Career Counseling

Over the Internet

An Emerging Model for Trusting
and Responding to Online Clients
This page intentionally left blank
 Career Counseling
Over the Internet
An Emerging Model for Trusting
and Responding to Online Clients

Patricia Mulcahy Koer

LAWRENCE ERLBAUM ASSOCIATES, PUBLISHERS

2001 Mahwah, New Jersey London
Copyright © 2001 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be repro-
duced in any form, by photostat, microfilm, retrieval
system, or any other means, without prior written per-
mission of the publisher.

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers

10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430

Cover design by Kathryn Houghtaling Lacey

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Boer, Patricia Mulcahy.

Career counseling over the Internet : an emerging model
for trusting and responding to online clients / Patricia
Mulcahy Boer.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8058-3744-2 (cloth. : alk. paper)
ISBN 0-8058-3745-0 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Vocational guidance—Computer network resources
2. Career development—Computer network
resources. 3. Internet (Computer network) I. Title.
HF5382.7 .B655 2001
331.7'02'02854678—dc21
00-034767
CIP
Books published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates are
printed on acid-free paper, and their bindings are chosen
for strength and durability.

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
 Contents

Introduction vii

Acknowledgments xv

Part I Reflections on Practice

1 Articulating Issues in the Debate 3

2 Defining the Online Career Counseling Process 18

3 Safeguarding the Client-Counselor Relationship 38

Part II Translating Reflections Into Practice

4 Serving International Clients and Diverse Populations 59

5 Coaching/Consulting for Performance Improvement 75

6 Understanding the Use of Assessment Online 92

7 Providing Appropriate Information and Referral 109

V
vi CONTENTS

Part III Preparing for a Paradigm Shift

8 Embracing Technology 133

9 Encouraging Qualitative Research 151

I0 Emerging Practice Models 169

Appendix A: Websites 183

Appendix B: Databases 187

References 189

Author Index 193

Subject Index 195

 Introduction

"When you are moving toward an objective," said Petrus, "It is very Im-
portant to pay attention to the road. It Is the road that teaches us the best
way to get there, and the road enriches us as we walk Its length.... And It
Is the same thing when you have an objective in your life. It will turn out to
be better or worse depending on the route you choose to reach it and the
way you negotiate that route. That's why the second RAM practice Is so
Important; It extracts from what we are used to seeing everyday the se-
crets that because of our routine, we never see."
—Coelho(1995, p. 36)

In Coelho's international bestseller, The Pilgrimage, A Contemporary

Quest for Ancient Wisdom, Petrus is the mysterious guide and mentor
to Paulo, the book's hero. Together, in Spain, they walk the legendary
road to Santiago. Drawing on 11 exercises from the ancient Order of
the RAM ® for rigor, A for adoration, and M for mercy), Paulo learns to
let the road teach him, thereby discovering self-mastery and what to do
with it.
Like Paulo, my experiences as an online career counselor lead me to
pay attention to my "road." While walking its twists and turns, I slowed
down not wanting "to miss the secrets it might teach me." Reflections
about this journey prompt me to share my insights with career coun-
seling professionals, presenting these through interactive research
methods. Interactive research methods (reflections in action) in an ap-
plied setting (the Internet) offer professionals the best way to examine
new practices (11 lessonsfrom the road) for the development of theory
and practice models on career counseling via the Internet.
vii
yiii INTRODUCTION

Merriam and Simpson (1989) defined interactive research as hav-

ing several characteristics, which distinguish its methods from other
forms of social science research:

1. The researcher serves as a facilitator for problem solving... (and)

... as a catalyst between the research findings and those individu-
als most likely to benefit or take action from the findings.
2. The results of research are intended for immediate application by
those engaged in the research or by those for whom the research
was initiated.
3. The design of interactive research is formulated while the re-
search is in progress, rather than being totally predetermined at
the outset of the study.

Interactive research methodologies are consistent with still earlier

writings by Dewey (1916) who stated: "There is no such thing as genu-
ine knowledge and fruitful understanding except as the offspring of do-
ing ... this is the lesson of the laboratory method, and the lesson which
all of education has to learn." To Dewey, the classroom, the board-
room, the gymnasium, the office (the Internet) all are laboratories for
learning, places where the learners must be productively involved for
learning to occur. Dewey's laboratory methods remain pertinent, par-
ticularly, for today's studies on new services emerging via the Internet.
These lessons, too, undoubtedly underscore directives from Sussman
(1998) that "It is our duty as members of the profession to take an ac-
tive role in guiding this new method of services delivery."
PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Prompted by Sussman's message and by the lack of research about on-

line career counseling, the purpose of this book is to share my perspec-
tive on emerging career counseling practices via the Internet. The book
begins by articulating issues in the debate on Internet counseling, giv-
ing particular attention to counselor concerns about ethical issues and
the client-counselor relationship. Next, it details the 11 necessary
competencies and skills for counseling professionals in general, trans-
lating these for use online, including the role of assessment, various
electronic interventions, and the pros and cons of career counseling
via the Web. Specific guidelines are offered for career counselors to im-
plement online. The book concludes with suggestions for continuing
INTRODUCTION ix

research, as well as recommendations for counselor supervision,

preparation, and training models as the field makes a paradigm shift.
Framed into 10 chapters, 35 question and answer (Q & A) examples
are interspersed to bring to life the actual experiences, themes, issues,
and questions presented by a global clientele regarding their career de-
velopment. Each chapter closes with discussion questions for practi-
tioners to consider among themselves or discuss with students in
classroom and practice settings.
For many, online career counseling appears a very simple task, sim-
ilar to answering e-mail messages, something many do everyday as
part of their jobs. What is not necessarily apparent is the complexity of
knowledge and skill required to respond online, ethically and appro-
priately everyday, including weekends and holidays. Like Olympic fig-
ure skaters gliding across the ice, who make their jumps and turns
look easy, the online counselor calls on similar preparation that
makes this online art look easy. That preparation is called academic,
and professional training coupled with career counseling services for a
diverse population of clients. Furthermore, preparation means ongo-
ing continuing education on career theory and counseling skills, re-
search issues, labor market trends, technology resources, knowledge
of cultural differences, assessment and reflection on client issues, and
consultation for performance improvement. It also means managing
the technology, juggling online messages (i.e., prioritizing, analyzing,
toggling online for research, cutting/pasting, editing and rereading be-
fore responding to clients), as well as trackingfeorting into folders,
sometimes rewriting after reflection, and asking for client feedback.
My intention is to explain the complexities, challenges, and drawbacks
of this medium. My purpose is to add to the emerging body of knowl-
edge on electronic career services, and in particular, Internet career
counseling.
OVERVIEW

This book differs from recent career counseling publications in both

format and framework. Using a narrative format coupled with interac-
tive research methodologies, practitioner issues are examined in light
of the debate on the efficacy of online career counseling services, with
my reflections on recent practices formulating the basis for an emerg-
ing model. The narrative format was selected to reflect what Paisely
(1997) described as the importance of personalizing our history:
x INTRODUCTION

The personal component adds the texture we might otherwise ignore. As

counseling comes of age as a discipline and as we as counselors acknowl-
edge the diversity of our experience as well as our different ways of know-
ing, we must also come to a place where we can honor both empirical
data and the power of personal narrative. To limit ourselves profession-
ally to one approach also limits our definition of who we are and who we
can become, (p. 4)

Personalizing our history is a concept consistent with the notion of

influencing public policy advocated by Savickas (1996). In a special
publication of Public Policy and Career Counseling for the
Twenty-First Century, Savickas noted:

Counselors can contribute Important perspectives and ideas to the na-

tional dialogue about public policy concerning (a) goals for career inter-
vention, (b) who will plan and who will deliver career interventions, and
(c) to whom and how career intervention will be made accessible, (p. 4)

To personalize this history and contribute new perspectives, the

book is organized into 10 chapters, demonstrating how to integrate
and apply 11 career counseling competencies into Internet career
counseling services. Three themes further organize the chapters. Part
I, Reflections on Practice, offers a philosophical rational for online ca-
reer counseling. Part II, Translating Reflections Into Practice, defines
and demonstrates the practical application of various electronic inter-
ventions including attention to online assessment instruments, with
comparisons presented between in-person and online counseling
skills. Part III, Preparing for a Paradigm Shift, gives attention to re-
search and counselor preparation programs, with examples from cli-
ents throughout the book, providing the reader a view of this medium
through the eyes of clients.
For instance in Part I, client examples are used to illustrate topics
such as the benefits of written text and increased client access with
special attention to the online client-counselor relationship. Chapter
1, Articulating Issues in the Debate, identifies the views of leaders, ven-
dors and counselors in the field characterizing the profession at a
crossroads. For many, technology is viewed as the catalyst for positive
change if "we as members demonstrate new forms of adaptability and
creativity in its work" (Watts, 1998).
In chapter 2, Defining the Career Counseling Process, the compe-
tencies of career development theory and individual counseling skills
INTRODUCTION xi

set the stage to define specific terms and related concepts. These con-
cepts include the following:

1. The career counseling process

2. Career planning services
3. Measurement and assessment in career counseling
4. WebCounseling
5. Internet career counseling

Q & A examples further illustrate these concepts for practice in a global

economy.
Building on chapter 2, chapter 3, Safeguarding the Client-Counselor
Relationship, specifies safeguards for this relationship highlighting the
importance of following ethical standards, defining boundaries, estab-
lishing trust and rapport, and ensuring confidentiality. This chapter
also discusses the importance of individual counseling and assessment
skills, pointing out the paradox and positive aspects inherent in online
services, namely, anonymity. Anonymity allows for unexpected benefits,
such as giving clients the freedom to ask core questions and through an-
onymity the added assurance of confidentiality.
Translating reflections into practice is the organizing theme of the
next four chapters. These chapter titles reflect counselor issues and
competencies as well as issues posed by online career counseling cli-
ents. Competencies include serving diverse populations, coach-
ingteonsultation for performance improvement, assessment, and
information/resources. For example, chapter 4, Serving International
Clients and Diverse Populations, focuses first on understanding and
responding to an international clientele. This means attention to immi-
gration issues, not typically addressed in career counseling sessions,
such as questions about immigration laws, work permits, visas, re-
cruiters, and companies looking for international candidates. Q & A
examples are drawn from an international audience representing
pleas for help from India, Russia, Pakistan, China, Mexico, Switzer-
land, Ghana, Nigeria, Thailand, Sweden, Italy, Austria, and the United
Kingdom. The dreams and hopes of these international clients are a re-
minder that career direction (theirs, ours, and others) begins with a
dream for a better life. Individual differences related to gender, sexual
orientation, race, ethnicity, and physical and mental capacities are an-
other focus of this chapter, with continuing discussions and examples
offered in the following chapters.
xii INTRODUCTION

Chapters, Coaching/Consulting for Performance Improvement ad-

dresses the importance of defining the online skills to serve diverse cli-
ent populations and issues. This chapter demonstrates how to use
these skills, describing a process for helping clients ages 21 to 51 start-
ing out or starting over, with such questions as how to choose a college
major, identify internships, graduate schools and/or working with
your college/university career centers, as well as initiating an effective
job search. "Help! I haven't a clue" was often the first sentence from on-
line clients. Examples of integrating counseling skills with attention to
individual differences related to gender, sexual orientation, race, eth-
nicity, and physical and mental capacities are also included, as well as
the role of reflection in practice and need for response on time.
Chapter 6, Understanding the Use of Assessment Online, discusses
and clarifies the link between career counseling and testing by defining
assessment terms and demonstrating through client examples how
online testing is implemented. Chapter 7, Providing Appropriate Infor-
mation and Referrals, addresses the knowledge and skills considered
essential in using technology to assist individuals with career plan-
ning. This includes information and referral skills for career planning,
job search links, and resources for diverse populations. The chapter
also discusses how to research information on education, training,
and employment trends; labor market information and resources that
provide information about job tasks, functions, salary requirements;
and future outlooks.
The third theme of the book, preparing for the paradigm shift intro-
duces the last three chapters. In these chapters the competencies of su-
pervision, program promotion, management, and implementation are
discussed along with the importance of evaluation and research.
Star ting with chapter 8, Embracing Technology, examples are offered
from a sample of 65 messages that were returned due to computer
glitches or technology failures, demonstrating one of the barriers or
downside of this medium. The chapter also discusses the importance
of support for putting a human face on technology in the delivery of ca-
reer counseling services.
Closely related is chapter 9, Encouraging Qualitative Research, or
what professionals can learn from reviewing and reflecting on qualita-
tive studies. An analysis from interactive research methodologies of-
fers suggestions for counselor training, supervision, and the
development of practice models.
INTRODUCTION xiii

Chapter 10, Emerging Practice Models, offers a summary of key re-

flections on 11 lessons from the road with suggestions for practice
that reinforces the purpose of the book, valuing online career services
as the medium for the 21st century. Throughout the book, samples of
client messages and thank you notes demonstrate the helpfulness of
the service from the client's perspective. By including reflections on
journal notes, this chapter may serve as the beginning of a qualitative
study to advance the understanding of this innovative career counsel-
ing service. New insights about online services will serve researchers
and practitioners alike as we move forward to fulfill the National Ca-
reer Development Association (NCDA) Mission: "to facilitate the ca-
reer development of all people across the life span."

AUDIENCES

The book is primarily aimed at career counseling professionals,

those practicing in academic and business settings, particularly
those interested in the theory and practice of online career services.
In academic settings offering graduate classes in career counseling,
this volume could serve as a secondary text. With research on
Internet services in its infancy, the returned messages noted in chap-
ter 8 as well as the thank you messages highlighted throughout may
be of particular interest for academic studies on the benefits and bar-
riers of this technology.
For practitioners, the book offers a handy reference for client ques-
tions and/or Internet sites related to frequently asked questions. The
book also serves outplacement professionals, particularly those en-
gaged in change management and career self-development. Not hav-
ing the benefit of career counseling courses or internships, these
professionals often find their clients asking the very questions posed
by online clients.
The inclusion of Q & A examples may give the book wide appeal to a
broad range of other professionals. Also, there may be an audience
among the general public interested in self-development and career
management. Already, the online format has an audience of 40,000
including students, professionals, and travelers from more than 12
foreign countries.
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 Acknowledgments

There are several people I want to acknowledge for encouraging my

work and, in turn, influencing many observations discussed in this
book. I start with my professors at the University of San Diego, who im-
pressed me by the way they lived their values and stressed the impor-
tance of giving back to our communities. As living models of their
values, they influenced my career decisions and life more than I can
say. Also influential were my counseling professors and practicum su-
pervisors, Dr. John C. Jessell, professor of counseling psychology, In-
diana State University and Dr. Stanley J. Gross, professor of
counseling psychology emeritus and lecturer in counseling psychology
at Tufts University. They referred to living one's values, particularly
counseling values, as congruence, integration.Their stress was on the
importance of trust in the client-counselor relationship. They noted
that if we as counselors do not trust our clients, e cannot then expect
them to trust us. With this trust in me, I extended trust to my clients,
thus experiencing deep satisfaction as I worked with each client at the
IUPUI Continuing Education Center for Women and later in private
practice. From these clients, too, I owe a tremendous debt about what
works to facilitate client growth. And, from my mentors in private
practice, the late Harriet Lancaster, MA, AAMFT, and Dr. Royda
Crose, counseling psychologist, Ball State University, I learned that
counseling is more than a good feeling. It means dealing with one's own
issues before attending to those of the client. It means, too, that trust-
ing the process, whether looking at one's issues or trusting clients to
examine theirs, takes courage without which there is no insight.
xv
xvi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Next, I am indebted to Susan Bryant and Craig Besant, formerly of

the Online Career Center and currently with Monster.com. Without
their confidence in my practice, what became an unique online career
counseling service would not have materialized nor would it be the
subject of this book. Nor would the book materialize without enthusi-
astic responses from online clients. Editors, too, were enthusiastic,
particularly Joanetta Hendell, Wordswork Publishing, Indianapolis,
and Melinda Adams Merino, Counseling Psychologist Press-Davies
Back Publishing, Palo Alto, who referred me to Lawrence Erlbaum As-
sociates (LEA). At LEA, I am indebted most to Senior Editor Anne
Duffy who selected my manuscript and made herself available
throughout the publication process.
My three daughters, Kathy, Karol, and Virginia were there, too, pro-
viding encouragement and support as I pressed forward. Good friends
and professional colleagues were also instrumental in the book's prog-
ress. Their comments and editorial suggestions were invaluable, par-
ticularly those from Peg Darnell, professor of the Technical Writing
Program for the School of Engineering, Purdue University. Finally, I
am indebted to the online clients I served at OCC.com and currently
assist in a coaching role with Monster.com.
Together, all of these special people influence my work and inspire
many observations discussed in this study. This publication is dedi-
cated to all of them and in loving memory of my silent partner, my
brother, Thomas Joseph Mulcahy, III.

—Patricia M. Boer
 PART

Reflections on Practice

As a career counseling practitioner and ethnographic researcher,

reflections on practice permeate everything I do. For example,
when I listen to a client's story, simultaneously I am reflecting on
the context of his or her life, individual circumstances, and how
these fit with career counseling theories. As I review my notes or
texts in a client file I also reflect on their meanings, all the while
considering appropriate interventions or resources to help the
client move forward. It seems only logical to begin the first chap-
ters of this book with reflection on practice. This organizing
theme allows me to share what I have learned as an online career
counselor. My rationale for choosing online practice is explained
in chapter 1, Articulating the Issues in the Debate. Chapter 2, Ca-
reer Development Theory, focuses on the first of 11 career coun-
seling competencies expected of a National Certified Career
Counselor (NCCC). This chapter emphasizes the appropriate-
ness of online services, providing assurances in chapter 3 about
Safeguarding the Client-Counselor Relationship. Actual exam-
ples from online practice illustrate and reinforce the importance
of online practice to clients. Additional examples are offered in
Part II, Translating Reflections into Practice.
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 I

Articulating Issues in the Debate

There is consensus among counselors that the most satisfying part of

our job is being with a client, witnessing the moment when a connec-
tion is made. At that moment you see a change in body language, such
as posture, facial expression, a sparkle in the eye, all changes signaling
the client feels heard and understood. They feel a burden has been
lifted. They are freer, ready to focus, and move forward. No outside
force, person, or supervisor is necessary to tell you when this happens.
You know it. Although it may not happen with every client, when it
does, you know clearly that you are doing your job. Theorists identify
this moment as building the client-counselor relationship, a relation-
ship built on trust, acceptance, and unconditional positive regard
(Grose, 1990; Minchin, 1974; Rogers, 1961; Satir, 1972; Tiedeman &
Miller-Tiedeman, 1988, 1989). Establishing and building this rela-
tionship is not a set of techniques alone. Instead, theorists character-
ize it as an attitude: Satir called this "nurturance," Crose identified it as
"caring," and Minchin, "joining." This special relationship is also char-
acterized by a deep respect for individuals in all their complexities.

FIVE ISSUES MARK THE DEBATE ON INTERNET COUNSELING

Establishing and safeguarding the client-counselor relationship is

both the heart of professional life for counselors, and a definition of the
client-centered approach to the counseling process (Hansen, Stevic, &
Warner, 1976). To counselors, safeguarding the client-counselor rela-
3
4 CHAPTER I

tionship is chief among the five core issues in the debate about online
counseling, what Bloom (1997) defined as WebCounseling. Questions
surrounding the client-counselor relationship focus first on how to
protect the integrity of the relationship against potential misunder-
standings arising from a lack of visual clues and what happens in
emergencies when the client is halfway around the globe. Closely re-
lated to this issue is the second issue of ethical practice: how to ensure
confidentiality and access. Third is technology (both keeping up with
its changes and technological failures), as well as billing and termina-
tion issues: What impact does technology have on the counseling pro-
cess? Fourth is research. Because there is virtually no research
available, how do we know if WebCounseling is helpful or harmful?
Counselor preparation is fifth, including certification to answer how
we can make a paradigm shift and/or protect the public interest with-
out legislation.

National Standards

Together, these five issues unleashed an intense debate when the Na-
tional Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) approved standards for
counseling over the Internet in September 1997. One month later, the
Board of Directors of the National Career Development Association
(NCDA) approved NCDA Guidelinesfor the Use of the Internet For Pro-
vision of Career Information and Planning Services. These guidelines:

1. Outline four major ways to provide career planning services to

clients.
2. Differentiate career planning services from career counseling.
3. List eight multiple means for delivery including:
• Developer/provider qualifications
• Access and understanding of environment
• Content of career counseling and planning services
• Appropriateness of client for receipt of services via the Internet
• Appropriate support for the client
• Clarity of the contract with the client
• Inclusion of linkages to other websites
• Use of assessment
4. Add three categories focusing on:
• Professional and ethical guidelines related to job posting/
searching
THE DEBATE 5

• Unacceptable counselor behaviors on the internet

• Need for research and review

The debate about online counseling services began long before the
development of NBCC and NCDA standards for counseling over the
Internet. Approval of new standards simply gave permission for pro-
fessionals to formally express their concerns. Reaching back a decade
earlier, the debate started when vendors of psychological assessments
and career interest inventories began marketing online capabilities.
Companies like Consulting Psychology Press, now Consulting Psychol-
ogy Press-Davies Black Publishing (CPP-DB) and the National Scoring
Center (NSC) were among the first to target online assessment instru-
ments to college and university counseling and career centers. Online
administration and scoring options offered increased access to users.
For test administrators and counselors, the service offered a confiden-
tial and expedient method to retrieve and review assessment results
with clients. Online assessments thereby served as tools for counsel-
ors rather than a replacement for their services. Yet not all counselors
welcomed this direction.

The Growth of Electronic Interventions

In the years since, online career counseling services evolved and

flourished, quickly becoming part of the career guidance movement
in the United States. Today, an array of electronic career interven-
tions, or online services, is available to the public. Although many,
these interventions are not the focus of this chapter, nor specifically
germane to key issues in the debate. However, for purposes of under-
standing the growth of online services, selected interventions are
listed here:

• computer-based career guidance and information systems

• vocational assessments and interest inventories
• message boards
• chats
• telephone counseling
• e-mail counseling
• databases
• video and teleconferencing
• combinations of the above interventions
6 CHAPTER I

Zunker (1994) described this evolution, including aspects of the de-

bate, by characterizing the career guidance movement as "the story of
human progress in a nation founded on the principle of human rights.
It touches all aspects of human life, for it has involved political, eco-
nomic, educational, philosophical and social progress and change" (p.
3). Further evidence of the evolution and expansion of electronic ca-
reer counseling services and interventions can be observed by the
growth of Web sites dedicated to academic career centers and com-
mercial online career services.

ACADEMIC AND COMMERCIAL ONLINE CAREER SERVICES

A brief search of the hard copy and online literature identified more
than 1,700 college and university career centers listed on the data-
bases of The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE;
1998). Through these more than 1,700 campus services, students,
alumni, and interested parties have access to online career services,
with many sites encouraging visitors to e-mail questions to staff.
Like the growth of academic career centers, commercial career cen-
ters have mushroomed. Dixon (1998) noted "at last count, well over
1,300 employment sites were on the web—and that's a conservative es-
timate." To help the user know where to start, Dixon identified the top
seven career sites, nicknaming them "The Big Seven," and listing their
individual attributes.

The Big Seuen

1. America's Job Bank (www.ajb.dni.us): for finding state and gov-
ernment jobs.
2. Career Mosaic (www.careermosaic.com): for finding technical
and other general jobs.
3. CareerPath.com (www.careerpath.com): one of the best when
you're relocating.
4. Espan (www.espan.com): recently renovated and upgraded.
5. Monster Board (www.monster.com): for new graduates and the
upwardly mobile.
6. Online Career Center (www.occ.com): high-quality site for sea-
soned professionals.
7. Yahoo! Classified (classified.yahoo.com/employment.html): for
all types of jobs.
THE DEBATE 7
Consistent with Dixon's assessment, the National Business Employ-
ment Weekly (Weddle, 1998) published a special report on 'The Best
Web Sites for Job Hunters." The report reviewed 70 sites highlighting
the best in the following five categories: overall support, job search sup-
port, career resources, general purpose use, and specialty use.

Five Best Career Sites for Job Seekers

1. CareerMagazine (www.careermag.com)
2. Career Mosaic (www.careermosaic.com)
3. CareerPath.com (www.careerpath.com)
4. Excite Careers Network (www.excite.com/careers)
5. Online Career Center (www.ooc.com)

Additionally, the report in the National Business Employment

Weekly selected "the Online Career Center's Magazine, Career Karma,
with its Career Guru Q & A Column (individualized e-mail career coun-
seling) as the best service for job seekers on the web."
Less than 1 year later, online commercial career centers and Web
sites continued to evolve, offering expanded services. For example,
The Online Career Center (OCC) and Monster Board merged, expand-
ing services under the new name, Monster.com. Headquartered in
Maynard, Massachusetts, Monster.com is considered the leading
global careers Web site. Media Metrix, a New York-based company that
measures traffic on the Internet, ranked Monster.com as the 71st most
visited of all Internet sites. According to a recent report, its ranking
was measured by 8.1 million unique visits per month and a network of
language sites in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Can-
ada, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Its newest service, The
Talent Market, launched July 4, 1999, provides independent profes-
sionals and consultants with a method to market their skills in real
time to employers, and speaks to the continuing evolution of new ca-
reer services via the Web (Time Warner Telecom, Inc., 8/11/99,
http://www.prnewswire.com).

