gcdfkentucky

Homework Assignments for Clients

2012-01-30T14:27:00.000-08:00

When working with motivated adult clients, I find that they actually really enjoy it when I assign homework between sessions. This may seem strange until you think about it. First, it makes clients feel like they are doing something productive towards their goal of becoming gainfully employed. Second, the process of soul searching is one that few people have been given the tools to do in life and it can be very enjoyable and satisfying.

One of the homework assignments that I recently put together and am just starting to use is the Randomly Acquired Knowledge (RAK) assignment. I am finding this assignment particularly helpful when clients do not have a clear direction. It is also one to help build confidence. Here are the basic directions in the handout.

“What do you know about? What knowledge have you accumulated? What information do your family and friends come to you for? Even if you don’t think something is relevant, a big deal or useful to know, write it down.”

The other standby homework assignment is the good old Brainstorming List exercise. Most of Carla's and my clients get this in their first session or at a workshop. It gives them space to start listing careers to explore with a pro and con column.

Both of the above assignments could easily be used in Job Clubs and provide great sharing and networking opportunities. What homework assignments have you found helpful?

Career Killers To Avoid

2012-01-17T00:41:00.000-08:00

According to a survey of top executives and hiring officials conducted by career counselor Robin Ryan and author of What To Do With The Rest Of Your Life, there are some common ways that people tend to sabotage their own careers. Ms. Ryan identified several traits, standards and characteristics that successful leaders seek in developing their workforce. Take the time this year to look closer and focus on goal setting in these strategic areas.

Not producing results or solving company problems. According to top executives, you must not only be good at what you do, but you have to be able to proactively solve company problems, get things done, and produce. When it comes to promotions or avoiding a layoff, these are critical factors. In essence, does your resume contain quantifiable statistics (i.e. #, $, %)?

Not working at a job you’re passionate about. By discovering your passion and then finding a way to work in that area, you will be not only healthier and happier, but much more successful. Life is too short to waste it on an unfulfilling job.

Seeking job security. In today’s world of work, there is no such thing as job security! Each of us must not only constantly build and nurture our network, but we must also consciously develop a portfolio of marketable skills that we take from job to job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that Americans will make a job change (by choice or not) about every 3.5 years. This equates to twelve or more job or career changes during your working lifetime. What skill or talent do you possess that employers desire?

Thinking that money is everything. Through working with hundreds of career clients, it doesn’t take long to see that money does not buy happiness. Most people are willing to take a salary cut in order to obtain more job satisfaction or a better quality of life. Be cautious of chasing money only.

Waiting for employers to notice you. Too many clients timidly wait for a raise or promotion, and then are disappointed when they are overlooked. Often it takes being much more proactive. Have direct conversations with your supervisor or mentor about your career path and clearly articulate your desire for advancement or other opportunities. This may result in rewriting your job description, taking on additional responsibilities, updating your resume, and testing the job market.

Santa's Resume - How would a GCDF improve it?

2011-12-20T05:06:00.000-08:00

While browsing my career related blogs this week, I came upon a post featuring a make believe resume for Santa. While it was likely fun to create and made me laugh, I couldn't help but to notice all the things that a GCDF, who had been to our fall Resume training, would have done differently. I encourage you to print out the link and update it as if Santa were your client? Which resume template and section headers would you use?

2011-11-29T00:55:00.000-08:00

Many GCDFs were involved in the monumental Work Opportunity Project last year. This groundbreaking empirical survey was based upon 100 intensive face-to-face interviews of randomly selected Eastern Kentucky employers. The participating employers provided a picture of the future workforce needed in Eastern Kentucky. Their responses will pave the way for preparing the workforce by identifying the top skills and traits needed. A national study supports similar findings. To help job seekers better understand the competencies employers deem most valuable, the Career Advisory Board, established by DeVry University, created the Job Preparedness Indicator study, a new annual survey designed to identify and track gaps between the attributes candidates say they have and what qualifications employers need to fill available positions. The survey was conducted online during September, 2011, by Harris Interactive on behalf of the Career Advisory Board, and surveyed 540 hiring managers and 734 job seekers. Interestly, the findings break down the skills employers are ideally seeking at different levels of employment - entry level (initiative and dependability), mid-level (problem solving and communication) and managerial level (leadership). The article goes on to list some strategies to improve job search success and bridge the gap. As part of ongoing professional development, take time to review both studies.

More on Interviews and First Impressions

2011-11-22T21:15:00.000-08:00

Past trainings have emphasized the importance of first impressions in the interview. As noted in a recent InterviewSavy blog post, a survey of recruiters conducted by the Society of Human Resource Management (http://www.shrm.org/) found that a hiring decision relies over 40 percent on organizational fit, and the decision to not hire the candidate is made in about 15 minutes by over 50 percent of recruiters (30 percent do so within 5 minutes and another 30 percent do so within 15 minutes!). With stats this strong, mock interviews and time spent thoroughly preparing our clients for upcoming job interviews can't be overlooked. What specifically do you do to prep your clients and make positive first impressions?

Celebrate National Career Development Month

2011-11-11T11:13:00.001-08:00

November is National Career Development month and a wonderful time to celebrate our work as career advisors. Each November, I take the opportunity to schedule a few lunch meetings with some of my most respected peers and organize best practice sharing days within some of my professional affiliations. What will you do this month to celebrate?

