Independent Practice Archives

Fostering Adaptive Career Beliefs in the Gifted Adolescent

By Caleb Cheavens

Though the label of "gifted" suggests privilege, the experience of giftedness often includes unique challenges affecting the social, emotional, and career development of the individual. This work aims to bridge the gap between understanding these struggles and offering practical interventions to help gifted individuals manage them.

Individual Strategic Planning for Career Development: An Appreciative Inquiry Approach via SOAR Analysis

By Dan Erikson

Career development may benefit from appreciative inquiry and the strategic planning tool of SOAR analysis. SOAR stands for strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results. This workshop empowered four healthcare professionals to reflect upon the development of their careers by moving through the steps of SOAR analysis.

Integrating Strengths Assessments into Career Coaching

By Jennifer Doyle Vancil

Using strengths-based assessments can maximize the process of career exploration for career development professionals, add clarity to personal marketing and branding materials, and assist in suggesting job search strategies that will be most effective for each unique jobseeker.

Intentional Change Theory: A Useful Framework for Career and Executive Coaching

By Millicent N. Simmelink

Intentional Change Theory (ICT) has implications for independent practice career and executive coaching. Offering an innovative, evidence-based framework for supporting intentional change, coaches help clients learn to mindfully develop new habits, set new goals, overcome limiting beliefs and create a personalized change plan.

ChatGPT: Tips for Career Searching

By Maggie Kuhn

As the breadth of technology rapidly expands, career search processes are increasingly subject to innovation. A timely example of this growth is ChatGPT. This tool is dynamic and powerful and has a wide range of capabilities, especially pertaining to the career searching process. Like any tool, it has pros and cons for the career development professional to consider.

Questions Your Clients Need to Ask About Career Growth

By Leigh Branham

Job seekers looking for career growth can avoid making a career-damaging misstep by doing a reasonable amount of homework and knowing the right questions to ask. The author, citing extensive research on why employees leave, presents key questions designed to explore and reveal the degree of a prospective employer’s commitment to employees’ career growth.

The Revolutionary Collaborative Interviewing Process

By Micah Lorenc

The employment interviewing process is outdated. Candidates and hiring organizations would both benefit from more candid discussion during interviews by focusing on the four components of work fit: Person-Job, Person-Organization, Person-Group, and Person-Supervisor Fit. A more collaborative approach to interviewing can improve job satisfaction for employees and retention for companies.

Three Steps to Help Clients Create an Engaging LinkedIn Presence

By Gail McCowan

LinkedIn is an essential tool for job seekers to demonstrate the value they create in the workplace and to connect with professionals who can aid in their job search. Career professionals can guide their clients to leverage its potential by following three key steps: Build, Connect, and Share.

Four Effective Ways of Building on Clients’ Inner Strengths to Accelerate Career Transition

By Esther Wang

Developing ways in working with clients as they build on their inner strengths can be used to accelerate career transitions. Four ways, “Role model”, “Mantra”, “Successful events”, and “Creating a new self-image,” are described here for the career professional to use.

Reimagining the Job Search: Prioritizing Work Environment before Role

By Shamis Pitts

Job searches often focus on finding the best job fit without substantive consideration for the best organizational fit. This article unpacks how starting with the end in mind - understanding what an ideal work environment looks like - can help clients think more holistically about identifying roles within organizations where they can thrive.

Integrating Somatics into Career Coaching

By Stephanie Simpson

Navigating changes in one’s career can cause many emotions to surface. The human body is filled with wisdom that can help coaches and clients. Somatic practices may be used to identify and get curious about sensations in the body so that new pathways can be unlocked during the coaching process.

Values-Guided Career Searching

By Edward Kuras

Career decision-making may involve many constructs of varying significance to the individual. Defining values and their importance is a relevant task in the career coaching process. This article covers that task and addresses the impact of societal change on the workplace. Strategies and interventions to conceptualize and identify values are provided to help career coaches support their clients.

Anxiety and Career Exploration: The C/AAP Framework Applied to Two Cases

By Michelle Tullier

Anxiety disorders are a leading contributor to the global mental health crisis and can impede a client’s ability to engage fully in the career development process. The Career/Anxiety Alignment Protocol framework aligns career counseling/coaching approaches with anxiety disorder treatment methods, enabling career practitioners to provide effective, complementary support.