The Number One Site

By the end of December 1999, research conducted by Media Metrix for

the month of November, reported Monster.com as the number one
destination for career seekers and one of the top 100 most visited Web
8 CHAPTER 1

sites overall on the Internet. In December, Monster.com topped off a

tremendous year when it announced a 4-year, $100 million relation-
ship with America Online, Inc. (AOL). Under this new agreement, Mon-
ster, com (AOL Keyword: Monster) will become the exclusive career
search across AOL, AOL Canada, AOL.COM, CompuServe, ICQ,
Netscape Netcenter, and Digital City. With more than 20 million mem-
bers, AOL is the world's leading Internet online service, and its Web
brands serve tens of millions of other Internet consumers (Business
Wire, 1999).
A review of the online and hard copy literature not only points to the
ongoing expansion of Internet career services, it captures concerns
surrounding the debate. As noted earlier, the following include: (a)
Ethical practice (Can we ensure confidentiality, access?), (b) Cli-
ent-counselor relationship (How do we protect its integrity against po-
tential misunderstandings arising from a lack of visual clues and what
happens in emergencies when the client is halfway around the globe?),
(c) Technology (both keeping up with the changes and technology fail-
ures), as well as billing and termination issues (What impact do these
have on the counseling process?), (d) Research (Because there is virtu-
ally no research available, how do we know if online counseling is help-
ful or harmful?), and (e) Counselor preparation, including
certification issues to answer (How can we make a paradigm shift
and/or protect the public interest without legislation?).

RESPONSES BY THE STAKEHOLDERS

Given the five issues just outlined, it is my belief that the debate focuses
not on whether or not we will have online career counseling, but on the
value and efficacy of how this movement continues, including its value
to the profession, the individual, and society. Like any debate, the is-
sues articulated in the literature represent various stakeholders. Be-
fore discussing my position (first lesson on the road), I offer a closer
look at the issues, turning first to (a) leaders in the career development
field; (b) providers or vendors of technology and information; and (c)
counselors in the trenches.
Leaders in the Field

Differentiating stakeholders starts with a summary of the issues and

perspectives articulated by leaders in the field of career development.
THE DEBATE 9
Germane to their concerns are comments made by Harris-Bowlsbey,
(1996), executive director of the ACT Educational Technology Center
and former president of the NCDA, who noted:

the profession of career counseling is at a crossroads, at a time when its

services are more desperately needed than at any other time in history.
The structure, that have supported career counseling since its founda-
tion was laid by Frank Parsons, are under attack. If the profession can
redesign its structure, theories, and methods of providing services, and
if strong, cohesive, national policy and legislation can support those
changes, the profession could have a very exciting future, (p. 57)

Like Harris-Bowlsbey, Watts (1996, 1998), an international leader

in the field, also viewed the career counseling profession at a cross-
roads, suggesting that the "explosion of the information technology in
general and the rapid expansion of the Internet in particular have huge
implications for access to information and to 'distance' career counsel-
ing" (Watts, 1996, p. 52). Accordingly, Watts believes that, "Its time (ca-
reer counseling) has come," noting that it will move forward
If (career counseling) can demonstrate new forms of adaptability and cre-
ativity in its work, it will be able to grasp the opportunity. If it can do so,
this could have a powerful contribution to make to the health and prosper-
ity both of our societies and of the individuals within them. (p. 52}

For Harris-Bowlsbey and Watts, the debate is focused on the big pic-
ture, the future of the profession, its contributions to society, legisla-
tion, and public policy issues.
Vendors and Providers of Services

The second perspective on the debate comes from concerns expressed

by technology providers and vendors. Vendors (providers of occupa-
tional information and assessment services) see the Department of La-
bor (DOL) as stepping into their territory. According to Guerra (1998),
the DOL traditionally has gathered information that is passed on to ca-
reer development vendors. The information focuses on occupations
and occupational choice. From this information, vendors develop
products, which are sold to career counselors and career centers. Cur-
rently, vendors are arguing to Congressional officials that this is an an-
titrust case involving the use of tax dollars by a government agency to
compete with private business, versus providing a service to support
the business community.
10 CHAPTER I
Providers are also concerned that the DOL Web site is being de-
signed without involvement of the career development community.
James Sampson, a professor of counselor education at the University
of Florida in Gainesville, noted that focus groups are meeting to deter-
mine what role the government should play in distributing its informa-
tion on the Internet. According to Sampson (cited in Guerra, 1998), it
is a slow process, with the most important question underlining this
facet of the debate being "the ethics of providing these services over the
Internet" (p. 22). Accordingly, ethical issues refer to the quality of the
information, the question of equal access, and the qualifications of the
person delivering the services over the Internet.
Counselors in the Trenches

In contrast to ethical issues focused on the quality of information, the

voices of individual career counselors do not appear as vocal as the
vendors and leaders, who at times both appear to speak for counsel-
ors. Instead, counselors in the psychotherapy camp are the ones artic-
ulating the third perspective that focuses on direct service issues or
ethical issues about the client-counselor relationship. Sirch-Stasko
(1998) described this relationship as "dynamics, which cannot be rep-
licated via the Internet. The spiritual component of what transpires
within the therapeutic hour, the non-verbal dialogue, the potential im-
pact ... the proximity of counselor to client, are all integral elements of
the counseling process" (p. 20). Sirch-Stasko feared by omitting these
dimensions that "the very essence of what we do has changed and not
for the better" (p. 20).
Others concur with this assessment. For example, Sussman (1998)
discussed the loss of the "dialectical process. In face to face counseling
there is a continuous and immediate feedback loop between counselor
and client. E-mail precludes this ... (and)... the complete lack of non-
verbal information" (pp. 8, 28). Sussman's assessment is at the heart
of the debate for counselors (i.e., that without non-verbal information
in a face to face exchange, counseling cannot take place, or at best is
compromised). This is consistent with Morrissey (1997) who earlier
reported concerns about the:

difficulty in developing a rapport with someone they've never seen, the

absence of body language, clients written communication skills, the ex-
pense of keeping up with the latest technology and billing and termina-
tion issues, (p. 3)
THE DEBATE N

Sussman also wrote about the pros of online counseling, identifying

"some 80 sites where some form of counseling or psychotherapy is
purported to occur" (p. 8). Although focusing on mental health coun-
seling, Sussman articulated several advantages that are equally appli-
cable to online career counseling, namely increasing access. She cited
four examples of access:

1. Bringing services to underserved populations and geographically

isolated areas.
2. Providing increased access to specialists regardless of geo-
graphic location.
3. Overcoming transportation problems for people with disabilities
or confined to their homes, as well as parents who are restricted
by arrangements for leaving work or day-care concerns.
4. Allowing people who are apprehensive about seeking services to
do so feeling safe from the confines of their homes.

In contrast Lanning, a professor formerly in the Department of Coun-

seling at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and contributor to the
NBCC WebCounseling Standards, shared a different view. According to
Lanning (cited in Morrissey, 1997), at presentations on the Internet, he
regularly asked audiences to suggest principles about online counseling
that are different from face-to-face counseling, noting that "No one has
identified any yet." Instead, his concern about ethics emphasizes the im-
portance of training and education for counselors who want to offer ser-
vices via the Internet. He is also concerned about the powerful
paternalism that permeates the field. He asked the following:

If a client is Informed about the confidentiality risks of counseling (online

or other) why do we think those clients cannot make intelligent Informed
choices about the Internet as we assume they do in traditional counsel-
ing? My office records can be stolen or broken into but we don't worry
about that as much as security on the Internet, (p. 3)

MY POSITION IN THE DEBATE

As a private practitioner, I agree with Lanning's observation, that is,
more focus should be directed at (a) trusting clients to make in-
formed decisions, (b) recognizing security issues surrounding re-
cords may be more fragile in our offices than over the Internet, and (c)
emphasizing counselor education and training. Furthermore, I am
n CHAPTER I

not surprised that "No one has identified" or suggested principles

about online counseling that are different from face-to-face counsel-
ing. This is because Lanning's audiences have not been practitioners
of the art, which is why I suggest applicable lessons or principles
learned from my online practice.
Like other professionals, initially, I suspected the Web would com-
promise the client-counselor relationship. Yet, after 5 months of im-
mersion in e-mail counseling, my suspicions faded. Instead, my online
experiences led me to conclude that the very fears articulated by many
professional are just that, fears. Or, if not fears, their concerns may be
based on false assumptions about the unknown. The reality of online
practice appears to me, and others engaged in its practice to offer sev-
eral benefits. As observed earlier by Sussman, the most obvious benefit
is an increase in access to services by underserved populations. Not as
obvious is the added value afforded by the written text and anonymity.
LESSON I: VALUING WRITTEN TEXTS

As I read the many written messages submitted by clients, and as I fur-

ther reflected on them, I learned the first of 11 lessons along the road.
One of my first observations was noticing that the use of written texts ap-
peared to free clients to ask core questions and, with time for reflection,
provided me, the counselor, with rich clues about them and/or their
feelings. I speculated that being in the privacy of their own homes with
the luxury of remaining anonymous allowed these clients to step for-
ward. At the same time, I observed in their written text clues similar to, if
not superior to, those observed during in-person sessions. This meant I
was departing from three major assumptions commonly held by coun-
selors "in the trenches" and advocates of face-to-face counseling.
Three Counselor Assumptions

The first of three counselor assumptions I found myself challenging

was that visual cues and nonverbal communications are superior to
written text. The second was that the counseling process does not
take place without visual cues. The third related to the lack of privacy
via the Web.
My Rationale

If visual clues are superior to written texts and if the counseling pro-
cess does not take place without visual cues, then logic suggests that
THE DEBATE \_3

NBCC and NDCA guidelines, if carried to the extreme, should restrict

telephone counseling as a valid modality and restrict the visually im-
paired from becoming counselors. Both of these restrictions would
be considered unthinkable, and surely would spark their own raging
debates. Yet, this perspective, coupled with the third assumption or
lack of privacy appears to be the underlying logic to restrict career
counseling via the Internet.
It is as if proponents of face-to-face counseling cannot envision on-
line messages as nonverbal cues. Nor can they envision the very lack of
physical presence as securing another type of relationship, one based
on increased privacy, anonymity, and time for reflection. In a culture
(the United States) that values visual learning and communication
styles, it is perhaps difficult to see or value the power of the written
word or its nonverbal cues, let alone consider these equally authentic
forms of client-counselor communication. Even more difficult, per-
haps, is envisioning e-mail or written texts as more authentic forms of
dialogue than what happens in the visual moment, particularly, in
brief counseling formats. In e-mail counseling, reflection guides the
counselor responses, providing time to identify, perhaps, more impor-
tant cues and implications of the online relationship.
Additional time for reflection may hold the key to help us to make the
paradigm shift in how we conduct counseling. For instance, we know
emotions, passions, and relationships once were nurtured in written
text, as the United States was settled and developed. Throughout U.S.
history are examples of diaries, journals, and personal letters (written
texts), which remind us how family relationships were enhanced and
sustained in times of long separations. If our most cherished relation-
ships can be nurtured via the written word, wouldn't it follow that the
counseling relationship could be nurtured in this fashion, too? Couldn't
the electronic word allow for both nurturance and access in a way here-
tofore not acknowledged? Is not the Internet a valuable tool for both ac-
cess and the development of relationships, even with clients?
Support in the Literature

One of the leaders in the debate may be suggesting this. Writing in

Counseling Today, Lee (1998), past president of the American Coun-
seling Association, reminded us that:
We have an emerging generation for whom interaction via the computer
is common, natural, and fully accepted means of communication. This
J4 CHAPTER I
generation of potential clients Is used to less actual personal contact and
greater interaction in cyberspace in many aspects of their lives. To think
that clients in the new century would not expect to access Internet coun-
seling services is probably foolish and shortsighted on our part. (p. 5)

This is consistent with Pietrzak (cited by Morrissey, 1997) who fore-

sees that this issue may become "one of the shifts in paradigms we ex-
perience in our profession" (p. 4). Watts (1998) also advocated for a
paradigm shift in his keynote at the Seventh Global Conference of the
NCDA. Watts observed the following:
We are experiencing a profound revolution in the nature of and structure
of work, a revolution that requires new concepts of "career," and ... how
career services need to be more extensive than in the past." Thus, he
forecast the need to provide, "lifelong access to career counseling ... (in
order to provide)... contributions to the health and prosperity of both in-
dividuals and society, (p. 4)

In proceedings and discussions following this NCDA conference, the

debate among career counselors appeared far less heated than the de-
bate among counselors in the psychotherapy community. Perhaps this
is because NCDA guidelines are highly specific about career counseling
practices, which focus on delivery of services versus the deterioration
of the client-counselor relationship. Initially, I agreed and shared the
concerns of the psychotherapy community, seeing these concerns as
directly related to my career counseling practice. At times, I even won-
dered if computer services might replace my contributions, not to
mention compromise my client-counselor relationships.
Support From Face-to-Face Clients

Although hesitant, as more of my clients expressed enthusiasm for on-

line vocational assessments, my concerns diminished, greatly influ-
encing my decision to offer the Myers Briggs Temperament Inventory
(MBTI) and Strong Interest Inventory (SSI) via the Internet. This made
me the first private practitioner in my city to offer vocational assess-
ment online. With a contract signed through CPP-DB, my enthusiasm
for online career services continued as I observed positive benefits and
reports from my clients.
Support From the Online Career Center

Once comfortable with assessment online, it was an easy leap in May

1998, when Susan Bryant, product manager for the Online Career
THE DEBATE [5

Center (OCC) and Craig Besant, vice president of marketing for OCC,
sought my services to launch an online career counseling magazine,
Career Karma. My role was to write one article per month and answer
four to five questions posed by readers. I remember thinking, "With a
Q & A feature, this won't last long ... I'll be writing the questions!"
However, the prospect of shaping online services in content and de-
livery was too enticing to pass up, not to mention working with profes-
sionals equally concerned about the ethics and practice of online
services. For instance, when I specified the need to follow the NBCC
and NCDA WebCounseling Guidelines, there was no problem posting
these, nor providing NBCC and NCDA links for referrals and re-
sources.

Support From Online Clients

To my surprise, response to the Q&A feature was overwhelming, more

than 250 questions in the first month. Shortly, Netscape requested
permission to post one message a day and OCC users sent thank you
notes and reports of positive outcomes. When these reports became
one in seven, with Netscape drawing 40,000 readers daily, we knew we
had touched a nerve.
As questions poured in, I remember thinking "Oh, my gosh, what
have I agreed to... can I fulfill my contract... how do I prioritize and re-
spond to all these questions?" Of course, this was somewhat rhetorical
(or so I thought) as my contract called for me to answer only four to five
per month. Yet, faced with more than 250 messages in the first month
of operation and the excitement of watching messages arrive, I began to
respond personally to the first 40 to 50 questions. I thought this might
be a nice gesture. Little did I realize that as I was doing so, the powers
that be at the OCC wanted me to answer each one individually, thereby
providing a very unique public service, a first of its kind.
After extending our contract to deliver this service, I found myself
excited in a way I couldn't remember since I first entered the field by
working for Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis
(IUPUI). There, at the Continuing Education Center for Women
(CECW), I provided individual counseling and vocational assessment
to a broad base of clients who were seeking educational and voca-
tional direction, career change, career adjustment, and advance-
ment. Because there were few counseling services in the city, then,
CECW also provided services to individuals in crisis, people with dis-
]6 CHAPTER I

abilities, those suffering from substance abuse, and the gay and les-
bian community. Some years later, I realized by offering services via
the Internet, the excitement I experienced was not only about becom-
ing a trailblazer, it was about providing access to people who other-
wise had none. Part of my excitement, too, lay in knowing I was calling
on years of experience serving a broad-base clientele as well as draw-
ing on my academic and professional training as a counselor. I knew
from the beginning that this work of providing e-mail career counsel-
ing looked easy and simple to others. Yet I realized, too, that what
made this look easy was my comfort level. My credentials, years of ca-
reer counseling and life experience, coupled with a deep interest in
the global human condition guided my practice. My experience also
freed me to observe, speculate, and reflect on insights about this
practice, in turn, leading to my second lesson on the road.
LESSON 2: ANONYMITY INCREASES ACCESS

Closely associated with written texts was the role I observed that ano-
nymity played online, that is, anonymity appeared to increase access
to services for underserved populations (foreign nationals, people
with disabilities, older adults, and those in the gay and lesbian com-
munity). In my journal, I recorded my excitement about discovering
this medium not as lesser, rather as unique, a kind of adjunct in the
same fashion that telephone counseling supports face-to-face coun-
selor-client encounters. Yet, it was much more than telephone coun-
seling. Its very medium offered an added feature. Just as Rogers
(1942, 1951) introduced the power of unconditional positive regard
and empathy in the client-counselor relationship, departing from the
straightforward trait-and-factor approach of Parsons (1909), I began
to think of the Internet as holding another departure and new power,
the power of anonymity. By providing clients with the opportunity to
ask questions anonymously and confidentially, a new type of access
was making services available to underserved clients.
Consequently, the very concerns that many counselors express
about the Internet creating barriers to the development of the cli-
ent-counselor relationship may not necessarily be true. The opposite
may take place. The medium allows to come forward those clients who
previously, out of shame or fear, might have held back. Additionally,
those clients in remote locations, people with disabilities, or those
worried their questions might appear foolish, were stepping forward
THE DEBATE T7

everyday. A representative sample of online career counseling clients

illustrates these points in the following chapters. Client messages
present a closer look at the multiple issues and/or barriers expressed
by underserved client populations, with their thank you notes speak-
ing to the effectiveness and benefits of online interventions. Like
in-person clients, these online individuals were assured their ques-
tions would be answered confidentially, without reference to their
names or locations. Even those questions selected for publication in
Career Karma were posted with respect to their privacy.
SUMMARY

Client examples confirm my position in the debate, that is, like those
leaders in the field I believe Internet counseling offers an important
contribution for a paradigm shift, particularly for a new generation of
clients comfortable online. Examples offered in the following chapters
plus another 800 or more online messages, continue to convince me
there is not only a need for career counseling via the Web, but that
these services can be delivered ethically and confidentially.
In chapters 2 and 3,1 continue to address my reflections on prac-
tice, articulating additional lessons along the road. For instance, in
chapter 2,1 define online career counseling, discussing two impor-
tant career counseling competencies (career counseling theory and
individual counseling skills). The chapter elaborates on how to inte-
grate career counseling theory and counselor skills online by identi-
fying nonverbal e-mail cues, and integrating these into counselor
responses. Chapter 3 describes the career counseling process, de-
tails how to establish and safeguard the client-counselor relation-
ship, and provides examples of issues presented by clients as well as
responses to their online questions, thereby developing the value of
online career counseling beyond the issue of access.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Name the five issues in the debate. Which of these issues is the
most relevant for your situation and practice?
2. Which of these five issues is of least concern to you? Why?
3. Which of the three perspectives best describes your job or the
role you hope to play in the field of career counseling?
4. In light of the comments and quotes in this chapter, discuss
your perspective on the debate, giving support for your view.
 2

Defining the Online Career Counseling

Process

My interest in the career counseling profession grew from learning the

most basic of counseling skills, active listening. Active listening is not
only listening actively to the content of what a person says, it is listen-
ing to the whole person. It means observing nonverbal cues, like ges-
tures, facial expressions, changes in posture, and/or looking for
congruence between the nonverbal and verbal messages. Active listen-
ing includes listening for the feelings underlining the message, for cul-
tural differences, and/or barriers expressed. By first responding to the
sender's feelings, the listener demonstrates what he or she heard, al-
lowing the sender to confirm or correct before new information is
added. To be involved with something that conies so naturally, that
one does and takes for granted, was exciting to me. Of course, there is
more to being a counselor than listening, yet at the time, it was the cata-
lyst for my decision to enter the field. Just as we know few particulars
when we fall in love, connecting with a profession, one resonating deep
meaning for you, is much the same. Little did I dream then, that one
day I would champion active listening as equally important to the on-
line career counseling process.

CAREER COUNSELING COMPETENCIES

Other competencies, such as the 11 listed by the NCDA's (1997a) Ca-

reer Counseling Competencies, Revised Version, 1997, were not as
18
ONLINE COUNSELING [9

clearly articulated when I was in graduate school in the 1970s, nor

were today's certification specialties available for in-depth study. To
become a counselor in the 1970s meant becoming a "Jane" of all coun-
seling areas, such as mental health counselor, marriage and family
counselor, substance abuse and addictions counselor, school coun-
selor, and my interest area, career counselor. In my state of Indiana,
the only specialties requiring additional training were for sexual
and/or genetic counseling positions.
Just as counseling competencies crossed specialties then, today's
counselors are expected to be knowledgeable not only in their spe-
cialty area, they are expected to hold and honor eight competency ar-
eas outlined by the American Counseling Association (ACA; 1994)
Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Together, the eight areas
recognize the diversity of U.S. society and embrace a cross-cultural
approach in support of the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness
of each individual.

1. The counseling relationship includes promoting the welfare of

clients, respecting diversity and client rights, avoiding dual rela-
tionships and sexual intimacy, fees, clarifying and discussing ter-
mination, and referral; and using computer technology.
2. Confidentiality covers the clients' right to privacy, group and fam-
ily, minors or incompetent clients, records, research, and train-
ing and consultation.
3. Professional responsibility refers to standards of knowledge,
professional competence, specialty areas of practice, continuing
education, advertising and soliciting clients, credentials, public
responsibility, and responsibility to other professionals.
4. Relationships with other professionals covers employers, em-
ployees, subcontractors, consultations, and fees for referrals.
5. Evaluation, assessment, and interpretation includes appraisal
techniques, competence to use and interpret tests, informed con-
sent, release forms, and test security.
6. Teaching training and supervision.
7. Research and publication.
8. Resolving ethical issues.

In addition to these eight areas, career counselors (those seeking

national certification) need to demonstrate additional competency in
11 areas. These are as follows:
20 CHAPTER 1
1. Career development theory.
2. Individual and group counseling skills.
3. Individual/group assessment.
4. Information resources.
5. Program promotion, management, and implementation.
6. Coaching, consultation, and performance improvements.
7. Diverse populations.
8. Supervision.
9. Ethical/legal issues.
10. Research/evaluation.
11. Technology.

CAREER COUNSELING THEORISTS

Because the career counseling specialty required that a counselor first

be knowledgeable about a broad base of general counseling theories,
issues, and practices, plus the challenges presented by the world of
work, the specialty of career counseling drew me from the start. Career
counseling allowed me to work with clients who had diverse back-
grounds and who offered a complexity of issues. Later, I would learn
the majority of counselors do not share my view, preferring psycho-
therapy settings to career counseling.
Crites
Pointing to Crites (1981), many in the counseling profession aban-
doned career counseling in favor of psychotherapy. Although there are
many reasons for this phenomenon, Crites noted one of the primary
reasons as "the perception of many counseling professionals that ca-
reer counseling is rather mechanical, straightforward process with lit-
tle room for creativity or reflection" (p. 16). Furthermore, Crites
challenged this perception, suggesting a comprehensive career coun-
seling model that incorporates many theories of counseling and psy-
chotherapy. The model as noted in Sharf consists of the following:

1. The need for career counseling is greater than the need for psy-
chotherapy (a view supported by several surveys).
2. Career counseling can be therapeutic (career and personal ad-
justment are interrelated).
3. Career counseling should follow psychotherapy (new directions
in career development should follow personal adjustment).
ONLINE COUNSELING 21^

4. Career counseling is more effective than psychotherapy (or at

least career counseling carries greater expectancy of success than
psychotherapy).
5. Career counseling is more difficult than psychotherapy (when ca-
reer counselors use comprehensive approaches, they are per-
ceived as being both psychotherapists and career counselors).
Sharf

Sharf (1992) built on Crites' views, noting hat many theories of career
development are derived from theories of personality. Accordingly, ca-
reer counseling and psychotherapy theories tend to be a subset of per-
sonality theories, utilized "to bring about a desired change in feeling,
thinking, or behavior." Sharf stated: "Therefore ... it is natural that
counselors who prefer a certain personality theory or theory of coun-
seling are likely to be drawn to a similar theory of career development
theory."
Rogers

In my case, Sharf s characterization meant I was drawn to Rogerian theo-

ries, or to the nondirective methods, concepts of affective and motiva-
tional listening and behavior proposed by Rogers (1942). Self-acceptance
and self-understanding were the primary goals of this theory, centered in
the client-counselor interaction and relationship, one grounded in mu-
tual respect and directed toward "the client's gaining an understanding of
self and taking steps to control his or her destiny" ( p. 10).
Later Hansen, Stevic, and Warner (1972) summarized Roger's view
of client-centered counseling, as an if-then approach, emphasizing its
goal: "to establish the proper conditions whereby the normal develop-
mental pattern of the individual can be brought back into play" (p. 86).
By if-then the authors meant that if the following six conditions exist,
then the client will gain insight and take positive steps. The client will
take control of his or her life and solve his or her difficulties. Thus, the
process of counseling can be defined as meeting the following six nec-
essary conditions:

1. Two people must be in contact (Rogers' original word, relationship).

2. The client must experience at least a minimum state of anxiety,
vulnerability, or in some way be concerned enough to want to
make changes.
22 CHAPTER 2
3. The counselor basically must be an integrated or whole person.
4. The counselor must be present, that is, must be able to have un-
conditional positive regard toward the client, meaning, the coun-
selor must be nonevaluative about others' worldviews.
5. The counselor has empathic understanding of the client's inter-
nal frame of reference.
6. Clients must perceive the counselor's unconditional positive re-
gard for them.

If these six conditions are present, then, according to Rogers' view,

the counseling process will take place. Rogers' view of client-centered
counseling was considered the first departure from the earliest career
development theory formulated by Parson (1909) in his major work,
Choosing a Vocation.
Parson

Parson's (1909) conceptual framework is a theory based on traits and

factors, one that remains popular today. Formulated in three parts,
the theory held that career choice and satisfaction occurs when a cli-
ent's traits or factors are matched with corresponding occupations, by
the following:

1. The client has an understanding of self (his or her interests, apti-

tudes, abilities, limitations, resources and other qualities).
2. The client knows the world of work (requirements and condi-
tions of success, advantages and disadvantages, compensations,
opportunities and prospects).
3. The client can reason on the relation between these two groups of
facts.

According to Sharf, although Rogers departed from Parson's direc-

tive work, later Rogerian concepts were endorsed and integrated into
directive counseling, allowing for a broader perspective of human de-
velopment.
Hansen, Rosberg, and Cramer

Furthermore, Hansen, Rosberg, and Cramer (1994) concluded that if

counseling is about providing for the individual's optimum develop-
ment and well-being, then counselors must "understand as many as
ONLINE COUNSELING 23

possible of the factors that affect people; they must adopt an interdisci-
plinary approach ... or ... formal eclecticism." An interdisciplinary ap-
proach, a formal eclecticism, means understanding both the theory
(why) and the process (how) of counseling.
This chapter focuses on the "how" or process of counseling by pre-
senting definitions of career counseling terms as well as my definition of
online career counseling. Examples of client-counselor interaction rein-
force explanations of the how or process of online career counseling.