Job Action Day, celebrated November 7th this year, is all about empowering job-seekers to attain the skills employers seek, taking charge of directing their career, and being vocal and demanding action on job creation -- helping your clients move their career and/or job-search forward. Check out this site for some ideas to incorporate in your tool kit. Especially note the blogs listed at the bottom of the link. What great resources for us a career practitioners.

Learning the importance of Social Media for the GCDF Today

2011-11-06T06:14:00.000-08:00

As we begin to delve into the endless ways that social media can assist you in successfully helping clients, let's make one thing clear:

IT HELPS YOU MORE!

Build a professional identity on LinkedIn, follow career experts on Twitter and watch You Tube videos of the lastest interviewing trends. Sure, your clients will be helped but so are you as a professional.

Today's service model is all around the career advisor as the expert. You have to know your stuff and be agile with every client served regardless of their work experience.

Simple things that can help you now:

Read a career related book once a month
Build your LinkedIn profile with two connections a week or more
Get a Twitter account if you haven't already.

Finally, use this AMAZING resource with clients.
It is called "Careers Out There" with host Marc Luber.

He interviews professionals in careers that your client may be considering. Very informative, engaging and well worth your time.

Building Your Linkedin Profile

2011-10-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!!

We look forward to seeing our GCDF colleagues who are registered to attend the November 18-19 training in Lexington. It will be focused on the importance of resume editing and development along with social media tips. We will study Twitter, LinkedIn and the power each tool provides for you are a career advisor.

For now, we encourage you to build your LinkedIn profile and continue to increase your connections. A recent poll suggested that 80% of hiring managers (nationally) will "google" potential job candidates. The stronger your LinkedIn profile is, the more likely you are to have that at the top of your Google search.

http://www.linkedin.com/

GCDF CEU Trainings

2011-09-11T05:40:00.000-07:00

** November and April trainings are full. We have a few spots left for the July 2012 training. If you would like to register or get on the waiting list, please let Carla know ASAP.**

Hello, everyone!So glad to announce that our GCDF CEU training schedule is set for the next year.

We will not have individual CEU classes based on the year each person graduated. Instead, we will offer three CEU training weekends that are open to all classes of GCDF professionals. The space limit is 21 persons per training. Reservations are on a first come first serve basis. Priority is given to the class of 2007 since their CEU renewal is approaching next year.

Here are the dates:

1. November 18-19, 2011
2. April 20-21, 2012
3. July 13-14, 2012

All classes are at the Sleep Inn and will begin at 3:00pm until 9:00pm on Friday. Saturday will be from 8:00am until 11:00am.

When you reserve the training you plan to attend, please include your GCDF year.

Social Influence Scores and Your Future Career Path

2011-08-03T04:47:00.000-07:00

AOL recently shared that the next wave of employment and hiring trends may have a lot to do with your social influence rating. If you have a Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter account, you are already being scored. Companies such as Klout, PeerIndex and Twitter Grader are also beginning to score people in such areas as influence and how many followers or friends they have accumulated. Did you post something that caused others to respond or act?While employers have been using Google for quite some time to conduct background research on possible candidates, social influence ratings are about to take things to a whole new level. The Federal Trade Commission has recently allowed background check company Social Intelligence to start using information on social networking sites as part of routine background checks. Information that is Federally and State protected is excluded from the reports. Perspective employers will be able to obtain a report that has information on your Facebook likes, photos, LinkedIn special groups, tweets, blog comments etc. This could be cause for concern if employers find digital dirt that may reflect poor judgment, illegal activity, or questionable behavior on your part. On the positive side, employers will also have access to information that would be viewed favorably such as professional recognition and involvement.

So use this as a wake up call to review your social media privacy settings and be even more cautious of anything you would not want an employer to find.

Websites and Blogs

2011-06-22T14:48:00.000-07:00

So nice to see so many of you at today's Finding Yourself in the World of Work assessment training at Jenny Wiley.

During the training we mentioned how important it is to keep up with trends in our field. The following are some blogs that were mentioned:

http://www.smartbrief.com/news/yourcareer

http://www.careerhubblog.com/

http://www.mastercareercounselor.blogspot.com/

Video Resumes

2011-05-16T17:43:00.001-07:00

"Savvy job seekers know that the paper resume is a dated approach to your job search. Having a professional video profile complete with your traditional resume, personality profile, and relevant accomplishments will increase your chance for hire by 30% or more - it just works."

- David DeCapua, CEO TalentRooster

While recently visiting a staffing agency in Lexington, I learned about emerging video resume technology from a company called TalentRooster. TalentRooster allows job seekers to create a video profile that employers can use as a preview of the candidate. Employers, staffing agencies, and recruiters are also using technology such as TalentRooster to conduct initial candidate screenings and to determine who to invite to the interview. Employers can pre-select which questions they would like for the candidate to answer. The candidate then answers the questions using a webcam or built in computer camera, and emails it back to the employer. It is inexpensive and convenient for the employer. A benefit to candidates is that they have time to think about their responses and can record their answers until they are pleased with their responses. Good Morning America even recently spotlighted this new tool. Learn more at TalentRooster. As GCDFs, do you see this type of technology replacing a traditional paper resume?

