Presenters: Laura Lankton and Jennifer Kaysen Rogers

Description:
StrengthsQuest/StrengthsFinder (SQ/SF) books and concepts have been taking corporations by storm since they came out. Based on the Positive Psychology movement, the Gallup organization developed an assessment of sorts to help people identify their talents.

This RoundTable discussion will ask career professionals to share their StrengthsFinder stories — How have you used this with career clients? Why is this helpful to clients? What questions do you have? Facilitators will share their experiences using the assessment with college students and alumni. Applications in many areas are welcome!

Reading References Books:

• Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton
• StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton
• Website: www.StrengthsQuest.com
• Website: StrenghthsFinder 2.0

Please RSVP to Bernice Hillukka at behilluk@msn.com or no later than Monday, May 14th. We will be serving food at our meeting, so please RSVP to ensure there is enough for everyone. Also, if you have any food allergies or preferences, include that in your RSVP.

The Minnesota Career Development Association (MCDA) offers monthly RoundTable meetings that focus on selected career development topics to help us become better practitioners. Round-Tables also serve as a time to network with colleagues working in a variety of sectors. Note that you do not need to be a MCDA member. We encourage you to spread the word to your non-MCDA member colleagues.

Start Date: 2012-04-19
End Date: 2012-04-20

When: Thursday, March 29. 5-7pm

Where: Axel’s in Saint Paul. 850 Grand Ave. Saint Paul, MN 55105. Visit http://axelsbonfire.com/our-locations/st-paul-mn/ for driving directions.

What: A networking happy hour for career professionals. MCDA members are encouraged to invite their coworkers and colleagues.

If you have questions regarding the March MCDA Happy Hour, please contact Shelby Clark sclark198@gmail.com.

The Minnesota Career Development Association (MCDA) offers monthly RoundTable meetings that focus on selected career development topics to help us become better practitioners.  Round Tables also serve as a time to network with colleagues working in a variety of sectors.  Note that you do not need to be a MCDA member. We encourage you to spread the word to your non-MCDA member colleagues!

• Date:     February 28, 2012 March 6, 2012
• Time:    6- 7:30 pm
• Place:   Edina Community Library, Conference Room
  5280 Grandview Square, Edina, MN
• Presenter – Denise Felder 

Helping Job Seekers with Low Computer Skills in a Digital Age

We live in a digital world where people apply for jobs online or on an in-store computerized kiosk. Jobs listings are found on websites and mobile apps. Networking has moved to Twitter and LinkedIn. And job interviews are done via Skype.

What does all of this mean for job seekers who are older, have disabilities, or simply don’t have access to technology? How can we help job seekers with low digital literacy to compete in today’s job market? And what affect will the growing use of technology have on the workplace. Who can benefit in this digital age and who will be left out?

Resources:

• Digital Literacy (definition from Wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_literacy
• The Next Digital Divides (UCLA’s Institute on Democracy, Education & Access) http://tcla.gseis.ucla.edu/divide/politics/besser.html
• Net Literacy – Programs Serving Students, People with Disabilities, and Seniors (Disabled World) http://www.disabled-world.com/communication/community/netliteracy.php
• DigitalLiteracy.gov – resources for practitioners who deliver digital literacy training to the community http://www.digitalliteracy.gov/
• DigitalLiteracy.org – clearinghouse of best practices http://www.netliteracy.org/digital-literacy/

Please RSVP to Bernice Hillukka at  behilluk@msn.com or no later than Friday, February 24th.  We will be serving food at our meeting, so please RSVP to ensure there is enough for everyone.  Also, if you have any food allergies or preferences, include that in your RSVP.

• The President’s Corner
• Type: Watch Your Language, Please!
• Save the Dates
• Member Spotlight
• News from NCDA
• Book Review
• Interview Spotlight
• MCDA Board Highlights
• Welcome New Members

The President’s Corner by Janet Pribyl

Wow!  Here we are, well into the New Year and it’s looking even better than the last.  As I look over the past few months, I want to thank the MCDA Board for creating wonderful opportunities for all of us to learn and network with others in our profession.

The November Fall Event, “Winning Presence for Career Development” by Pete Machalek, co-founder of SagePresence, presented us with a story structure to look at ways career development professionals can build on the skills we already possess to inspire ourselves, and our clients, to take action. About 53 professionals participated and I came away with a new enthusiasm for what we all do as career professionals as we strive to inspire others to make changes and develop strategies to pursue happier lives.

The November National Career Development Month observations went extremely well! Darren Kaltved and Ben Hansen provided daily career development tips to all MCDA members throughout the month. The monthly Roundtable, held on November 15, was transformed into a party celebrating all career professionals. It was hugely successful with many new faces attending. Many of the approximately 40 people even stayed past the projected 7:30pm conclusion!