THE CAREER COUNSELING PROCESS

So how do Parson's trait-and-factor theories and Rogers' client-cen-

tered views apply to today's developmental, behavioral, interdisciplin-
ary, and multicultural approaches to the career counseling process?
How do we define the process of online career counseling for counsel-
ors, and translate career counseling competencies to online practice?
Recent definitions by leaders in the field assist us in the application of
skills for online career counseling practice.

Definition by Bloom

According to Morrissey (1997), Bloom, a member of the NBCC Board

of Directors and chair of the NBCC Web Counseling Task Force, coined
the term WebCounsellng. Bloom (1997) used the term to define "the
practice of professional counseling and information delivery that oc-
curs when client(s) and counselor are in separate or remote locations
and utilize electronic means to communicate over the Internet" (p. 1).
Bloom's definition is not inconsistent with definitions offered earlier
by Crites (1981), who defined career counseling as a "total-person" ap-
proach to counseling. To Crites, career counseling approaches include
Parson's trait-and-factor theory (information delivery), Rogers' cli-
ent-centered and psychodynamic theories (professional counseling), as
well as approaches and theories introduced later, such as behavioral,
developmental, and cognitive. Crites' integrated or total-person ap-
proach to career counseling is consistent with the definition of career
counseling offered in the NCDA (1997b) Guidelines for the Use of the
Internet. The 1997 NCDA document states the following:

career counseling implies a deeper level of involvement with the client,

based on the establishment of a professional counseling relationship
24 CHAPTER 2

and the potential for dealing with career development concerns well be-
yond those included in career planning.

Definition According to NCDA

Differentiating between career counseling process and career planning

services, the NCDA guidelines note career planning services are lim-
ited to providing "information designed to help a client with a specific
need." Specific needs are defined as:
a review of a resume; assistance in networking strategies; identification
of occupations based on interests, skills, or prior work experience; sup-
port in the job-seeking process; and assessment by means of online in-
ventories of interest, abilities, and/or work-related values.

According to the authors of the NCDA guidelines, the career coun-

seling process goes beyond a specific need, and, as outlined earlier re-
fers to or "implies a deeper level of involvement with the client."

Definition by Guerriero and Allen

Although not writing about the online career counseling process,

Guerriero and Allen (1998) defined career counseling as "a process
that helps a client address his or her particular career needs" (p. 7).
Furthermore these authors defined a process as "a number of sequen-
tial steps ... to produce a result... (and)... as a way of achieving an out-
put or creating a product." In contrast to Rogers' notion that the client
sets the agenda, Guerriero and Allen offered counselors a structured
model with specific questions designed to guarantee predictable re-
sults. The definition offered by Guerriero and Allen is widely embraced
by counselors today, particularly those working in programs where af-
fective domains are not the priority, rather placement in employment
or similar measurable outcomes are the determinants for program se-
lection and the continuation of funding sources. Guerriero and Allen's
definition is also compatible with the distinction NCDA makes be-
tween career planning services and the career counseling process.
Definitions by Sue and Sue

Sue and Sue (1990) challenged the value of traditional insight and be-
havioral counseling modalities for Third World clients. These authors
contended that "many Third World groups who use a different psycho-
ONLINE COUNSELING _25

social unit of operation have different world views that may clash with
the world views of White culture and society" (p. 36). Noting that anxi-
ety and confusion may be the outcome for minority clients, Sue and
Sue emphasized the necessity for counselors to take the following re-
sponsibilities:

1. Become aware of and sensitive to class values and sociopolitical

forces impacting the minority client.
2. Understand that culture, class, and language factors can act as
barriers.
3. Point out the unique and common experiences related to oppression.
4. Understand culture-bound communication styles.
5. Become aware of one's own racial biases and attitudes.
Definitions by Worell and Remer

Worell and Remer (1992), feminist counselors, also noted omissions

in the traditional definitions of the counseling process. These authors
point to the definition offered by Herr and Cramer (as cited by Worrell
& Remer, 1992): "the total constellation of psychological, sociological,
educational, physical, economic, and change factors in combination,"
adding two important and omitted factors, "sex-role socialization and
institutional sexism" (p. 254). Worell and Remer offered an empower-
ment model for women and minorities to deal with life situations. The
model includes "developing a full range of interpersonal and life skills
... (and) ... encourages women to identify and challenge the external
conditions of their lives ... that deny them equality of opportunity and
access to valued resources" (p. 22).
Definition by Zunker

Zunker (1994) also appeared to acknowledge important omissions

from earlier definitions, summarizing the career counseling process
as all career choices throughout the life span. Zunker stated: "In the
career-counseling process all aspects of individual needs (including
family, work, and leisure) are recognized as integral parts of career de-
cision making and planning" (p. 3).
Definitions by Sussman

Sussman (1998) further noted it is important to identify the "means" of

"counseling online," stating:
26 CHAPTER 2
There are two distinct means of Internet counseling. There is the current
formulation, which consists mostly of email with some text-based chats,
and there is the real time video conferencing of the near future. Although
it may not arrive for another two to four years, video and real time audio
may make counseling online the "next best thing to being there."

Few definitions on the counseling process discuss "means," per-

haps because so few definitions of the online career counseling process
exist. Or, because, the greater concern conies from labeling interaction
over the Internet by the term, counseling. Sirch-Stasko (1998) empha-
sized that this terminology devalues the very "nature of what we deem
to be so special" and "suggests it would be better to frame this commu-
nication in a manner that segregates it from counseling per se. Perhaps
Cyberspace Consultation would be more fitting" (p. 1).
My Definition

As Sirch-Stasko suggested it is important to distinguish terms. This is

a key element in the NCDA Guidelines and an important step in devel-
oping my own definition of the online career counseling process.
Working Definition

Just as the NCDA Guidelines distinguished career counseling from ca-

reer planning services, suggesting career services on the Internet be
limited to career planning strategies, I initially concurred. After exten-
sive experience online, I began to believe that although it is important
to define terms and make distinctions, who defines the terms is
equally important. I believe the definitions and distinctions will be
more meaningful when offered at practical levels, or when offered by
practitioners of online services. Action research and qualitative ap-
proaches hold the promise to define the terminology, bridging this gap
and providing useful definitions both for the debate and practice of on-
line counseling.
Testing my Definition

In part, my working definition of career counseling via the Internet be-

gan in February 1998, when I was invited to develop and teach a course
for the Career Counseling Certification program at the University of
California at San Diego (UCSD). In preparation for this program I be-
came acutely aware of issues in the online debate and thoroughly re-
ONLINE COUNSELING 27

viewed the various codes of ethics applying to career counselors.

These include codes established by the ACA, the NCDA, and the NBCC.
Next, I read the written responses to the debate on WebCounseling, the
pros and cons offered by the leadership and members of the profes-
sion, formulating my own view in the process. Then, at the NCDA's sev-
enth global conference, "Reshaping Career Development for the 21st
Century," I listened to national and international leaders discuss the
issues, later talking with them and other practitioners in the field. The
more I talked with career counseling leaders and practitioners, the
more I realized they had no more direct experience online than I. We
were talking at theoretical levels. However, in these dialogues and at
workshops about online services I found that my intuition was on tar-
get about ways to plan for and deliver e-mail career counseling in an
ethical and productive manner.
In searching to clarify and define my own perspective on the issues, I
immersed myself in the ethics and guidelines of online counseling
practice, discovering, in the process, that I had taken the necessary
steps to ensure quality services. With my tentative definition adopted
from that offered by NCDA or career planning services (the delivery of
information about a specific need), I felt comfortable forging ahead and
did. By becoming the OCC's Career Guru, for 5 months I devoted my-
self to the full-time practice of e-mail career counseling, answering ev-
ery e-mail message received daily, including weekends and holidays.
Trusting My Intuition

However, very early into this practice, I found myself questioning the
NCDA's definition of online career counseling as career planning ser-
vices. My questions surfaced as I began reading the first 10 to 20 of the
850 or more messages I was to receive as the Career Guru for
OCC.com. Few questions, if any, were clear-cut requesting specific in-
formation. Examples at the end of the chapter illustrate this point,
showing that the questions were more complicated, involving individ-
ual and personal circumstances. OCC Staff members, assisting me,
noticed this, too, stating that "they (the users/clients) just pour out
their hearts!"
Second, I began to realize that my tentative definition ignored ev-
erything I knew and held dear from years of practice serving clients. I
was reminded, anew, that questions and issues related to careers are
very personal, not to mention colored by individual differences re-
28 CHAPTER 2
lated to gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and physical and
mental capacities.
Individual differences are why books on resume writing, job search
strategies, and career planning do not answer client questions, and
consequently drive clients to career counselors. Clients often say
things like, "I've read all the books, but...." If this is what I know is true
for the clients who come to me, "Why on earth," I asked myself, would it
be any different for those asking questions online? Deep in my heart, I
knew, clients ask what's not in the books. They ask us about attention
to their concerns and fears regarding some individual difference or
barrier they perceive, whether that be an issue of gender, age, gap in
employment, cultural difference, language barriers, physical disabil-
ity, and on occasion all of the above. To think that online career coun-
seling can be restricted to career planning services, even something
that looks as straightforward as reviewing a resume, is like offering a
person an ice cream cone, without the ice cream. Who wants it!

An Emerging Definition

In other words, to restrict online career counseling to career planning

services is not only difficult, it may be a disservice to the client as well as
the profession. Just as I have actively listened to clients in face-to-face
sessions, presenting issues and sharing their individual and very per-
sonal concerns, so too I found myself listening to online clients. The
more messages I read, the more I realized it is difficult, if not impossi-
ble, to separate personal issues from career questions, particularly
when they are presented by women and minorities. Am I to ignore the
heart of their question? If restricted to the NCDA definition of career
planning, how, I questioned, do I respond? Early on, I decided, the alter-
native was to offer an integration model, one based on an in-person
counseling model, a total-person approach, feminist model of connec-
tion, and, one that included a multicultural perspective.
An integration model would respond to the client questions based
on respect for the total person coupled with an understanding and
deep respect for the context of their lives and worldviews (Sue & Sue,
1990). It would see clients in the state of becoming (Rogers, 1961), ex-
tending an appreciation for their context and connections between
peoples (Belenky, Chincy, Goldberger, & Tarule, 1986). Conse-
quently, it became easy for me to redefine my original definition of the
online career counseling proves as:
ONLINE COUNSELING 29

Individualized e-mail career counseling, a specialty of WebCounseling,

integrating professional career counseling and career planning services
and utilizing electronic resources to communicate and deliver services
when the client and the counselor are in separate or remote locations.

What are popularly known as chats, message boards, listserves, or

other group activities, sometimes called online career counseling, are
excluded from this definition. By definition, these activities are conver-
sational in nature, similar to advisement models used by teachers, li-
brarians, or professional expertise offered via talk radio, television
interviews, or newspaper columns.
E-mail, alone, offers a one-on-one experience. E-mail stands for elec-
tronic mail. For example, it is a system allowing someone in Aberdeen,
Maryland, to communicate quickly and cheaply with someone in
Aberdeen, Scotland. According to Dixon (1998) more than 70% of the
traffic on the Internet is e-mail, "an electronic tool that transformed the
way corporations and small businesses distribute information and con-
duct their work" (p. 21). E-mail is the method that OCC.com selected for
me (Career Guru of its online magazine, Career Karma) to respond to
the readership, thereby, allowing a global readership to submit ques-
tions in an anonymous and confidential manner, receiving individual
replies from me, personally, quickly, and at no cost to them.
Like telephone counseling, a one-to-one basis "implies a deeper
level of involvement with the client." This means my definition of online
career counseling is confined to e-mail career counseling practiced on
an individualized, one to one basis, with the e-mail messages and re-
sponses written between the client and the career counselor within a
specified time frame, similar to individual appointments. The process
involves a total person approach similar to that described by Crites
(1981). It is a process I define as an integration model, involving both
career counseling modalities, career planning services, including in-
formation and referrals or links to services specific to client questions,
and with an appreciation for the client's context, worldviews, and con-
nections between peoples.
LESSON 3: CAREER COUNSELING IS PERSONAL COUNSELING

As outlined in chapter 1, my first two lessons taught me the following:

1. Reflection on written texts can be as powerful as visual cues.

2. Anonymity increases access to underserved populations.
30 CHAPTER 2
Just as these first two lessons were drawn from reflection about
online practice, I discovered a third lesson: It is difficult, if not impos-
sible, to separate career issues or questions from personal issues.
Career counseling is personal counseling, whether it is offered in per-
son or online, further leading me to view online career counseling as a
specialty of WebCounseling. I base my conclusions on both actual
practice delivering online services and from studying and reflecting
on the issues in the debate literature related to online counseling.
Furthermore, my conclusions are grounded in years of experience as
a practitioner of career counseling services. From both experiences
(online and in-person), I propose the following three points regarding
career counseling as personal counseling:

1. Separating personal issues from career information is difficult, if

not impossible.
2. Responding to career issues online is not that different from re-
sponding in person. One must still acquire similar skills, atti-
tudes, knowledge, and respect for various worldviews.
3. Approaching career counseling based on the theories of Rogers,
Crites, Sue and Sue, and others can be delivered ethically, profes-
sionally, and with positive outcomes.

To me, the definition of WebCounseling coined by Bloom (1997) re-

fers to both personal and career counseling, additionally including
information and/or referrals specific to client questions. This means
an online career counselor must first be skilled at active listening to
client messages. Just as counselors who meet with clients face-to-
face must read nonverbal cues in clients' facial expressions or behav-
iors, the online counselor needs to be skilled at actively listening and
reading in between the lines of written texts to reflect on the written
message.

EXAMPLES OF CAREER COUNSELING AS PERSONAL COUNSELING

Here are four examples illustrating an integrated approach to online

career counseling. The examples incorporate the first three lessons
learned along the road: reflection on written texts, increased access,
and career counseling as personal counseling requiring an integrated
approach.
ONLINE COUNSELING 3]^
Example I: Recent College Graduate

A young man writes about graduating from college, switching jobs

three times, asking four questions: Is it too soon to look? Will I need to
pay back my company for relocation costs? Is it totally crazy ...

I graduated from college just a little over a year ago and have already
switched jobs 3 times. The first job I took out of school turned out to be
a complete disaster. The company relocated me from Cleveland to Dal-
las and my contract stated that if I left before a year, I would owe all the
relocation expenses back. I was lucky enough to find a job in Los An-
geles 9 months later that I loved. Most of my family and friends were in
S. California so it worked out great. In addition, the company picked up
my tab for relocation from Dallas to LA and paid back the money I owed
to the company in Dallas for my move from Cleveland to Dallas. Unfor-
tunately, I was laid off 5 months later. I was unable to find another job
in my field in LA so I reluctantly took a job in Chicago for fear of not be-
ing able to pay my rentl The company in Chicago paid for my relocation
and I was excited about the opportunity.
However, all is not well. I've been at the new position for a month and I
can't stand it. My job function is completely different from what I origi-
nally agreed to. I mentioned this to my boss but he told me the offer let-
ter clearly stated "and other duties as assigned." I fear the work I am
doing now will not help me in my future career at all. The tasks I perform
are meaningless. I had more responsibility as an intern. Since I have
jumped so much and it is so early in my career, would it be too soon to
start looking? Also, if I left now I would owe the Chicago company back
all the relocation costs from my move. Is it totally crazy to think some-
one would be willing to provide the same kind of package as I found in
LA? I desperately want to go back to S. California and get back to my
normal life. My biggest fear is that my resume will read as if I am a pro-
fessional drifter. I appreciate you taking the time to read my letter.
Thank you.

As may be noted, this student's questions are straightforward. Yet, he

chooses words and phrases like "complete disaster," "unfortunately laid
off," "reluctantly to pay rent," "meaningless tasks," "desperately want to
go back," and biggest fear ... "professional drifter," suggesting he may be
worried, anxious, scared to make a mistake, perhaps too stuck to take
another risk. So, how does the Web counselor respond? Does he or she
ignore what might be considered strictly counseling issues and provide
32 CHAPTER 2

only career information? Or, does the counselor follow Rogerian con-
cepts (i.e., fostering a climate of trust and affirmation by normalizing cli-
ent feelings, followed by the integration of client feelings with pertinent
career information)? You decide. Here's what I wrote:

Some experts say the best time to look for a job is right after you've ac-
cepted one. So by all means start looking and don't worry about being a
professional drifter. No one will think that when they learn you were
wooed to accept better offers from each employer. And, you're not
crazy to think someone might be willing to provide a similar package to
yours in LA. If it happened once, it can happen again. Many companies
have sign-on bonuses, which are traded for relocation costs or vice
versa. Whether you will owe your current company back costs is some-
thing you'll need to ask them. You might want to ask, beforehand,
about the company's policy on probationary periods. If there is one, job
responsibilities may be evaluated at that time. Things do change. Before
leaving do all you can to make this position work for your sake and
theirs. As you do this, you'll be bringing closure and leaving because of a
conflict of values, with your heart in California. No one can fault you for
that either. Good luck and keep me posted.

Here is the client's reply to my message. The speed of his reply indi-
cates that a whole-person approach reduced his anxiety. The tone of
his second message also suggests he is no longer feeling stuck, rather
free to focus on new options.

I honestly can't thank you enough for your advice. I feel so much more
relaxed about my career situation and potential options now. Take care.
Again, my sincerest thanks

Example 2: A Foreign National

The second example also shows the importance of paying attention to

tone. Like counselors in face-to-face sessions, the Web counselor
needs to pay attention to the tone of the e-mail message, that is the lan-
guage chosen, the feelings expressed (i.e., enthusiasm or a lack of, fear,
sadness, discouragement, pain, etc.). And, just as these feelings are
not always clear in a face-to-face encounter, they are not always clear
on the printed page. As counselors, it is our job to check out the mean-
ing behind the client's words, whether in person or on paper. Here's an
example of a client asking a straightforward question, identifying his
ONLINE COUNSELING 33

problem as one of "mobbing." Yet, is it so straightforward, how would

you respond?

I'm facing with the mobbing problem. There are several scientific compa-
nies using the method to influence peoples (I mean, at least Russian
companies). Could you reveal possible ways to avoid that? The problem
arise from time to time, independing on chiefs (technicks and technolo-
gies). Is it the way to do science on the world, indeed? Thank you in ad-
vance for any advice.

Before answering this message, I spent some time trying to identify

the word mobbing. What did this mean? Did it refer to the Russian
gangs reported by the news media? And, what did "independing on
chiefs," mean, or "do science on the world?" Was the writer referring to
bomb threats? Or was this a case of a language barrier or cultural dif-
ferences in expressing written concerns? I also spent time reflecting on
the best way to reply. Finally, I decided I had forgotten a primary coun-
seling technique: when in doubt, check it out. Consequently, I did what
I would do in any face-to-face session, I asked the client to clarify:

I am not familiar with the term mobbing or a mobbing problem. If you

would like to clarify or write another question, I will be happy to reply.

The client quickly restated his original question. Obviously, he was

not writing about Russian gangs or bomb threats. His clarification and
speedy response serve to demonstrate the importance of paying atten-
tion to client clues for cultural and language barriers. In his return
message he shows both appreciation and respect for my responses,
writing ...

Dear career guru!

I've considered your work as very useful to everyone. What can I say
about mobbing? There is a German psychologists term which appeared
recently. Mobbing means psychological (and another) pressing (usually
with respect to just employed peoples or active peoples in the conserva-
tive companies) to force peoples leaving their jobs (often under terrible
psychic conditions). There are many peoples, who lost their healthy, not
to mention jobs, felt victims to mobbing. Unfortunately, I haven't a book
about it, but I've read it. If I'll remember the authors, I'll inform you.
Thank you for your carry about peoples. I hope you recognize the mob-
bing with too little information submitted for you.
34 CHAPTER 2

With clarification from the client, I then responded by both affirming

him (the counseling component) and providing information resources
and links for managing stress as well as a list of healthy companies (the
career planning component).

Yes, I understand now what you mean by mobbing. We might call it

downsizing, high stress on the job. The only way I know to avoid it, is to
research a company well, before you interview there. Then you need to
be very observant in your interview and ask questions, which will help
you determine the pros and cons of the company. Interviewing this way
will help you determine if the company will be a healthy environment for
you. One resource on the health of companies is The Wellness Councils
of America. This organization has compiled a list of companies by State
that have been identified as healthy. You can read more about these
companies as well as how to handle stress in this month's issue of Ca-
reer Karma at: http://www.careerkarma.com/199810/02/. On this site,
you'll find the other Career Karma articles of interest. Thank you for your
kind words and I hope this information helps.

Example 3: Downsized Female Employee

In the following message, the writer makes a statement instead of ask-

ing a question.

I was just released from the company that employed me for over 55
months. I received outstanding reviews and pay increased of better than
15% each year. I am having a difficult time understanding the rational
behind the firm's choice of personnel to release.

What is important in this statement? Is she hurt? Confused? Does

she need help finding a new position? What is she asking and how
should a Web counselor respond? Sometime, the best clue for an ap-
propriate response is the response you might give in a face-to-face ses-
sion. In the following response, I begin with an acknowledgment and
affirmation that the situation is hard to understand, followed by a pac-
ing technique, or stating the following message in a factual manner,
similar to the tone of her message. I use this tone to point out that busi-
ness decisions reflect the company's bottom line, not an individual's
worth. Noting, too, that it might be difficult to learn from this and move
on, a link is offered for contacting a certified career counselor. Al-
though I considered other suggestions, I decided to keep this message
ONLINE COUNSELING 35

simple because there wasn't a clearly stated question. What would you
have written? Here is the response:

Yes, it is hard to understandl Unfortunately it happens and generally has

nothing to do with your contributions. Keep in mind, this was a business
decision rather than a statement about you. And, the decision has to do
with the company bottom line rather than your skills or personal worth.
The best thing is to learn from this and move on. If it's too difficult, meet
with a qualified career counselor who can help you sort things and de-
velop action plans. To contact a career counselor in your area check with
the National Board of Certified Counselors at: http://www.nbcc.org.
Take care. Sincerely, The Career Guru

Example 4: African-American Female, Career Changer

In the following message, the writer expresses several concerns: age

(she is too old to start anew), work history (technical vs. the creative
side of her industry), and not knowing where to turn or begin. Yet she
appears optimistic. She writes

Dr. Pat:
I am a 35 yr old African-American female. I have a Bachelor's degree in
Public Relations & Advertising. I'm also an experienced voice-over artist.
My dilemma is this: A love for writing and speaking and being on cam-
era or onstage, and a love for communicating with children in particular.
A little experience in & love of modeling. The catch? I've spent the past
10 years, since graduating college, in the television industry (behind the
camera, on the technical side). Now, it seems, no one will give me the
opportunity to prove that I am indeed a strong writer as well as a natu-
ral on-air talent. Please, can you help me? Any career suggestions will be
greatly appreciated. I'm afraid I'm nearing the point where employers
will consider me too old for consideration in any entry-level position. I
don't know where else to turn. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, 'Cau-
tiously Optimistic'

Because she signs her message, "Cautiously Optimistic," I interpret

this to mean she is expressing hopefulness, not necessarily observed
in the tone of the previous message. All the same, hers is a highly com-
petitive field and this fact needs to be acknowledged, justifying the
need for a little help, which is how the response begins. Because she is
hopeful, chances are she is in a position to hear and receive concrete
information, such as suggestions to contact professional organizations
36 CHAPTER 2

or to participate in volunteer activities. If the tone of her letter had indi-

cated great discouragement, she might not be ready to hear these sug-
gestions or link to the Web site provided at the end of the response. To
verify these assumptions, I ask for feedback at the end of the message.
Here is what I wrote:

This is a tough situation because your field is so competitive. However,

you're not too old. You just need a little help. Sometimes you can get this
by networking within the industry or through professional associations like
the local chapter of the American Federation of Television and Radio Art-
ists. Or you might consider signing up for an internship or volunteering at
a PBS Station that focuses on children's programming. What you may
need most is a strong mentor or agent to help you. Have you looked at
sites like Thomas E. Bliss & Associates: http://www.etbliss.com/. Let me
know if this helps. Sincerely, The Career Guru

Asking for feedback is an equally important part of this message. It is

only with the client's acknowledgment that assumptions about tone, feel-
ings, and appropriate information can be determined. In this case, the as-
sumptions were all on target and the information was received as helpful,
particularly because this time she signed her name, a signal of sincerity.

Thanks for responding. I appreciate it. This helps immensely. I'll give the
"etbliss" site a try. Your help is greatly appreciated.

SUMMARY
These examples from actual practice are offered to demonstrate e-mail
career counseling as an integration model, which combines career
counseling skills and career planning services, with attention to other
worldviews. I believe the examples also demonstrate client issues and
feelings about the service indicating e-mail counseling can be con-
ducted ethically, appropriately, and professionally.
Furthermore, the examples serve to illustrate the complexity of
skills needed to respond effectively online. In addition to career coun-
seling skills and knowledge of career planning services, adjunct skills
are needed. Adjunct skills begin with reflection on the client's message
and include a computer comfort level to respond online by utilizing
search engines and databases to identify appropriate resources. Ad-
junct skills also mean writing and editing skills, not to mention organi-
zational ability to juggle responses by prioritizing, analyzing, toggling
ONLINE COUNSELING 37

online, cutting and pasting, editing, and rereading before sending.