KCEOC Site Visit

2011-05-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

Last week we travelled to Barbourville for an engaging day of training with the KCEOC staff. A highlight of the day was learning more about Carla's emerging theory regarding the differences in Heritage, Contemporary and Progressive employers and how they approach interviewing. Let your mind guess what type of questions each of these employers utilize in interviews. Watch for more details in future trainings.

The Power of Twitter and Social Media

2011-05-14T18:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to a recent blog post from Master Career Counselor about Twitter.

http://bit.ly/m2HBQK

Daniel Boone Site Visit

2011-05-02T05:12:00.000-07:00

In spite of record rainfall for April, we were able to schedule most of our April site visits. Our prayers go out to many of you in communities that are impacted by flooding. Last week we visited GCDFs in Manchester at the Daniel Boone Community Action Agency. After a morning of training and lunch, we toured the 1000 acre Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park and Mountain Life museum. This is a fabulous destination for youth field trips. So much history of Kentucky, and our nation, can be experienced here. Levi Jackson, for whom the park is named, was the first judge of Laurel County. His descendents donated the land for the state park in 1931. The park has a campground, hiking trails, mill, and Mountian Life Musuem. Many of the artifacts in the museum have been donated by local citizens and the Jackson family. The park is dedicated to the memory of pioneers, whose early struggles made possible the settlement and development of Kentucky and other states to the west by way of Wilderness Road and Boone's Trace. The park is also the location of the noted bloody 1786 Indian massacre of the McNitt party.

Trends to Watch

2011-04-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

As GCDFs, it is part of our job to keep up with the latest trends. Last December, career counselors from around the globe linked up to brainstorm best practices, new programs, and trends that are impacting and projected to impact global employment, job search and career management. A white paper from the first ever Career Thought Leaders 2010 Global Career Brainstorming Day: Trends for the Now, the New, & the Next in Careers was recently published outlining their discussions. A few things I found interesting were the general consent that resumes are quickly going by the wayside. Google searches and LinkedIn will be the new tools. Another resource that was mentioned was Wordle.net. Wordle allows you to paste any text into it and then it creates a word cloud based on the words that occur the most frequently. This will prove to be extremely helpful in branding and making sure that our clients have the most effective industry key words in their resumes and LI profiles. Just last week I spoke to a group and one gentleman said is HR department just started using Wordle.

GCDFs, what are your thoughts on these new trends and how they may emerge in your region?

The Facebook Generation

2011-04-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

New resources are emerging on how to better manage multigenerational workplace challenges. Father-daughter team Larry and Meagan Johnson recently published Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters - Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work. They specifically focus on the Facebook generation, also known as the Linksters. These 15-19 year olds have some common traits. They live and breathe technology; are more tolerant of alternative lifestyles; are best friends with their parents; and are very involved in green causes and social activism. The Johnsons go on to share 10 Tips for Managing the Facebook Generation. A few of the highlights include:

- Provide them with job descriptions and very clear directions
- Incentivize task accomplishments
- Treat them as valued coworkers
- Create microcareer paths
- Lead by example

With so many of our GCDF's working with this population, what would you add to the list?

2011-04-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

Recent training and site visits took us to Gateway and Northeast Community Action Agencies. After training in West Liberty, we viewed the building sites for the new central office for Mountain Telephone and the new Judicial Center. The Judicial Center will house court rooms, offices and the 911 center. Little Caesar's is another new business in town located in an old discount store. It has been quite popular since it opened. We also toured a few local parks where youth and local citizens walk, picnic, and spend time. West Liberty also has a lovely park with war memorials. Lastly, we visited a Mennonite business. At Northeast, we learned about Tractor Supply and Gibbs Hardware (they have a business in Ashland) both likely to open this summer. Additionally, in Olive Hill a clothing factory is supposed to hiring up to 200 people. Thanks to both sites for your wonderful hospitality! Both locations are excited about Job Clubs coming to their areas.

More Research on Nonverbal Behavior

2011-04-11T17:39:00.000-07:00

When it comes to interviewing and the workplace, it's not just what we say but how we say it nonverbally. Yes, nonverbal behavior has a stronger impact than we ever realize. A recent study by Amy Cuddy featured in Harvard Magazine (The Psyche on Automatic) focuses on such behavior and how it impacts perceived competence and power. Highlights of the study reveal: -Nonverbal cues associated with lying, happen below the neck -Appropriate self-disclosure, the use of humor, and natural smiles all signal warmth -Large expansive motions signal power and competence With this knowledge, these are variables that our clients can certainly use in their favor.

Site Visit to Paintsville, KY

2011-03-29T17:41:00.000-07:00

There was a full house for today's interview training in Paintsville. So nice to see so many of our GCDFs and their colleagues. This afternoon, we visited the historic Mayo Memorial United Methodist Chuch that was built by local millionaire, John C.C. Mayo in the early 1900's. Mr. Mayo travelled extensively in Europe and wanted to share the beauty of European cathedrals with his community. He brought 100 Italian craftsment to Paintsville for the 5 year project. The church was constructed out of native sandstone that was cut and shaped at Thomas Jefferson Mayo's (John Mayo's father) farm, which was located across Paint Creek. The stones were transported to the church by the same aerial tram which Mayo used to construct his mansion. The roof is made of over 12,000 glazed green tiles that weigh six pounds a piece. Its pipe organ was donated by Andrew Carnegie. The church is also well known for its large stained glass windows, designed by Italian craftsman and imported from Italy. The windows portray the Birth, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ. We are fortunate to have a private organ recital with the pastor's wife.