Tailoring Career Development Practices for Clients with ADHD

By Hunter Dickson

Career development practitioners can better support clients with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) by educating themselves to recognize and understand ADHD symptoms, providing structure, instilling hope amidst the hardships of ADHD challenges, and being familiar with legal and accommodation resources.

A Paradoxical Mindset Framework for Coaching Leaders

By Sunitha Narayanan

As the global health crisis continues, many leaders are operating from a place of exhaustion as they attempt to rally and support a restless talent community to make collective business decisions and achieve results. A coaching framework, encouraging a paradoxical mindset, can help leaders build back trust, hope, and purpose.

What Can a Teacher Become? Facilitating Career Transitions Beyond the Classroom

By Alexandra Rizzi and Kate Rizzi

Teaching is a challenging profession, and the pandemic has exacerbated the challenges. Teachers desiring a career change may struggle to shape a new self-concept and to see options beyond the classroom. With theories and practices from Savickas and Krumboltz, career practitioners can help teachers get unstuck.

Hope is a Leadership Strategy: Coaching Clients through Turbulent Times

By Sunitha Narayanan

The pandemic upended life globally, with disrupted routines and challenges in delivering business results. The vagueness of what lies ahead requires leaders to refocus business vision, talent development, and daily practices. A framework of hope enables coaches to help clients embrace and navigate the turbulence.

Career Development in the Age of Legal Marijuana: Issues, Trends, and Solutions

By Christopher Pisarik and Rachel Schleier

Laws and attitudes regarding marijuana use are rapidly changing. Career counselors and coaches will best serve clients by staying abreast of research findings that have implications for career development and by being aware of workplace policies and laws that may affect clients who use marijuana.

Designing Your Work Life: How to Thrive and Change and Find Happiness at Work

Book Review by Janine Rowe

Taming the Stress: Addressing Client Challenges with a Response Platform

By Karen Sherfick

When clients experience stress that prevents them from moving forward in a job search, career development professionals have an opportunity to help by utilizing a response platform tailored for the situation. A response platform for calming stress is presented here to help clients trust in the process, manage time, attend to self-care, and adjust for changing conditions.

The Intersection of Career Development and Spirituality: Considerations for Career Professionals

By Amber Samuels

Spirituality is part of the fabric of multiculturalism and an important identity element of clients seeking career services. This article offers tools to address the intersection of spirituality and career across various dimensions of the career counseling process, including interests and values, sources of support, and career decision-making.

Heeding the Call of Transition: Helping Clients Move Past Fear and Resistance

By Alyssa Yeo Jones

Inspired by John Krumboltz’ Happenstance Learning Theory and Joseph Campbell’s notion of transitions as a call to action from the universe, this article provides practical strategies for helping clients confront their fears and trust themselves when faced with uncertainty from forced or voluntary change.

[Recognition Award Winner] Using Adlerian Counseling Strategies to Help Career Clients Design Their Futures

By Mariagrazia Buttitta and Marion Cavallaro

The purpose of this article is to provide career practitioners with specific techniques that integrate three effective Adlerian Counseling strategies during the various stages of career counseling: (a) the strength-based interview, (b) early recollections, and (c) the "acting as if" technique. [Editor's Note: This article was recognized by NCDA in 2020 for the authors' contribution to the web magazine. Career Convergence is re-running the article in July 2020 in honor of all award winners typically recognized at the annual NCDA Global Career Development Conference.]

Stay-at-Home Parents and COVID-19: What to Explore Before Starting a Job Search

By Christine Walker

With unemployment rates at record highs, many stay-at-home parents may need to return to the workforce to contribute to family finances. Clarifying parents’ needs around timing and work-life balance and exploring their strengths and sources of meaning are important steps before they embark on a job search.

Boundaries as a Key to Work-Life Balance for Career Development Practitioners

By Teena Evert

When we do not set boundaries, the person we most often disappoint is ourselves. Work-life balance depends on firm boundaries that reflect our priorities, values, and goals. Boundary-setting is about more than saying “no” and is a critical element in our growth and satisfaction as successful career development practitioners.

To Digitize or Not to Digitize: The Question of Scale for Independent Career Development Professionals

By Erica Sosna

After fifteen years of career coaching one-on-one and facilitating live, on-site workshops, I decided to create my own online program in career navigation and change. By sharing elements of my journey, I aim to help you answer the question of whether to digitize or not for your own practice.

