MACCA Middle Atlantic Career Counseling Association

e-InteractWhat’s New with MACCAThe 42nd Annual Conference

December 4-6, 2013

FAMILIAR LOCATION!DoubleTree (formerly Willow

Valley), Lancaster, PA

THEME:

Keynote Speakers

NEW WEBINAR!JUNE 10, 2013

Presenter: Janet Wall, PhDCareer Passion Meets Career Reality

Check www.macca.net for full registration details.

In this issue:Message from the President.......1

What’s New with MACCA.........1

Summer Webinar Preview..........2

e-Interact submissions................3-13

Current Officers...........................14

Since my first experience attending a MACCA conference over 10 years ago, I don’t think I could ever find a nicer, more welcoming group of professionals. The immediate connection that I felt propelled me to become an active member of the executive board and has led me to serve as president. When we are all challenged today in our offices and asked to do more with less, I’ve asked myself, “Do you really want to do this? My answer is a resounding “yes!” Why? Because I believe MACCA is special and uniquely different from other organizations.

So, what makes MACCA so special? Quite frankly, it’s the people. From the exceptional board members who so willingly give of their time, to the outstanding presenters at our conferences, to our individual members. There’s a commonality we all seem to share. It’s a dedication and enthusiasm for our field and an interest in serving our clients/students to the best of our ability. Our MACCA members have a passion for learning and a desire to help others (including their colleagues) to utilize their potential and achieve their goals.

If this isn’t reason enough to be a member of the MACCA family here are a few more:

1. Low cost membership and outstanding annual conferences offering cutting edge information about career development issues

2. Professional development opportunities through Careerwell seminars and webinars throughout the year

3. An extensive professional network of members where suggestions, advice and information are exchanged through our LinkedIn group

4. Free subscription to e-Interact, our member driven newsletter, offering the latest in career development news

I can tell you that whatever energy I have expended on behalf of the organization, it has been returned to me triple fold. I have grown both professionally and personally and have MACCA to thank for it. So, you see, I have a vested interest in continuing to see MACCA grow and prosper and I promise that as president this will be my number one priority.

I’d like to challenge you as MACCA members or potential MACCA members to participate in our activities in whatever way you can. Consider presenting at a conference, joining a committee, becoming a board member, or just offering your suggestions and recommendations to help us become a better organization. If you do, I can promise you that your rewards will be many! I look forward to meeting and working with you during 2013.

Message From the President

Are We There Yet ?Transitioning Through Career & Life Stages

Please visitwww.macca.net

Page 1

SUMMER WEBINAR: JUNE 10, 2013 10 AM ET

CAREER PASSION MEETS CAREER REALITY

MACCA’S JUNE 10 Webinar is being presented by Dr. Janet Wall. Dr. Wall is a career development practitioner, speaker, and course developer with professional interests in assessment; vocational interests; abilities; labor market information; technology; and writing. She founded www.CEUonestop.com and is an NBCC approved continuing education provider.

The Webinar will acknowledge and discuss the:

importance of an educated and trained workforce

mismatch between education levels and occupational job requirements

educational and career advice that should ethically be included in our education and career services

trends on the horizon, e.g. MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses); competency based education; the 10K BA; ROI (Return on Investment), as well as other trends

Cost: MACCA Members $35 Non Members $70 (Non member fee includes 2013 MACCA Membership) Registration Information: visit www.macca.net and click on Webinar NBCC approved Continuing Ed Provider (must be registered to earn CEUs)

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I had the pleasure and opportunity to attend the 42nd annual Middle Atlantic Career Counseling Association’s Conference on December 5-7th at the Willow Valley Double Tree Resort and Conference Center in Lancaster, PA. As in years’ past, a MACCA conference does not disappoint! This year’s event was jammed packed with opportunities to hear four keynote speakers, attend a variety of concurrent sessions, roundtable discussions, an exhibitors’ display and attend social and networking activities.