To end the year, on December 13, MCDA with Metro State University, Career Partners International Twin Cities, and Meaningful Connections, co-sponsored Jason Alba, career strategist and author of “I’m on LinkedIn – Now What?” addressing “Career Management 2.0 for Career Professionals.” We came away with new ways of looking at using technology and helping our clients organize and manage their job searches. I’d like to explore the possibility of more collaborative efforts like this one, for the New Year.

Looking forward to 2012, the MCDA Board continues to work tirelessly on events. The monthly Roundtables will continue with great topics, as usual. Because of the success of the National Career Development Month Celebration, we are considering a similar event for the spring. Stay tuned!

The Winter Event is scheduled for Thursday, March 1, with Nancy Branton, CEO and co-founder of Workplace Coach Institute and the President of People Potential Group, speaking on “A Coach-Approach to Career Assessments.”

Our keynote speaker for the Spring Conference, April 20, is Elizabeth H. Sanders Park, covering “The Top 6 Things Employers Want to Know,” based on her book “The 6 Reasons You’ll Get the Job.”

The two pre-conference Professional Development Institutes (PDIs), both full-day workshops, on Thursday, April 19, will cover timely topics, “No One is Unemployable” offered by our keynoter, Elizabeth H. Sanders Park, and “Building Meaningful Visibility Online for Career Development” offered by Anne Pryor, Kathleen Crandall, and Risë Kasmirski. Look them all up on LinkedIn!

A call for proposals for breakout sessions for the conference just went out and I encourage all of you to consider sharing some of your knowledge and enthusiasm. There is so much we know and do; it would be great to hear from you. Hope to see you at the Conference!

TYPE:  WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE, PLEASE!

By Donna Bennett, M.A., LP and Jean Kummerow, Ph.D, LP

We have used the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) instrument for a large part of our careers and have found it enormously helpful in our work.  Over time, we have also become increasingly concerned about the ways in which it is misused.  In this article we describe some of our concerns and our suggestions for moving forward.

 CAREER PATHS

We love what we do and are both grateful for our career paths.  Type data was a useful guide in making our choices, as was the guidance of mentors, experts, colleagues, advisors and counselors.  Donna was headed on the path of a business degree and a career with an international computer company.  Timely conversations with trusted advisors about her skills, passions and experience led her to the field of psychology and career transition/development.  She switched paths and has never looked back!

Jean wanted to be involved in a university career, perhaps as a professor or in administration.  However, no jobs were available when she graduated with her Ph.D., so she went into a consulting job conducting psychological assessments for companies recruiting new hires.  That led to learning more about psychological assessments, including the MBTI® instrument, and more about how people learn and decide about career paths.

If we, and our advisors, had depended on what might seem the “right” career paths for our types (that is the occupational fields the majority of people of our types enter), neither of us would be working in, nor had successful careers in the career development field.   Donna as an INTP would be working in computers, surveying, photography, research, or scientific and technical fields.  Jean as an ESTJ would be working in management, law enforcement, cleaning services, insurance or administration.

As a result of our own experience and of those we’ve counseled and advised over many years in the field, we believe it’s important to rely on many aspects of the individual and to separate the person from the type.  It’s important to remember that type is just one part of who someone is.  Relying on lists of careers for each type is far too limiting.

 SEPARATE THE PERSON FROM THE TYPE

While the use of type is a powerful tool in career guidance, as counselors/advisors, how we think about type can be crucial to the overall process.  If we think in terms of black and white with no ‘grays’, and/or have negative experiences with certain types, it may influence how we talk about type.   For example, we often hear our own colleagues use stereotypical comments such as, “Thinking types are so stoic and impersonal.”  Or, “I hope you haven’t invested much in your educational path because there aren’t any of your type working in that field.”  Yes, we have heard both of these and many similar comments!  While the intention may be to inform, these comments unfortunately come across as labeling or judging.

As professionals, we know that our words have meaning and our clients rely on us to listen to them and to give them helpful feedback.   If we think in limiting ways about type or use stereotypic, labeling language with colleagues, this may spill over into our conversations with clients.  Without even realizing it, we may project opinions that we don’t intend.

 STEREOTYPING

What about you?  When you examine the way you use type, have you fallen into stereotypic comments like these?  When one is the receiver of a stereotype comment, often an emotional, defensive reaction occurs.  This may be because we hear this as ‘limiting’ language rather than ‘informing’ language.  We all preach the idea that all preferences are equally valuable, but do we always practice it?  In a sense, are we sometimes guilty of running the type framework amok?

MOVING BEYOND STEREOTYPES

So how do we move beyond the stereotype?

1) By listening to our own language and catching ourselves;

2) By asking colleagues to let us know when, rather than a helpful description of type, they might hear stereotyping.  Examples of stereotypic language include:
(F) “He’s a Feeling type and just doesn’t know his boundaries!”
(T)  “She’s just so critical but what do you expect from a Thinking type!”

3) By searching for a way to reframe our language to inform rather conclude.  Examples of reframing our language include:
(F) “He cares a lot about others and in the process, often forgets to take care of himself.”
(T) “As a Thinking type, it’s important for her to note when she sees what may be wrong with something in order to make it better.”