Relaunch: Stagnation, Change, and Renewal in Mid Career and Beyond

Book Review by Mason Murphy

Is your client around the age of 40 or 50 and wanting to change careers? Is your client ready to look at their skills, the risks, and potential for stress associated with this change? What might be the long-term impact of this change or the connection to life-long learning? What is happening in your own career? This "Relaunch" book might help you and your client find the answers.

What’s Mom Still Got To Do With It?

Book Review by Maggie O’Brien

This review of the book, "What’s Mom Still Got To Do With It?" by Ilana Tolpin Levitt, fills a needed gap in career development literature that will assist a variety of readers, including career practitioners, daughters, and mothers. Understanding the mother daughter relationship in career development can shed light on possible interventions.

Surfacing Bias for Better Career Coaching

By David Hosmer

Unconscious biases exist in our coaching practices. While biases are normal, we should not accept them as such. As career practitioners, our unconscious biases might influence us in several ways. To help others we must first look inward. Our biases are rooted in complex filters, including background, cultural environment, and personal experiences. This article reviews some ways to surface and manage biases for new coaching potential.

Portfolio Careers: Are You Ready for the Challenge?

By Gloria Dansby-Giles

A portfolio career is an appealing choice for individuals who are looking for a flexible work schedule and the opportunity to combine part-time jobs. Types of portfolio careers, career theory application, and portfolio career advantages will be explored in this article.

Strategies to Help Clients with Introductions and Informal Interviews

By Ruth Pankratz

The way jobs are promoted and filled continues to evolve. While there is not one ideal way to help clients through a job search process, providing a few service options to support client introductions and informal interviews can accelerate positive outcomes.

Career Interviews as a Resource for Career Professionals

By Meg Gerry

Learn how a career professional created career interview videos after reflecting on her services, her client's needs and relevant career theories. Committing to a career goal often involves a significant investment of time and money. The more we can assist our clients in learning about a profession they are considering, the fewer surprises there will be.

How to Help Clients Dodge Those Pesky Salary Questions

By Karen James Chopra

Do your clients dread being asked about salary history in their interviews? Handling questions about current salary or salary requirements during an interview can make job seekers understandably anxious. Here are some tips on how to coach clients on the best ways to navigate difficult salary questions and negotiate the best employment agreement.

Managing the Challenges Associated with Career Advancement

By Beth Wingert

Clients seeking to advance in their career paths will inevitably encounter some bumps along the way. Having the support of a career practitioner helps them build confidence, balance their roles, and mitigate challenges – self-imposed or otherwise––as they progress into leadership positions.

How To Build Your Career Brand In the Digital Age

By Wendi Weiner

We are living in the “digital age.” It is a time when career professionals are being accessed online and vetted by prospective employers and even potential clients prior to meeting in-person or as a follow up after meeting. Having a strategy for building a career brand is not only important for our job searching clients, but just as important for us as career professionals.

Navigating Disrupted Careers with Proven Transition Writing Tools: An Essential Guide for Career Professionals

By Jennifer Bradley and Leia Francisco

Today’s career professionals serve more people with disrupted work lives than they have in the past. In this article, we discuss transition-writing tools as a proven, flexible, and low-cost approach to supporting individuals through challenging career transitions.

Create a Social Media Marketing Strategy for Your Private Practice

By Jim Peacock

Social media has many free resources career practitioners can use to help build and maintain their private practice. This article describes strategies for using five social media platforms and two ways to organize them. Marketing is the key to driving customers/clients to your business so that you can help them create success.

Getting Yourself Booked Solid with Clients

By Mark Danaher

It takes more than a website to create a profitable practice. Build your client base by growing your network, developing trusting relationships, and acting consistently and purposefully. Learn strategies you need to do every day to get booked solid.

Renew Yourself: A Six-Step Plan for More Meaningful Work

Book Review by Caitlin Williams

If your clients have been asking, “What if I want something more from my work? Is this all there is?” Then the book, “Renew Yourself,” may be the resource you could use to help them. Through self-exploration exercises, key questions, and a renewal plan, readers can return to work with renewed enthusiasm.

Why Talented People Disengage Quietly

By Sunitha Narayanan

This article describes observations and exercises a coach can implement to help employees and their employers recognize and address the underlying process of disengagement.