I’d like to share some of the highlights of the program along with some tips and resources that I learned about. Dr. Mark Taylor delivered one of the keynotes. A consultant and speaker recognized across the US and Canada, he is an expert on the generations, and traits, developmental issues and learning outcomes of today’s students.

His presentation, entitled, “Multigenerational Career Counseling,” focused on helping career counselors understand the generational cohort traits of each group, the implications of these traits on

the delivery of career counseling services and methods and approaches most appropriate for members of each group. When speaking of “Generation Next,” those students born after 1981, he described them as being overprotected and entitled, customer service oriented, needing immediate service, having unrealistic workplace expectations and unwilling to “pay their dues.” Self-esteem programmed, these students have a tendency to over rate their skills and expect to make it on talent not effort. Taylor stated that we have our work cut out for us with this population and need to help these students become more aware of workplace realities, to take responsibility for their actions and to understand that success is based on real effort and hard work. More information about Dr. Taylor, along with copies of his numerous articles is available at www.taylorprograms.com.

“Socializing the Job Search,” Margaret Dikel’s (Aka, author of The Riley Guide) keynote presentation, offered us an incredible amount of information about the use of social media in the job search process. Dikel presented us with a plethora of statistics regarding employers’ use of social media, major social media pitfalls, and tips on how to use social media more effectively for a job search. You might be interested to know that 92% of recruiters are leveraging social media to reach candidates and that 73% have successfully hired through social media. Of these, 89% utilized LinkedIn, 26% Facebook, and 15% Twitter. 86% of recruiters are likely to look at social media profiles; 48% reported always using it. Some of the major social media pitfalls include lying about your accomplishments/credentials, posting offensive comments, badmouthing employers, poor use of grammar, sharing questionable pictures, venting and over sharing. When using social media she said we should “Mind the 3 P’s”: Publicity, Personality and Perception. We need to remember when we post how fast things spread and how far. We need to be ourselves as long as our public persona is still someone an employer wants to hire. And we need to remember that anything can be misinterpreted or misunderstood. For more information about Margaret Dikel, go to www.MargaretDikel.com.

MACCA Conference 2012: Multifaceted Approaches to New Career Realities:

A Review

Page 3

Roadtrip Nation provided another keynote presentation. Now in its 9th season on PBS, it is still growing strong. Roadtrip nation started in 2001 when a group of friends took a road trip to figure out their lives. Since then, it has evolved into a public TV series, an educational organization, and a movement of people who are defining their own Roads by resisting conformity and doing what they love. They showcased the Roadtrip Nation Interview Archive, which is a low-touch digital career exploration tool that enables students to discover pathways specifically aligned with their interests and ambitions. Searching the archive either by theme or interest, students can become more self -aware of their interests, values and life goals, gain exposure to career pathways they may not have known existed, connect with mentors who have similar interests and related experiences and learn how to take ownership of their own learning experiences and careers through self- directed exploration. Students can subscribe as individuals or there is an institutional option to join. To learn more about Roadtrip Nation, and their college programs and the archive, you can visit www.roadtripnation.com.

(Editor’s Note: Read more details about Roadtrip Nation on pp. 6- 7)

Concurrent and roundtable sessions were aplenty ranging from hands on workshops on Navigating the Federal Employment Process to Engaging Student Athletes in the Career Development Process. Interspersed into the schedule were an exhibitors market, members showcase, and social and networking activities. Next year’s event is already booked at the Willow Valley Double Tree Resort in Lancaster and will take place from December 4-6, 2013. MACCA has a tradition of being a warm, friendly and enthusiastic association with a focus on providing excellent opportunities for professional development and networking amongst colleagues. If you’d like to learn more about MACCA or the upcoming conference (which is in the planning stages) please don’t hesitate to call or contact me at constance.egelman@ncc.edu  .  