Tracking and sorting into folders, reflecting again, and sometimes re-
writing, and/or asking for client feedback are other adjunct skills nec-
essary for e-mail career counseling.
In the next chapter, Safeguarding the Client-Counselor Relation-
ship, ethical issues regarding confidentiality are covered, including
the power of anonymity. The chapter also discusses the fourth lesson
from the road, the importance of listening to client voices in safe-
guarding the client-counselor relationship. Five themes revealed in
client voices demonstrate the client's view of confidentiality both in
the online career counseling process and in safeguarding the cli-
ent-counselor relationship.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Discuss and prioritize the 11 career counseling competencies,

noting why knowledge of these is important to the practice of
in-person and online career counseling.
2. Name three career counseling theorists and discuss why then-
views are important to practice, stating which one best de-
scribes or does not incorporate your views.
3. State and discuss your personal theory of the career counsel-
ing process, in-person and online.
4. In the examples of clients presented, how would you prioritize
their needs? Whose questions should be answered first? Why
or why not?
5. Do you agree or disagree with the responses to client ques-
tions? How would you have responded? What would help you
to formulate a better response?
 3

Safeguarding the Client-Counselor

Relationship

For counselors, the heart of the debate about online counseling is safe-
guarding the client-counselor relationship. Concerns center on integ-
rity, how to protect the relationship against potential misunder-
standings arising from a lack of visual clues, and how to ensure confi-
dentiality over the Internet. Interestingly as cited in Morrissey (1997),
banning reminded us at presentations he gives on the Internet when he
asks audiences to suggest principles about online counseling that are
different from face to face, he found: "No one has identified any yet." Is
there a difference? Searching for answers led to my fourth lesson on
the road: listening to client voices.

SAFEGUARDING ONLINE IS THE SAME AS IN-PERSON

Because little research has been conducted on safeguarding the online

client-counselor relationship, evidence to inform us is sparse. How-
ever, Lanning's observations suggest there is little difference. If this is
so, perhaps we have lost sight of the simple answer to these concerns.
Simply, we safeguard online relationships in the same manner that we
safeguard in-person counseling situations. We ensure confidentiality
over the Internet by being good professionals, following best practices,
and becoming good people in daily life.
This means we need to be knowledgeable about the theory and prac-
tice of counseling, adhere to ethical standards and practices, and keep
38
SAFEGUARDING 39
current with changes and additions to our respective codes. Additions
include the standards for online counseling and career services re-
cently approved by NBCC and the NCDA.
Like most counselors, I take seriously, the mandate to "do no harm"
and "promote the general welfare" of clients. Yet, in everyday practice, I
only spend time examining the various codes of ethics when there's a
perceived problem or dilemma. Certainly, this was true in my search
for guidance regarding online standards. In the process I rediscovered
how many answers and guidelines for practice can be found among
our codes.
NBCC Standards for Ethical Practice
I was fortunate to look for answers when the NBCC standards were
first published. The document begins by emphasizing, 'This docu-
ment, like all codes of conduct, will change as information and circum-
stances not yet foreseen evolve ... (and) ... are not to duplicate
non-internet-based standards adopted in other codes of ethics." The
statement indicates counselors, first and foremost, are to follow the
standards for in person counseling as they practice counseling online.
Thus, the 13 NBCC guidelines are extra standards to follow. Four of
the 13 are particularly pertinent to the discussion of safeguarding the
relationship and/or to confidentiality:

1. To inform clients about the security of client/counselor/supervi-

sor communications and potential hazards of unsecured com-
munications on the Internet (Guideline 2).
2. To mention presenting problems inappropriate for WebCounsel-
ing, providing specific examples (Guideline 11).
3. To explain to clients the possibility of technology failure (Guide-
line 12).
4. To explain how to cope with potential misunderstandings arising
from the lack of visual clues from the WebCounselor or Web client
(Guideline 13).

NCDA Guidelines for Use of the Internet

In contrast to NBCC WebCounseling Guidelines, NCDA Guidelines are

specific to career services. NCDA Guidelines emphasize the delivery of
information, such as the qualifications of the website developer/pro-
vider versus career counselor qualifications (Guideline 1); the impor-
40 CHAPTER 3

tance of using previously tested databases and computer-based career

information and guidance systems (Guideline 3); and the use of online
assessment (Guideline 8, a-e). However, like the NBCC document, the
NCDA Guidelines stress adherence to the same codes for face-to-face
counseling sessions. For example, in discussing the use of online as-
sessment, NCDA states:

• The counselor must abide by the same ethical guidelines as if he

or she were administering and interpreting these same invento-
ries or tests in face-to-face mode and/or in print form (Guideline
8, b).
• Every effort must be exerted to protect the confidentiality of the
user's results (Guideline 8, c).
• If there is evidence that the client does not understand the results
... by email or telephone interchanges, the counselor must refer
the client to a qualified career counselor in his or her geographic
area (Guideline 8, d).

FORMING MY THEORY OF ONLINE PRACTICE

When I sought answers beyond NBCC and NCDA guidelines, I noticed

the absence of client voices. In the literature, there was no mention of
their thoughts. Nor had researchers chronicled what users of online
services had to say about safeguarding the relationship. Professionals
appeared to hold one of two views. Either they referred to the authority
figures (my tendency) to define web guidelines or standards of deliv-
ery, or they believed independently that they know what is best for cli-
ents. The third alternative was not apparent in the literature, that is,
asking clients (the partners in this relationship) how they would define
safeguarding the relationship. Instead of soliciting client input for in-
sight or clues, professionals appeared to adhere to the tradition that
says, "they (clients) speak with their feet," or they tell what they want or
need by seeking, continuing, and/or declining services.
Speaking With Their Feet

Speaking with their feet is one of the ways professionals measure the
importance of an issue, a new perspective, or an emerging specialty.
For instance, when clients come forth in large numbers seeking help
with a specific problem, we pay attention. In the process we create
SAFEGUARDING 4]^

strategies to meet the demand. In turn, this leads to the development of

counselor competencies. Developing competencies creates and in-
creases the need for counselor programs or continuing education
workshops about specific issues. From these programs, new special-
ties emerge. This is the process or life cycle of NBCC specialty creden-
tials such as the credentials for National Certified Career Counselors
(NCCC), Master Addictions Counselor (MAC) and National Certified
School Counselors (NCSC) to name three. In reverse, the same ratio-
nal, speaking with their feet, applies. Take the recently retired NCCC.
It was born to meet a growing demand, then retired in June 1999.
NBCC sited two reasons: the decline in applications, and the expense
to maintain the specialty.
Whether initiating or retiring a specialty, speaking with their feet is
not a bad measurement; it's just not the only one. Perhaps this ten-
dency is what underlies Lanning's (as cited in Morrissey, 1997) con-
cern about "a paternalism that permeates the field" (p. 3). Although
paternalism can be an issue in organizations and certainly is related to
this discussion, it is secondary to this study. Yet, understanding the
role of paternalism led to my fourth lesson on the road, listening to and
honoring client voices.

LESSON 4: LISTENING TO CLIENT VOICES

Client voices demonstrate and provide important lessons for us all,

particularly about counseling via the Internet. I believe, too, if we are
to satisfactorily answer how we safeguard the online client-counselor
relationship, the response needs to include client voices. We need to
ask clients directly or at the very least pay attention to the clues they
provide. Looking back, several steps led me to this conclusion. These
steps were not necessarily linear. Many happened simultaneously in-
cluding reflecting on practice, identifying client themes, talking with
experts, and reviewing various ethical codes. Often, I found myself re-
flecting on practice while I reviewed various ethical codes, made jour-
nal notes, listened to client messages. Many times, too, while
searching for answers online, in journals, or even talking with ex-
perts, I reflected on practice. Because reflection on practice perme-
ates everything I do as a researcher and counselor, I start with
reflection on practice as the first indicator regarding the importance
of client voices.
42 CHAPTER 3
Reflecting on Practice

August 1999 marked my first year anniversary as an online career

counselor. Yet, I hardly noticed, until mid-September when I opened a
letter from a prospective client who wrote simply,

Dear Dr. Boer:

After reading about you on Monster.com, I wanted to write you immedi-
ately. I need some help finding direction in my life and career ... I am 32
years old, have a Bachelor of Arts ... my biggest problem is ... (and) ...
deciding what I should do next ... you may call me either during the day
or in the evening.

By including phone numbers and times to reach her, like others, this
client revealed her readiness for career services. The simplicity of this
letter made me realize how I had become accustomed to online ser-
vices, taking for granted my growing respect of the medium. It also
jolted my realization that I have grown accustomed to receiving daily
messages.
Observing the Numbers. Starting as the online Career Guru for
OCC.com, I had answered 850 or more messages in 5 months. After
the merger with Monster, an equal number of clients continued to con-
tact my private practice by e-mail, phone, and letter, while a new popu-
lation of more than 3,000 clients wrote the Career Guru Message
Board. Together there were 4,700 individuals seeking career services.
By any tally that's an impressive number, particularly when it repre-
sents pleas to only one career counselor. These more than 4,700 cli-
ents represent a growing and global population for which safeguarding
the client-counselor relationship is equally important. Their numbers
alone reveal a need for online career counseling. That's why I believe
the question of how to safeguard this special relationship is one of the
most important issues in the debate. It speaks to the very heart of what
we do as counselors: how we interact with clients. If we fail to answer
this question, we fail. I believe, too, that if we cannot define satisfacto-
rily how we safeguard the relationship in person settings, we won't
have a clue about safeguarding it online. Safeguarding is more than a
technical problem of securing log on names and passwords.

Broadening the Scope. Initially, I viewed the concept of safeguarding

the client-counselor relationship as technical in nature, equating it
with online security breeches. I suspect I am not the only counselor
SAFEGUARDING 43
who started there. If you are not actively online with clients, it's a logi-
cal conclusion. However, once I began searching for answers, I discov-
ered the American Library Association (ALA) has addressed this issue
for two decades. In the publication, Bill of Rights and Responsibilities
for the Electronic Community of Learners (January 23, 1980), the
ALA emphasizes personal responsibility for both individuals and insti-
tutions, stating in its preamble:
As technology assumes an integral role in education and lifelong learn-
ing, technological empowerment of Individuals and organizations be-
comes a requirement and right for students, faculty, staff, and
Institutions, bringing with It new levels of responsibility that individuals
and institutions have to themselves and to other members of the educa-
tional community.

According to the ALA, individual responsibility means that citizens

are responsible for all other citizens. It is our job "to respect and value
the rights of privacy for all; to recognize and respect the diversity of the
population; to behave ethically; and comply with legal restrictions re-
garding the use of information resources" (Article II. 4).

Identifying Pertinent Policies. Since the early 1990s many school dis-
tricts have struggled with similar questions of access and ethics, par-
ticularly as they prepared to bring connectivity into the schools.
According to Wolf, (1994) the "easy" questions deal with technical is-
sues: "How does one connect?" or "Who will offer the service and how
much does it cost?" The tougher questions are: "Is it worth the cost?"
and "What do we do when one of the students accesses information
which is racist, sexist, sexually explicit or objectionable in some other
way?" To address these issues, Wolf pointed to Acceptable Use Policies
(AUP), warning:
Parents and children should not post personal Information such as
name, address, or phone number. Users are warned that their account is
theirs and they should protect it - that is, don't let others use it, don't tell
people your password, and follow safe password practices such as fre-
quent changes and non-word choices, (p. 17)

Wolf also cited the importance of training and compliance with accept-
able use behaviors pointing to draft policy statements of the Waiakea
Intermediate School, Hilo, Hawaii: "Waiakea will require all such us-
ers to be trained in 'Netiquette,' Electronic Communication Ethics and
User Responsibilities" (p. 24).
44 CHAPTER 3

Clearly, public school systems and libraries have dealt with and
have increased public awareness about appropriate use of the
Internet. Training in user responsibility, netiquette, and ethics lays
the groundwork for best practices in the counseling field. This means
that safeguarding the client-counselor relationship includes user re-
sponsibilities coupled with counselor responsibilities for best prac-
tices, biases, and how these are handled. Safeguarding means
knowing and keeping current with our evolving professional codes of
ethics. To this list of best practices I add that safeguarding also
means listening to clients.
Identifying Client Themes

Listening to my clients first prompted me to explore online services.

Clients regularly asked about online assessments, wondering when I
would offer these and why or why not? They would state how conve-
nient it would be to complete assessments from their homes, not to
mention the ability to contact me by e-mail when they had questions. In
the beginning, I was hesitant.
As I searched for answers, growing numbers of clients contacted me
over the phone, by mail, and through OCC.com. Messages arrived
daily not only from the United States, but from more than a dozen
countries including Burma, Austria, Canada, China, Ghana, Holland,
India, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Switzerland, Thailand,
Sweden, Venezuela, and the United Kingdom. Whether by e-mail or let-
ter, whether from international or U.S. clients, each message started
similarly to the letter noted earlier. They began with phrases referring
to my credentials, such as: "I read your credentials on Monster.com,"
"Because of your extensive experience," "After reviewing your bio I feel
you have the qualifications to assist me," or simply, "I've been looking
for someone like you to help me."
After reading several hundred messages beginning in a similar fash-
ion, it was easy to conclude credentials are an important part of the
equation for those seeking online help. In fact, credentials appeared to
be more important than the issue of confidentiality. Few messages
noted fear of disclosure. If confidentiality was important, these same
clients requested it: "please keep this confidential," or "I'm writing you
because I want this kept confidential," and/or "please send replies to
my home e-mail or phone number rather than my work address." By
reflecting on recurring phrases in the client messages, I began to ob-
SAFEGUARDING 45
serve three recurring themes with implications for safeguarding the
client-counselor relationship from the clients' perspective.

Theme I: Counselor Credentials. Clients write or tell me they believe I

can help them because they have read my credentials and/or about my
experience in the field. My biography is posted online for clients to re-
view, a practice consistent with WebCounseling Guidelines for Coun-
seling Over the Internet In this way, clients may read where I earned
my undergraduate as well as graduate degrees and in which disciplines.
They are able to learn which certifications I have earned, positions I have
held, clients I have served, and my membership affiliations. In the sec-
tion stating I am a member of the NCDA and certified by the NBCC, links
are provided to both organizations. By clicking on these links, clients
may read the Ethical Standards I follow for providing career counseling
over the Internet. These same links provide access to consumer guide-
lines for selecting a career counselor as well as client rights and respon-
sibilities. In this way, too, clients know ahead of time exactly what
services are provided, for whom the services are provided, and what my
credentials are. This information appears to give online clients a sense
of trust, security, and an invitation to seek services. Armed with the pros
and cons, they are free to make their choices about the merits of using
online career counseling services.

Theme 1: Trust. The sheer numbers of people seeking online ser-

vices suggest that limitations regarding visual clues and confidential-
ity are not clients' primary issues. When they are, clients make
requests trusting these will be honored. Otherwise, they appear com-
fortable online, perhaps due to prior experience at schools, in librar-
ies, or from training sessions on netiquette, or even from reading
privacy statements. Contrary to warnings, the majority of clients
plunge ahead, posting questions including personal data, sharing
their first and last name, age, marital status, educational level, and
profession. Some include phone numbers. By reading the privacy
statement and then using the service, clients agree to the terms or
limitations of privacy and in effect waive their rights. This is consis-
tent with ACA's (1994) Code of Ethics, "The right to privacy may be
waived by the client or his or her legally recognized representative"
(Section B: Confidentiality, b.).
Knowing this, it is astonishing to me that of the more than 4,700
messages I received in 1 year, I would not consider one a crank, ob-
46 CHAPTER 3

scene, nor even testy. Rather the messages are well written, expressed
with sincerity, and arrive from educated professionals, with equal
numbers holding undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees.
Their tone is serious. Some give more details than others, yet nearly all
reveal personal data beyond informational questions defined by NCDA
as "a specific need, such as review of a resume."
Instead of asking informational questions like: "What's the differ-
ence between a chronological and functional resume?" The writers
ask, "What's the best resume to write in my circumstances?" Often, cir-
cumstances are expressed as fears, including house husbands, who
are fearful of re-entering the job market, clients fired or downsized,
women re-entering the market following divorce or the death of a
spouse, and professionals wanting a career change. A large number
come from foreign nationals and still others from people with disabili-
ties. A much smaller number represent the gay and lesbian communi-
ties, who present discrimination issues related to their job search.
Regardless of issue, each group expresses personal motivation for ca-
reer change exceeding that of clients' in-person sessions.

Theme 3: Appreciation. One of the most convincing reasons to be-

lieve clients have something to say about trust and confidentiality is
their appreciation. Thank you notes (one in seven) demonstrate not
only appreciation for this medium of delivery, the messages show they
receive more than answers to a "specific need." And, they write know-
ing their messages may be made public. These messages demonstrate
that confidentiality, privacy if you will, is more of a concern for the
counselor than for the client. Consider these:

• I honestly can't thank you enough for your advice. I feel so much
more relaxed about my career situation and potential options
now.
• Thank you for responding to my message. Your input has given
me insight on how I should handle the issue and myself. You are a
true help. Thank you.
• For many months I had been searching for an answer on a rather
difficult subject. I queried many sources both on and off the net;
with no result. My inquiry was answered [by CareerGuru] in an
impressive turnaround time—which is a nice touch in itself. More
important, the advice dealt specifically with what I wanted to
know and pinpointed the direction (complete with addresses)
SAFEGUARDING 47
most advantageous to my goal. In simpler terms Watson .... It's
the best thing since sliced bread. Oh, one more thing. It's free.
• Thank you career guru. You are a real GURU! Your answer gave me
a peace of mind I won't forget. I will keep you posted. Thanks again.
• Patricia: thanks a lot for your information it helped me getting
some grip. I will keep you informed how things are working out
for me and I might also bother you with some further questions.
• Thank you so much for responding so quickly. I do have a strong
support network and that has certainly helped me over the last
few months. I do agree that it's time to consult a career counselor.
I had access to one back in the summer, however, did not feel she
was much support. She didn't offer much encouragement ... it's
time to find someone who can be supportive!
Thanks again!!!

These examples offer additional insights beyond appreciation. Con-

sider the following:

1. Language. Notice in each message that the individual thanks me

for more than information. Each uses affective phrases like, "feel-
ing more relaxed," "givingme insight," "finding specific answers,"
"giving me peace of mind," "gaining a grip," and, "time to find
someone who can be supportive!" Isn't this counseling language?
2. Client Movement. In face-to-face sessions, we watch for client
movement by observing what clients do and say (i.e., facial ex-
pressions, body language, suggesting positive change).Client
movement is about observing a client in distress who is showing
behavioral signs of resolution, readiness for change, and/or con-
gruence between their language and behavior. These thank you
messages clearly indicate client movement
3. Format. Appreciation for online formats is also apparent in two
ways. First, it is stated in phrases like: "an impressive turn-
around time—which is a nice touch in itself," "responding so
quickly," and "one more thing. It's free." Second, an appreciation
for the format is implied in the message itself. One out of seven
clients take time to write these messages. How many in-person
clients write their counselors when they gain insight, feel more re-
laxed, have peace of mind, or appreciate turnaround time?
4. Ethical Concerns. Is there anything in these thank you examples
that comes close to violating ethical codes or standards of prac-
48 CHAPTER 3

tice? Do any clients express distress that their confidentiality or

security has been violated? What would the experts say?

Talking With Experts

Before practicing online, before reading the Standards Jor Ethical

Practice ofWebCounseling (NBCC, 1997, 1999), I sought answers to
ethical concerns by calling the ethics committee at the ACA. My early
questions centered on confidentiality issues related to online assess-
ment. As the representative answered my questions, he referred sev-
eral times to the ACA Code of Ethics, citing specific section numbers
for my review. Once assured that properly administering the online as-
sessment would not compromise the confidentiality of my clients, I
talked with the test providers at CPP-DB. From them I learned only
those licensed to purchase assessment instruments could be licensed
to provide assessments online.
Furthermore, the public cannot just go online and link to CPP-DB,
taking any instrument they choose. The client must first contact a cer-
tified counselor who determines the appropriateness of the instru-
ment for the client. Once that determination is made, the client is given
instructions along with a logon name and password. Nor can the client
print the results. Only the counselor has access to the printed results.
In other words, the testing company was observing standards compat-
ible with and outlined in the ACA Code of Ethics regarding safeguards
for the ethical administration of online assessment instruments.
I followed this same process regarding confidentiality issues related
to e-mail career counseling. In addition, I discussed liability insurance
issues with ACA representatives and increased my coverage. I also
learned the importance of informing clients of encryption methods
used to help ensure the security of the online communication. In my
work with OCC.com and Monster.com, encryption methods were used
whenever possible, with the hazards of unsecured communication
fully explained, as well as a full explanation of what is appropriate and
inappropriate for online career counseling messages.

Reviewing Various Ethical Codes

While talking with the experts and leaders in the field, I also reviewed
the relevant code of ethics. As a NCCC, three professional associations
support my practice: the ACA, the NCDA, and the NBCC.
SAFEGUARDING 49

In addition, these three organizations make available other re-

sources to guide my practice and to help inform about safeguarding
the client-counselor relationship. ACA offers the Practitioner's Guide
to Ethical Decision Making, NBCC provides the Standards for the
Ethical Practice of WebCounseling, and the NCDA publishes the
Guidelinesfor the Use of the Internetfor Provision of Career Informa-
tion and Planning Services.

American Counseling Association

According to the ACA Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, "a

code enables the association to clarify to current and future members
and to those served by members, the nature of the ethical responsibili-
ties held in common by its members." The ACA Code of Ethics in-
cludes eight sections with eight respective standards of practice,
representing minimal behavioral statements. These are:

1. The counseling relationship

2. Confidentiality
3. Professional responsibility
4. Relationships with other professionals
5. Evaluation, assessment, and interpretation
6. Teaching, training, and supervision
7. Research and publication
8. Resolving ethical issues.

Although all eight are important for the practice of counseling, three
are particularly pertinent to a discussion on safeguarding the cli-
ent-counselor relationship: the counseling relationship, confidential-
ity, and resolving ethical issues.

The Counseling Relationship. Section A of the code begins with a clear

statement that the client's welfare is the primary responsibility of the
counselor. This means the counselor is "to respect the dignity and to
promote the welfare of clients," and "to encourage client growth and
development." Twelve subsections of Section A outline responsibilities
to ensure the clients' welfare, including Computer Technology (A. 12.):
use of computers, explanation of limitations, and access to computer
applications in counseling services. Eight standards of practice also
specify the following:
50 CHAPTER 3
1. Nondiscrimination: Counselors must avoid discrimination be-
cause of age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race,
religions, sexual orientation, marital status, or socioeconomic
status (section A.2.a).
2. Disclosure to clients: Counselors must adequately inform cli-
ents, preferably in writing, regarding the counseling process and
the counseling relationship at or before the time it begins and
throughout the relationship (section A.S.a).
3. Dual relationships: Counselors must ensure that judgment is not
impaired and that no exploitation occurs (section A. 6.a).
4. Sexual intimacies with clients: Counselors must not engage in
any type of sexual intimacies with current clients (or) with former
clients within a minimum of 2 years after terminating the coun-
seling relationship (section A. 6 .b).
5. Group work: Counselors must protect clients during group work
from physical or psychological trauma resulting from interac-
tions during group work (section A.9.b).
6. Fees: Counselors must explain prior to entering the counseling
relationship, financial arrangements related to professional ser-
vices (section A. 10. A-d and A. 1 l.c).
7. Termination: Counselors must assist in making appropriate arrange-
ments for the continuation of treatment of clients, when necessary, fol-
lowing termination of counseling relationships (section A. 11 .a).
8. Inability to assist clients: Counselors must avoid entering or im-
mediately terminate a counseling relationship if it is determined
that they are unable to be of professional assistance to the client
making an appropriate referral for the client (section A.I l.b).
Confidentiality. Again the code is very clear about the client's right
to privacy, stating, "Counselors respect their clients right to privacy
and avoid illegal and unwarranted disclosures of confidential informa-
tion ... (and)... the right to privacy may be waived by the client or his or
her legally recognized representative." Eight standards of practice
specify particulars to guide and ensure client confidentiality:
1. Requirements: Counselors must keep information related to
counseling services confidential unless disclosure is in the best in-
terest of client, is required for the welfare of others, or is required
by law when required, only information that is essential is revealed
and the client is informed of such disclosures (section B.l.a+f).
SAFEGUARDING 5±
2. Subordinates: Counselors must take measures to ensure that
privacy and confidentiality of clients are maintained by subordi-
nates (section B.l.h).
3. Group work: Counselors must clearly communicate to group
members that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed in-group
work (section B.2.a).
4. Family counseling: Counselors must not disclose information
about one family member in counseling to another family mem-
ber without prior consent (section B.2.b).
5. Records: Counselors must maintain appropriate confidentiality
in creating, storing, accessing, transferring, and disposing of
counseling records (section B.4.b).
6. Permission to record/observe: Counselors must obtain prior
consent from clients in order to record electronically or observe
sessions (section B.4.c).
7. Disclosure/transfer of records: Counselors must obtain client
consent to disclose or transfer records to third parties, unless ex-
ceptions exist (section B.4.e).
8. Data disguise: Counselors must disguise the identity of the client
when using data for training, research, or publication (section
B.S.a).

Resolving Ethical Issues. The ACA Code is very clear that first and
foremost it is the counselor's responsibility to be knowledgeable
about the standards of resolving ethical issues. According to the
Code, "Lack of knowledge or misunderstanding of an ethical re-
sponsibility is not a defense against a charge of unethical conduct"
(section F.3.e). To resolve ethical issues, the Standards of Practice
specify two very important aspects of ethical behavior:

1. Ethical behavior expected: Counselors must take appropriate

action when they possess reasonable cause that raises doubts
as to whether counselors or other mental health professionals
are acting in an ethical manner (section H.2.a).
2. Cooperation with ethics committees: Counselors must cooper-
ate with investigations, proceedings, and requirements of the
ACA Ethics Committee or ethics committees of other duly con-
stituted associations or boards having jurisdiction over those
charged with a violation (section H.3).
52 CHAPTER 3
NCDA National Ethical Standards and NBCC Code of Ethics

Just as the preamble for the ACA Code of Ethics states that the associ-
ation is an educational, scientific, and professional organization
whose members are dedicated to the enhancement of human develop-
ment throughout the life span, NCDA Ethical Standards (revised
1991) adds, "the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of each in-
dividual and thus, to the service of society." This additional emphasis
on the "service of society," coupled with procedures for ethical com-
plaints, are distinguishing factors in the two codes. Also, the ACA code
includes an emphasis on teaching, training, and supervision, whereas
NCDA offers separate sections on consulting and private practice. Be-
cause NBCC first adopted the NBCC Ethical Standards in 1987, to-
day's NBCC Code of Ethics, amended October 31, 1997, parallels the
same categories of the NCDA Ethical Standards. Also, the preamble:
provides an expectation of and assurance for the ethical practice for all
who use the professional services of an NBCC certificant. In addition, it
serves the purpose of having an enforceable standard for all NBCC
certificants and assures those served of some resources in case of a per-
ceived ethical violation.

