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?