Lexington Tops Manpower's List

2011-03-22T18:19:00.001-07:00

According to a recent survey conducted by Manpower employment services firm, the job market is rebounding. The survey of more that 18,000 employers in 100 metropolitan areas found that employers in all 50 states report positive hiring expectations, with 33 of the states reporting strong hiring expectations. In fact, the survey revealed that Lexington, Kentucky had the most optimistic forecast of all the metropolitan areas. According to Bob Quick, CEO of Commerce Lexington, the city has a diverse economy that has helped it weather the recent recession. He goes on to say that healthcare, bioscience, life science and high tech have emerged strongly over the past few years. Many related spin off and research companies have benefitted from their close association with the University of Kentucky. Also, Lexington has a growing reputation for small business start-ups and being the home of many creators and inventors. Notice how this list of industries compares to the BLS growing career fields we have recently discussed in GCDF training?

The Job Interview and a science fair project

2011-03-22T12:45:00.001-07:00

Our recent visit to Harlan inspired this blog post found on the Master Career Counselor blog:

http://bit.ly/dRDiKM

Harlan Site Visit

2011-03-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

Last week our travels took us to Harlan for a day of training, lunch, and a Q & A session with our GCDF colleagues. We are always amazed at how spring seems to hit the mountains first. The trees were starting to bloom and the flowers were also beginning to show off their lovely colors.

LKLP Site Visit

2011-03-10T02:54:00.000-08:00

Spring is slowly but surely arriving in Kentucky and that means site visits. This week we enjoyed spending a day with our GCDFs and their colleagues at LKLP. The morning consisted of a training on how we can help prepare our clients for interviews. After a delicious pot luck luncheon, we headed to Leslie County to learn more about the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing.

As many of you know, the Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery was started in 1939 by the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS) as a part of its demonstration project in the care of the mother and child in rural areas of Kentucky. From the beginning, Founder Mary Breckinridge viewed nurse-midwifery as central to health care. When FNS began using nurse-midwives in the United States in 1925, it was able to secure a qualified staff in only two ways, by sending the American nurses to Great Britain for graduate training or by enlisting British nurses already qualified as midwives. In the early years, the FNS offered scholarships to American nurses to go to Great Britain for training in nurse-midwifery, and recruited British nurse-midwives.

If you have not had a chance, plan a visit to Leslie county and learn more about FNS - a true Kentucky gem. Students still come from around the country for nurse training. The history is fascinating and grounds are absolutely beautiful. A bed and breakfast will be opening soon in Mary Breckinridge's former home.

Pathways to Prosperity Study

2011-03-06T11:25:00.000-08:00

Many of our GCDF trainings fall back on the discussion of how our current American educational system is failing our youth and what can be done about it. We also continue to discuss to what extent does education pay? How does vocational school training compare to a traditional four year college education when it comes to getting jobs? Afterall, 86% of the jobs in world of work fall under the Realistic Holland code. Read an exciting new study recently published by Harvard on these very topics - Pathways to Prosperity.

The official site for the Workforce Opportunity Project Goes Live

2011-02-28T12:27:00.001-08:00

The official site for the workforce opportunity project is now available online for the full report and details of the research.

Visit it soon: http://www.workforceopportunityproject.com/

What do Employers Want?

2011-02-26T03:35:00.000-08:00

In GCDF training, our discussion often flows to employability skills and what are employers really looking for in new hires. Many of our conversations have revolved around employers in Eastern Kentucky and their hiring needs. Watch the EKCEP website for the upcoming WOP results that will certainly have a regional focus.

But what skills are employers seeking in recent college graduates? According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job Outlook 2011 survey, employers are looking for job candidates with these top five skills and qualities:

Verbal communication skills
Strong work ethic
Teamwork skills
Analytical skills
Initiative

How does this list compare and contrast to what you are hearing local employers request?

Workforce Development is Crucial

2011-02-21T12:07:00.000-08:00

Your GCDF credential has NEVER been more important than now. As the government is likely to cut budgets by severe magnitudes, it is critical for you to maintain your professional competencies and show the tangible benefit you bring to the table.

In the past WIA funding has been branded as a source of training. Anyone that walked through the doors of a one stop, would likely think something like this:

"My friend Bill got some money from you all and I heard this is the place to get trained."
Thus, the services provided to the client centered on ITA funds.

This is no more. The government is seeing to that.

What workforce development must do to survive is a simple equation: do more with less.

This means a focus on partnerships with other agencies and and not duplicate services. There also must be a bent on helping everyone become a qualified worker for a quality job regardless of their socio economic status.

In the future, your office will be the "go to place" for:

The best companies that are hiring

The best place for a resume

The best place for preparing for a job interview

The best place for great service and help.

In the end, what matters most is helping the clients you serve have a better life.

An Amazing Offer From NCDA

2011-02-08T17:50:00.000-08:00

We have just received word about the following deal! Do read on.