In addition, NBCC promotes counseling through certification and in

pursuit of this mission the organization promotes:

• Quality assurance in counseling practice.

• The value of counseling.
• Public awareness of quality counseling practice.
• Professionalism in counseling.
• Leadership in credentialing.

Together these three associations guide counselors in their daily

practice in face-to-face settings. A closer look at each of these docu-
ments includes guidelines for safeguarding services related to comput-
ers, which are addressed under the counseling relationship in Section
A. 12 a.-c. and under Section E. Evaluation, Assessment and Interpre-
tation. NCDA also discusses appropriate ways to safeguard the cli-
ent-counselor relationship under the Counseling Relationship,
Section B., 16-17, under Measurement and Evaluation, Section C. Be-
cause the NBCC Code of Ethics was amended October 31,1997, it spe-
cifically guides counselors in appropriate ways to safeguard the
SAFEGUARDING 53
relationship, referring throughout the document to the NBCC stan-
dards for WebCounseling. In the same year, NCDA published Guide-
lines for the use of the Internet for Provision of Career Information
and Planning Services, approved October 1997.
PRACTITIONER'S GUIDE TO ETHICAL DECISION MAKING
Searching for answers helped me clarify and resolve my own questions
concerning safeguarding the client-counselor relationship. To guide
me further, I followed the Practitioner's Guide to Ethical Decision
Making, developed by Forester-Miller and Davis (1996). It is a model
based on five moral principals, which bear repeating.
Autonomy
This principal addresses the concept of independence, allowing free-
dom of choice and action. It addresses the responsibility of the coun-
selor to encourage clients to make their own decisions and to act on
their own values. Two important considerations are addressed. The
first is helping the client to understand how his or her values and ac-
tions may be received in the context of the society in which he or she
lives and how these may impinge on the rights of others. The second re-
lates to the client's ability to make competent choices, for example chil-
dren and/or some individuals with mental handicaps should not be
allowed to act on decisions that could harm the client or others.
Nonmaleficense
This concept means not causing harm to others. The principle is con-
sidered by some the most critical of all principles, often explained as
"above all, do no harm." It reflects the idea of not inflicting intentional
harm and not engaging in actions that risk harming others.
Beneficence
This principle reflects the counselor's responsibility to contribute the
welfare of the client. It means doing good, being proactive, and also
preventing harm when possible.
Justice
This principle does not mean treating all individuals the same. For-
ester-Miller and Davis cite Kitchener who stated that it means, "treat-
54 CHAPTER 3
ing equals equally and unequals unequally but in proportion to their
relevant differences" (p. 49). If an individual is to be treated differently,
the counselor needs to be able to offer a rationale that explains the ne-
cessity and appropriateness of this action.

Fidelity

Fidelity includes the notions of loyalty, faithfulness, and honoring

commitments. Clients must be able to trust the counselor and have
faith in the therapeutic relationship if growth is to occur. Therefore,
the counselor must take care not to threaten the therapeutic relation-
ship nor leave obligations unfulfilled.
In addition to the five moral principles, the model offers a deci-
sion-making process. The model includes the following seven steps:

1. Identify the problem.

2. Apply the ACA Code of Ethics.
3. Determine the nature and dimensions of the dilemma.
4. Generate potential courses of action.
5. Consider the potential consequences of all options, choose a
course of action.
6. Evaluate the selected course of action.
7. Implement the course of action.

Furthermore, the authors of the model noted that different profes-

sionals may implement different solutions or actions to the same situ-
ation. That is because there is rarely one right answer to a complex
ethical dilemma. However, a systematic mode can assure the coun-
selor will be able to give a professional explanation for the course cho-
sen. Forester-Miller and Davis quoted Van Hoose and Paradise who
suggested that a counselor is probably acting in an ethically responsi-
ble way concerning a client if:

1. He or she has maintained personal/professional honesty, cou-

pled with
2. the best interests of the client,
3. without thought of malice or personal gain, and
SAFEGUARDING 55
4. can justify his or her actions as the best judgment of what should
be done based upon the current state of the profession, (p. 58)

SUMMARY

The importance of listening to and honoring client voices cannot be

over emphasized. Their numbers alone, more than 4,700 in one year
to one counselor, demands attention. Their voices provide valuable in-
sights as we define what is meant by online career counseling and the
career counseling process. Client voices also support the observations
of Lanning (cited in Morrissey, 1997), that is, to trust clients to choose
what is best for them, a concept consistent with the ethical codes and
standards for practice outlined by ACA, NCDA, and NBCC, the three
professional organizations supporting our practice.
With few exceptions, I believe client voices tell us that safeguarding the
online client-counselor relationship does not differ from in-person coun-
seling situations. Consequently, I agree with Lanning when he asked:
If a client is informed about the confidentiality risks of counseling (online
or other) why do we think those clients cannot make intelligent informed
choices about the Internet as we assume they do in traditional counsel-
ing? My office records can be stolen or broken into but we don't worry
about that as much as security on the Internet, (p. 3)

If online clients are informed about confidentiality risks, who are we

to think we know best about their needs? Who are we to think clients
cannot make informed choices about what is best for them? And, I be-
lieve, trusting their judgment means honoring their choices. By includ-
ing client voices in our discussions, our clients will contribute to the
best practices in this new medium, including their visions about safe-
guarding this very special relationship.
In the next four chapters, I elaborate on how client voices help trans-
late in-person career-counseling competencies for use in online set-
tings. Chapter 4 introduces the importance of serving international
and diverse populations, with the following three chapters focusing on
counseling skills for a new context, including coaching for perfor-
mance improvement, the role of online assessment, and providing ap-
propriate information and referrals.
56 CHAPTER 3

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Name the key points for online practice offered by the NBCC
and the NCDA. Discuss differences. Which of these points are
most relevant for your situation and practice? Why or why not?
2. Are client voices important to you, to your practice? Explain by
providing an example from your practice.
3. Identify and discuss why clients find a career counselor's cre-
dentials important. Do you agree or disagree with the impor-
tance of credentials outlined in this chapter?
4. Which code of ethics or standard of practice is most helpful in
guiding your practice?
5. Discuss Lanning's notion of paternalism. What does it mean to
you? How does paternalism impact your practice?
 PART

II

Translating Reflections Into Practice

Translating Reflections Into Practice is the organizing theme for

the next four chapters. This section discusses competencies as
well as issues posed by online career counseling clients. Chapter
4, Serving International Clients and Diverse Populations, offers
responses for an international clientele, giving attention to issues
not typically addressed in career counseling sessions, such as
questions about immigration laws, work permits, visas, and in-
ternational recruiters. Chapter 5, Coaching^ Consulting for Per-
formance Improvement, addresses the importance of defining
the online skills, as well as differences in services offered by ca-
reer counselors and career coaches. Chapter 6, Understanding
the Use of Assessment Online, clarifies the link between career
counseling and testing, demonstrating through client examples
how online testing is implemented. The last chapter in this sec-
tion, chapter 7, Providing Appropriate Information and Refer-
rals, addresses the knowledge and resources considered
essential in using technology to assist individuals with career
planning. Links are provided for labor market information and
related resources. Although logic suggests program promotion,
management and implementation would be next, it is not empha-
sized in this section. Rather, this competency is integrated into
the last three chapters, in Part III, Preparing for a Paradigm Shift.
This page intentionally left blank
 4

Serving International Clients

and Diverse Populations

In August 1998, when an overwhelming number of messages arrived at

OCC.com for the Career Guru, I quickly noticed the complexity of the
questions. Individual and cultural differences were obvious even
among questions about resumes. Whether messages arrived from the
states or foreign nationals, most provided personal details about indi-
vidual circumstances. As I read each, I remember thinking, "I'm glad
I'm not a novice. I would quit tomorrow." And, as each looked to this
medium for hope, alternatives to their pain, I realized clients truly
wanted interactive services with a qualified career counselor rather
than strictly informational responses. As I struggled to conform to
NCDA's concept of career planning services, I became more con-
vinced that the NCDA definition needed expansion.

INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS

Just thinking about expanding the definition of online services gave me

confidence. As overwhelmed as I felt from the surge of questions, I
knew my confidence was grounded in years of practice and theory
based on Rogerian concepts. My philosophy also was steeped in early
experiences living and teaching in Southern California where accep-
tance and understanding for cultural differences and worldviews were
part of daily life. More importantly, I drew strength from knowledge
grounded in a code of professional ethics and standards of practice. I
59
60 CHAPTER 4

also knew my strength as a counselor lay in asking questions and seek-

ing supervision when needed.
One in Ten Messages

Consequently when 1 out of 10 of the first 300 messages arrived from

foreign nationals, it shouldn't have surprise me. Yet it did. Although I
had served an international clientele, my clients never presented im-
migration issues. Without losing time, I learned immigration law and
related resources. It was comforting to learn OCC.com already antici-
pated immigration questions posting a Web page for referral informa-
tion. However, these resources did not fit all questions. To respond in
a timely manner, I polished my online research skills by using brows-
ers, search engines, and directories, toggling back and forth between
these to identify appropriate sites. For some questions, my research
efforts appeared effortless with instant searches producing just what
was needed. Other efforts took 1 to 2 days. As I located sites for future
reference, adding to my favorite places, these began to need their own
organization to remain useful.

Parallels in Government Reports

Searching online kept me so busy that summer I hardly noticed news-

paper reports on the rising numbers of immigrants in the United
States. When I did note reports, I realized what I was observing online
(1 in 10 messages on immigration issues) paralleled increases in im-
migrants coming from Asian and Hispanic countries. In an article by
Randolph E. Schmid (1999), published by the Associated Press, the
Census Bureau reported: "Overall, there were 25,208,000 for-
eign-born U.S. residents as of July 1,1998—9.3 percent of the nation's
population ... close to the 9.7 percent recorded in 1850." The article
further noted that today's immigrants come from the South and Asia, a
sharp contrast to the Europeans who flooded American shores in the
19th century. In my state of Indiana, the fastest growing segments of
the population were reported as Asians and Hispanics.
Consistent with these reports are those published by the U.S. De-
partment of Education (DOE) noting adult learners and nontraditional
populations are a significant and diversifying force within the aca-
demic community. Accordingly, the DOE as cited by Rayman (1999),
noting that "between 1991 and 1995, the number of Hispanic under-
INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS 61^

graduates increased by 26%, Asians increased by 24%, American Indi-

ans by 14% and Blacks by 9%" (p. 180).
Rayman (1999), writing about the importance of career services for
the new millennium, called for the profession to design "new and alter-
native service delivery modes (e.g., bilingual counselors, counselors
familiar with disability issues, services catering to returning adult stu-
dents)." According to Rayman, "by redoubling our efforts to meet the
changing career development needs of the increasingly diverse student
body, we are likely to improve the quality of our services to everyone"
(p. 180).
Although I found these reports on target and often comforting, I con-
tinued to journal about my feelings of surprise, noting and wishing I
had more resources to offer clients whose stories, full of hope, expecta-
tion, or pain looked to this service for answers. With few exceptions,
they wrote asking for the names of companies that wanted to hire for-
eign nationals. And, with fewer exceptions, asked the same question,
"Please tell me which companies hired someone with my skills" or
"Please send the name of recruiters who search for individuals with my
background." Reflecting on messages and searching for answers re-
lated to immigration issues and diverse client populations led to my
fifth lesson on the road.

LESSON 5: ONLINE CAREER COUNSELING BRIDGES

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

As noted in an earlier chapter, online career counseling services in-

crease access and encourage clients to step forward with questions. In
the case of international clients, the Internet provides clients increased
access from remote areas and may serve as a strategy for bridging cul-
tural differences.
Indications From the Literature

For instance, Sue and Sue (1990) pointed out the importance of under-
standing communication style differences, charting nonverbal and
verbal styles for American Indians, Asian Americans/Hispanics,
Whites and Blacks (see Table 4.1).
Notice there are five dimensions of differences among the groups in
Table 4.1. The first dimension emphasizes differences in speech pat-
terns, from speaking softly to speaking loudly to control the listener
62 CHAPTER 4
Table 4.1
Communication Style Differences (Overt Activity Dimension-Nonverbal/Verbal)

American Indians Asian/Hispanics Whites Blacks

1 . Speak softly/ 1 . Speak softly 1 . Speak loud/to 1 . Speak with affect

slower control listener

2. Indirect gaze when 2. Avoidance of eye 2. Greater eye 2. Direct eye contact
listening or contact when contact when (prolonged) when
speaking listening or listening speaking, but less
speaking to when listening
high-status
persons

3. Interject less 3. Similar rules 3. head nods, 3. Interrupt

seldom offer nonverbal markers (turn-taking
encouraging when can)
communication

4. Delayed auditory 4. Mild delay 4. Quick responding 4. Quicker

(silence) responding

5. Manner of 5. Low-keyed, 5. Objective, task- 5. Affective,

expression indirect oriented emotional
low-keyed, interpersonal
indirect

and to speaking with affect. Eye contact is next, covering indirect gaze
to avoidance when speaking to high-status persons, to greater eye con-
tact when listening, and prolonged contact when speaking but listening
less. The third and fourth dimensions range from interjecting less to
head nods, to interrupting and taking turns, whereas the fourth di-
mension ranges from silence to delayed auditory to mild delay, to
quick and quicker responses. The fifth dimension emphasizes man-
ner, from low-keyed, indirect to objective task-oriented and affective
emotional and interpersonal manner. Clearly, these five dimensions
are important in face-to-face or in-person counseling sessions.
Style differences are less important with online career counseling or
communicating through written text. There is no need to worry about
misinterpreting or responding with bias based on how one speaks, let
alone how one makes or does not make eye contact. The online process
allows for all communication styles, thereby bridging cultural differ-
ences. This is equally true for the manner of communicating such as in-
terjecting and/or responding with silence and emotion. And, for those
INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS 63

international clients who value family input, who make decisions as a

family unity, an online service provides the opportunity for whole-family
participation. The family can gather around the computer to write ques-
tions and process responses before replying as a family unit.

Indications From Educational Attainment Levels and Client Anonymity

Messages from international clients also suggest these users are highly
educated. Like online clients in the states, their messages reveal equal
numbers with undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees, in-
dicating that a highly educated population uses this medium.
Furthermore, the medium's ability to provide anonymity increases
the likelihood of bridging cultural differences, serving as a strategy to
better serve international clients. For instance, unlike face-to-face
counseling, online clients (e-mail career counseling clients) have the
option of being completely anonymous, sharing whatever they like or
want the counselor to know. These clients know they may ask a ques-
tion without revealing their name, address, phone number, social se-
curity number, gender, sexual preference, even country, let alone
worrying how their body language or nonverbal cues will be received.
Knowing it will be harder for the counselor to speculate or judge partic-
ulars about their background, they need only write via e-mail. Yet, in
the messages I received, complete anonymity was not a priority. Most
volunteered their names, educational backgrounds, current employ-
ment, and their country of origin.
Perhaps a paradox occurs when there is the freedom to choose what
will be shared. Freed to share or not share feelings, intimate details,
and/or worry about misunderstandings arising from nonverbal com-
munications, the client becomes more open. Perhaps this online me-
dium allows clients to share information that according to Sue and Sue
(1990), they would be reluctant to disclose in a face-to-face situation.
During the last weeks of August and the beginning of September
1998, no less than 30 foreign nationals wrote for employment informa-
tion, with the majority mentioning their educational attainment (un-
dergraduate and graduate degrees, with several in technical areas).
The list speaks for itself, with each client beginning his or her message
by stating, "I am ... "

• A civil engineer of Chinese origin based in Malaysia, with 18 years

experience.
64 CHAPTER 4
• An installation engineer, leading product, mostly working in
southeast Asia, Korea, and Taiwan... recently living in Thailand.
• A 1993 graduate in accounting and economics from a Canadian
university.
• An SCADA/PLC project engineer presently working in Muscat
(Oman).
• A civil engineer living in Pakistan.
• A Malaysian, seeking an IT position in the UK or USA.
• An Indonesian, working on a visa so I can migrate and live in the
USA with my fiancee.
• In Namibia, everyday is painful for me.
• A civil engineer for 17 years working in the Middle East.
• An MBA currently completing my education in Lausanne.
• A director of human resources for an international company in
Canada.
• An executive office assistant in Dubai for a five-star hotel.
• A perplexed in Calgary, Alberta Canada.
• A Canadian seeking employment in the USA.
• A leading system integrator in India.
• An engineering graduate in the field of telecommunications from
Bangalore, India.
• Currently working in Singapore as a consultant (analyst/pro-
grammer) for a bank.
• In the Ukraine and want to find a job in an English speaking coun-
try.
• A B.E. in mechanical engineering from Mysore University, My-
sore graduate.
• An accounting technician from the UK.
• An IT consultant, employed in Thailand and looking for work in
USA.
• Currently living in Switzerland, and want to work in London.
• An industrial relations specialist from India.
• An MBA from UTS, Syndney, Australia.
• From Malta, 22 years old.
• An Indian national residing in Bahrain.
• A medical doctor (MD), 44 years old, in Buenos Aires.
• A young man living in Ghana.
• A singer (base) from Moscow.
• A Korean with work experience in the U.S. and Canada, willing to
pay moving expenses.
INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS 65
Clearly, the list represents an educated population, one sophisti-
cated enough to know the risks of posting privileged information on-
line. Yet, anxious for answers to their career dilemmas or to realize
their goals, they step forward, seeking answers to their individual cir-
cumstances. Although their circumstances differed, the most common
questions were the following two: "Please tell me which companies hire
someone with my skills" and "Please send the names of recruiters who
search for individuals with my background." To their replies, I often
began by recognizing their plight, stating something like: "More than
anything, I wish there were recruiters to help. Unfortunately, to be em-
ployed in the USA, the law requires you either have an established resi-
dency or possess a work visa." Then I would address their individual
concerns and/or refer them to immigration links on the OCC.com Web
pages. Or, if I suspected they were new to the site and might have diffi-
culty navigating its links, I would cut and paste the actual quotations or
references.
Department of State Resources
The following is a quote I often included within my replies.
According to the U.S. Department of State, exceptions exist for persons in
shortage occupations and those demonstrating "exceptional ability" in
business, science, or arts, as defined by the State Department. Currently,
the law allots 140,000 employment-based visas within five categories:
1. Priority workers (40,000), people who have "extraordinary ability" or
who are "outstanding professors and researchers" or "certain Multi-
national executives and managers";
2. 40,000 (plus any left over from the first) go to "members of the profes-
sions holding advanced degrees or aliens of exceptional ability";
3. 40,000 visas are issued to skilled workers, professionals, and other
workers;
4. Up to 10,000 are issued to special immigrants, including ministers,
religious workers, and others;
5. Up to 10,000 are issued to persons who have between $500,000 and $3
million to invest in a job-creating enterprise in the USA. In this case, at
least 10 USA workers must be employed by each investor.

Following this type of quote, whenever possible, I include informa-

tion aimed at the client's unique circumstance and/or alternative ways
to enter the country. I also provide links to the resources cited and/or
offer additional resources for follow-up. For example, I point out infor-
mation related to:
66 CHAPTER 4

1. Employers. Before visas can be issued in the second and third prefer-
ence categories, employers must first obtain a "labor certification"
from the U.S. Department of Labor confirming that there are not suffi-
cient U.S. workers who are able, qualified, and willing to perform the
work ... and ... that employment of the alien will not adversely affect
the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers.
2. Diversity Visas. In addition to the preference system, there is one other
way... it is called a Diversity Visa, an annual lottery program to encour-
age immigration from countries that send few immigrants ... like
France. In this category, 55,000 visas are randomly awarded by the
U.S. State Department. If lucky enough to win a Diversity Visa, the per-
son is permitted to reside permanently in the U.S. solely on the basis of
his or her native country's designation by the U.S. State Department.
3. Additional Resources. You may read more about this and the prefer-
ence system at: http://www.immigratioiiforum.org. If you cannot
reach the site directly, link there through the American Immigration
Lawyers Association at: http://www.aila.org. Good luck and I hope
this helps.
INFLUENCING SKILLS

According to Sue and Sue (1990), to avoid "placing Asian Americans in

the uncomfortable and oppressed position," counselors should utilize
influencing versus attending skills, that is, they should provide clients
with the advice and information they seek rather than rely on reflection
of feelings. Sue and Sue (1990) cited a study by Atkinson, Maruyama,
and Matsui, in which the findings showed that "counselors who use the
directive approach were rated more credible and approachable than
those using the nondirective counseling approach" (p. 69).
International Students Versus Established Professionals

In contrast to the large numbers of established professionals using

online career counseling services, fewer international students ac-
cessed the services. Perhaps their universities already offered the ca-
reer services they sought or perhaps aspirations for higher education
assured these students its own type of career development. In any
event, fewer international student sent messages. When they did, I re-
sponded to them in ways similar to their counterparts in the profes-
sions, that is, I provided immigration information. And, often I added
information similar to resources offered to U.S. students, that is, the
importance of conducting career research, enrolling in internships,
and networking with professors. The following is a message from one
female student:
INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS 67

I am a student who is doing her graduation in Political Science (llnd year,

we have III years in graduation B.A (Honsj). Simultaneously I am pursu-
ing a Computer Course from NUT (National Institute Information Tech-
nology). I am doing a 3 year course where I would be learning
programming in Internet, Visual Basic etc. At the moment I am doing
Sybase and by December I shall finish One year in NUT. In this one year I
shall also finish C& C++. However I have quite some knowledge in soft-
ware's like MS-Word, MS-Excel, Access, lnternet(how to form Web
Pages, this does not include Java ), Quality Managementfwe have Semi-
nars etc where we are marked on the basis of our Presentation in class),
LAN, Application Development etc. At the moment I am busy with my
studies but I wish and pray to get a good job in New York or Chi-
cago(USA). I shall be obliged if you could help me by suggesting as to
what I should do in the mere future and what kind of job should I pur-
sue. Please send the mail to any of the following ... Thanking you

Notice her use of language. She writes: "I wish and pray to get a good
job in New York or Chicago (USA)" and she is seeking suggestions. No-
tice, in my response, I avoid direct advice. Instead I offer several sug-
gestions and alternatives for her to choose from:
There are several things to do to prepare for a job in the USA:
1. American Embassy or Consulate. Write or visit the American Embassy
or Consulate stationed in your country. There you can gather infor-
mation on immigration laws and companies doing business with and
in the U.S. You may also learn about companies seeking employees
with your skills. If that is not convenient, use links on our site to make
a visit.
2. Immigration laws. Learn all you can about the immigration laws and
restrictions which may apply to you. Link on our site to the Career Re-
sources page. At the Career Resources page, click on Relocation, then
Immigration.
3. Job options. Read various job descriptions on our site to identify posi-
tions which appeal to you. You can search by city, by state, or search
by job area such as IT, etc.
4. Network. While you are still studying in your country, network there,
that is, discuss your situation with your professors, professionals you
know and trust as well as those you admire. Or, become involved
with professional groups on and off campus. Attend international
conferences whenever you can. These are excellent opportunities to
showcase your skills through presentations and/or by networking
with prospective contacts and employers worldwide.
68 CHAPTER 4

5. Internships. Ask your professors about internships that may be avail-

able in your field. An internship can provide valuable experience and
make you more marketable for positions in this country.
6. Post your resume. Remember to post your resume on our site. Good
Luck. Sincerely, The Career Guru

Although OCC.com had excellent online resources for foreign na-

tions to access, and despite efforts to educate myself on immigration
issues, I still felt inadequate as I responded to the needs of interna-
tional clients. To feel more comfortable I contacted three local re-
sources. These resources included the Indiana University Law School,
the International Center of Indianapolis, and Senator Lugar's Office. At
all three locations I spoke with immigration specialists. What I discov-
ered was what I already knew. There are no lists of employers or re-
cruiters seeking foreign nationals. Instead, all three offices
recommended immigration attorneys who could be contacted through
the Immigration Lawyers Association at http://www.aila.org, an affili-
ated organization of the American Bar Association. Or, they recom-
mended resources provided through embassies many of which offered
resource centers and assistance at http://www.embassy.org. There are
no lists because immigration for employment in the United States re-
quires eligibility and sponsorship. Without sponsorship, immigration
can be very difficult. With sponsorship from a U.S. corporation, the
process is simplified.
Example From Practice

Interestingly, too, the director of the International Center believes cor-

porate American is not the only path to sponsorship. She discussed
multiple ways for making contacts and gaining sponsorship, many of
which are similar strategies to what career counselors tell any job
hunter. These strategies include having a career focus, developing a
plan, and networking with everyone you know. She said she suggests
individuals network in their country with church groups and/or pro-
fessional associations, or work closely with contacts at their embassy.
In other words, just as U.S. clients need to be aware of the hidden job
market, international clients also need to be aware of this strategy. So
often they depend or look to the advertised job market, becoming dis-
couraged when their applications do not result in offers. Accessing the
hidden market through networking may be the immigration client's
most important skill. And, serving an international market may very
INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS 69

well mean that career counselors need to emphasize the importance of

networking, pointing out how many opportunities may be missed with-
out it. In turn, counselors may need to teach and coach clients on the
art of networking.