Video Feedback Shows Surprising Insights for Interview Success

By Carlyn Saltman

The author relates the story of how video feedback heightened awareness of voice, words, and body language in job-seekers who viewed themselves answering a common interview question. The author developed Video Mirror Feedback® for her Independent Practice from her research in which clients received the invaluable instant insights experienced in activities such as the one-hour exercise outlined here.

A Lifeline for Career Counselors in Private Practice

By Dave Gallison

Career counselors in solo private practice often struggle with learning how to run a successful business as well as balance their needs for peer connection. A new paradigm for career counselors supporting each other as well advancing the field is presented, based on a promising collective formed in Portland, Oregon.

Letting Go of Career Beliefs That No Longer Serve Us

By Willa Smith

Our career beliefs can be the key to feeling satisfaction with our career choices and life satisfaction. As with our other beliefs, career beliefs are shaped by our experiences and knowledge. When they are no longer helpful, we can replace them with beliefs that support our life, work, passion and purpose.

When Career Assessments are Not Enough: Helping Clients after an Unexpected Career Transition

By Jennifer Del Corso

Learn the importance of processing the stages of grief before giving career assessments after an unexpected career change. Clients may not be ready to move forward until they process the cause of the career change and can feel more optimistic about the future.

Career Counseling for Career Counselors?

by William H. Waldorf and Kim H. Tay

As career professionals, many of us assume we are (or should be) immune to shifts in career direction ourselves. This article points to theoretical, practical and professional reasons why this need not be the case. Rather, it argues that all of us in the career profession (counselors, consultants, coaches) might seek career counseling ourselves.

Workplace Communication Issues Across Multiple Generations

By Sue Aiken

Four generations occupy seats in our workforce ranging from 90 years of age to early 20’s. Generational Theory matters to career professionals. Here are reflections on the challenges and opportunities for career counselors and coaches.

The Value of Career Coaching: Supporting Clients Beyond Choosing a Career

By Dora Grote

We hear it all the time: building education plans, transitioning careers, and entering or reentering the workforce is a daunting process when a person lacks the support of others. Ideally, their support includes an experienced and credentialed professional.

Utilizing LinkedIn As A Career Development Professional

By Mason Murphy

LinkedIn is a powerful online resource that can connect both candidates and employers to global career development opportunities. There are eight aspects when developing a profile and connecting with other professionals to keep in mind. Career development professionals should utilize LinkedIn to heighten their own careers.

The Business of Private Practice: A Sampling of Who Is Doing What

Nancy J. Miller

The purpose of this article is to share a sampling of what career professionals are doing in private practice. Gathered from Career Convergence web magazine articles and an anonymous online survey of seventeen career professionals, most of the practitioners work in the United States and are associated with NCDA.

Time Management Tips For Career Counselors

By Robert White

Effective time management can be difficult for many career counselors who freely give of their time and resources in order to help others. If you fall into this category, this helpful article provides a variety of tips and strategies for improving time management skills and increasing productivity. [Ed. Note: This article was originally published in Career Convergence in 2010 and is being re-run due to its value today.]

Best Practices For Career Counselors: The Advantage Of Having A Dual Specialty Private Practice

By Beverly Baskin

Counseling as a business: How continuing education, dual certifications, and an entrepreneurial spirit led to an expanding private practice with several employees.

Avoid the Shell-Shock of Job Loss

By Louise Kursmark

Losing one’s job is never easy. Yet, career practitioners can help employees (and themselves) minimize the “shell shock” of getting laid off by following these suggestions. [Eds. Note: This article originally appeared here in 2012. Because of its value it is being reprinted now.]

Encouraging Career Asset Building Among Low-Income Individuals

By Amy Johnson

Urging low-income adults to "get a job, any job" and creating programming based on this position is shortsighted and leads to poor job retention, welfare cycling, inadequate wages, and greater costs than investing in meaningful career exploration and choice. Service providers may be interested in an online comprehensive career development program for lower-income adults that focuses on career asset-building . [Eds. Note: This article originally appeared here in 2006. It is being repeated due to its high value.]

Successful Career Planning…. It’s Never Too Late

By Karen Atkins

I have had three career changes in thirty-five years. I always dreamed I would retire and enjoy each career until my retirement. Life events happen, plans change, and happenstance creeps into our lives. What we do with happenstance events is up to us. I decided to get my mind and heart together and place my thoughts and realistic goals into practice. Based on my personal experience, here are 7 tips for career practitioners to use with clients considering a career change.