MACCA 2012: Multifaceted Approaches to New Career Realities:

A Review (cont’d)

Page 4

BY SARA SCHECTER

As a graduate student and first-time conference attendee, I happened to compare MACCA to Disneyland while sitting at a table of current and past MACCA leaders and the analogy was a hit. I always thought of Disneyland as a place where people were smiling, happy and excited and I found this same atmosphere at MACCA. I was inspired by the fact that we were all there to learn and talk about our work, but that this in no way detracted from the level of joy and excitement in the room. When I registered for this conference, I was unsure of what to expect. However, within a few minutes of experiencing this positive energy and seeing long-time members greet each other with a hug after a long year apart, it was clear to me that I had found a new professional home.

In addition to the incredible opportunities to speak to new and seasoned professionals throughout the three days, I most appreciated the relevancy of each of the sessions I attended. From each, I took away something tangible that I am now implementing in my work. The two sessions that stood out most to me were Margaret Riley Dikel’s keynote about social media and Dr. Janet Wall’s session about making realistic career decisions in the 21st century.

Perhaps of greatest interest to me were the statistics Ms. Dikel presented about the number of employers using the various social media sites and the number of candidates who find employment through these means. She also provided tips for using each outlet. Dikel demonstrated the discrepancy between the social media outlets being used by employers (LinkedIn) and those being used by job-seekers (Facebook). The importance of utilizing the social media most frequented by employers and of using them properly are both topics I now incorporate into my career counseling appointments as well as into the Career Planning course I am instructing this semester.

Dr. Wall’s session provided wonderful details about ways to use tools such as Onet, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Occupational Outlook Handbook, to help students and job seekers research occupations and industries of interest. As a rising new professional, I am still learning many of the tools available to career counselors and job seekers to examine industry trends, match careers to skills, interests and abilities and help narrow down college majors. For example, I can now use the Bright Outlook section of Onet to work with students who want to learn more about careers that are expanding and are more likely to have an abundance of job opportunities available.

I would like to close this article by expressing my gratitude for the MACCA graduate student professional development award that allowed me to attend this conference. The conference committee, as well as all of the MACCA members, welcomed me so warmly to the group and created such a positive experience for me. I would highly recommend this conference and MACCA to any graduate students interested in career development, as well as new professionals seeking a supportive group of colleagues. The conference far exceeded my expectations and I look forward to staying involved with the association in the future.

MACCA is the Disneyland for Career Counselors

Sara is the recipient of the MACCA Graduate Student Professional Development Award this year.

Page 5

“So what do you want to do with your life?” That was the question asked by the founders of Roadtrip Nation © back in 2001. Four friends who were fresh out of college, found themselves still questioning their direction. Out of this confusion the idea of a road trip formed when they hopped into a restored RV and traversed the USA interviewing people who inspired them by living lives that centered on purpose and meaning. After a journey of three months, they had logged more than 15,000 miles and met with over 80 individuals, all while capturing their journey on video. Their journey led to a book and ultimately a PBS documentary series which still airs today.

Roadtrip Nation continues as a non-profit educational organization, bringing resources, insights, and inspiration from the road to middle school, high school and college students across the country. Roadtrip Nation’s goal is to help students gain access and exposure to life pathways that they may have otherwise not known existed.

The Roadtrip Nation experience empowers students to map their interests to future pathways in life. The heart of this experience is students exploring their communities and speaking with local leaders to learn the steps they took to get to where they are today. For the past seven years, Sussex County Community College has been embracing this model created by Roadtrip Nation, as a teaching methodology in our First Year Experience class. Our objective is to empower students to 'hit the road' in their own communities and find leaders who might be able to provide insight about careers and life experiences that the students find interesting and meaningful. It is our intent to have students examine a life fueled by authenticity and to offer their ingenuity, creativity, and enthusiasm toward their goals.

The Roadtrip assignment requires students to work in groups to make cold-calls and organize three interviews. Their experience must then be presented to the class during a 15-20 minute presentation either through PowerPoint, video, or other media form. In addition, each student is required to write a critical analysis of their Roadtrip experience.

The changes, excitement, and active learning evident in their presentations demonstrate their growth from the beginning to the end of the semester. At the start of the semester, students are afraid of making cold calls to schedule an interview. By the end, they are confidently conversing with leaders.