Networking is a Critical Skill for International Clients. Although net-

working is a job search strategy I often recommend, it took me a year,
plus direct contact with international clients in my private practice, to
learn how critical this skill can be for international clients. Here's what
made it so real.
Exactly 1 year after starting online work, I received a call from Ca-
reer Resources in Cleveland, Ohio, asking me if I was available to pro-
vide Destination Services for one of their clients who was coming to
Indianapolis from the British Isles. Destination Services are new ser-
vices offered by an employer to an employee who accepts a position in
the states. Once the client accepts the position, a counselor is con-
tracted to meet the client/family at their destination point. Generally,
the destination point is the airport, where the counselor meets the ar-
riving plane and assists the client/family as they acclimate to their new
community. Up to 40 hours of assistance is generally provided, which
is customized to meet the individual needs of the client or family. In the
case of my clients, the service began by assisting them with their rental
car, temporary housing, and registration at the local social security of-
fice. It also included tours to learn the city and to identify appropriate
housing, places of worship, leisure time activities, and shopping malls.
In some cases, the client might choose assistance for the spouse and
children, such as information on day care, private schools, and/or spe-
cial needs, including information for spouses interested in volunteer
activities or returning to school. In addition to learning about the city
and the options it offered, my client and his wife wanted to do some
comparison shopping for prices of food, clothing, and household fur-
nishings. We also included a trip to a car dealership to compare new
and used car prices.
Client's Networking Story

On one of our trips I asked, "By the way, how did you land your job
here?" To my surprise, the client said it happened through networking.
The client said he always wanted to come to the United States. Be-
fore he proposed, he even told his bride "eventually I'll be working in
the States." Although he had no real plan, he knew this was one of his
70 CHAPTER 4

goals. As a mechanical engineer, he held a responsible job abroad. He

often spoke with many suppliers around the world, one of which was
located in Indianapolis, Indiana. As he described it, one day he called
the Indianapolis supplier, asking to speak with his counterpart (an-
other mechanical engineer). To his surprise he was told, there wasn't
anyone in that position. The position was actually vacant. Discovering
this, he asked a few more questions and in reply heard, "If you're inter-
ested in the position, fax us your resume." And, as the saying goes, the
rest is history. He faxed his resume, received a phone call, and was in-
terviewed via satellite video. When he was offered the job, he accepted.
The whole process took less than 6 weeks.
National Providers/Associations Concur
What my client described not only serves as a lesson in networking, it
is a model for job hunting internationally. It is also a model of how job
hunting strategies are changing, or what Stephanie Armour (1999)
proposed in her article focusing on "the new interview etiquette." Ac-
cording to the article, the rules are changing fast: "Now technology and
a tight labor market are ushering in an age of virtual interviews, legal
contracts, psychological testing and hiring by committee. Offers are
made faster; interviews are short and intense" (p. 1).
Resource Careers, Cleveland, Ohio. Given these changes, the impor-
tance of networking and providing appropriate services for interna-
tional clients cannot be emphasized enough. Sponsorship is expensive
for employers and they want it to work, suggesting that the right fit is
very important. An e-mail I received in the summer of 1999, from
Mindy Bartholomae, manager of International Relocation Programs,
Resources Careers, Cleveland, Ohio, illustrates my point:
Hello To Allll
I just spent 4 days in New Orleans at the Employee Relocation Council's
International Symposium on International Assignment Management.
Wow, was it ever energizing and so affirming of this service that we offer
to foreign nationals coming to work in the U.S.!
Fortunately, an awareness of the need for destination services is grow-
ing amongst corporate HR departments and the demand will increase
astronomically. So many companies are "going global"! (With) An aver-
age of 1 million dollars per 2-3 year assignment!II It certainly behooves
the company to make it all work!!
INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS 1\_

Because the service we provide is so very personalized, our goal is to

present ourselves in a similar light. I know you all have "gone the extra
mile" with the clients you've served. And it really means allot. Thanks so
much for your support.
Mindy Bartholomae

Professional Association Example. Professional associations are an-

other excellent example of how foreign nationals can begin to network
and increase their potential not only for immigration contacts and op-
portunities, but for career development once they are here. Not all in-
ternational clients write about immigration issues. Many already in
this country write for assistance with on-the-job situations or issues
of discrimination. For instance, for international clients who are
from Asia, I often make referrals to the Naitonal Association of Asian
American Professionals at http:7Avww.naaap.org. NAAAP is a non-
profit 501 (C) (3), all-volunteer organization. Their mission is to pro-
mote the personal and professional development of the Asian
American community. Clearly, networking is among the goals of this
organization. As stated on their Web site:
Our membership comprises a diverse group of individuals with various
levels of education and work experience. By pooling resources to sup-
port common goals, we strive not only to benefit our members, but
more importantly, the entire Asian American community and our soci-
ety at large. NAAAP is involved in many joint projects with Asian Ameri-
can community service groups, professional organizations and
university student groups. As a result, our members are exposed to a
broad yet focused range of activities and are given the opportunity to
meet and work wit other Asian American community leaders. To ac-
complish our goals we:
a. Sponsor and support activities that enhance the cultural awareness
and perception of Asian Americans;
b. Provide resources and assistance to the Asian American community
and Asian American university students;
c. Promote Pan-Asian unity through fellowship and professional net-
working;
d. Enhance the business and career environment for Asian Americans.

Example From Online Practice. Here is an example of an international

client, already in the states, requesting advice. His question asks about
pay equity and recognition on the job. Notice how he begins his ques-
tion with an apology, writing:
72 CHAPTER 4
Dear Career Guru:
This question may be politically improper to ask. I am an Asian American.
I often feel like the company or employer treats me unfairly in terms of
pay and recognition. Do you have any suggestions or ideas on how to
break the barrier to gain acceptance and trust at work?

As a counselor, I believe it is part of my job to help clients normal-

ize their feelings, what some call reframing client messages. I do
this by both reflecting their feelings or restating what they write in
positive terms, and providing them appropriate information for
their review. As evidenced by client responses, I believe this is not in-
consistent with the earlier suggestions offered by Sue and Sue
(1990) regarding preferred counselor behaviors. Also, evidenced by
client responses, I believe instruction and/or teaching is part of the
online career counseling process. My reply to this client was:
Any question applying to a great many people is not politically improper,
particularly the two issues you present.
1. Employment discrimination. Even with laws against employment
discrimination, discrimination can and does continue to happen.
However, regarding pay equity, the law is on your side, meaning you
may be able to negotiate for a pay increase. Ideally, you would do this
when you receive an employment offer. If you didn't negotiate then,
the time to renegotiate your salary is at your annual review, when you
discuss with your supervisor your contributions and value to the
company. By learning about industry salary standards for you field,
as well as in your location and company, you can prepare to present
your case. To read more about salary surveys link at
http://www. occ.com/occ/career/salary
2. Gaining recognition. Gaining trust and acceptance leading to recog-
nition is a more complex issue than pay equity. No laws govern rec-
ognition. Recognition, acceptance, and trust also mean different
things to different people. Sometimes cultural differences keep us
apart or separate us unnecessarily. You already may have your em-
ployer's acceptance and trust yet not recognize it. For example,
many White males use joking, teasing, and/or humor to pay compli-
ments to each other, believing the other accepts this behavior as a
sign of admiration or respect. Sometimes, too, they use this method
of communication to correct one another, as a way to say, "shape
up!" Communicating with humor can be very confusing. Here are
two suggestions to determine if this is what's happening in your case:
a. Read more about communication styles, particularly cross-cul-
tural styles. There are several books on the subject which you
may identify by searching at http://www.amazon.com
INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS 73
b. Gain support from like-minded people. In your case, I'd suggest
contacting one of the chapters of the National Association for Asian
American Professionals (NAAAP). Among the goals of NAAAP are to
promote professional networking and to enhance the business and
career environment of Asian American Professionals. Link there
at: http://www.naaap.org. Belonging to NAAAP or a similar organi-
zation is a good strategy for breaking down barriers as well as en-
hancing your long-term career development goals. Good luck, and
I hope this helps.

His return message was brief yet speaks for itself. He replies:

Thank you for responding to my message. Your input has given me in-
sight on how I should handle the issue and myself. You are a true help.
Thank you.

SUMMARY

Ten percent of the messages from an international clientele suggests

we need online career counseling services offering resources for a
global marketplace. Government reports indicate the largest increases
in immigration are the Hispanic and Asian populations, with evidence
suggested by a proportionate rise in these populations on college cam-
puses. To meet new demands for career services in the millennium,
Raymon (1999) called for "redoubling our efforts to meet the changing
career development needs of the increasingly diverse student body"
(and noted) "we are likely to improve the quality of our services to ev-
eryone" (p. 180).
I concur with Raymon, believing improvement in one area benefits
all. Online career services may be one strategy that would redouble our
efforts, particularly for an educated population who are most likely to
utilize online career services. Further messages from an educated pop-
ulation suggest individualized career information is more important
than confidentiality issues. This is evidenced in messages volunteering
personal details regarding individual differences and situations. To
reach their goals, online clients appear willing to waive their rights to
privacy over the Internet.
More than any other client population's messages, international
messages convince me of the need to expand the definition of online ca-
reer planning services as defined by NCDA. Without some type of inter-
action between the client and the counselor, NCDA's definition of
career planning services becomes incomplete. It describes services
74 CHAPTER 4

similar to an electronic book or message board rather than a dynamic

relationship created through text or an interactive service between cli-
ents and qualified career counselors.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Characterize international clients who utilize online career

counseling services.
2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using online ca-
reer counseling with international populations. Give examples.
3. What are the most effective counselor skills suggested by Sue
and Sue (1990)? Do you agree or disagree with this perspec-
tive? Why or why not?
4. Do you agree that networking is a critical skill for international
clients to develop? Why or why not? Give an example to sup-
port your position.
5. Do you agree with the notion that online career counseling ser-
vices bridge cultural differences? Provide evidence to support
your response.
 5

Coaching/Consulting
for Performance Improvement

Like the importance of networking as a career search strategy, coach-

ing/consulting for performance improvement, is an important coun-
selor skill for e-mail counseling. Coaching is not only what Sue and
Sue (1990) cited in studies as increasing credibility for counselors who
work with international clients, it is listed among the 11 Career Coun-
seling Competencies published by the NCDA in the revised version,
1997. Listed sixth, coaching, consultation, and performance improve-
ments, is a critical skill dealing with a complexity of client issues re-
lated to job performance, training, advancement, and addressing
issues beyond career choice.

WORKFORCE DYNAMICS CREATE NEW INTERVENTIONS

Traditionally, in the early and middle decades of the 20th century, ca-
reer counseling theory focused on career choice and career deci-
sion-making models, rather than issues of performance,
advancement, and leadership development, with earlier models imple-
mented through school or university settings, and/or rehabilitation
centers like services offered to disabled veterans.
The 1960s and 1970s

In the late 1960s and continuing through the 1970s, the rise of minori-
ties and women on college campuses and in the workforce, gave way to
75
76 CHAPTER 5

new services and career development models more relevant to the is-
sues raised in the civil rights movement and by the feminist agenda.
Women and minorities in this country sought career development be-
yond the issue of choice and decision making. Many sought advance-
ment opportunities as well as leadership, creating new models, that
laid the groundwork for today's strategies, including online services of-
fered to a global audience.

The 1980s

Massive layoffs in the auto industry and later in defense plants during
the 1980s also contributed to the rise of new services and models.
Starting in the early 1980s, the country became aware of the devastat-
ing effects that unemployment created in families and communities,
dubbing many cities in the midwest, The Rust Belt. As the 1980s pro-
gressed and plant closings spread to defense plants as well as the gar-
ment industry, many factories continued to close, this time moving
abroad. The need for services intensified, resulting in the rise of legis-
lation as a remedy. For example, laws were passed to ensure workers
received advanced notification, with many plants required to provide
a minimum of 60 days notice. Legislation also led to the development
of job training programs to create new employment options for the
displaced. These programs now fall under the umbrella of nation-
wide workforce development offices. Today, many states offer gov-
ernment-sponsored career centers. Originally, designed to serve the
needs of laid-off workers, these centers, popularly known as one-stop
career centers, offer individual counseling, vocational testing, job
training, and placement services as well as a national data bank of job
positions.

The 1990s

No longer limited to displaced workers, one-stop centers in the 1990s

served factory workers as often as entry-level managers and profes-
sionals through the senior ranks. The centers offered many displaced
employees, mid-level and senior managers training programs in tech-
nology to develop proficiency in computer skills neglected earlier in
their careers. This change or expansion of service to mid-level and se-
nior managers was the direct result of continuing changes throughout
the 1990s dubbed by many as the decade of acquisitions and mergers.
COACHING 77

With scores of corporations reorganizing, relocating, slimming down,

right-sizing, and/or downsizing, a new population of middle managers
experienced a rising need for services to match their circumstances.
NCDA GUIDELINES ON COACHING AND CONSULTATION SKILLS

These vast changes reflected in legislation and the delivery of services

did not happen by accident. The expansion is the direct result of coun-
selors in the field applying their coaching and consulting skills with
key decision makers within communities and government agencies.
The NCDA's (1997a) publication, Career Counseling Competencies,
Revised Version, 1997, articulates a broad scope for coaching skills,
including the ability to do the following:

1. Use consultation theories, strategies, and models.

2. Establish and maintain a productive consultative relationship
with people who can influence a client's career.
3. Help the general public and legislators understand the impor-
tance of career counseling, career development, and life-work
planning.
4. Impact public policy as it relates to career development and
workforce planning.
5. Analyze future organizational needs and current level of em-
ployee skills and develop performance improvement training.
6. Mentor and coach employees.

Coaching, consultation, and performance improvement, clearly

demonstrates that the field of career counseling is not only about the
enhancement of the "worth, dignity, potential and uniqueness of each
individual," its mission is dedicated to the "service of society," or con-
sultation that enhances the resources of the wider community, our so-
ciety. Coaching, usually associated with mentoring and advising
activities, is but one aspect of this comprehensive skills set.
Consequently, today, growing numbers of men as well as women ask
complex questions and expect answers. They inquire not only about
complex situations related to working from home, telecommuting,
and/or juggling multiple jobs and roles, they ask about discrimination
law, including issues related to ageism. They also ask how to avoid
downsizing; survive company takeovers, multiple downsizing experi-
ences; and/or improve performance by dealing with difficult bosses and
relationships with others, whether co-workers or family members.
78 CHAPTER 5

One might think these changes would demand and give rise to an in-
creasing number of certified career counselors to address these com-
plex issues. Yet, over the last decade, there has been a decline in these
ranks. Instead, there has been a rise in the number of
paraprofessionals to meet the demand. Paraprofessionals not only
serve diverse populations through government one-stop centers, they
have swelled the ranks of outplacement professionals and given rise to
what is known as a new breed of helpers, career coaches.

ONLINE CAREER COACHING VERSUS CAREER COUNSELING

The term career coach is not to be confused with the term as it is ap-
plied to NCCCs. Although the two share some similarities, the groups
are not the same. Their mission, aims, training, codes of ethics and
standards of practice differ in several ways. As Shannon Anderson
(personal communication, 1999), an NCCC and director of career ser-
vices at the extension office on the campus of the University of Califor-
nia at San Diego, recently noted: "Career counselors can provide not
only coaching skills, they can provide assessment and individual coun-
seling for their clients. The career coach is limited to offering only one
skills set. So often clients present issues which demand a professional
who provides more."
Responsible coaches recognize their limitations. Cheryl Richardson
(Campbell, 1999), past president of the International Coach Federa-
tion (ICF), is quoted as saying, "Coaching is really about taking action."
She further noted that in the early 1990s when coaching was in its in-
fancy, it attracted only high-salaried executives who were looking for
ways to boost their careers. According to Richardson, the popularity of
coaches grew because "Unlike a therapist, a coach helped them look to
the future instead of the past and to actions instead of causes" (p. 1).
In the same article, Campbell referred to observations by Bobette
Reeder, vice president of member development for ICF. Ms. Reeder at-
tributed the growth of coaches to technology and new awareness about
options, stating: "people feel increasingly isolated because so many are
working by themselves, whether it's at home or in a room with 100 cu-
bicles. It's more difficult for workers to develop relationships with
someone who can coach them as a mentor or friend" (p. 2). Other
coaches in the field see their role as helping clients find answers inside
themselves, with the coach there to hold them accountable for taking
action when they say they will.
COACHING 79
Career Coaching Standards

In many ways, the rise of career coaches parallels the rise of commer-
cial online career centers. Seeking to assist job seekers, these centers
hire coaches to answer online questions from users, offering a public
forum to help users access resources for action. The ICF site is one
such example. It can be visited at http://www.coachfederation.org. On
this site the ICF definition of coaching is posted as:
The International Coach Federation adheres to a form of coaching that
honors the client as the expert in his/her personal and/or professional
life and believes that every client is creative, resourceful, and whole.
Standing on this foundation, the coach's responsibility is to:
1. Discover, clarify, and align with what the client wants to achieve.
2. Encourage client self-discovery.
3. Elicit client-generated solutions and strategies.
4. Hold the client as responsible and accountable.

The ICF lists an additional 18 standards of conduct, calling on

coaches to treat "all clients with dignity as free and equal human be-
ings." The standards also call on coaches to identify their level of compe-
tence and "not misrepresent my qualifications, expertise, or experience
as a professional coach." Coaches are to clarify the terms of the coaching
relationship, recommending different coaches and/or resources when
appropriate. In addition, coaches are expected to share their "skills and
practices with other interested coaches," to give "full acknowledgment
to the work and contributions of others," and to "respect copyrights,
trademarks and intellectual property rights and comply with laws and
my agreements concerning these rights." A complete list of the 18 stan-
dards can be reviewed at http://www.coachfederation.org.
Career Coaching Disclaimers

In December 1999, Interim Services, Inc., now Spherion Corporation,

launched an interactive career resource web site, called CareerZone at
http://www.careerzone.com. Here, visitors can accept the services of ca-
reer coaches. In contrast to the ICF organizational example of coaching,
the Interim site provides a picture of career coaching in practice. For ex-
ample, on the "CareerZone, Ask the Expert Page," there is a clear dis-
claimer for the user to read and learn what questions are and are not
appropriate to ask of experts. It begins with an introduction about the
career coaches, followed by a list of disclaimers:
80 CHAPTER 5
CareerZone.com Ask the Expert Disclaimer.
The Career Coaches who respond to your question are experts In the
field of career management. However, we want you to understand that
there are limitations on the assistance that can be provided to you. The
following disclaimers apply to this feature.
1. CareerZone.com has a policy of providing coaching services only to
adults age 18 or over. If a Career Coach receives any indication that
the person they are communicating with is a minor they will cease
providing advice.
2. The Career Coach will not provide legal advice. Examples of questions
where legal advice is being sought and therefore will not be answered
are:
a. Am I entitled to unemployment compensation (or workers' compen-
sation, disability pay, etc.) from my employer (or former employer)?
b. Doesn't my former employer have to provide me with severance
pay (vacation pay, bonus payments, other payments)?
c. What are my rights under the EEO (wage hour, FMLA, ADA, etc.)
laws?
d. To what extent can an employer consider my criminal (credit) re-
cord in its dealing with me?
3. The Career Coach will provide assistance to you in the form of options
for you to consider. Career Coaches have been advised not to direct
you to the specific course of action to take. The ultimate responsibility
for your actions remains with you. Examples of this might include:
a. Do you think I should confront my boss about my problems with
co-workers (or other work issues)?
b. Would you advise me to demand (or ask for) a raise?
c. I have applied for a job that I think is perfect for me. The employer I
applied with is acting very slowly in filling the position. How much
contact should I have with the hiring manager so the employer will
know I am interested and keep me in mind for the job?
Interim Services Inc. does not accept any liability for the advice given by a
career coach.

A careful review of the disclaimers provided by Interim Services,

Inc., on its CareerZone.com page, specifically demonstrate what is ap-
propriate for online questions and responses regarding client roles
and responsibilities as well as the content of their questions, plus a
clear outline of the roles and responsibilities of the career coach. For
example, the statements are very clear that only services will be pro-
vided to those over the age of 18. Furthermore, it is clear that questions
about employee rights, those that are legal in nature, will not be an-
swered in this format.
On the Monster.com site, where public message boards post client
questions and responses from career coaches and the general public,
COACHING 8i
the Monster.com guidelines for posting add another dimension to dis-
claimers.
Monster.com Message Board Guidelines.
The Message Boards were established to allow visitors an opportunity to
share ideas, questions and comments with each other regarding the job
search process and other career related topics. Please note that we re-
serve the right to remove any messages that are determined inappropri-
ate or off-topic. If you have any further questions, please refer to
Monster.com's Terms of Use at http://www.monster.com/terms/. If you
read any posts in violation of the following, please e-mail the post URL
and subject to: community (5)monster.com. By posting on any of Mon-
ster.com's message boards, you agree not to post:
1. Material that is copyrighted or trademarked
2. Material that reveals trade secrets
3. Material that infringes on any other intellectual, privacy or publicity
rights of others
4. Material that is obscene, defamatory, threatening, harassing, abusive,
hateful or embarrassing to another person or entity
5. Sexually explicit images or statements
6. Advertisements or solicitations of business, chain letters or pyramid
schemes
7. Material that is intended to damage or interfere with any system, data
or Information
8. Material in violation of any applicable law or regulation
9. Any incomplete, false or inaccurate biographical information (i.e.,
you are not permitted to impersonate another person)

LESSON 1: BOUNDARY SETTING FOR ONLINE COUNSELING

EFFECTIVENESS

These disclaimers and message board guidelines from career coaches

and online career centers offer career counselors additional and spe-
cific guidelines or boundaries related to the online medium, particu-
larly when the medium is a public forum versus a one-one-one
experience through e-mail career counseling. The guidelines neither
detract from career counseling standards nor conflict our codes of eth-
ics. Rather, career counselors may have something to learn from on-
line coaches about boundary setting in this medium.
Reflecting on the importance of boundary setting reminds me of a
saying purported by one of the leaders in the marriage and family
counseling field, I believe it was Whitaker who stated that as counsel-
ors, "we need to win the battle for structure and loose the battle for
power." By this he meant, it is our role to define the parameters of the
82 CHAPTER 5

counseling session, that is, it is our role, our job to determine when
and where the sessions will be held, the duration, fees, and areas of ex-
pertise or practice we will address with clients. Once this is estab-
lished and the client agrees to the structure of the counseling, it
becomes our job to then lose the battle for power. The battle for power
refers to the client's readiness and willingness to change, to move for-
ward, or to decide on whether or not to take action. Whitaker believed
the client must have this freedom to choose in order for trust in the
counselor to occur, and change in the client to transpire. The battle for
power (defining client issues and outcomes) is one of the major differ-
ences between career coaching as a specialty and career counseling.
Differences Between Career Coaching and Career Counseling

It is important to make distinctions between online career coaching

and career counseling. First, career coaching is offered online as a
public forum. This means it is a service wherein clients submit ques-
tions that are publicly posted online to be answered by career experts
who take turns responding to posted messages, generally within 48 to
72 hours. In a coaching situation, the goal is to provide information for
the client to take action, and have someone to whom they can be ac-
countable for follow-up. In contrast, online career counseling is simi-
lar to telephone counseling in that is it is offered on a one-to-one basis
and "implies a deeper level of involvement with the client." Online ca-
reer counseling is confined to: e-mail career counseling practiced on
an individualized, one-to-one basis, with the e-mail messages and re-
sponses written between the client and the career counselor within a
specified time frame, similar to individual appointments.
A deeper level of involvement with the client is what Whitaker meant
by losing the battle for power or trusting the client. In this case, trans-
formation rests not in action alone, insight may be its own reward, as
are feelings of affirmation and self-worth. A tangible outcome is not
necessary to measure the counseling process as successful. Nonethe-
less, I believe the boundary guidelines developed and established by
career coaches are valuable additions for career counselor to incorpo-
rate in their practices.
Example I From an Online Career Coach

Here is an example of how a career coach might answer one of the com-
mon question presented by clients online. The question is: "Should I
COACHING 83

leave my current company because the job is no longer a challenge?"

Following is the response:
I am not in the position to answer your question; only you can determine
what is best for you. Before you answer this question, however, you
might want to carefully weigh the pros and cons of staying where you are
against finding another job. Ask your self what is of top priority to you at
this time in your career. How does leaving to go to another company fit
with your overall career plan? Are the working environment, pay and
positive co-worker relationships enough of an incentive to stay where
you are? Is there a guarantee that these will be as positive with another
company? If not, are you willing to loose these positive aspects? Is there
any way you can persuade your supervisor to add additional duties that
might be more interesting to your current Job description or move you
into another department where the Job might be more challenging? If so,
would you be more content with the current company? After you have an-
swered these and similar questions you will be better able to make a de-
cision that best fits your current needs and long term career goals.
Thanks for your question and best of success in your future endeavors.
Best regards, Career Coach

Example 2 From an Online Career Coach

Many clients ask questions about the interview process. They want to
know what to expect, what questions they will be asked or how to han-
dle a difficult question. One of the most common interview questions
asked by online clients appears here with suggested responses from
career coaches:
Why did you leave your last employer?
In his book, "Knock Um Dead," Martin Yate suggests six reasons for leav-
ing a position:
• Challenge: You weren't able to grow professionally in that position.
• Location: The commute was unreasonably long.
• Advancement: There was nowhere for you to go. You had the talent,
but there were too many people ahead of you.
• Money: You were underpaid for your skills and contribution.
• Pride or prestige: You wanted to be with a better company.
• Security: The company was not stable.

Notice these examples from online coaches are different from the ca-
reer counseling messages offered in earlier chapters where attention is
paid to the tone of the message, the client's choice of language, and at-
tention to affect. Responding to tone, language, and/or the context of a
person's life are counseling skills that also include affirming or nor-
84 CHAPTER 5
malizing client feelings with attention to client attitudes and deci-
sion-making processes. Career counselors know the importance of
attending skills even when answering commonly asked questions like
those previously. For example, one of the most commonly asked ques-
tions by both men and women relates to working at home. Here is a
question from a woman, holding a part-time job that she would like to
turn into a part-time telecommuting position once she starts her fam-
ily. She writes:

When is the best time to tell my boss I'd like to telecommute once I have
children? I have a half-time job that would work well as a telecommut-
ing position. My husband and I would like to start a family in the next
year and have thought about my setting up at home to be with the
baby. How should I approach my employer about this? Should I wait
until I am pregnant and then lay out a proposal for working from home,
or should I talk with my employer about this idea before I get pregnant?