My Reality Check Bounced

Book Review by Lakeisha Moore Mathews

A book for helping Generation Y achieve their career goals, without complaining about Gen Y work habits. Recommended for every career counselor, regardless of age, to gain strategies on guiding this unique generation to success. [Eds. Note: This article originally appeared here in November 2010. It is being repeated in celebration of Career Convergence's All Conference issue. See NCDA NEWS for more details.]

Career and Chronic Illness

By Beth Lulgjuraj

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is a life-altering event. Once diagnosed, career decisions can become overwhelming. Suggestions follow on how to help clients make more informed career decisions and find work-life balance.

Finding Meaning and Purpose in Retirement: Work and Non-Work Retirement Options

By Mary E. Ghilani

This article is the second in a two-part series focusing on retirement career counseling. Today’s retirees are healthier, living longer, and more active than their predecessors. Some will continue to work for financial reasons, while others will choose to work part-time, volunteer, or start their own business in order to stay active and productive. For many retirees, retirement is an opportunity to learn or do something new. With a little creativity, the options for retirees are limited only by their imagination.

Make a Retirement Plan BEFORE You Retire

By Mary E. Ghilani

This article is the first in a two-part series focusing on retirement career counseling. The transition from work to retirement can be very challenging if steps are not taken to replace the lack of structure, social contact, purpose, and meaning that work once provided. This article provides a list of questions that career counselors and coaches can use to help their clients make appropriate plans about their retirement.

Reflections and Projections: Onto the Second Century for NCDA!

Sue Aiken, Associate Editor, Independent Section

In 2013 we traveled through time on a journey looking through the rear view mirror, reflecting on past challenges/ accomplishments and out through the front windshield projecting what the future holds for our profession. Here are lessons learned and questions to encourage even more learning.

Career Conversations with Millennials: A Few Observations

By Sunitha Narayanan

Millennials, generally described as being born anywhere from the early 1980s to the early 2000s, may excite, perplex and expand us as career professionals. Observations from both personal and professional interactions with millennials generated these suggestions for successful career development conversations.

The Work Book: How to Build Your Personal Brand and Get Hired!

Book Review By Liane H. Gould

Are you looking for a book for your clients that will help them create a strong personal brand, learn the process of securing the job offer, or explain how to elevate personal brand once in the position? This quick read may be just what your clients need.

Career Planning for Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome

By Barbara Bissonnette

Typical protocols don’t work for these atypical individuals. Despite being bright, college-educated, and skilled, many individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism, struggle to find and maintain employment. Helping them find work that is satisfying and manageable requires an understanding of their unique profile of abilities and challenges.

An Interview with Richard Bolles: The Lasting Power of 41 Editions of What Color Is Your Parachute?

By Jenn Long

According to author Richard N. Bolles, the passion behind 41 editions of What Color Is Your Parachute? is “Keeping the book absolutely up to date!” An interview with the author provides insights into the popular job-search book from conception to reinvention, industry shifts along the way, and advice for aspiring authors.

Stop Saying Career “path”!

By Eric Anderson

Most career development practitioners use the term “career path”, and we should stop. This implicitly standardized term has fit well with the way that conventional career theories characterize the career development process, but it’s a barrier to fully embracing emerging theories like Krumboltz’s Happenstance Career Theory, because it embeds a misleading metaphor. “Career path” implies to our clients that their career plans are visible and stable.

Practical Passion – Make Your Dream Happen!

By Sunitha Narayanan

Passion and purpose are considered the bedrock of life-enriching work. How does this concept change for people in today’s business environment, where more gets done with less, when employee morale is expected to be low and the norm is to hear of companies laying-off even their superstars?

To Offer Social Media, You Have to Model Social Media

By Joshua Waldman

Your clients are asking for social media help more and more each day. For many in the career profession, this has become problematic. First, Social takes up a lot of time. Second, it's just so darn confusing. I offer a three step solution which you can use for your own social media.

Starting and Growing a Business in the New Economy

Book Review by Denise Saunders

Many career development professionals dream of a solo practice or business venture maximizing their unique skill set. This monograph highlights contributions of 17 successful career entrepreneurs who share first-hand accounts and suggestions for how to make the dream become a reality.