Bringing Roadtrip Nation Into the Classroom

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Bringing Roadtrip Nation Into the Classroom (cont’d)

SCCC student Roadtrips prove the Tom Peters’ (In Search of Excellence) philosophy of “Give a lot, expect a lot” and “Treat your people with respect and they will reward you with productivity.” Year after year, we hear faculty marvel at how we can expect first semester students to conduct so many interviews while in groups, produce a video and reflection paper, all while completing additional assessments. We realize we expect a lot, but we also give a lot and the return on the investment in students is learning above and beyond the classroom. Roadtrip, as a teaching methodology, has been described by an original founder, Mark Mariner as “Bigger than a classroom, bigger than a textbook.” We believe this project demonstrates teaching excellence in AND out of the classroom. Over the years, students’ “bigger than a classroom” interviews have included:

“The Road to Success: SCCC Course Offers Real World Advice. Project allows students to interview professionals about their career paths.”

”Students quoted their Roadtrip experiences as “life changing,” “transforming,” and “an experience we will never forget.” This encapsulates why Roadtrip as a teaching methodology is so effective and acts as a guide for students on their educational and career journey.

Kathi GallichioCounselor – Academic AdvisorSussex County Community College

Deborah Phillips-LanzaAssistant Professor, Department of Social SciencesProgram Coordinator, Foundation for SuccessSussex County Community College

Mike Hernandez, Film CreatorKenny Smith, former NBA Basketball Player and TNT Sports Analyst

• Jennie Alvarez, designer for Victoria’s Secret• Judge Gannon, Sussex County Court• John Schaninger, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for QuickChek

This project also made the front page of our local paper with a headline reading...

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IN MEMORIAM: COLUMBO AND THE JOB HUNT

I can see him. Rumpled raincoat, stub of a cigar, tousled hair and knitted brow, driving around in his old Peugeot looking befuddled. Yet, from 1971 to 1978, in 55 episodes and 14 specials, Columbo always seemed to crack the case wide open. What in the world, you may say, does this have to do with me and my employment search?Quite a bit. Let me introduce you to what I like to call the “Columbo style” of job hunting – four key principles that you can apply to increase your opportunity for success.Columbo always had insight into what was really happening.If you recall, the episodes started by showing us “who done it,” someone who had carefully prepared an airtight alibi. No one thought that person could have possibly committed the dastardly

deed. No one, that is, but Lieutenant Columbo. Somehow or another, he seemed to have an inside track on the events before him.You also have insights. You know that many of the better opportunities are hidden from public view, will never be acknowledged in the traditional market (Internet, newspapers, recruiters, etc.). You also know that contact with others to seek information, advice and referral can be a powerful and highly successful way to tap into this hidden market. Furthermore, you know that most of the individuals you network with are inclined to feel that the only way they can help you is to either provide you with the Lead of a Lifetime, or hire you themselves. If they can do neither, they feel that they have nothing to offer. You, however, understand that through networking with others, they can become more informed about you and your interests and can begin to connect the dots between your skills and abilities and opportunities they may encounter in their work and life. Not to mention what you can learn from them!Columbo never tipped his hat on this insight.He never barged right into the obvious “Where were you on the night of . . .?” questions. He often spent considerable time talking around the issues at hand, to the point of having conversations that seemed totally unrelated to what was really important. One of his typical questions, “What did you pay for those shoes?” became a famous catchphrase for comedians and impersonators, even though he uttered it only once.How does this relate to the job search? Just because you understand more about the process of networking than your contacts doesn’t mean you should approach them that way. For example, you should not start out by saying something like “I know you think the only way to help me is to offer me a job; but I know you’ll come up with contacts, advice and insights you’re unaware of that will really help me.” Such a lead-in is a recipe for failure. You want to start with friendly, conversational topics that tap into the individual’s interests and activities, then move on into seeking his or her perspective on things. We have a solid article on this very topic called “Networking Questions” you may want to read.Columbo was willing to be confused to get the answers he needed.As a matter of fact, more often than not he appeared to be totally perplexed. Of course, that gave the criminal false confidence that this disheveled character was no threat at all, a misinterpretation that the lieutenant used to his advantage every week!You need to be confused, too. As a matter of fact, you are confused, whether you believe it or not. According to Barbara Sher in Live the Life You Love, most people are natural problem-solvers, relishing the opportunity to figure things out, give advice and share their perspective. You can use this “I don’t know what I am doing” technique to admit to your contact that you are not sure what your next steps should be, wonder if your resume represents you properly, are not at all sure you are identifying the best fit for your skills, etc. Most individuals will rise to the occasion of your “confusion” and provide assistance.Columbo was always seeking to “put two and two together.”As he managed to extract the facts from the criminal, he took full advantage of these gems to bring the offender to justice.Our application? OK, I admit that you’re not trying to catch a murderer or throw the keys away on a blackmailer; but you are seeking to get the key information necessary to take action towards a meaningful, satisfying career. That is where you need to be constantly investigating, considering and applying what you learn as well as continually tapping into the people and resources that are all around you to be successful in your career development.Skip the raincoat. Forget the cigar. Comb your hair. But stay confused!It worked for Lieutenant Columbo!