The National Career Development Association is pleased to offer individuals who have successfully completed a NCDA Career Development Facilitator (CDF) training program, from an NCDA approved training provider, a FREE One-Year Trial Membership to NCDA. This means all of our GCDF gradutes are eligible!

Carla and I have been members of the NCDA for several years, and I have attended their past two conferences. In fact, at last year's conference in San Francisco, there were over 11oo people who attended from 40 countries. The breakout sessions were very informative and I really enjoyed getting to meet the rock stars and rising theorists in our field such as Dick Bolles, Sunny Hansen, and Jim Bright.

CDFs can enjoy the following NCDA benefits:
· Complimentary copy of the latest issue of the NCDA professional journal – Career Development Quarterly.
· Complimentary copy of NCDA’s magazine – Career Developments.
Discounted NCDA member registration to attend the NCDA global career development conference in San Antonio, Texas, June 30 – July 2, 2011.
· Discount NCDA member rate on NCDA published materials.
· Resources – The member’s only section of the website offers a wealth of information to assist career practitioners to provide excellent service to career clients.

NCDA CDF graduates can complete their FREE One-Year Trial Membership by visiting the following link: https://www.tcslabs2.com/cgi-bin/PRIMA/tcsPRIMA2.pl?Action=DisplayRegForm_Step1&EventID=159&RegNo=1&StartNewReg=1&UID=NCDA,130285
You will need to follow the directions and use CDF5000 as the comp/promo code. You must complete your membership by June 1, 2011 in order to take advantage of this unique opportunity. This offer is only valid for those CDF completers living in the United States.

Questions or comments regarding this FREE One-Year Trial Membership may be directed to Mary Ann Powell at mpowell@ncda.org or phone (918) 663-7060.

Resume Section Headers - Not Set In Stone

2011-02-08T10:30:00.001-08:00

We are all familiar with the most common resume section headers - Objective, Professional Experience, and Education. However, in our fall GCDF resume training, we shared that resume headers are not set in stone. While this can be very freeing for our clients, it can also keep us on our toes as GCDFs. Which section headers will help your client put their best foot forward and showcase their experience, skills, training, in the most effective manner? What may work for one client, is not necessarily the best way to showcase your next client. One of my favorite section headers that I use with clients is "Community/Civic Involvement". This section header captures ways in which the client may be involved in the community (often in leadership roles). Unfortunately, this excellent information tends to get left off since clients do not think to put it on their resume or they are just not sure where to put it on their tradition resume. I recently stumbled upon a post that will give GCDFs an extra tool to help expand that list of header options for our clients. Take the time this week to review 111 Smart Resume Section Headings and Titles. Which new headers and titles will you be sharing with your clients?

Non-Desk Jobs

2011-01-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

"I don't want to sit at a desk all day."

"I think I would die if I had a job where I was confined to a cubicle all day."

"I need a job that let's me be out and about."

Sometimes clients only have the above criteria for their next job. Wouldn't it be nice if a list of non-desk jobs existed...well now it does. Use the link to 55 Non-Desk Jobs to help your clients brainstorm their next position. What would you and your client add to this list?

January Self Discovery

2011-01-16T04:55:00.000-08:00

Are you getting cabin fever? January is a great month to sit by the fire with a warm cup of coffee and take time to reflect upon and plan your career. Once the weather gets warmer and summer employment programs kick in, we all know the days go by all too quickly. Grab a notebook and answer the following questions. Enjoy the process.

1. What did I do really well last year in my job? (Hopefully this is on your resume and your supervisors are also aware of it.)

2. In reviewing the above responses, how could I (should I) continue to excel in those areas?

3. In what areas of my life should I give myself some slack? When working under unreasonable demands, I used to say to myself "All is well that ends well" then one day a colleague said stop being so hard on yourself, sometimes "All is well that just ends".

4. Are there things I need to stop doing (i.e. overcommitting, self-destructive habits, negative thoughts)?

5. In reviewing the past year, list a 10 things (i.e. who and what) for which I am most grateful? List why.

6. Are there people with whom I need to reconnect? Make plans to do so.

Future training dates and CEU training site visits

2011-01-13T11:11:00.000-08:00

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!!!!!!!!
The following is our most up to date listing of training times offered to GCDF professionals for CEU hours.

February 11-12 will be the CEU 9 hour training for the class of 2007.
March 4-5 will be the CEU 9 hour training for the class of 2008.
March 18-19 will be the CEU 9 hour training for the class of 2006.
April 8-9 will be the CEU 9 hour training for the class of 2009.

These are the upcoming site visits that are confirmed. A two hour CEU class on interviewing skills and updates will be presented. If you are a GCDF that doesn't work at these sites, but want to participate you are welcome to attend. Please let me know. All training times are 10:00am until noon.