What does Career Resiliency Mean to You?

By Sunitha Narayanan

In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (V.U.C.A) business world, change is constant. This article looks at career ownership and resiliency as a pathway to career happiness.

Aligning Strengths with Goals: Creating a Self-Concordant Journey

By Linda Faucheux

The alignment of strengths and goals provides the opportunity to embark on a self-concordant journey. Self-concordance is the capacity to pursue a set of personal goals with feelings of intrinsic interest and identity congruence. Exploring your strengths zone is a powerful pathway to experience self-concordance. Setting self-concordant goals enables us to develop a deeply meaningful and satisfying career and contributes to higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction.

A Counselor’s Advice to Counselors: A Conversation with Marty Nemko, Part 2

By Maureen P. Nelson

Continuing our talk with the author of Cool Careers for Dummies, we find out what Marty Nemko uses instead of a traditional career guidance approach, learn the “three-minute career makeover” techniques he utilizes on his radio show, and where he thinks career counselors can add real value.

More Than A Job Search: Enhance Career Management Skills Using Social Media

By Nancy J. Miller

Social media provides effective tools career professionals can use to: 1) Improve writing skills; 2) Build a network of colleagues, friends, and professionals; 3) Brand yourself as a leader in your field; 4) Show gratitude; and 5) Mentor others.

Cool Careers in any Economy: A Conversation with Marty Nemko

By Maureen Nelson

Find out from one of career development's most fearless pundits and avid trend watchers how today's global megatrends are affecting the job market. First of a multi-part interview with the popular speaker, blogger, radio host and author of Cool Careers for Dummies.

10 Best Practices for Accelerating the Success of Millennials

By Julie LaCroix

90 million people are expected to enter the workforce between approximately 2002 and 2022. They face a more competitive global economic climate than ever before and need the tools for success in their careers. This article introduces 10 best practices career counselors can use with their emerging professional clientele to keep them committed, focused and differentiated from the rest.

Applying the Concept of Mental Toughness to the Job Search Process

by Mary E. Ghilani

The job search process requires a degree of mental fortitude, patience, and perseverance. The author proposes keys for career counselors to share with job seekers to help them adapt the concept of “mental toughness” to sustain them through the job search process.

A Two-sided Resume? Standing out from the crowd!

By Rhonda Messinger

Whether or not to use a two-sided resume is not a simple question. There is no correct resume method for every industry and every potential employer. Insights gathered from colleagues formed the basis for the following recommendations for using two-sided resumes and other creative approaches in job searching.

Mindset of the Career Searcher

By Aricia E. LaFrance

One of the most challenging problems for career professionals is the client in an unproductive mindset. Many professionals will screen to learn if potential clients are “coachable” in hopes to screen out those clients who are obstinate and close minded. Learn techniques to help your work with difficult clients.

Masks of Anxiety Exercise

By Greg Fall

This exercise is a companion to the article, "What are Career Coaches Afraid of?"

Building a Bridge to a Brighter Future for Unemployed Adults

By Michael F. Campbell, Lindsay M. Andrews, and Emily E. Bullock

The current economic downturn in the United States has lead to the unemployed population growing immensely. Unemployment is currently at a twenty-five year high and still on the rise. This article highlights concerns and barriers as well as resources for use in career counseling.

Changing Careers After 40: Real Stories, New Callings

By Terry Pile and David Lingle

What motivates a popular television talk show host to quit his career and become an auctioneer? Why does an ambitious advertising executive abandon her thriving business to become a healing coach? How does an IBM employee leave a comfortable 30-year career to start a pet sitting service?

Helping the BRAC Affected Civilian Employee of the Military: A Primer for Resume Preparation

By Patricia Van Haste

Counselors all over the country may be seeing BRAC (Base Realignment and Closing) affected civilian employees of the military looking for their next career opportunity. Understanding their unique situations and needs is necessary in order to provide on target assistance and support.

Career and Caregiving as Related to Private Practice

Sue Aiken, Interviewer

An interview with Sally Gelardin, author of Career & Caregiving: Empowering the Shadow Workforce of Family Caregivers (NCDA, 2009), with the purpose of understanding how and why the subject of caregiving relates to career counseling and it's meaning in today's world.