4) By identifying people in our lives whom we like and respect and who represent all 16 types and seeing how they do things; we may even find ourselves wanting to adapt some of what they do to our own situations.  This can also remind us that there’s more to a person than their type.

CONCLUSION

It’s helpful to remind ourselves that all types contribute to all jobs/careers, and also that there are no wrong types!  It’s all about what we make of ourselves, and how we help others learn about themselves.  Being alert and intentional in using language that honors all aspects of a person can add a professional edge to our valuable work.

Save the Dates!

We have two professional opportunities coming up that you’ll want to add to your calendar:

Winter Event – From 1:00 – 4:30 at Roseville Library on Thursday, March 1^st
Click here for more information on the Winter Event.

Spring Careers Conference – Thursday and Friday, April 19^th and 20^th
Click here for more information on Spring Careers Conference.

Member Spotlight – Janet Pelto

Editor:  Janet, it seems like you’ve been in career counseling for many years.  How did you first get into it?

Janet:  My path to being a Career Counselor is a perfect example of what John Krumboltz calls ‘planned happenstance’, the idea that you need to follow what seems to fit what you’re looking for and be open to, and act on, unexpected opportunities.  To be honest, being a career counselor sounded like a dreadful career to me!  In graduate school, I even remember lamenting that it was too bad that I didn’t want to be a career counselor since so many people seemed to be unhappy in their work; I figured career counselors would always have a job.

Editor:  Well, something must have changed along the way.  What events led you into the field?

Janet:  Long story short:

• A friend called to ask if I was interested in a part time, temporary job as an academic adviser; I applied, interviewed and was offered the job
• I loved the job!  It had everything that was important to me in a work situation: supportive, fun-loving co-workers, a well managed office, work that included helping, an opportunity to do strategic thinking, and variety.
• That fall, two full time, permanent positions in that office opened up – one for an Academic Adviser and the other for a Career Counselor who also did some academic advising.
• I applied for both and was offered the career counseling position.  I accepted – I wanted to work in that office – and while I had done other types of counseling, I had never done career counseling.
• In spite of my sentiments in graduate school, I accepted the career counseling position, and was desperately hoping I’d be able to tolerate the career counseling part of it.

Twenty-some years later, here I am….in a career that has energized me almost every day.

Editor:  Wow, you’re a living example of Ibarra’s “Working Identity”.  And, not only have you enjoyed your career counseling positions, but you’ve been very involved in MCDA through the years.  Please tell about some of the ways you’ve been active in MCDA.

Janet:  Being part of MCDA has been the highlight of my career.  I am grateful for the opportunities to contribute to the organization and for the wonderful friendships I have developed over the years.  As an introvert, I was intimidated about the prospects of getting involved, but I immediately felt at home in MCDA.  Over 20 years I’ve held positions such as President Elect / President / Past President, Trustee, Conference Co-chair and Conference Facilities Coordinator, just to name a few.

Editor:  And, your hard work and commitment to our field have been recognized with some pretty amazing awards.  You’ve received a “Triple Crown” of career development awards – the Jules Kerlan Outstanding Achievement Award, the Marty Dockman Award and the MCDA Merit Award!

Janet, thank you for over 20 years of dedication to and investment in our career development community.  Your efforts have made a difference in many ways.

News from NCDA by Paul Timmins

Believe it or not, it’s time to plan ahead for the summer! The NCDA Global Career Development Conference will take place on June 21-23 in Atlanta, GA. Set in the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr., the conference theme is Building on the Dream.

The conference features keynote speakers, sessions, and PDIs like you’d expect. One feature of the conference that I have NOT seen too many other places are the tech labs, which offer hands-on learning opportunities for participants to be introduced to specific types of technology. This year’s sessions cover topics like HootSuite, Moodle, Drupal, and LinkedIn, among others.

Details about Registration, Hotel, and Agenda can be found on the NCDA website. For full details, see www.ncdaconference.org

Book Review: Good to Great by Jim Collins

Reviewed by Jennifer Rosand

Having a background in business, I tend to gravitate towards business-related topics. However, as a career development professional, I also find that themes from these business focused books are fitting for anyone – regardless of industry or organization – wanting to understand more about the field, the decision making processes which foster organizational change, and the business jargon used in the process. One of my favorite books of this genre is “Good to Great,” by Jim Collins. Written for wide appeal, this book outlines relevant topics in an easy-to-digest style.

 The subtitle of this book, “Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t”, is a great window into its content. The focus is not just on “good” companies and organizations, but “great” ones.  “Great” means a company that has sustained change over time and maintained a healthy profit. To a career development professional, the relevant and main points from this book include the topics of leadership, hiring practices, and employee motivation.

On the topic of leadership, Collins describes the characteristics that strong leaders of truly “great” companies have, including: self-efficacy, ambition, diligence, and the humility to not know all of the answers.  He stresses that great leaders will be egalitarian in nature and will “lead with questions, not answers”.