March 8 at LKLP
March 15 at Harlan CAA
March 17 at Gateway
March 29 at Big Sandy
April 5 at MK CAP
April 12 at Bell Whitley
April 14 at NK CAA
April 28 at Daniel Boone
May 4 at KCEOC

Master Career Counselor: Preview "Me, Myself and I: The Independent Contractor"

2011-01-08T08:36:00.000-08:00

Master Career Counselor: Preview "Me, Myself and I: The Independent Contractor"

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-01T13:10:00.000-08:00

Each January 1st rather than resolving to lose 5 pounds or exercise more, I begin the new year by reading two professional development related books. My selections are books that transcend specific industries and are more generic in their advice or findings. Some of my previous year's selections have included: Good to Great, Human Sigma, Never Eat Alone, and Drive. As another year kicks off, what will you do to challenge yourself personally and professionally? Perhaps you will take the time this week to update your LinkedIn profile and photo or schedule a coffee meeting with a business owner or community leader that you have been wanting to get to know better. Another idea would be to find two new blogs to follow this year or coordinate a periodic best practices/resource sharing meeting with colleagues or like-minded people in your community. Whatever your goals we extend to you a wish you a very happy, healthy and professionally rewarding new year!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T03:36:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-12-10T12:11:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-28T04:30:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-21T04:50:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-14T13:10:00.000-08:00

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!!!!!!!

2010-11-08T04:50:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-03T18:19:00.001-07:00

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

2010-11-03T18:15:00.001-07:00

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

2010-11-01T15:18:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-31T07:27:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-18T17:04:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-17T17:48:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-12T09:47:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-10T19:20:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-27T04:56:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-01T06:39:00.001-07:00

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

2010-06-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-08T17:36:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

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...

2010-03-02T03:43:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-02T03:41:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-22T16:38:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-22T15:22:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-05T04:16:00.001-08:00

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

2010-01-29T04:26:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-29T04:23:00.000-08:00

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

KCEOC Visit

2009-11-18T13:58:00.000-08:00

Today Carla and Caroline visited Shanna, Stephen, and Missy in Barbourville at the KCEOC office where their agency was holding a community open house. We enjoyed touring the office, doing some shopping at the KCEOC Community Craft Store, and eating Stephen's delicious soup. Yum!

Daniel Boone Visit

2009-11-17T17:04:00.001-08:00

Today, Carla and Caroline visited the Daniel Boone Community Action Agency. We had no idea that the office was really on top of the mountain, lord knows how many feet above sea level. What a view though! And a lovely facility that was been completely remodeled. It was great to see Terrina, Phillip, Linda, JoAnn, Alesia, Linda, and Shirley. In our tour of Clay county we saw Red Bird Rock and Oneida Baptist Institute as well as some beautiful country. We know you are all excited about the new recycling center that will bring many jobs to your region.

Assessment Ideas

2009-11-06T05:54:00.001-08:00

As GCDFs, we are always on the lookout for new assessment tools. Here is a link that certainly gave me a few new tools.

http://www.quintcareers.com/online_assessment_review.html

Northeast Visit

2009-11-06T03:56:00.000-08:00

Carla and Caroline visited Brenda, Becky T., Bonnie, Stephanie, Missy, Becky R. this week at Northeast. Thanks for your wonderful hospitality and the delicious homemade pies from the Truck Stop featured on the Food Network. The community driving tour of Olive Hill and Grayson featured the two murals that youth worked on last summer and Carter Caves state park. Such a beautiful time of your in Kentucky.

NCDA Grad School Scholarships

2009-10-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

The NBCC Foundation is offering grad school scholarships. Please note there is a rural area category. EKU and Lindey Wilson both have CACREP approved programs. For more information, go to:

www.nbccf.org/programs

November 1, 2009 early review deadline.

O*NET Career Values Inventory

2009-10-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

During October's training, we broke into small groups administered and reviewed the O*NET Career Values Inventory published by JIST. Some liked the assessment and thought that it would benefit their population, others did not. As a general rule, it is a good idea to use multiple assessments to help our clients with career exploration and not rely solely upon the results of just one tool. If you would like to review the Administrator's Guide it is available on the JIST website.

LKLP Agency Visit

2009-10-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

Carla and Caroline visited the LKLP office this week and got to see where Lynn, Theresa, Jack, Tina, Marsha, Allison, Mona, Donna, Brandon, and Brian work. In a few more months, they will be moving to a new facility. They served a delicious potluck lunch. YUM!!! Attending a LKLP Community Action Agengy board meeting and conducting a three hour training on "Working with Challenging Popultions" at Hazard Community and Technical College was also part of the trip. Keep up the good work.

Hot Jobs

2009-10-17T06:50:00.000-07:00

Although as GCDFs we certainly encourage clients to focus on their interests, skills, personality type, and abilities as primary factors in their job search or career transitions it is helpful for us to be aware of labor market trends. JobBait is one such tool.

Notice the yellow (Hotspots), green (growing faster than the workforce),and red (declining) color coding of industries by state. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics was used in the analysis.

BEGIN A JOB CLUB – NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT

2009-10-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

If you are like many career development professionals across the country, the current recession and record unemployment rates are causing your calendar to be busier than ever. In an effort to be most efficient and help record numbers of people, Job Clubs should be revisited. In the early 90’s, the poor economy and massive layoffs of mid to late-career professionals brought a new wave of Job Clubs. If you have been in the field for over 15 years, perhaps you led such groups. The following is a review of formats and some ideas for job club logistics.

Consider partnering
In an effort to reach out, career professionals may consider partnering with a church, organization experiencing massive layoffs, or University Alumni club. Partnering not only brings diversity to the group, but different perspectives, contacts, and job leads. Many organizations are willing to offer free meeting space, refreshments, and event advertising.