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Barry Davis, MS, CTC, MCDPMACCA Board Member

I was struck in the summer 2012 as an endless stream of speakers at the Democratic and Republican national conventions promised to strengthen the “middle class” by a key advocacy element missing in action among both career counselors and political leaders.

Unions once had the ability to negotiate wages, benefits and working conditions. This resulted in widespread prosperity, career development, and organizational stability and enabled working class people to earn decent incomes, educate and support families, and become part of the broad middle of a vigorous American citizenry. The most significant change impacting the American worker in the last 25 years has been the systematic stripping away of the rights, benefits, wages, and workplace democracy won by organized labor. Career counselors and politicians alike call for “advocacy” and “social justice.” But both groups have failed to be heard.

I’d like to suggest to my career counseling colleagues that vague calls for advocacy and social justice are rhetorical dead ends. We need a more active stance for advocacy.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

I began my career counseling career in 1982, in Lorain, Ohio as the steel plants, shipyards, and auto manufacturing that once scented the air in Lorain with a smoky haze of prosperity and progress began to be outsourced and shut down. These first victims of deindustrialization were blue collar workers, represented by vigorous unions whose success fueled economic vitality that allowed union and non-union workers, working and middle class to share values, access to a better future and general prosperity.

The second wave of downsizing and outsourcing was more broadly applied to a cross section of the American workforce--white collar professionals, corporate managers, engineers. Ironically, many of those were quite supportive of the Reagan revolution when the target was the blue collar manufacturing sector. They had a moments pause when they were told that in a global economy the wages, benefits, and working conditions of all Americans were subject to revision.

And now since this political season of 2012, all American workers are in the same boat, headed for a rocky shore—

stable employment in solid careers a hazy dream for many; pensions, health care, fringe benefits are all under assault; the social contract that defined the American dream in retreat as all workers, blue collar, white collar, managerial/professional find themselves increasingly unmoored in a work world of conditions described by political philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1651) as, “short, nasty and brutish.”

WHO ADVOCATES FOR THE WORKING CLASS?

As I write this article in 2013, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics September 2012 workforce report, less than 12% of the American workforce is represented by a labor union, down from 35% fifty years ago. In the public sector 37% of workers are represented and efforts to strip public employees of bargaining rights in Ohio and Wisconsin were defeated by wide margins. During those efforts to rescind these democratic rights, I don’t recall any advocacy position stated by NCDA or any state affiliate.

In an economy where no one advocates for the working class, everyone--working class, managerial and professional class as well--has been affected by the systematic decline in the quality of American jobs and the lack of an effective voice for career development and determining wages, benefits and working conditions.

Career counselors are on the front lines of workforce change in America. Unless we speak out on these issues we will be enablers/apologists for organizational structures and jobs that are not enhancing the human dignity of our clients.