In career development, the topic of leadership cannot be underestimated. As career professionals working with individuals looking to advance their careers, understanding the ingredients of great leaders is paramount to our clients’ success, should they wish to move their careers in that direction. Even if our clients – or ourselves – do not end up as top management, those qualities can be adopted to help in daily work roles which will only lead to greater success in the workplace.

Another main topic that Collins discusses in his book is the concept of “getting the right people on the bus”. He strongly emphasizes rigorous hiring practices, discussing the importance of keeping the “right people”.  He writes of the importance of initially bringing on-board self-disciplined individuals and how they can be used to drive strategy for an organization.

For some of us in career development, these concepts might be difficult to swallow at first. We may want to believe that our clients are all of the right people in the first place! But we can use this information with our clients to reveal what top management might be looking for in their new hires and use that knowledge to our clients’ advantage.

Throughout the text, Collins discusses employee motivation, through the use of facts, vision, and passion. He discusses how employees who are a good fit for the organization tend to be intrinsically motivated and how business strategy and organizational culture play key roles in making a company “great.”

This book offers our clients an opportunity to develop their business sense, learn industry language in an easy-to-understand way, and begin to understand leadership decisions. Whether our clients are working on the front lines in hourly positions, vying for that top C-level position, or are just wanting to develop their existing careers, understanding what makes an organization “great” will be a valuable asset to their employers and, ultimately, their own careers.

Interview with Patricia Berg, Recipient of the MCDA 2011 Jules Kerlan Outstanding Achievement Award

By Irene Rossman

Patricia Berg was the 2011 recipient of the MCDA Jules Kerlan Award. During her impressive 25-year career, Pat has been a business owner, coach, and career counselor. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Career Partners International, a Career and Executive Coaching organization. Patricia is active in numerous professional and community endeavors and serves on the board of SHIFT as Board Chairman.

 Tell us about your background and what led you into the field of career development.

For a number of years I worked in Human Resources – as an administrator, recruiter, and ultimately as a Director of HR.  I found that much of the employee relations and coaching I was engaged in focused on careers – how to engage a workforce, how to provide career feedback, how to build skills, how to coach and mentor a staff, etc.  While on sabbatical with young children, my former employer was acquired and a major downsizing occurred.  They asked me to come in and work with the employees on developing their resumes and helping them prepare for the job search process.  That ultimately led me to the field of career development and shortly after I joined Personnel Decisions International as a Career Coach.

 What do you feel are your greatest accomplishments and why?

The first accomplishment is seeing clients succeed.  Navigating through a career transition can be challenging for all kinds of reasons.  When clients successfully land in a position that’s a good fit, it’s our reward as career coaches.  I love to hear clients tell their stories and listen to what was important to them in the process.   Secondly would be putting together a business model and strategy that recognizes the individuality of the process.  It isn’t a one size fits all business, and our clients regularly remind us that what we do and how we do it makes a difference to them. Finally, having the pleasure to work with an outstanding team, people who are committed to helping clients, and who share my values of individualization, innovation, and relationship based delivery.

 You are a business owner, career consultant/counselor, executive and entrepreneurial coach….so many roles in your career! What do you enjoy the most about your job/career?

Most of all I enjoy working with people on a 1×1 basis to help them figure out what’s next in their career and then create a strategic plan to help them reach their goal.  When you work with people during a period of transition, you often establish deep and on-going relationships.  These people call for years to get advice, touch base, and refer friends or colleagues.  It is these relationships that mean the most to me.

What advice would you give a young person starting out in our profession?

I would advise them to really understand their underpinnings.  My values have driven all of my career choices.  What do they believe in, what’s most important to them, how do they want to be perceived in the marketplace, and what kind of a reputation do they want to build.  Secondly, professional development is important for everyone.  Joining in and participating in MCDA and other professional development groups keep you learning.

 Final Comments:

I would like to extend my thanks to MCDA and the career community. It is an honor to be recognized with this award and I am deeply appreciative. When I reflect on the importance of the work we do, and how next to family, careers are a central part of people’s lives, the impact of the career profession cannot be emphasized enough.

MCDA Board Highlights               

1. The Treasurer is working with the accountant to close the books for 2011.
2. Event Updates included a summary of the Fall Event and discussions of the upcoming Roundtable, the Jason Alba event, the Winter Event and the Spring Conference.
3. The Board discussed a few changes to the newsletter timing and distribution.

Welcome to New Members

The following members joined MCDA September through January:

Erik Berquist
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Aundrea Billings
McNally Smith College of Music

Ruth Brittain
Herzing University

Mary Cleary
St. Paul Public Schools & University of Minnesota

Jessica Dieltz
Metropolitan State University

Beth Glassman
HIRED

Sherri Guerrero
Capella University

Stefanie Hofman
Adler Graduate School

Danielle Lindquist
American Medical Systems

Sarah Luedtke-Jones
Luther Seminary

John Meeker
Meeker Search and Encore Consulting

Charity  Morrow
Rasmussen College

Michele Moylan
Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

Val Olson

Susan Ortner
Human Capital Independent Contractor

Karen Phang
Bayon Advoco LLC

Nicole Primozich
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

Karre Skaare
University of Minnesota- Duluth

Susan Speetzen
Fairview Health Services

Pam Weller
Minnesota State University, Mankato

 Best Practice Approaches to Training for
Career Development Professionals

According to Richard Hawk, “’Best’ can be defined as most productive; and ‘practice’ can be defined as an actual performance or application.  A best practice, then, is the most productive application.”