Career Counseling for a Green Economy

By Willa Smith Davis

There is a lot of talk about the "green economy" and "green jobs". The purpose of this article is to raise awareness in the career counseling community about these terms and the career pathways related to them. It will explore what it means to be "sustainable". Readers will be more prepared to counsel their students/clients about green careers.

Giving Hope to the Homeless

By Tim Lutenski

Homeless shelter residents seeking employment often require help in dealing with both personal and work related issues. In assisting these individuals it is important to help them break through self imposed barriers, minimize negative thinking, enhance their self image, assume greater responsibility for decisions and actions, and make improved life and vocational choices in order to realize a better future.

Starting a Private Practice -- Colleagues To The Rescue!

By Patricia A. Van Haste

Inspired by two recent Career Convergence articles, this article encourages those considering a private practice or those just starting out not to overlook how valuable a source of help colleagues can be.

Revitalizing Retirement: Reshaping Your Identity, Relationships, and Purpose.

Book Review by Aricia LaFrance

Nancy Schlossberg does it again with a retirement book suitable for anyone wanting to "reshape" their life and find balance. With a natural flow, examples and exercises, "Revitalizing Retirement" provides helpful, immediately applicable insights for retirees as well as coaches working in the fields of career development, retirement and life balance.

The Emergence of Creating an Online Presence

By Bob McDonald

In the ever-changing paradigm that is the Internet, career counselors should always be aware of the new online tools that can ultimately benefit clients by increasing their chance of employment.

Career Transition: A Checklist for Re-entry Success

By Laura Demarse

This article addresses the uncertainty of the world of work - non-linear career paths and the need for a new model. Moreover, it is a holistic guide for practitioners to use to help displaced workers engage in a positive dialogue about returning to work. Exercises and talking points for the counselor and the client are provided.

Queen Bee Syndrome

By Steve Bohler

Past research paints a picture of an ecosystem of variables which exert their own influence on job satisfaction and employee engagement. One powerful yet largely overlooked factor is one's Specialist/Generalist orientation. This article examines the hallmarks of the hidden Specialists, why they may be dissatisfied in most traditional, corporate jobs, and what career practitioners can do to assist them.

If You Never Leave Your Network You Never Have To "Comeback"

By Brianna Koucos

Networking is an effective tool to manage career transitions during all stages of work and life, especially for those moving away from traditional, full-time careers. Read on for helpful networking tips that can assist you and your clients alike.

The Business Side of Private Practice

By Sue Aiken

As career counselors, most of us try to answer the question of whether or not we want to open a private practice at some point in our career. This article introduces two future articles that will provide specific ideas and tools to assist you in your decision making. Initially, relevant questions are raised here.

What Do You Do If You Are Stuck? Using Creativity in Career Counseling

By Mary Ann Hollingsworth

Career indecision is a common obstacle for many students in the selection of college majors, as well as for adults selecting both initial career paths and making subsequent career changes. The result is often a sense of being "stuck". This article provides unique activities and suggestions that use creativity as a tool for resolution to help clients become "unstuck." While this article is well-suited for graduate students and new professionals looking for new interventions to expand their "tool box", seasoned counselors will also benefit from this refresher.

Strategy Replaces Stress

By Arlene R. Barro

This case study will show new strategies for career development practitioners to reduce their clients’ stress in their personal and professional lives. Clients who embrace changing their behavior and effectively implement these strategies will have the tools to prevent future stress.

Finding Life Work Balance Through Community

By Sue Aiken

Working definitions of “life work balance” and “community” provide a foundation for considering two growing issues among clients of all ages. Options and resources are provided for consideration with your private practice clients.

Spiral Careers Support the 21st Century Workplace

By Martin Elliot Jaffe

This article describes the concepts of linear, steady state and spiral careers, reflecting the career turbulence and flattened organizational structures that reduced long term career stability and upward movement in large organizations, particularly for clients in mid-life or mid-career involuntary career transition. Case examples of this 21st century career model are presented.

Working with Lawyers as Clients: Tips for Career Development Professionals

By Nancy Gibson

Given the high levels of stress associated with practicing law, it's likely that one day you, as a career development professional, may find yourself working with a client who is a lawyer. This article sheds light on some common misconceptions about lawyers and provides tips on developing a successful working relationship.

Professional Development Comes to Your Desktop: Spend an hour with Rich Feller!