AMERICAN CAREER COUNSELING ADVOCACY FOR THE WORKING CLASS (Part One)

Martin Elliot Jaffe, MCC Jewish Family Services Association

Career Counselor

Part Two of Mr Jaffe’s article will appear in the next full issue of e-Interact

Page 9

Keeping Your Confidence While Job SearchingSearching for a job can be exhilarating at best, imagining the world as your oyster and opportunities boundless. At worst, it can be daunting, stressful, and taxing to one's confidence and overall health.  These tips will keep your confidence up and your motivation focused on your very best "YOU"!

Be CreativeIf there is no job opening at a company in which you are interested, don't get discouraged. Send a letter of interest with your resume, being clear about your transferable skills and benefit to the company once a position opens up. Scour your LinkedIn contacts- see who can foster an introduction!

Remember Persistence is KeyBe mindful of how you define "persistence." Calling that recruiter daily or sending a gift basket isn't persistent- it's creepy! Give time in between each point of contact. If the hiring company has not been responsive, regroup and search for greener pastures.  Stay in contact with your professional networks, keeping in mind that your correspondence should be about give and take, not just requesting job leads. Give something back: ask about their projects or refer them to helpful industry articles/blogs. 

Get Out of Your PajamasSure, you can click "submit application" from your bed, but how much of an assertive go-getter do you feel like when you're lying on your back? Get yourself washed and dressed, even add some makeup to complete your look. You don't have to dress to the nines, but a little effort goes a long way in keeping a positive attitude. Imagine a hiring manager could see you this very instant- what type of impression would your look make? 

Stay in Touch with Your FriendsYou remember them, right? Those people you used to meet up with at happy hour when you had a job? Your snorkeling partners, movie pals, high school buddies? Count on them as your support team. You may be at your worst now, but they also know you at your best. Let them remind you! Remember what excites you. Get back in the groove. Meet up for a meal! Your friends want to know how you are doing (and may even have some job leads for you!). Low on cash and can't do dinner? Most restaurants offer weeknight early bird specials. Take advantage of deal sites like Groupon, LivingSocial, or Bloomspot. Share it with your Facebook friends and you may be able to get it for free! 

Indulge in a Low-Cost Luxury (women only!)Lipstick sales skyrocketed during the Great Depression. Why? It is a small but reasonably priced luxury that can quickly change your look. New lipstick shade = instant mini-makeover. Try it and see! 

Get a CoachNo (wo)man is an island, and the toughest job searches can be made easy with a professional's expertise. Consider a resume writer or career coach who can guide your search towards successful completion. Career Services USA offers package memberships for resume writing, networking, and a full year of coaching with a personal career coach. Career coaches provide support, guidance, and appropriate techniques for finding a job in any industry. Your coach will also champion you, reminding you of your skills and attributes, motivating you to present yourself in a way that has you shining brilliantly.

Stay HealthyGet moving. Go for a walk, work out at home, try a site like FitEngine. You'll feel better and have more energy. Eat whole foods and avoid processed packaged goods. Cook a meal. Engage in the aromas. Nourish yourself and keep your body ready for your next job!

Victoria  Crispo  is  a  Career  Coach  and  Business  Development  Manager  at  Career  Services  USA,  a  full-­‐service  career  coaching  company  in  

Morganville,  NJ.  She  can  be  reached  at  

vcrispo@careerservicesusa.com  or  732-­‐536-­‐1248  and  looks  forward  to  hearing  

from  you!

Page 10

Cappelli, a Wharton professor of Management & Director of Wharton’s Center for Human Resources, gives his book the subtitle, “The Skills Gap and What Companies Can Do About It.” He maintains that there are many myths about skills gaps--employers complaining they cannot find workers willing to take jobs at the going wages, lack of student competency needed to succeed in the workplace, and public schools failing students. One by one, he presents facts that refute these common (and other) myths, and provides convincing evidence that employers themselves are the cause of many problems about which they complain.