This Roundtable discussion will focus on how career counselors, coaches and advisers to develop, create, and deliver great presentations.  We will be discussing the ADDIE model as well as other techniques.

Please come and share your favorite career development training practices, activities and/or training techniques.

Helpful links:

• Steve Hughes’ Hit Your Stride
  
• American Society for Training and Development
  
• The Training and Development World
  
• Free Management Library: All About Training and Development (Learning and Development)

Articles to help set the stage:

• Hawk, R. (2005). Training: Making it Interesting Professional Safety, 54-56.
• Hough, K. (April, 2011). Improvisation: A radical new way to train, T&D, 64-68

Please RSVP to Bernice Hillukka at Behilluk@msn.com or no later than Friday, December 9.  We will be serving food at our meeting, so please RSVP to ensure there is enough for everyone.  Also, if you have any food allergies or preferences, include that in your RSVP.

All career counselors, coaches, employment specialists and other career professionals are invited to this fun, free event. MCDA members are encouraged to invite their coworkers and colleagues.

For more information, check out the EventBrite invitation.

Questions: Contact Carol.Ellingsberg@va.gov.

• RSVP here

Facilitator:  Darren Kaltved
Date:  October 18, 2011
Time:   6:00 – 7:30 pm 
Where: University of Minnesota Law School, Room 473
(http://www.law.umn.edu/contact/directons.html)

October’s exciting topic:      PERSONAL BRANDING

Is perception reality?
What are other’s perceptions of you?
Have you ever Googled yourself?

 When you see brands (e.g. companies, products, services, etc.) somewhere, you tend to associate them with a certain set of expectations or perceptions that are connected with a product or service. You associate these concepts, thoughts and images with these companies because of the brand each company has established.

This month’s discussion about the simple concepts of Personal Branding will include:

• How we as career development professionals can enhance our own brand.
• How to enhance the brand of our clients/students.
  • How to prepare clients/students to leave a footprint relevant to their passion.
  • Helping clients/students to establish stronger credibility and visibility.
  • Create a more competitive edge.
  • Be able to surround themselves with those that compliment their strengths.

We all have superpowers, but do we know how to make them know?  Join us for a fun, interactive and informational discussion.

About Darren: www.linkedin.com/in/darrenkaltved

Additional Resources:

• www.darrenkaltved.com (personal branding blog)
• www.reachcc.com (personal branding company developed by William Arruda – personal branding guru)
• www.personalbrandingblog.com
• “Personal Branding 101: How to Discover and Create Your Brand“ (Mashable)
• “10 Ways To Build Your Personal Brand” (Business Insider)
• “What is a Personal Brand and Why Do You Need One?”

Please RSVP to Bernice Hillukka at Behilluk@msn.com or Carol Ellingsberg at Carol.ellingsberg@va.gov no later than Monday October 17th.  We will be serving food at our meeting, so please RSVP to ensure there is enough for everyone.  Also, if you have any food allergies or preferences, include that in your RSVP.

• The President’s Corner
• MCDA Board Members
• News for NCDA
• MCDA Fall Event
• My Top Five Career Assessments
• Member Spotlight
• Book Review
• SIG Spotlight
• Welcome New Members

The President’s Corner by Janet Pribyl

Hello and welcome to the beginning of what is shaping up to be another great year for the Minnesota Career Development Association. I am excited about the possibilities as I embark on my year as President.

I look back fondly on my years as a young professional. Oh, how I looked forward to the yearly MCDA conferences where I eagerly connected with others who were like me, was exposed to a multitude of new ideas, and learned necessary skills to use in my development as a professional in the field. I’ve come a long way since then, and so has this incredibly wonderful and vibrant organization!

Thank you to all the wonderful candidates who ran for positions on the MCDA Board of Trustees this past summer. It was an unusual year, with a number of resignations from The Board to be filled as well as the usual number of regular term positions. We had a very well-qualified representative pool of candidates and voting for just a few was hard. I am happy to report that we have an excellent Board for the coming year and I am truly excited about the energy, ideas, and action already coming from the new Board.

Planning is under way for the major events which MCDA hosts throughout the year.  The Fall Event, a presentation by SagePresence, will take place on Thursday, November 3 at the Ridgedale Library in Minnetonka. The Winter Event is tentatively scheduled for March 1 and will be finalized soon. The Spring Conference, scheduled for April 19 and 20, will, once again, prove to be an extraordinary event with the keynote speaker and one of the PDI’s already set. Save all the dates on your calendar now!