Notice she is not pregnant, rather she wants to be. She also wants to
make plans to negotiate with her employer about a part-time arrange-
ment, asking when is the best time to tell him. Her question is written
in a matter-of-fact style, indicating she is not suffering from undue anx-
iety or excessive exhilaration, both emotions that often prevent a client
from listening to counselor suggestions or accessing resources. Be-
cause women still have fewer workplace mentors than men, and in
many cases none at all, I respond to her as I would a client or student I
might be mentoring, pointing out certain workforce realities.

Naturally, you know your employer best. However, since you are in a
part-time position, I would wait to discuss any negotiation until you're
actually pregnant with dates, etc. Why? Anything can happen between
now and then. If, for example, your employer is looking to cut costs and
you've already declared you'd like to work from home this could be a ra-
tionale to cut your job before you've a chance at telecommuting. Also,
as hard as it might be, I wouldn't recommend sharing your plans to start
a family either. Some employers, even the most supportive ones, will
hear that and begin planning your replacement. I've seen stranger
things happen and when they do, the easy way out for the employer is
to say, "remember when you told us ..." By waiting, you'll be buying
time to plan your proposal. To do this, check out the policies stated in
your employee handbook. You may find the best way to approach your
employer is by quoting policy on flexible arrangements, job sharing, and
COACHING 85

telecommuting. And, while you are preparing your proposal you may
find the following sites helpful: Home-Based Working Moms—a national
association for work at home mothers at http.V/www.hbwm.com or the
online magazine for work at home moms at http://www.wahm.com.
Also, New Ways to Work (NWW) in San Francisco has been advocating
for flexible arrangements for moms for over 20 years. The NWW site cur-
rently offers a list of resources on telecommuting at
http://www. nww.org. The International Telework Association and
Council is another good site at http://www.telecommute.org/ as are the
telecommuting resources listed with the Society for Human Resource
Management at http://www.shrm.org/hrlinks/flex.htm. This may be
more information than you requested yet may be important in preparing
your proposal. And if you want a second opinion on timing and negotia-
tions, check with New Ways To Work. Good luck and let me know what
happens.

According to Stoltz-Loike (1996), pointing out work realities is es-

pecially important when dealing with women. This is because,
"Whether people are employed in academia, business, health profes-
sions or other fields, jobs are less secure and career paths more am-
biguous" (p. 106). This means women need to plan strategically for
their careers. Also, Stoltz-Loike noted "today, racism and sexism are
much more subtle and take the form of denial of continued discrimina-
tion, antagonism toward the needs of women, and lack of support for
policies structured to specifically assist women" (p. 106). Conse-
quently, my response in the previous example addresses strategic
planning and offers several resources for implementation.
Another difference between the two services is the definition of the
word or concepts related to coaching. Generally speaking, both groups
define coaching as mentoring, guiding or tutoring. However, as noted
earlier in the NCDA's (1997a) publication on Career Counseling Com-
petencies, Revised Version, 1997, the concept of coaching is much
broader in scope. It suggests that counselors need to use their skills
and influence for the greater good of society, by helping "the general
public and legislators to understand the importance of career counsel-
ing, career development and life-work planning, (and) to impact public
policy as it relates to career development and workforce planning."
Furthermore, career counselors are expected to have the ability to "an-
alyze future organizational needs and current level of employee skills
and develop performance improvement training." Instead of expecting
and holding an individual client accountable for performance im-
86 CHAPTER 5

provement, the larger picture, scope or goal of this competency sug-

gests "performance improvement" can be anticipated when the context
of work and performance improvement training comes into play.
The definition of "coaching, consultation, and performance im-
provement," demonstrates a difference in the goals between the two
services. Where coaching is primarily aimed at the individual, the field
of career counseling aims at serving both the individual and society.
The NCDA preamble specifies it is dedicated to the "enhancement of
the worth, dignity, potential and uniqueness of each individual, and
thus, to the service of society."

Other Differences

Other differences between coaching and career counseling involve profes-

sional preparation and training requirements. Certified career counsel-
ors are required to hold a master's degree in counseling or a related area
such as human development. This academic training grounds them in
career development theory as well as in "individual/group assessment
skills considered essential for professionals engaging in career counsel-
ing' (NCDA, 1997a)." Assessment skills demonstrate the ability to:

1. Assess personal characteristics such as aptitude, achievement,

interests, values, and personality traits.
2. Assess leisure interests, learning style, life roles, self-concept, ca-
reer maturity, vocational identify, career indecision, work envi-
ronment preference (e.g., work satisfaction), and other related
life-style/development issues.
3. Assess conditions of the work environment (such as tasks, expec-
tations, norms, and qualities of the physical and social settings).
4. Evaluate and select valid and reliable instruments appropriate to
the client's gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and physi-
cal and mental capacities.
5. Use computer-delivered assessment measures effectively and ap-
propriately.
6. Select assessment techniques appropriate for group administra-
tion and those appropriate for individual administration.
7. Administer, score, and report findings from career assessment
instruments appropriately.
8. Interpret data from assessment instruments and present the re-
sults to clients and to others.
COACHING 87

9. Assist the client and others designated by the client to interpret

data from assessment instruments.
10. Write an accurate report of assessment results.

Another way to describe assessment skills utilized by qualified ca-

reer counselors is described by Niles (1997) as "appraisal support" or
helping clients identify their career concerns and/or barriers. Niles
contended how a counselor intervenes with clients depends on an ac-
curate diagnosis of the client's difficulty:

1. Decision-making difficulties caused by:

a. dysfunctional beliefs
b. lack of motivation
c. insufficient information
d. conflicts with occupational options
e. Influence of a significant other
2. Work adjustment difficulties or adjusting to the work chosen is
another area for exploration. This area addresses "the relation-
ship between the worker and the work environment." The coun-
selor's role in this case begins by assessing "whether the problem
is related to work role behavior, task performance, worker satis-
faction or some combination of these." For example: a. worker
behaviors such as work addiction may best be remedied by atten-
tion to self-care, b. personality conflicts and disorders, are better
treated by other resources and/or job support groups for this
purpose, c. task performance issues relating to competencies
may require remedial attention, on-the-job training, and/or con-
tinuing education, d. worker satisfaction issues may result from
poor career choices and/or lack of goals.
3. World of work information including
a. self-information: one's interests, skills, values, needs, and
social or cultural context
b. occupational information:
1.) information on occupations
2.) information on the nature of work and worker safety
such as threats to health or economic security
3.) Information on occupational strategies
(a.) job hunting techniques
(b.) career management/advancement strategies
(1.) mentoring opportunities
88 CHAPTER 5

(2.) career counseling support

(3.) ongoing self-assessment/development
(4.) creating individual career plans
(5.) continuing education

The list could be even longer. However, what's important about this
list in terms of coaching and mentoring clients online is the attention to
areas often overlooked, that is job hunting techniques and career man-
agement strategies are at the bottom not top of the list. This suggests
that assessing the client's situation is primary in terms of assessment
about what service to offer, what resources to refer, including the obliga-
tion to point out threats to a client's economic and/or physical health.
According to Niles (1997), it is important for career counselors to
help the clients access accurate information about the world of work
so they can make informed decisions. For example, many students
and recent college graduates often take positions as cooks, waiters, or
servers in restaurants. These jobs often go begging in many communi-
ties and offer young people a quick solution to earning steady income
while job hunting for the ideal position, or in many cases, until they
discover what they want. Although a temporary solution that has
served many, it is a choice not without its risks to both health and
long-term financial security. Niles noted:

Threats to health include job related deaths, musculoskeletal injuries,

and illnesses such as occupational cancers, occupational lung diseases,
neurotixic disorders, hearing loss, and psychological disorders. Treats
to economic security include poor wages, lack of health insurance, and
lack of job security (p. 123)

Furthermore, Niles (1997) cited Jones, who suggested that clients

need to consider these realities of work and learn how to protect them-
selves as well as how to "avoid viewing work as the primary source of
self-esteem and meaning in one's life" (p. 123).
Avoiding the view of work as a primary source of meaning in one's life
is a difficult concept to convey to clients whether in person or online.
This is one of the primary reasons clients seek assistance from career
counselors even in times of full employment. This is why in times of full
employment, when things don't happen as expected for clients, they
ask: "What's Wrong with me?" For example, the following message is a
case in point, with the client closing by stating, "there seems to be a lot of
openings out there."
COACHING 89

Dear Career Guru:

I'm not getting any interviews. What's wrong with me? I have been
"searching" for well over a month. I respond to postings from numerous
online services, talk to people on the phone, send faxes, interview at
agencies, and have probably pursued over 300 positions for which I felt I
was at least reasonably qualified. Recruiters have told me that I have "a
good skill set," that I am "well qualified," and that it "shouldn't be hard
to place" a person with my experience. So far, however, I have only had
one interview with a "real" employer. I'm beginning to wonder if some-
thing is wrong with me. (Also, this doesn't seem like a very good time of
the year to be searching for a job, although there seems to be a lot of
openings out there.)

Reflecting on this message, I noted the client's difficulties may be a

question of dysfunctional beliefs rather than difficulties within him.
There may be nothing wrong with the client, meaning lack of motiva-
tion, performance, or skills set. His difficulty may rise from dysfunc-
tional beliefs such as (a) thinking he could land a job in a month, (b)
mailing 300 resumes cold or relying on recruiters for interviews, or (c)
searching over the holidays, the worst time of year. These beliefs may
be the reason he received only one interview from 300 mailed resumes.
Or, it could be that this client needs a different recruiter, one specializ-
ing in his field. I address his beliefs first:

Here are a couple of things to consider. First, a month is not a long time
to be searching for a job. It generally takes at least 3 months and with
the holidays you might need to add 2 or 3 more. This is particularly true
if you are sending resumes cold. Begin by trying some new search tac-
tics. Instead of responding to hundreds of ads, limit your focus. Choose
10 to 12 companies or organizations you are really interested in. Re-
search each carefully to learn about their mission, goals, products, and
key players. By doing your homework, you'll uncover important informa-
tion to include in cover letters. (The cover letter is one of the best ways
to demonstrate your interest and knowledge to a potential employer.)
Then network at professional meetings and with trusted colleagues who
may open doors and advocate for you. And, instead of asking what's
wrong with you, ask what's wrong with recruiters who say you "should-
n't be hard to place" yet turn up only one interview! I'd recommend
finding a new recruiter. Also, don't stop searching because it's the holi-
days. Now is as good a time as any to search for a new job. In some
ways, it's the best time because the holiday spirit can make people more
open. It's also the best time to network because holiday parties and eel-
90 CHAPTER 5

ebrations make networking more natural than at other times of the

year. This may not be the best time of the year for receiving offers, yet
there's no better time to lay your groundwork. Good luckl

Not every client writes back. Without client feedback, the online
counselor has no way of knowing how his or her response was re-
ceived. In this case, it may have been helpful to find out if a new re-
cruiter solved the client's problem, or whether the client rethought his
beliefs, choosing new job search strategies. There is the possibility that
the response was not helpful, that learning a job search may take lon-
ger caused more discouragement.
Not knowing client outcomes plagues counselors who conduct
in-person counseling equally, particularly with clients who attend
only one session. Based on the high number of online clients who
send thank you notes (one in seven), following one session, it appears
online counselors may receive a higher percentage of feedback from
their clients. This is why more research is needed to clarify what is
meant by online career counseling versus career coaching and to ex-
amine client issues and outcomes generated by each service. In this
way, we will know better if online career counseling is helpful or
harmful. We will learn, too, which service is to be preferred for which
issues or circumstances.
SUMMARY
Over the decades, new legislation aimed at addressing the needs of a
changing workforce effected by plant closings, company downsizings,
and corporate mergers paved the way for vast changes in the delivery of
career counseling services. Government-sponsored one-stop career
centers nationwide are one example. The rise of online career services
marketed to a global population and the emergence of outplacement
and career coaching services are others. Many leaders attribute the ex-
pansion of career services to counselors in the field who applied their
coaching and consulting skills with key decision makers within com-
munities and government agencies.
Although most associate the term coaching with mentoring, accord-
ing to the Career Counseling Competencies, Revised Version, 1997,
coaching encompasses a broad skills set including advocacy with the
general public and legislators to impact public policy as it relates to ca-
reer development and workforce planning. It also includes analyzing
future organizational needs and current level of employee skills and
COACHING 9[
developing performance improvement training. Coaching, usually as-
sociated with mentoring and advising activities, is but one aspect of
this comprehensive skills set. Consequently, there is confusion about
the terms used to describe online career services.
Until there is more clarity, I believe online career counseling, like
WebCounseling, implies a deeper level of involvement with the client.
Through graduate study, career counselors have knowledge and
training in assessments, work-related issues effecting diverse popu-
lations, and a complexity of difficulties arising from dysfunctional be-
liefs including issues of health and safety in the workforce. In
contrast, online career coaches restrict their expertise to job search
issues or an information and referral model, providing clients with
resources for their further investigation. Because many online clients
also ask complex questions involving legal issues, paraprofessionals
and commercial online career centers have found the need to create
disclaimers and guidelines for what are and are not appropriate
questions for an online format. These initiatives may prove equally
beneficial for online career counselors.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Define what is meant by the career competency: coaching, con-

sultation, and performance improvements.
2. Compare and contrast online career counseling and online ca-
reer coaching.
3. Give examples of when online career counseling may be more
appropriate than online career coaching and vice versa.
 6
Understanding the Use
of Assessment Online

"Aren't there tests to tell me what I'm good at... I know I'd be good at
something, but what?" Repeatedly, I heard this question when I began
practicing career counseling at the Continuing Education Center for
Women (CECW) located on the Campus of Indiana University Purdue
University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Years later, clients both in person and
online still ask about tests. Similarly, on behalfofOCC.com users, Su-
san Bryant and Craig Besant (respective product manager and vice
president of marketing for OCC.com) asked: "Could you recommend
some tests for clients or develop quizzes for online use?" Whether the
question comes from individual clients or employers seeking tools to
assist customers or employees, it demonstrates how closely the public
identifies testing with career counseling.
The ACA clarifies the link between testing and counseling by pur-
pose, noting: "The primary purpose of educational and psychological
assessment is to provide measures that are objective and interpretable
in either comparative or absolute terms" (section E. 1 .a). Interestingly,
clients use these terms. They say things like "I want something objec-
tive to tell me" or "with a test, I'll be able to compare what I've been
thinking with ..." Assessment, or what laypeople call career testing,
has great appeal to both clients and counselors alike. For counselors,
it can be a valuable tool in analyzing or determining issues, categoriz-
ing client difficulties, or providing the most appropriate referrals and
links to additional resources.
92
ASSESSMENT 93
CLARIFYING THE TERMS

The NCDA refers to "tests" by the term assessment, providing specific

guidelines for counselors to follow. Guidelines cover the administration
and interpretation of tests, as well as the specific guidelines for the use
of computer-assisted instruments. Likewise the ACA and the NBCC de-
tail their standards of practice under the titles Evaluation, Assessment
and Interpretation and Measurement and Evaluation respectively.
Rather than discussing the specifics therein, for purposes of this discus-
sion other distinctions regarding test terminology are highlighted, that
is the difference between standardized tests and nonstandardized. Ac-
cording to Hansen, Stevic, and Warner (1976), standardized instru-
ments are identified by four specific characteristics:

• A standard administrative process allows for similar administra-

tion and accurate measurement regardless of administrator or
testing place or setting.
• Scoring instructors eliminate scorer errors so that regardless of
the scorer the results are not influenced by personal bias.
• Normative data is available, allowing for comparison with diverse
groups.
• A manual that includes technical testing data such as validity and
reliability of the test instrument, is available so that the counselor
can accurately decide if the test selected will measure or produce
the most meaningful data.

Nonstandardized tests are assessments not sharing these charac-

teristics. These may include brief quizzes or oral responses to ques-
tions meant to help individuals do their own self-evaluation. Other
distinctions regarding tests include individual testing, group test-
ing, paper-and-pencil tests, and online assessments. Whether
"tests" are referred to as career tests, assessments, or instruments,
standardized or nonstandardized, most counselors refer to them by
category.

Categorizing Various Tests

Categories of tests generally include ability tests, aptitude, and

achievement tests; interests or inventories and personality tests. A
brief description of each follows:
94 CHAPTER 6

1. Aptitude tests are intended to predict how well a person will do in

an educational setting or perform on a job as measured by spe-
cific skills and proficiencies or the ability to acquire them.
2. Achievement tests assess the present levels of mastery or ability
in academic skills such as arithmetic, reading, and language us-
age. They indicate areas of academic strength and/or areas in
need of remediation.
3. Interest inventories measure interests in occupations, school
subjects, leisure activities, and so on. Interest inventories are
most closely associated with career counseling. The rationale be-
hind these inventories is that individuals having similar interest
patterns to those in an occupational group will probably find job
satisfaction in that particular group. Three examples include the
Strong Interest Inventory (SII), the Kuder Occupational Interest
Survey, and the Self-Directed Search (SDS).
4. Personality inventories or tests encompass many variables such
as self-concept and self-esteem, needs, values, interpersonal
skills, emotional stability, risk-taking, motivation, and energy
and level of maturity. Early researchers, like Roe, postulated that
early personality development associated with family interac-
tions influences vocational direction (cited in Zunker, 1994).
5. Values inventories classify values by categories such as intrinsic
and extrinsic values or as work values, such as the need for
power, money, achievement, prestige, security, creativity, etc.
versus lifestyle values (home, family and leisure).

Self-assessment exercises or checklists allow clients to clarify spe-

cific skills and values on their own. Zunker noted that "more emphasis
has been placed on skills identification through informal techniques"
(p. 137). In addition to checklists and self-quizzes, card sorts are pop-
ular self-assessments, allowing the client to sort occupations, skills,
and values, choosing or rejecting items by sorting into piles from
strongly agree to strongly disagree.

THE ROLE OF TESTING THE COUNSELING PROCESS

Although all of these categories were an integral part of my graduate

studies, fresh out of school, when asked about tests, I often replied that
the best tests are self-tests. By this I meant the counseling process was
primary to testing, it was its own type of assessment process. Explora-
ASSESSMENT 95

tion of career options and direction came by looking inside oneself, at

one's hopes, dreams, and aspirations.
With a strong belief in Rogerian approaches to counseling, it was my
contention that if clients had the opportunity to explore their concerns
with a counselor, someone who would listen, nonjudgmentally, and
provide feedback and resources, they would find their own way. Cli-
ents feeling heard, understood, and affirmed would be free to discover
information on their own as well as appropriate resources (career and
college information, financial aid, lists of local employers, salary sur-
veys, etc.). By modeling a self-assessment process, clients would learn
career management tools. In turn they would be able to articulate per-
sonal goals, define a direction, and choose the unique resources
needed to overcome obstacles. My Job was to provide a climate of trust,
affirmation, and available resources. The administration of tests was
not necessary to the equation. At that time, too, testing in general was
somewhat suspect. It was a time when colleges actively recruited
women and minorities by not requiring either college entrance or
placement exams
Yet, as so often happened then and still happens with clients today,
the general response to an introspective approach was, "that sounds
nice, but I need to be realistic," meaning, "There are too many barriers
for me to think about an ideal, I'm in a hurry. I haven't time to sit
around or dream about what's best. I need a job." According to Hansen
et al. (1976), Rogers also recognized this suggesting that "When tests
come as a real desire from the client, they may enter the situation.... In
this case the counselor's job is to focus on the client's feelings about the
tests and its information" (p. 93).

The Career Counseling Process

Because I was often called on at CECW to give community presenta-

tions on the benefits of the career counseling, I developed a model to
explain how it worked and why counseling instead of testing per se was
helpful to clients. To make the process as simple as possible, I began
by equating the counseling process with a series of questions similar to
the six questions learned in high school English class about writing a
good lead paragraph. Only I scrambled their order starting with who,
what, why, where, when, and how. Then, I would draw a circle to
demonstrate how the questions interact to create the career counseling
process (see Fig. 6.1).
96 CHAPTER 6

FIG. 6.1 Career counseling process (copyright © 1994 The Center for Career/Life Planning).

I would explain that questions related to who, what, and why are in-
trinsic to the client, that is they are concerned with the client's individ-
ual aspirations, skills, values, and lifestyle issues, or the context of the
client's life. The where, when, and how questions are extrinsic to the
client, focused on facts about careers, salaries, work environments,
and job search techniques versus personal information. When the in-
trinsic questions are answered first, the others generally fall into place.
For example:

• Who stands for questions related to client hopes, dreams, aspira-

tions, or goals (for counselors, this includes asking about client
expectations for career counseling). Who questions ask, "Who are
you?" "Who do you want to be?" Because this population often de-
nied, delayed, or buried their dreams, their most common re-
sponse was: "That's why I'm here, I'm looking for direction."
• What refers to client skills, abilities, and personal traits. What they
already have or what they want to develop. Often, clients would say
they wanted to return to school but did not know what they wanted
to study. What questions are designed to determine if more
ASSESSMENT 97

schooling was necessary, particularly, if skills assessment showed

a match for their goals (for the counselor, what questions help
clarify the client issues versus presenting problems).
• Why questions determine client values or what is important to cli-
ents in terms of career satisfaction regarding job tasks, work envi-
ronments, lifestyle concerns, and intrinsic and extrinsic rewards.

Next I would explain that answers to the who, what, and why ques-
tions demonstrate that the client, not the counselor, has the answers.
The counselor is trained to ask the questions, reframe responses, and
engage in a discovery process. I emphasize, too, that the first three
questions are often the same questions (different words) asked by pro-
spective employers in interviews (i.e., Tell me about yourself," "What
strengths and skills do you bring to the job," and "Why did you ap-
ply?"). In other words, the closer a client comes to answering these
questions, the clearer the client's focus and better prepared for inter-
views whether for open positions or as candidates for graduate school.
Audiences, like clients, understood the model easily, seeing its bene-
fits by the explanation of extrinsic questions:

• Where refers to the importance of research to identify career op-

tions, job openings, and/or company information and salary sur-
veys. This step includes the use of occupational and labor market
information in the exploration of career options as well as inter-
view preparation. In a job search, clients often skip this step. Ca-
reer research is skipped or ignored because it is associated with
long hours in the library. Although library research is perceived
as tedious, I explain that research includes other tools like obser-
vation and interview techniques. For the job seeker with a clear
direction, this means becoming aware of all the information that
surrounds us daily, like spotting pertinent articles in the newspa-
per or feature stories on TV as well as networking with family,
friends, colleagues, and peers for information.
• How relates to job search techniques such as developing profes-
sional networks, writing resumes and cover letters, interviewing
and negotiation skills, and follow-up procedures. A large number
of clients often enter career counseling with these concerns, and,
more often than not are equally clueless about what they want to
do. Consequently, the model becomes a frame of reference for the
client to address the first three questions. And, in those rare
98 CHAPTER 6

cases when a client is focused, conducts research, and truly

needs help translating goals to paper, this step becomes the focus
of the session.
• When questions are about decision making and include time
lines and goal-setting. Because life rarely happens in neatly
laid-out steps, decision-making questions are often the clients'
presenting issues, particularly for those who plan to quit a job,
return to school, or relocate. In those rare cases when every-
thing appears to come together, many clients seek help exclaim-
ing, "I'm so lucky, such and such just fell in my lap! Now I need to
decide..."

To respond to issues of luck, I add the center circle to demonstrate

the importance of choice and decision making. Like the arrows point-
ing to the center for evaluation, we have choices to exercise at any one
point. When all six factors occur together, this is often called luck.
Instead of luck, I propose that a synergistic effect happens when we
know clearly who we are or want to be, what we have to offer, and why it
is important to us. When we also answer where we want to apply and
how to present ourselves both on paper and in person, we are in the
best position to evaluate our career options, choosing those that give
us energy and/or new possibilities for continuing growth. Finding one's
niche is not the result of luck, more often, it is the result of introspec-
tion and good career management skills.
Generally, audiences, like many clients, responded positively to
these affective counseling methods talking openly about their earlier
aspirations, and freely relating past successes and failures. They
openly related personal circumstances such as a painful divorce,
death of a spouse, loss of a child, or the under utilization of talents due
to relocation, lack of opportunity in the workforce, discrimination,
which all added up to unrealized or delayed dreams. In sessions, as I
translated from their stories what I heard as their skill sets, personal
traits, and new aspirations relating these to various career options to
explore, discussions about tests diminished. As I watch clients moved
forward, choosing to return to school, re-enter the workforce, advance
in their careers, or choose to delay a decision, I became convinced that
the career counseling process is its own assessment tool. And, as these
clients referred others to us, as the demand for services grew with staff
added to our center, I felt even stronger that self-assessment methods
were best.
ASSESSMENT 99

For me, the power of the career counseling process lay not in the se-
quence of questions asked or in formal testing, it was about being with
the client. It was about attending to client feelings and facilitating a cli-
mate of trust allowing the client to make his or her own choices, find
his or her own way. Yet as strongly as I believed in affective or insight
counseling as an approach, I also recognized clients persisted in their
requests for tests, wanting something concrete to confirm or deny their
visions. I soon recognized that this population and indeed the general
public found concrete or tangible results an affirmation in itself. And
during the years since, I continue to see evidence that testing repre-
sents a type of affirmation for clients, particularly, when it confirms a
vision of what they want to do, or helps them articulate a new direction.
It is often one of the best starting points for the career counseling pro-
cess. It is particularly appropriate as a starting point for the online ca-
reer counseling process.