Manpower survey data show that there is no “...suggested pattern with respect to skill requirements that would explain the skill shortage complaints.” Candidates won’t accept the pay employers offer because the pay is not at the fair labor market level. Employers prefer to shop around and avoid paying what good candidates are worth, then complain there is a shortage of skilled workers. Cappelli counters with “Skills aren’t the issue; a market-determined wage is. If you pay it, they will come.”

Employers also are unrealistic about what they expect from candidates. The same job can be performed in numerous ways, but employers include a long laundry list of requirements, many of which are not necessary to get the job done. This is referred to as the “searching for the Unicorn.” Employers are chasing a mythical creature rather than more realistically and accurately defining a job and what sort of person can succeed in it.

While employers complain that students lack the basic competency to succeed in the workplace, they are really not talking about technical or academic skills. Instead, they are mistaking lack of work attitudes and self-management personality-related characteristics for

“skills” ( i.e., punctuality, time management, motivation and a strong work ethic), which are not what colleges are required to teach. These are “character issues” that may be lacking, but employers don’t seem to recognize that this does not mean their vacant jobs cannot be done well by students who otherwise have specialized training in, for instance, IT user skills, administrative, mechanical/machine operating skills, or other job specific technical talents. In fact, these personality and self-management skills may improve once on the job, becoming irrelevant as a criteria for hiring.

In addition, hiring has changed dramatically over the last 10 plus years. There are many more places to post jobs, which are accessible to a wider pool of applicants. This

means that automation has also become a huge part of the screening process. Applicant tracking software, however, cannot provide an interpretative approach to evaluating the nuances of a resume. Instead, it is meant to eliminate large numbers of candidates--who are often perfectly suited for the job requirements--because the overwhelming response to some job postings requires too much time for human attention.

In addition, employers have raised the bar for qualifications so high that they miss out on candidates who may not have had experience with specific, say, software programs, but are skilled enough to learn the program easily and quickly once on the

job. There are also fewer training opportunities in companies today. Part of it is budgetary, part of it is to prevent training a new employee who will flee to a competitor shortly thereafter. But this also means that perfectly qualified candidates who can get up to speed with only minimal training are overlooked. Employers want new employees to “hit the ground running,” which again, mean they’ve passed over otherwise skilled workers for a short-sighted reason.

Book Review:Why Good People Can’t Get Jobs: The Myth of the Skills Gap.

by Peter Cappelli (Wharton Press, 2012)

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BOOK REVIEW (CONT’D)Why Good People Can’t Get Jobs: The Myth of the Skills Gap.

In summary, there is no actual “skills gap” as employers complain. “When we look at the facts,” says Cappelli, “there is no evidence to support it. The real culprits are the employers themselves. With an abundance of workers to choose from, employers are demanding more of candidates than ever before. They want prospective workers to be able to fill a role right away without any training or ramp-up time. To get a job, you have to have a job already. Its a Catch-22 situation for workers, and it’s hurting companies and the economy.”

So what are the solutions? Cappelli advocates the following:

•In-house training programs•Employer/employee-shared training programs•Public sector/private sector shared training undertakings•Broader based alliances for training programs between employers and community colleges•Apprenticeship programs•Better means to evaluate the cost of having vacancies in companies•Paying fair market value salaries to attract qualified candidates

Damona Sain, PhD, NCC, LPC, MCCFive O’Clock Club Certified Guild Coach

Principal, New Career Horizons

From my perspective, having worked with many unemployed, yet highly skilled individuals, I also advocate better job-search skill training for them. Job hunters need to know how to position themselves properly and how to reflect that on their resumes, LinkedIn and other social media applications, as well as in communicating with potential employers. They need to know how to connect with the right people at the right level for a more effective network, and cultivate those professional relationships over a lifetime. In addition, they need to learn how to approach each interview as a consultant would--thinking of job interviewing as looking for short-term, paid assignments rather than long-term staff positions, knowing they are in competition with other “consultants.” By doing this, they can avoid the “click and send” trap of online job boards, applicant tracking software, and the high likelihood of being screened out.