 The National Career Development Association conference in San Antonio, Texas, this summer was a great opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the country and the world. Despite being teased about the temperatures in Minneapolis and San Antonio being the same (!!) and the impending Minnesota state shutdown looming large, I managed to attend a number of sessions that truly inspired me. I’ll be sharing more with the Board as the year progresses.

As President, one of my priorities will be to focus some of the Board’s energy towards making MCDA programming more accessible to all of our membership. Coming from Duluth, I find it difficult to attend many of the happenings in the Twin Cities area and wish there were alternatives to in-person attendance. I want to pursue the possibilities of using technology to open the monthly roundtables and other events to those who live some distance from the events.

I am truly humbled by the honor to serve as your President and look excitedly toward the new year of possibilities. Please feel free to contact me, or any of the members of the Board of Trustees, with suggestions, ideas, or even complaints, as we embark on the year.  Thank you!

2011-2012 MCDA Board of Trustees by Irene Rossman

Congratulations to the newly elected MCDA Board Members!!  We are delighted to announce the following individuals as part of our 2011-2012 MCDA Board of Trustees:

John Merladet, newly elected Treasurer and member of Executive Board
Shonda Allen, newly elected board member
Ben Hansen, newly elected board member
Cindy Hinderks, newly elected board member
Sue Holm, newly elected board member
Janine Papenfuss, newly elected board member
Jennifer Rosand, newly elected board member
Shelby Strong, newly elected board member
Kathy Ward, newly elected board member

In addition to our newly elected board members, the 2011-2012 MCDA Board of Trustees include:

Janet Pribyl, President and member of Executive Board
Shelley Jensen-Decker, President-Elect and member of Executive Board
Carmen Croonquist, Past President and member of Executive Board
Darren Kaltved, Secretary and member of Executive Board
Marie Carter Brooks, board member
Lisa Cook, board member
Mary Dwyer, board member
Denise Felder, board member
Mike Haugen, board member
Suzie Karsnia, board member
Irene Rossman, board member
Kate Southwick, board member

All MCDA members are welcome to attend the monthly MCDA board meetings. Meeting dates and times will be posted on the MCDA website.

News from NCDA by Paul Timmins

Okay, we’re obviously both fans of the Minnesota Career Development Association, or I wouldn’t be writing this article and you wouldn’t be reading it.

But I’m writing today about our affiliate/parent organization, the National Career Development Association (NCDA). If you’re more familiar with MCDA than you are with the national association, you’re not alone.  But NCDA has some exciting things cooking!

This year’s NCDA conference was in San Antonio, earlier this summer.  I took pictures at the Alamo, walked on the Riverwalk, and I shared a cab ride with Denise Felder, Janet Pribyl, and the lead singer from a really loud band that I hope to never hear again (he played some of his “music” for us).

And the conference was good, too.

I’ve attended several NCDA conferences in the past, and this year’s was no different:  Nearly 1000 professionals from across the United States (48 states) — and several other countries around the globe — were there networking and sharing best practices.  I was particularly struck by just how many legends in the field of career development were there, mingling with all of the rest of us. From Minnesota’s own Sunny Hansen to other experts like John Krumboltz, Spencer Niles, Mark Pope — these are the people who have written the career counseling textbooks we’ve all read!

My perspective on NCDA has changed a bit: After several years as a member, I was recently elected to a term as Midwest Region Trustee on the group’s Board of Directors.  In this capacity, one of my responsibilities is to promote NCDA connections with state chapters like ours. I’d be happy to talk with any of you about either organization.

Honestly, it would be great to see more Minnesotans connected with NCDA. For those of you who are looking for ways to get involved, here are two things to think about:

• The NCDA Leadership Academy is an experiential, two-year program that gives participants the chance to work closely with career development thought leaders on projects that can impact the career development profession. Previous participants have worked on projects to deliver career counseling to underrepresented groups, grow state career development associations, and promote the career development profession. Members receive a stipend to support their attendance for two years at the NCDA annual conference, and many alumni of the program have gone on to leadership positions in NCDA and throughout the career development world.  Applications are now available at  bit.ly/oNxmRr
• Next year’s NCDA Conference will be in Atlanta, GA from June 21-23, 2012. Proposals are now being accepted for conference presentations — the deadline is October 3.  See www.ncdaconference.org for more information.

Finally, it’s a particularly exciting time to get involved with NCDA because 2013 marks the 100th anniversary of our founding. The centennial celebration should mark a great time to reflect on where our profession has been, and where we’ll go in the future.

If you are interested in connecting with NCDA but need more information or a little encouragement, let me know. And, watch out: I’ll be trying to promote Minnesotans’ involvement in NCDA in the next few years. We have a lot to offer!

The MCDA Fall Event:  Winning Presence for Career Development

 There is a common denominator in the experience of career counselors working with their most challenging clients, and in the experience of their clients looking to present themselves when they network and interview.