Basic Formats
Job clubs usually meet on a weekly or biweekly basis for anywhere from one to two hours. At the beginning of each session, it is prudent to discuss some ground keeping rules and confidentiality guidelines. Ground keeping guidelines may include let everyone have the opportunity to speak, disagree respectfully, remain professional and supportive of others in the group etc. As for confidentiality, attendees are asked not to share personal or sensitive information outside of the group etc.

Next, allow time for introductions and to practice 30-second commercials. As simple as they seem, 30-second commercials are still an area where most clients struggle. Regular practice will certainly pay off with networking efforts and in the interview process. Follow with a short job search related speaker or topic of focus. Guest speakers could include members of the community with knowledge of job search strategies, interviewing techniques, and hiring practices. Club participants could even sign-up in advance to research and share tips on an aspect of the job search. At some point in the meeting, allow time for each participant to share a job search highlight or some good news from the previous week and offer any leads to others in the group. This would also be a good time for attendees to ask for specific industry or employer contacts or leads. Lastly each client will publicly state a goal for the week such as number of resumes to submit, contacts to make etc.

As a facilitator, it is important to keep the group environment positive and encouraging. Facilitators should also develop a list of referral resources in case the need arises (i.e. One Stop Job Centers, food banks, financial or psychological counseling services, etc.)

With the dismal economy and so many people out of work, consider using this time as an opportunity to provide a beneficial and much appreciated community service and an opportunity to showcase your relevant knowledge and expertise.

Big Sandy

2009-10-08T05:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Carla and Caroline spent the day in Paintsville and Prestonsburg. So nice to see Valerie, Linda, Zeth, Reva, Sandy G., and Sandy. C. and their places of work. During lunch there was practically an entire GCDF reunion at Billy Ray's. The chicken dumplings were awesome! The afternoon provided a tour of Floyd county and the opportunity to see many for the communities where our GCDFs work.

Gateway

2009-10-06T17:26:00.001-07:00

Today Carla and Caroline traveled to West Liberty and met with Sidney and Karen. Their lovely building sits on top of a hill across the parking lot from one of MSU's extended campus sites. A highlight of the day was seeing sorgham being made at a local micro enterprise.

Bell-Whitley Visit

2009-09-24T03:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Carla and Caroline visited our GCDFs at the Bell-Whitley Community Action Agency (Pam, Miranda, Janet, Sandy H., and Rudelle). How exciting to see your wonderful new offices! We can't imagine how beautiful your area will be in a few weeks with the fall color. In the afternoon, Janet and Sandy competently administered the Colors assessment that they used with their youth this summer. What color(s) do you think we are???

Update on Site Visits

2009-09-22T19:12:00.001-07:00

Carla and Caroline enjoyed spending today in Harlan, Kentucky with Celia, Chris and Flora as part of their first GCDF fall site visits. Harlan GCDF colleagues administered and interpreted JobFit to Carla and Caroline in an excellent way. It was great to visit the Harlan office and see where they work.

LinkedIn Group for CDFs

2009-08-17T09:49:00.001-07:00

Career Development Facilitators have recently started a group on LinkedIn.com. To join, simply go to your LinkedIn account and search for "Career Development Facilitators" under Groups. Start a discussion or share comments.

How Twitter Will Change Our Lives

2009-06-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

Do you find yourself asking "What's the big deal about Twitter"? A recent Time CNN article gave some examples of how the Twitter phenomenon is changing our lives through news and opinions, searching, and advertising. First,Twitter offers real time chatter on any topic imaginable by offering live searches. Since we tend to follow people that we know, trust, or respect, many Twitter users are finding this source of information more reputable than Google searches. Could this be the future way we get our daily news? Second, Twitter is being used as a pointing or link sharing device by pointing to longer articles, posts, videos, websites etc. Twitter is a quick, inexpensive, easy way to market and spread the word. In the next few months, notice how more and more businesses are using Twitter.

Job Search Strategies

2009-06-08T04:11:00.000-07:00

-Trying to find your supervisor from a job ten years ago where you made an outstanding contribution?
-Wish you could find a contact at XYZ company before you submit a resume and cover letter?
-Wanting to learn more about the career background of the person who will be interviewing you next week?

These are some of the reasons job seekers are choosing to utilize social networking job search tools like LinkedIn.com. Although our clients can’t count on simply filling out a profile and waiting for employers to find them, tools such as LinkedIn can help aid their job search in the above ways.

Demographics of Social Networking Tools

2009-05-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our latest GCDF class that graduated last weekend. Way to go! Your colleagues are great sources of information and wonderful contacts with whom you can network.

The past few months in training we have been talking about the rise of Twitter in the job search and wouldn't it be interesting to know more about the user demographics. See the link below for such a study.

http://www.ignitesocialmedia.com/2008-social-network-analysis-report/

Free O*NET Training

2009-04-20T18:31:00.000-07:00

O*NET Webinars are live, one-hour training sessions that you can attend from any computer with an Internet connection! These Webinars offer you a fast, easy, and efficient way to learn more about O*NET, WIA, Human Resources, Education, and other workforce-related topics.