Once a job searcher knows what a job entails and can tailor their pitch to the needs of the employer, the employer’s “Unicorn effect” turns into “how can I modify this job to fit this valuable candidate’s skill-set which can help our company succeed?” In that way, job seekers have more influence on potential employers, and employers begin to take off the rose colored classes to see what true talent is really available to them.

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Privacy Fix- www.privacyfix.com/

What is it?A browser extension that offers a convenient way to control your privacy settings on popular websites like Facebook, Google, etc. It makes managing online privacy very easy from one place.

Where it is offered? Currently available for Firefox and Chrome users (coming soon for IOS and Android).

Ever wonder if you are on a “safe” website or how much Google makes on the ads you view from Google searches? Google is an estimated $106 richer per year thanks to my “level of activity”! I installed Privacy Fix several months ago and I was floored to see that websites I regularly visited were monitoring my every move with ad tracking software. I found Privacy Fix’s “websites with other issues” very helpful as it outlined which websites shared personal data, would honor deletion requests, or if my information would be retained even after an account was cancelled. I also recommend trying the “health bar” tool which offers a quick and visually appealing way to assess if personal data is being shared on each website you visit.  

Need a full browser that won’t track your use, not just an extension to your current one? Check out this one with the quacky name, “Duck Duck Go.” DuckDuckGo does not collect or share personal information. That is their privacy policy in a nutshell. PC Magazine called it one of the 100 Best Websites in 2011, while Time put it in the top 50 of the same year. It is lean and to the point, unlike Google, which gave me a picture of my sister in a 60’s flower child garb (from a party in 2012) when I Googled “flower” images. That seemed too intrusive. It may take some getting used to, but check out their privacy policy. You won’t believe how many ways the web handles your personal data!

Want another privacy add-on for your current browser? DoNotTrackMe blocks tracking on websites you visit, stops identity thieves, advertisers, social networks and spammers from tracking you. It’s free. Here’s a screenshot from Damona’s computer from a drop-down menu for DNTMe

 

Crystal SehlkeProgram DirectorUniversity Career Center &% The President’s PromiseUniversity of Maryland

Damona Sain, PhD, NCC, LPC, MCCPrincipal, New Career Horizons

Practical Tips For Your Online PrivacyTECH

TALK

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e-Interact EditorDamona Sain, PhD, NCC, LPC, MCC

Principal, New Career Horizons

Here with therapy dogs, Gus & Jazz

CalendarDecember 4-6 2013

Annual Fall Conference

June 10, 2013Webinar

10 AM EDT

ONGOING (see website)

CAREERWELL TELE-INTERVIEWS

The  Last  Words...

Editor’s  CornerThe 2012 MACCA Conference is behind us, but worthy of the review seen in this edition. Our 2013 conference is in the planning stage and promises to be even better! Many thanks to those who submitted articles for the Spring 2013 e-Interact. I appreciated each and every one. Please keep the contributions coming! Though I haven’t contributed an article in the past few issues, I felt the book I reviewed in this issue seemed to make some sense of why unemployment is too high and needed to be brought to your attention. I highly recommend you read it! Please also attend our June 10 Webinar. Dr Wall will introduce you to invaluable information you will learn nowhere else!

Current  Of6icers

Wanted:  e-­‐Interact  SubmissionsThis  newsletter  is  published  twice  a  year.

Send  an  email  to  Damona  Sainnch321@gmail.com

2013 President:Connie EgelmanProfessor, Coordinator of Career Development,Nassau Community Collegeconstance.egelman@ncc.edu516-572-7696

Vice President- President Elect: Shahrzad ArastehCareer Counselor & TrainerCareer Consulting Servicesshahrzad@careerconsultmd.com410-271-5815

Treasurer:Courtney BousquetSenior Career CoachAmerican Public University Systemsprague.courtney@gmail.com or treasurer@macca.net571-538-3012

Secretary:Mark McFaddenDirector, Alfred University Career Development Ctrmcfaddenm@alfred.edu607-871-2164

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