That common denominator is a sense of risk. We are presenting ourselves and our ideas to an audience we want to inspire into action. Success or failure seems entirely determined by our performance in the moment, and with that sense comes natural barriers to our performance: We feel anxious and uncomfortable, we don’t know what to say or how to say it, and it very often seems like we’re trying to sell something to someone who may not want to buy.

Join us Thursday, November 3 for a presentation by Pete Machalek of SagePresence addressing all of these challenges in one fell swoop. As a filmmaker who has transferred his skills from the film set to the business world, Pete brings his expertise in message design and performance to show you how to master your role and win over audiences in even the most challenging moments.

By the end of this inspiring session, you will know how to:

• Forge meaningful connections with your clients – even in times of stress and frustration – creating an opportunity for productive communication
• Lead efficient conversations that will help you provide exactly what your clients need to elevate them to their next success
• Help your clients network more productively and interview more effectively

 Join us at the MCDA Fall Event:
Date:  Thursday, Nov 3, 2011
Location:  Ridgedale Library; (12601 Ridgedale Drive Minnetonka, MN)
Time:  12:30-1:00 Registration with presentation from 1:00-4:30

Thanks to Workplace Coach Institute

WCI was one of the sponsors for the Career Development conference last May, and is a locally-founded organization.  Workplace Coach Institute^SM, Inc. is dedicated to bringing a system of humanity and civility back into the global workplace. Co-founded by Nancy Branton, PCC and Cynthia Kivland, MCC, the company offers ICF, NBCC and Board Certified Coach approved certifications, along with corporate coaching or consulting, and career, leadership and HR training and assessment certifications. For more information, check out their website:  http://workplacecoachinstitute.com .

My Top Five Career Assessments by Nancy Branton

After coaching numerous clients to make a career transition, I found that career assessments are an integral part of that process. Armed with their assessment results, career transitioners can evaluate their current career and make wise decisions to prepare for their next career.

I recommend five assessments to use with career transitioning clients to help them uncover what’s most important to them for their next career. They are:

1. Golden Personality Type Profiler (GPTP) or Myers Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®);
2. Career Liftoff ® Interest Inventory (CLII);
3. SkillScan™ Career Driver;
4. O*NET™ Work Importance Profiler™; and,
5. Page Work Behavior Inventory (PWBI).

Both the GPTP and the MBTI® are based on Jung’s Theory of Psychological Type, and are excellent and reasonably priced assessments to administer to career transitioning clients to learn about their personality type preferences.  Based on their preferences, career transitioners find out their four-letter personality type, which is one of sixteen possible types. The Golden Personality Type Profiler has an additional scale: Tense—Calm, which shows how they tend to react to stress. After they know their personality type, they can learn more about whom they are, the careers that best fit their personality, and what aspects of the social work environment will fit them best.

The Career Liftoff ® Interest Inventory is an inexpensive assessment to administer to career transitioners. The CLII gives them their highest Holland Themes, top occupational interest scales (OIS), and occupations that link to their OIS’s. As they view their top six OIS’s, they can brainstorm possible new directions for their career. Using O*NET® Online, they can compare their highest scoring Holland themes with occupations’ highest Holland themes to determine which careers are a good match.

The SkillScan™ Career Driver is an inexpensive assessment to assist career transitioners in understanding their current skill sets and occupations that link to them, skills they’re motivated to use, and their highest priority skills to develop for the future.  Additionally, they gain knowledge and tools to link their skill results with their Holland-based interests and their four-letter personality type; doing so enhances their understanding of their multifaceted selves.

Often clients are unaware of their career values. The O*NET® Work Importance Profiler™, a free online assessment, helps them become aware of their highest career values and the needs that underlie them.  With that information, career transitioners can compare their highest career values with those of various occupations in O*NET® Online.

The Page Work Behavior Inventory measures your clients’ work styles, leadership style, selling style, and more. Using O*NET® Online, they can compare their highest scoring work styles with occupations’ highest work styles to determine if various careers are a good match.

In summary, administering and interpreting these five assessments to career transitioners will help them fully understand their personality, interests, work styles, career values, and motivated skills. Then, they can establish a career direction that is most satisfying and motivating for them.

Member Spotlight – Sally Power

Editor: Sally, you’ve been involved in career development for quite awhile.  Tell us how it all began for you.

Sally:  My interest in helping people have more successful careers really started in the mid-1980s. At that time I was putting together a new course called Management: Challenges and Purpose (which became the beginning course for all MBA students for almost twenty years). The students in that course had time to reflect on management, the future, their personal strengths and weaknesses, and their values so that they could write a “personal growth statement” about what they wanted to do professionally and how they could achieve those goals. It was a great experience for me and taught me how important it is that individuals build their career aspirations both on who they are as a person and on what they see in the world that needs doing.

Editor:  At what point did you find yourself getting more actively involved in career development?