April 24 Training
Using O*NET to Connect the Unemployed to High Growth and In-Demand Occupations

http://www.onetacademy.com/

Interview Closing Statements

2009-03-25T06:08:00.000-07:00

Clinching the Interview By Using A Closing Statement

Clients have recently experienced interview success by using the following strategy. When the interview is coming to a close, ask the interviewer the following “May I have permission to make a closing statement?” Rarely will you be denied. Next thank them for their time and consideration. Then, share three of your most relevant strengths for the position. Another strategy is when asked if you have any questions or as the interview is nearing the end, pose this question to the recruiter, “Based on our initial interview, do you perceive anything that would prevent me from performing well in your organization?” or “Now that you know a little more about my background, education and experience, is there anything that would prevent you from extending an offer or hiring me?” The beauty of this strategy is that it allows you to address any concerns the interviewer may have before you walk out the door.

Career Span, Inc. Launches Blog

2009-02-23T19:01:00.000-08:00

Here is the sister blog to our GCDF blog:

www.mastercareercounselor.blogspot.com

Training Dates

2009-02-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

Please note that the June 4-5, 2010 GCDF Summit has been postponed. When it has been rescheduled, we will let you know.

LinkedIn & the Job Search

2009-02-03T21:27:00.000-08:00

Here's a great article on using LinkedIn for your job search.

http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2009/02/10-ways-to-use.html

Hot Jobs Survey

2009-01-21T18:42:00.001-08:00

We thought that you would be interested to see that Career Counselor made a Top 10 Hot Jobs list for 2009. This survey was conducted by PayScale.com

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-10_hot_professions_for_2009-633

John Holland's Death

2009-01-05T17:01:00.000-08:00

We were sad to learn that one of our favorite career theorist, John Holland, passed away on November 27, 2008. A detailed biography on his many contributions to our field can be found in the 2008 APA Scientific Contribution Awards Program

http://data.memberclicks.com/site/macda/JLH2008Award.pdf

2008-12-08T17:19:00.000-08:00

Global Career Development Facilitator
Continuing Education Opportunities
For the GCDF classes of 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009

All sessions at the Sleep Inn in Lexington, KY
Friday evening 6pm until 9pm; Saturday from 8:00 am until 2:00pm
Total: Nine hours of continuing education units for certified GCDF professionals

Fall Training Schedule for 2009
Class of 2006
August 14 -15, 2009

Class of 2007
September 11 -12, 2009

Class of 2008
October 9 -10, 2009

Class of 2009
November 13 -14, 2009

Spring Training Schedule for 2010
Class of 2006
January 8-9, 2010

Class of 2007
February 12-13, 2010

Class of 2008
March 12-13, 2010

Class of 2009
April 9-10, 2010

November is National Career Development Month

2008-11-17T18:02:00.001-08:00

The National Career Development Association (ncda.org) has several great suggestions for celebrating our month (see below). I especially think "A Celebration of Work" is a good resource.

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NCD Month Resources
Creative Ways to Celebrate - a list of ideas submitted by those who have celebrated in previous years
K-12 Activities Provided by Liz Jones - Kent Intermediate School District (updated 9/27/07)
Click Here to read from A Celebration of Work. In the presidential year of Jane Goodman, 2006 Eminent Career Award Winner, many NCDA members, such as LeeAnn Bernier-Clarke (Editor), Pat Wickwire, Judith Ettinger, Victoria Wildermuth and priceless others, collaborated to create one of the most remarkable NCD Month Activity Books available. This is a work in progress, and NCDA is striving to provide you with the best resources available.

Job Search Trends & Technology

2008-10-03T11:31:00.001-07:00

Here is a link from a recent NY Times article on various job search methods. There is some confirmation for LinkedIn from the perspective of recruiters.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/business/yourmoney/27shortcuts.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&em&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1222977789-dgl0WtFSCWfqY8duvQoDgg

Full Group GCDF December Training

2008-09-08T09:12:00.000-07:00

December 5-6, 2008Graduates of all past GCDF classes are coming together for the first time in a combined training for a total of 9 hours of continuing education. The session will be held on Friday, December 5, from 6-9 p.m., and on Saturday, December 6, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Please note that this training will take place at the Griffin Gate Marriott Resort, 1800 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY. Reservations can be made by e-mailing Carla Hunter at careerspan@aol.com. All reservations must be made by November 13.

Welcome to GCDF Kentucky Blog

2008-09-07T21:16:00.001-07:00

GCDF Collegues -

In an effort to learn and utilize the latest technology, Carla and I will start communicating with you via the GCDF Kentucky blog.

As we come across new websites, links, other career related blogs, we will post it here.

GCDF Fall Training Dates

2008-09-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

2008-09 Training Schedule

Mark your calendars now for upcoming continuing education opportunities in fall 2008. All sessions listed below will be held at the Sleep Inn, 1920 Plaudit Place, Lexington, KY, unless otherwise noted:

September 26-27, 2008Nine hours of Continuing Education Units will be held for the GCDF class of 2007.
October 24-25, 2008Nine hours of Continuing Education Units will be held for the GCDF class of 2008.
December 5-6, 2008Participants in all past GCDF classes will come together for Continuing Education Units as a group. The location and times for this event will be announced later.

The dates for our half day trainings:Tues. Oct. 21 and Tues. March 17.