22-23, 2010

Class of 2009
November 19-20, 2010

Microsoft Partners With State for Free Online Training

I just learned about the Microsoft Elevate America initiative that will provide 20,250 vouchers for free online training and certification to Kentuckians. The early focus will be on those out of work or needing to retrain. Would love to know if you have been able to use this tool for your clients? Please share your experiences/comments. For more information or to obtain a voucher, go to www.kyelevateamerica.ky.gov.

Spring 2010 Site Visits Confirmed

We are looking forward to spending time with you during our spring visits.

-Bell-Whitley- March 1
-BSCAP in Prestonsburg and Pikeville offices and visiting Reva Kidd at the OET office in -Prestonsburg - March 8
-Johnson County Schools (Jarred Gibson and Melissa Slone) - March 23
-Daniel Boone visit in Manchester offices and Jackson offices - March 30
-NKCAA at all offices on April 13 visit including board meeting in evening
-LKLP visit in Hazard one stop on April 15 and includes visit to Whitesburg
-Harlan CAA- April 19 including visit to Flora Wattenberger’s office
-GCDF visit to Karen Phillips at Harlan County High School - April 19
-Gateway- April 20
-KCEOC visit - April 22

GCDF Fall Newsletter

The latest edition of The GCDF Connection is available now, and it’s loaded with news you can use, including tips and tools you can share with your clients. Just click on the link GCDF Fall 2009 Newsletter to read all about it. Please tell fellow GCDFs who may not have received this issue to e-mail cce@cce-global.org with their updated e-mail address.

Interview Questions Clients Should Be Prepared to Answer

There are certain questions that our clients are likely to be asked in their next interview. Make the best of your interview preparation time together by role playing with your clients their responses to the following questions.

-Tell me about yourself.
-Describe the key responsibilities in your last job.
-What did you like most and least about your last position?
-Describe a problem you had to recently solve.
-What are some of your weaknesses?
-In what ways are you uniquely suited for this position?
-Describe your personality and work style.
-What are your salary expectations?
-Why do you want to work here?

What would you add to the list?

Green Jobs

Members of all generations are enthusiastically talking about the “Green Economy”. Go to an O*NET special report “The Greening of the World of Work” (www.onetcenter.org) to learn more about occupations, recent trends, and workforce implications for each of following 12 green sectors.

Renewable Energy Generation
Transportation
Energy Efficiency
Green Construction
Energy Trading
Energy and Carbon Capture
Research, Design, and Consulting Services
Environment Protection
Agriculture and Forestry
Manufacturing
Recycling and Waste Reduction
Governmental and Regulatory Administration