Sally:  In the mid 1990s, I had personally come to a turning point in my career. I had thought for a long time that I would eventually become a college administrator but when I had an opportunity to do some of that, I found that it was not personally rewarding. That led me to spend some quality time reviewing what I wanted to do next with the help of a career counselor. The upshot of that process was my articulation of my next goal as becoming an expert in some particular subject area. My next problem was – what would be the area?

Editor:  That’s exciting! You’ve been through your own career transition.  What happened next?

Sally:  I began reading what interested me and at the end of about a year, I had my subject area which was how workforce dynamics were changing and impacting people in midcareer. It was my concern that people already in the workforce were unlikely to have the time or recognize the need to revamp their career management skills. It took quite a while to build my knowledge but I kept at it and finally had an article published in an issue of The Counseling Psychologist. That was followed by my book, The Mid-Career Success Guide which is a self-help book that shows what I believe you need to do and how working people can do this by spending about four hours a month on those activities.

Editor:  Well, your persistence has paid off and you’ve become established in your field.  As you look to the future, what is on your horizon?

Sally:  Recently I have started another transition. My interest in the challenges facing the workforce as it continues to evolve at such a fast pace has continued and grown. And, as I have aged, my recognition that my time is precious has also grown. So, I have just taken the retirement deal at my institution and refocused my life to work as an independent consultant on the impact of workforce changes on career management both for individuals and organizations. Projects of interest to me are why more individuals do not upgrade their career management skills, how the career management skills of contract workers are different from the skills of traditional employees, and how companies can engage their workers in a way that not only improves the company’s performance but also improves the individuals’ career management abilities.

Editor:  Sally, I’d like to mention an accomplishment of yours that is of particular interest to MCDA.  Earlier this year you received the Research Award granted by MCDA to individuals who have made significant contributions to our field in the areas of research and publications.  Your long list of relevant books, articles and papers speak for themselves in support of this honor.  On behalf of the career development community, I thank you for your commitment to leading edge information and thought-provoking research and we look forward to your new topics of interest!

Book Review:   Work at Home Now: The No-Nonsense Guide to Finding Your Perfect Home-based Job, Avoiding Scams, and Making a Great Living by Christine Durst and Michael Haaren

Reviewed by Dina Bergren

Have you worked with clients who need or desire to work from home?  Have you searched for telecommuting jobs only to find questionable ads?  According to Work at Home Now authors, Christine Durst and Michael Haaren, approximately 1 out of 59 “work at home” job postings are legitimate.  This insightful book identifies trustworthy websites for professional telework (i.e. telecommuting) positions, provides online search strategies, and helps prepare individuals for telework success. 

Telework job sites are organized by “type” and include tips from insiders, company information, and position titles.  Job categories include: 

• Consultants and subject matter experts;
• Education, teaching, and tutoring;
• Technical and web-related;
• Accounting and financial;
• Translation and linguistic;
• Writing, editing, and proofreading;
• And many more!

This book also lists telework-friendly companies that may allow more flexibility and freelance websites where applicants can bid for jobs.

Along with specific companies to target, the authors offer strategies on how to use search phrases and tools to manage a telework job search.  Examples of many search phrases are provided, along with tips on how to use tools such as Google Alerts (www.google.com/alerts) to receive notifications of telecommuting job leads based on defined search criteria.  Strategies for searching niche job banks, large job banks, and job aggregators are also discussed.

Geared toward professionals in a variety of fields, it is packed with insightful tips on researching companies, creating resumes customized for telework, preparing for interviews, and even convincing employers on the benefits of telecommuting.  This book is a refreshing, information-packed resource for those seeking alternative work arrangements.   The authors’ website, called www.ratracerebellion.com, also has current and updated telework sites.

SIG Spotlight on NCDPA

Northland Career Development Professionals Association (NCDPA) is a professional organization serving career development professionals from Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin, which meets in Duluth.  The group was designed to provide Northland career professionals a local organization that offers the opportunity to network and grow professionally. Members come from diverse positions including career counselors, job developers, life coaches, vocational rehab specialists, and school counselors.  The next meeting is September 29^th on the topic “Live Your Strengths: Understanding and Using StrengthsQuest”.  If you’d like more information, please contact Kathy Pykkonen, President, at 715-394-8024 or email Kpykkone@uwsuper.edu.

Welcome to New Members

The following members joined MCDA June through August:

CurShonda Allen
Goodwill/Easter Seals

Christopher Feider

Tracy Germ
St. Mary’sUniversity ofMinnesota

Jane Haas

Nicolee Holmgren

Miranda Johnson
CapellaUniversity

Janice Kalin
JLK & Associates

Danielle Lindquist
American Medical Systems

Sheryl Saul
Saint Mary’s University

Don Sletten

The Minnesota Career Development Association (MCDA) offers monthly RoundTable meetings that focus on selected career development topics to help us become better practitioners.  RoundTables also serve as a time to network with colleagues working in a variety of sectors.  Note that you do not need to be a MCDA member. We encourage you to spread the word to your non-MCDA member colleagues!

Facilitator:  Richard Davy, Minnesota Dept. of Labor & Industry

Date:  September 21st 2011