By Sue Aiken

The value of professional development to independent career counselors as well as the convenience of online learning are achieved in this new video. The application and effectiveness of Rich Feller's message in "Career Coaching Clients for Success: 10 Lifelong Career Rules" on the NCDA website, is presented here through the eyes of a career counselor.

Revitalize Your Style: Spring Cleaning for Counselors

By Sarah M. Backes-Diaz

Interested in revitalizing your counseling approach? Bored with the same intake questions, assessments, and standard interventions? Unsure whether or not your approach fits the needs and preferences of your clients? Then perhaps its time to clean out and upgrade your counseling tool box!

Reflections on a Theme of "Buts"

By Mary E. Ghilani

Making the decision to return to school can be frightening and difficult for adults who have constraints of family and finances. This article will explore techniques career counselors can use to guide adults to explore and manage their arsenal of "buts" when it comes to making decisions about changing careers and/or returning to college.

Flexibility and Willingness to Learn Are Not Enough!

By Sally J. Power

Experienced, white-collar people are struggling to maintain their levels of reward in the more competitive job market. Flexibility and willingness to learn are not enough. This article explores how they can proactively meet this challenge.

Socially Responsible Career Development of Black Males for Workplace Success

by David P. Newman

This article defines and discusses a new career development model called Socially Responsible Career Development (SRCD), its benefits in helping at-risk black males achieve workplace success; and clarifies the unique role of the career counselor as an architect in implementing the model.

Collaborative, Not Combative, Action Planning

by Sunitha Narayanan

How can a consultant achieve collaboration in action planning? Help clients become more aware of choices and opportunities and form a practical and supportive structure to reap the benefits of collaboration.

Metaphor: A New Way Of Thinking About Careers

by Kerr Inkson

The use of metaphor is common in people's thinking, including thinking about careers. The development of metaphors and the use of multiple metaphors may liberate career development by facilitating perception of new possibilities. This article discusses common career metaphors, and the potential of metaphor to contribute to improved counseling practice.

Strained Credulity: The Career Counselor as Parent

by Ellen Weaver Paquette

Parenting is a difficult role, fraught with emotions, second guessing, dreams, ambitions, regrets and bills. Career counselors as parents are often caught in a double helix of professionalism and strained credulity. Viewed as valued consultants in the workplace, the career counselor may find themselves questioned by their offspring when career aspirations are mentioned.

Counseling Clients Who Relocate

by Sunitha Narayanan

When a client's employment opportunity is affected by a relocation, the career consultant may need several strategies to overcome feelings of helplessness and disappointment.

Career Counseling: An In-Demand Profession

by Betty McWillie

A private practitioner with 20 years experience shares her view of the profession. The distinction between Career Counselors and Career Coaches is briefly discussed. The increased need for career development services by clients is addressed. The career counseling membership categories offered by the National Career Development Association are presented for clarification.

Client Selection: Clarity or Confusion? Success or Struggle?

by Sharon McCormick

The Internet is a great source of clients. In-depth telephone screening strategies are recommended to ensure a good match between client requests for services and actual professional services available.

"Know Yourself, Co-Workers and Your Organization"

Book Review by Debbie Walker

Juchnowski's book Know Yourself, Co-Workers and Your Organization, can serve as invaluable learning resource for new professionals in the career counseling profession and as a reference book for seasoned professionals who are familiar with John L. Holland's theory.

The Career Portfolio Workbook by Frank Satterthwaite and Gary D'Orsi

Book Review by Katarzyna Ganko and Cynthia Kivland

In today's job market of ever-increasing competition and rigid selection, the saying "actions speak louder than words" rings especially true. Thus, an accurate and attention-drawing conveyance of your accomplishment and potential to a prospective employer becomes a task both indispensable and complex. In their innovative and reader-friendly guide to creating a success-securing career portfolio, Frank Satterthwaite and Gary D'Orsi acquaint you not only with techniques to promote yourself but also with ways to be noticed and heard.

Purposeful Listening: Spiritual Coaching Techniques for Career Development Practitioners

by Gail Liebhaber, M.Ed.

Purposeful listening, as a coaching and counseling technique, is explained and explored. The author describes how the art of purposeful listening can transform your sessions with clients into satisfying experiences for you both.

The 6 Stages of Modern Career Development

by Michelle L. Casto

Learn about the 6 stages of modern career development: Assessment, Investigation, Preparation, Commitment, Retention, and Transition. The key tasks of each stage are included.