LESSON 7: AFFIRMING CLIENTS THROUGH ASSESSMENTS

Like many lessons along the road, my seventh lesson was relearning
something I already knew, that is, clients say they feel affirmed by their
test results. Affirmation appears to take place when the results of test-
ing or an assessment session brings to light a client's strengths, new in-
sights about preferences, and/or confirmation about new directions to
pursue. Rarely does the client deny the tangible results from the test-
ing, particularly, those articulating the client's potential. Having some-
thing tangible in black and white, so to speak, something that confirms
an inner hunch or sparks an old dream, can be very energizing for cli-
ents. Testing provides hope as well as a starting point.
Client's View of Testing

According to Seligman (1980), some clients view testing as less threat-

ening than counseling, using "a request for testing as a pretext for gain-
ing access to personal counseling." And, Seligman holds that testing, if
used, should be an integral part of the counseling relationship to:

• promote more relevant and focused discussion;

• stimulate and guide exploration and information-seeking;
• indicate the likelihood that certain events will happen;
• clarify self-concept;
100 CHAPTER 6

• promote translations of interests, abilities, and personality di-

mensions into occupational terms;
• suggest options or alternative; and
• facilitate the ordering or ranking of options.

In other words, testing is a tool to help "summarize the responses of

a given client and present them in a more useful form" (pp. 58-60). Ac-
cording to Seligman, the role of the counselor is to integrate the test
data with other information the client has shared.
Since my early years as a career counselor, I have moved from focus-
ing on client's feelings about the tests and test information to suggesting
tests as a starting point. In the information age, many people struggle
with information overload. Many clients describe themselves as con-
fused. Others ask for help sorting through their options, and still others
say they want a starting point. Testing is a tool to integrate career infor-
mation into a personal decision-making process, thus assisting clients
in focusing their priorities and moving forward. Although there are lim-
its to the use of tests and assessment instruments, testing also helps
counselors clarify client issues and difficulties and/or identify the most
appropriate resources, referrals, and links. Testing also gives clients
who are confused a starting point to identify or sort out difficulties. A
case in point is illustrated by a high school math teacher, who signed his
message, "Confused." Here is what he wrote:

I have been teaching high school math since 1993, except for 1 year in
which I worked as a statistical analyst for the actuarial department in an
insurance company. I left teaching for that one year in hopes of finding
something else that could be more overtly rewarding and financially
more stable for my family. After working there for a year for approxi-
mately the same salary and being bored to tears by sitting in front of a
computer calculating insurance rates all day, I went back to teaching. I
realized I do my best work while dealing with people. I feel like I do a
very good job teaching and have even won several awards for my teach-
ing, including Outstanding New Classroom Teacher of the Year in my lo-
cal district and Who's Who Among America's Teachers. Yet, with all of
this, something is missing. I always wonder what if I was doing some-
thing else, or if I could even do something else which would make me
feel the satisfaction I am looking for in a job. I also feel like I am not be-
ing personally challenged like I could be. I have sent resumes out and
have it loaded onto several online services in hopes of hearing from
someone who would offer me something that sounds like it would "fit."
ASSESSMENT KN

However, I have yet to find many to take a bite and listen to me. I 'm
confused and financially stuck in the mud which is called public educa-
tion or civil service with a wife and a newborn. What should I do???
Confused

Notice he states that he left teaching to find something "financially

more stable for his family." Later, he realized his best work is dealing
with people, returning to teaching where he knows he does a good job,
with national awards as evidence. Yet he finds something is still miss-
ing (obviously financial reward), but what? Obviously, too, he takes his
breadwinner role seriously, meaning financial considerations are a
priority along with job satisfaction. Notice, also, he leaves his career
choices to others. Suspecting his work values (job satisfaction vs. fi-
nancial reward) are in conflict, I suggested the following assessments.

Dear Confused:
You may need another strategy. Instead of leaving the decision of the
right "fit" to online readers, define what you want. The Career Resource
page on the OCC site is designed to help you do this. Click:
<http.7/www.occ.com/occ/career/> and then link to the topics at the
top of this page. Begin with Self-Assessment and take the Values Identi-
fication Inventory and the Self-Directed Search. These are designed to
help you find a good fit by matching your interest and career values with
various positions. The next step is to learn more about appealing posi-
tions by reading details (working conditions, training, salary, employ-
ment outlook, etc.) in the 1998-99 Occupational Outlook Handbook at:
<http://stats.bls.gov/ocohome.htm>. Once you've completed these
steps, review the information under Career Search Basics, specifically, re-
sumes and cover letters at: <http://www.occ.com/occ/career/basics/>.
By changing your strategies and taking charge of your career you should
begin to feel better and increase the likelihood of receiving a bite or two.
Good luck and keep me posted.

Here is another example. In this case, the client states clearly, "I just
need to know where to start." The message begins:

I've been in the IS field for 6 years now and I can honestly say that I de-
test it. I don't mean to offend any of you technical gurus, but this field
obviously is not for me. I had yet to complete my BA degree in Business.
I changed my major from MIS to Business a while ago because I just
couldn't grasp the concepts. Now, I'm contemplating a career change. I
just need to know where to start. I can't think of a single thing that I'm
102 CHAPTER 6

actually pretty proficient in. Can you tell me what avenues to venture, if
any? Thanks ...

Because the client writes, "I can't think of a single thing I'm actually
pretty proficient in," asking "where to start," this is my clue to suggest
assessment. Since it is not clear whether he or she is currently enrolled
on campus, I offer more than one resource to pursue.

The best way to start a career change is with assessment, finding out
what interests you, what's important to you. Although you say you
can't think of a single thing you're proficient in, there are probably
many things you take for granted. So often what comes easily to us, we
fail to recognize as strengths or skills. For example, not everyone is
good at visualization ... picturing how a house will look after renova-
tion or how a room will look with new furnishings. Some people do
this naturally, never recognizing it's a skill required of architects and
interior designers. Or some people are natural listeners. People gravi-
tate to them to discuss problems or share secrets. You may be walking
around with proficiencies you're not recognizing. If you are still in
school, even part time, you should be eligible to use resources at the
career services office of your college. Career counselors there will ad-
minister a battery of vocational Inventories to help you assess your
strengths and focus your interests. Or check back to our site in an-
other week when we will have assessment inventories available for
your own self-assessment. Another indicator of avenues to venture
can be found in your daydreams, daydreams of an ideal job. Spend
some time daydreaming about what you'd do if money were no object?
It may surprise you or give you direction about a major to follow. Good
Luck and let me know if this helps.

Margaret Riley Dikel, a librarian, author, and recognized authority

on the use of the Internet as a tool in the career counseling process,
provides Internet resources and links through her Web site, The Riley
Guide. Dikel (1999) identified four categories of inventories, plus ad-
ditional sources of Web sites for use in the career counseling process.
Assessment is ranked first. Notice how closely her list compares to the
various types of tests described earlier in the chapter. For example,
under assessments Dikel listed interest inventories, abilities/skills in-
ventories, values inventories, personality inventories, and sources to
more tests.
Each of the categories highlight assessment instruments providing
direct links. Among the interest inventories, Dikel included, The Ca-
reer Interest Game, which is based on the Holland's typology linked to
ASSESSMENT 103

the host site, University of Missouri-Columbia at http://www.mis-

souri.edu/~cppcwww/holland.shtmV; Find Your Career is based on
the Campbell Interest and Skills Survey (CISS) offered by US News at
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/beyond/bccguide.htm/.
The Student's Center.corn's About Work is also listed at
http://www.aboutwork.com. However, since January 1999 the latter ad-
dress for the Student Center links directly to Monster.com at:
http://content.monster.com. This happened as the result of a merger
among The Student Center, the Online Career Center, and
MonsterBoard, the three becoming Monster.com. By combining re-
sources, eight assessment links now are offered through Monster.com.
To review these links, click at http://content.monster.com/tools/person-
ality/links.html for a summary of what each offers below:

• University of Waterloo Career Development Manual: A compre-

hensive series of forms to organize your interests, values, and
skills. Print out the career development manual pages, fill them in
and review them regularly. Think of this as your career portfolio.
• The Career Key: A test that asks you to evaluate statements such
as "I value science," or "I value arts" and yields six basic personal-
ity types. Career Key provides a long list of jobs that match the
three types in which you score highest.
• The Best Tests for Career Hunters: More than two dozen differ-
ent career-related quizzes have been gathered here. They address
everything from sales jobs to owning your own business.
• Kaplan Educational Centers: Ten tests including the classic
Kiersey Temperament Sorter, a time management test, and a
job-readiness test.
• Bowling Green State University Career Self Assessment: A se-
ries of nonscored exercises that tell you how you want to live,
what your skills are, and how to increase your self-awareness and
self-confidence.
• Online Personality Tests: These tests are not scored but will
teach you more about yourself. And the more you know, the more
informed the choices you make will be.
• TRIMA Career Competency Questionnaire: A test that classifies
personality traits and skills according to five types of compe-
tency, allowing you to determine your strengths and weaknesses
in a work environment.
104 CHAPTER 6

TESTING ONLINE: HOW IT WORKS

NCDA Guidelines for the Use of the Internet for Provision of Career
Information and Planning Services are very clear about the Use of As-
sessment. Guideline 8., a-e specifies five conditions necessary for the
use of online inventories or tests and their interpretation:

• The assessments must have been tested in computer delivery mode

to assure that their psychometric properties are the same in this
mode of delivery as in print form; or the client must be informed
that they have not yet been tested in this same mode of delivery.
• The counselor must abide by the same ethical guidelines as if he
or she were administering and interpreting these same invento-
ries or tests in face-to-face mode or in print form.
• Every effort must be exerted to protect the confidentiality of the
user's results.
• If there is any evidence that the client does not understand the re-
sults as evidenced by e-mail or telephone interchanges, the coun-
selor must refer the client to a qualified career counselor in his or
her geographic area.
• The assessments must have been validated for self-help use if no
counseling support is provided, or that appropriate counseling
intervention is provided before and after completion of the as-
sessment resource if the resource has not been validated for
self-help use.

The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) and Myers Briggs Type Indicator
(MBTI) are two popular assessments used in career counseling. Al-
though, not mentioned previously, both are standardized instru-
ments, meeting NCDA criteria for administration and interpretation
via the Web. For clients wanting more personal attention and/or stan-
dardized instruments measuring their interests and personal prefer-
ences, the SII and MBTI are often recommend. Clients are instructed
to contact the (NBCC) at http://www.nbcc.org. In turn, NBCC offers re-
ferrals to qualified career counselors in the client's location. Qualified
counselors are trained to administer and interpret these instruments,
and to assist clients in understanding how to integrate results from the
SII and MBTI with their work history, lifestyle, and personal circum-
stances. In response to the growing demand for career services, it is
quite common to find many college and university career centers as
ASSESSMENT 105
well as private practitioners making administration of the SII and
MBTI available via the web.
When clients choose the online option, the counselor combines
e-mail counseling, telephone counseling ,and the online administra-
tion of the test instruments. Here's how it works. A client contacts the
counselor by phone or e-mail asking for information about testing ser-
vices. In turn, the counselor, either by phone or e-mail consultation,
informs the client about the procedures. The client then makes an ap-
pointment. In some cases the client delays or declines the opportunity
to make an appointment. When the client chooses the service, a time is
set for an appointment (30-60 minutes) in which the counselor can
conduct an intake interview. Generally the intake interview is con-
ducted by phone. However, with an agreed on time, the appointment
could also take place by e-mail with messages relayed between the two
parties. The purpose of the intake appointment is for the counselor to
achieve the following:

1. Interview the client for background information, goals, and ex-

pectations.
2. Assess the appropriateness of the instruments for the client.
3. Discuss fees and methods of payment for the service.
4. Provide the client access (log on name and password) for the se-
cured site for test administration and scoring.
5. Set a mutually agreed on time for follow-up and interpretation.

As in any counseling situation, the intake stage is critical for both the
client and the counselor. It is the counselor's job to establish a climate
of trust for the client to share his or her concerns and for the counselor
to assess the appropriateness of a testing procedure for the client.
In the two earlier examples, it is assumed the counselor established
trust by posting her credentials as well as links to inform clients about
her commitment to following WebCounseling Guidelines. It also is as-
sumed that these clients, unlike those in face-to-face situations, have
the opportunity to observe the counselor's style and expertise by read-
ing previously posted online messages. By posted messages, I refer to
those posted daily on OCC.com and Netscape.com during the months
of August 1998 through January 1999. Although the messages were
posted anonymously, the high number of individuals signing first and
last names to their original questions gives further evidence of coun-
selor trust.
106 CHAPTER 6

If, as Seligman (1980) suggested, testing is "a pretext for gaining

access to personal counseling," it is the counselor's obligation to in-
form clients they may not benefit from testing. In these cases, the
counselor makes other or more appropriate recommendations
and/or referrals for the client to pursue. After the counselor offers ap-
propriate resources, it becomes the client's responsibility to accept
or reject the referrals and/or recommendations. For example, when
clients ask for assessment or suggestions to get started, instead of
testing, other resources may be suggested. Sometimes career coun-
seling is not what the client needs. Simply, a request for testing may
be the pretext for reaching out. A case in point is the following woman
who wrote for suggestions:

I am 40 and single with no savings. I have worked in low paying jobs

due to my interest in the arts and community/service-oriented organiza-
tions. I have a BFA in modern dance and a masters in international busi-
ness from Thunderbird (American Graduate School of International
Management). My family is very concerned about my financial and ca-
reer future—namely benefits and retirements. I have not worked at any
one job longer than two years due to a variety of reasons (mainly geo-
graphical moves). I don't want to sell my soul but I do want some secu-
rity. Any suggestions?

Notice the client's love of her field as evidenced by her work history
in the arts and her statement, "I don't want to sell my soul." However,
by the latter statement one can assume she has fallen into the trap that
the arts do not pay well. Testing in her case may not be appropriate. In-
stead, it may be more appropriate to provide referrals that meet her
need to become financially secure. These referrals could include a fi-
nancial planner and/or links to other online information about alter-
native opportunities in the arts. As a counselor, I also want to affirm
her earlier choices by writing:

You are to be commended for using your education in your life's workl I
know many with large savings accounts who'd envy you that. On the
other hand, you are wise to think about your future and now is not too
soon. Start by finding a good financial planner, one who is fee-based,
who gives advice rather than sells products. To find one in your area,
contact the Institute for Financial Planners, at http://www.icfp.org/. This
site has a database you may search for a financial planner in your area of
ASSESSMENT [07

the country. A financial planner will assure you there is still time/years to
prepare for your future. And, you don't have to sell your soul to do it in
an unsuitable job. I know many people in the arts who administer arts
programs within government service. They are paid well, have benefits,
and are able to build for their future. Foundations and endowments for
the arts offer other opportunities to work in your profession while build-
ing financially. Some of the highest paid executives in our country work
for foundations, many of which dispense large grants for the arts. You
can investigate this possibility by visiting the Foundation Center online at
http://www.fdncenter.org/. Good luck and I hope this information
helps. Sincerely, Dr. Patricia Boer, OCC's Career Guru

Just as counselors look for confirmation regarding their feedback

to clients by observing the client's verbal and nonverbal messages, the
online counselor verifies by the client's return message. In this case,
the client wrote back almost immediately stating:

Thank you very much for your advice. It was just what I needed today. I
will look into your suggestions. It was very helpful and encouraging. All
the best.

SUMMARY
And, as the client in these messages writes, "It was just what I needed
today... very helpful and encouraging." Sometimes that's all the client
is really looking for, something helpful and encouraging or "just what I
needed today." Ghent messages like this example and similar ones
highlighted earlier, such as those expressing feelings of "being more re-
laxed," "getting a grip," "gaining peace of mind," and so on, indicate the
power of brief counseling.
These messages also imply the importance of assessment, pointing
out that assessment is not always an instrument. In the larger picture,
assessment is the counseling process itself, with test instruments sup-
plementary, providing a useful way to explain client issues. Testing as
a tool of the larger process provides clients with a starting point.
Testing often affirms the client by confirming an aspiration or provid-
ing the motivation to move forward. However, testing has its limitation
and by itself does not address individual differences, including cul-
tural differences, the structure of opportunity, institutional sexism
and/or racial, gender, sexual orientation, and age discrimination.
These issues are more fully developed in the next chapters.
108 CHAPTER 6

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What is your definition of assessment?

2. Define and describe the link between testing and career coun-
seling.
3. Which tests are of most benefit to career counseling clients?
4. When is testing not appropriate for a career counseling clients?
Why or Why not?
5. Name and discuss online Web sites and resources for career
assessment.
 7

Providing Appropriate Information

and Referral

If there is any argument demonstrating that online services extend ac-

cess and provide a unique service for what professionals call special
populations, it is illustrated by the fourth competency for certified ca-
reer counselors, that is, information resources. To become familiar
with the vast array of resources and understand which is the most ap-
propriate for which individual or special population is a skill in itself,
particularly in an age of specialization. For example, providing the
most appropriate referrals for a person with a disability is very differ-
ent from those specific to the Asian American community (illustrated
in chap. 4) versus the gay and lesbian community, or discrimination
issues related to gender, race, culture, ethnicity, and/or ageism.

NCDA DEFINITION

According to the Career Counseling Competencies, Revised Version,

1997, the fourth of the career counseling competencies calls for:
Information/resource base and knowledge essential for professionals
engaging in career counseling. Demonstration of knowledge of: (1) Edu-
cation, training and employment trends; labor market information and
resources that provide information about job tasks, functions, salaries,
requirements and future outlooks related to broad occupational fields
and individual occupations. (2) Resources and skills that clients utilize
in life-work planning and management. (3) Community/professional re-
109
IIP CHAPTER 7
sources available to assist clients In career planning, Including job
search. (4) Changing roles of women and men and the Implications that
this has for education, family, and leisure. (5) Methods of good use of
computer-base career Information delivery systems (CIDS) and com-
puter-assisted career guidance systems (CACGS) to assist with career
planning.

EXAMPLES OF MULTIPLE ISSUES FROM ONLINE PRACTICE

The importance of this competency, providing appropriate informa-

tion and referrals, is all the more important when someone's circum-
stances call for information in multiple areas just cited or when the
person represents more than one special population. This is why I be-
lieve working online requires experienced counselors with a strong
knowledge base and understanding of special populations. Client ex-
amples illustrate my point.

Client Messages

A message referred from Netscape, another Web site, is a case in point.

The Netscape representative wrote OCC.com requesting that I re-
spond, noting:
"This came in over the wire. I am at a loss in terms of how to answer
this person. Perhaps this could be something for the career guru. Sort
of a sad e-mail that I would love to get a reply off to, but I don't know
what to say. Thanks for your help." Here's the client's message:

Example I: Displaced Homemafeer

I would like to know what choices there are for those who are totally out
of touch with what is going on in the world. I am 47 years old, was mar-
ried most of my life, am legally blind and a returning student at Cal State
University. I am not sure what I can do because I have never done any-
thing in the job field. I have taught ESL in Mexico and worked slightly as a
teacher's aid in USA, but with my bad eyesight that possibility is becoming
less feasible. I have access to reading machines, called a CCTV, but it is not
portable. Transportation is also a problem. Are there any tests that some-
one can take that would place one in a particular job field or possible type
of work? It would also be nice to have a list of tasks required in a certain
job, for example, a secretary needs to type at least 40 words a minute,
take shorthand or dictation, do filing and be good with people. I know
that there are a lot of things a person would be good at if only there was
INFORMATION MM

a guide as to what kind of job the person could qualify for just from life ex-
perience. I refuse to think that all my years of expen'ence have taught me
nothing that could help me find a job.

Notice the layperson from Netscape picked up on the feelings ex-

pressed by the writer, characterizing the message as, "Sort of sad
e-mail." Notice, too, there is more than one presenting issue for the cli-
ent, regarding world of work information (i.e., being out of touch with
the world of work, being a person with a disability, having a transpor-
tation problem, and not knowing how to translate her skills and life ex-
periences into paid employment). Seemingjy unaware that attendance
at Cal State entitles her to multiple university services, she asks, "Are
there any tests?"
As a counselor, it is also my job to both respond to her question and
point out resources at her university. It is also my job to instruct her
about the meaning of Job accommodations in order to address her
transportation problems and visual impairments. Here's my response:
Since I am a career counselor, your message was forwarded to me for a
reply. You are wise to be among the returning students at Cal State. This
is one of the best ways to get back in touch as well as prepare to re-en-
ter the workforce. And, yes, there are many tests to identify or match
you interests, experiences, skills, and values with appropriate occupa-
tions. Here are resources to contact:
1. Career Services Office on-campus at Cal State. Career testing is one of
the services offered to students through your campus. Call there for an
appointment. You are right, too, about life experience teaching us
many things. Colleges, today, recognize this and offer what's called life
experience credit as well as offer students the opportunity to test out
of courses. Ask the counselors at the career center about this.
2. State Vocational Rehabilitation. Another option for you is to take voca-
tional tests in your community through the state's Vocational Rehabili-
tation Services. Since you wrote that you are legally blind, you may be
eligible for a full array of Vocational Rehabilitation services, which fall
under the Americana with Disabilities Act (ADA). This means the law is
on your side and you could be eligible for disability benefits, vocational
training, and reasonable accommodations by employers.
3. Job Accommodation Network (JAN). Accommodations mean not
only adaptive devises, like the CCTVyou mentioned, but accommo-
dations include a person to read or drive for you. For specific informa-
tion about your situation, contact the Job Accommodation Network
(JAN) at 800-526-7234. JAN offers free consultations.
112 CHAPTER 7

4. The Campus Adaptive Sen/ices Office. Or, start on campus by making

an appointment with a counselor in Adaptive Services Office. A coun-
selor there will help you prioritize and coordinate all available services
including those offered at the Career Services Office on-campus or in
your community.
5. Vocational Tests. What you want is a battery of vocational assess-
ments to help you determine the best career matching with your in-
terests, skills, and values. You'll also want assistance identifying
appropriate accommodations so that you can work toward develop-
ing a career, not just a job. By finding the right resources and learning
more about all your choices, you will find your niche as well as ways
to use all the experience life has taught you.
Good luck and I hope this helps.

I never heard from this woman. Most counselors will tell you that
one of the problems responding to clients with information versus at-
tending skills is that the technique may backfire. Information can over-
whelm the client who is not ready to hear it or take action. This was not
the case in the next client example.

Example 1: Unemployed Person

I am just completing a program for those disabled and unemployed. My
disability is a hearing loss.( I can use a telephone, though not while
wearing an aid.) My skills are now thorough knowledge of Word97,
Excel97 and taking courses on ZD University. Access and soon hope to
master Visual Basic or VBA. My typing skills are 45+, though I do freeze
up under testing. I enjoy a varied busy day, though one not overwhelm-
ing. Also enjoy helping others. I taught Bridge (card game) and really en-
joyed my work day. Though in Florida almost every bridge teacher
moved or settled here. Thank you. Merry Christmas
P.S. I have my B.A. from NYU. in Business Administration, and minor in
Accounting. I also have strong Math skills, people skills, and passed the
Word97 and Excel97 with flying colors.

In this message, the client's tone is very positive, filled with the pride
of accomplishments. He describes himself as "enjoyed a varied busy
day ... enjoyed my work day ... also have strong Math skills, people
skills and passed ... with flying colors," and even wishes me Merry
Christmas! Yet, notice, he does not ask a question per se. He implies he
needs help with employment. And, like the woman in the former exam-
ple he appears not to know he may have access to resources through
INFORMATION m

his university, or in his case his alma mater. Not knowing exactly what
he wants, I replied:

If you're writing about changing careers, I'm surprised you're not receiv-
ing assistance through the program you are completing presently. If
there are no placement services available there, check with your alma
mater, NYU. The university may offer direct career assistance to former
graduates. You may link to the NYU career center at
http://www.nyu.edu/careerservices/>. Counselors at the career center
can coach you on the basics of changing careers and put you in touch
with companies seeking their graduates. Or, link back to the NYU home
page to connect and network with alumni members. You may find job
openings to work for the University which is an option you might con-
sider, too. Since you like to help people, state you are good at math,
with a degree in business, and minor in accounting with computer ex-
pertise as well, you have the makings of a great financial aid officer. Or
you may want to use your new computer skills in the Adaptive Technol-
ogy Department, helping other hearing impaired students to better ac-
cess the resources of the university. Hopefully, too, you'll find NYU, like
many universities, gives employment preference to people with disabili-
ties. Good luck and let me know if this helps.

This client wrote back immediately indicating my responses were

on target, indicating the information was not overwhelming. It helped:

Thank you for your fast reply. I am presently interning at Miami-Dade

Access Dept assisting low vision students with their term papers, using
the talking computers. And, tutoring students in remedial math. It takes
close to two hours each way to commute, so I had not given it any
thought. As I am now in Florida, I did not think about asking at a New
York College. I will contact NYU and look into all that you have informed
me. Thank you. Have the happiest holiday everl

Even Ivy League-educated medical students have concerns and seek

information.

Example 3: Medical Student

O.K. Here's a doozy ... I'm a medical resident that not only is fearful of
his job since managed care is lingering around, but also one in a great
deal of federal educational debt. I am discovering, however (through var-
ious tests and books) that I am not truly happy with what I do. I feel I
114 CHAPTER 7
need to flex my creative side more, and will only be happy doing so. I
have been classified as "ENFP", and I feel this is a very accurate descrip-
tion. I really want to change careers, but I have to pay off my loans.
What do you suggest... stick it out and pay them off (10-15 yrs) or be
oblivious and go for it? Help!!

Here's my response:

Yes, it's always a doozy when the decision is posed as an either/or situa-
tion. These types of decisions generally add to feelings of being stuck. To
change that, use your creative side to think about options within the
medical field. This way you will draw on all you've learned rather than be
oblivious to it. For example, the success of the TV series ER is attributed
to its author, Crichton, who used his experience as a student at the Har-
vard Medical School when he logged innumerable hours in the Massa-
chusetts General Hospital emergency room working toward his degree
as a medical doctor. During that time, he was also beginning to make
his way as a writer and, in fact, paid his way though medical school writ-
ing paperback thrillers. Just as ENFP's make good writers and/or journal-
ists, they also make good psychologists, psychiatrists, teachers, and
practitioners of holistic or alternative medicine as well as management
consultants. Why not look for ways to integrate medicine into one of
these areas, or in the emerging field of fundraising and development.
Professionals who direct medical foundations are well paid. To investi-
gate foundation careers link to The Foundation Center at
http ://www. fdncenter. org. And, if none of these suggestions appeal to
you, invest a few hours with a qualified career counselor who will help
you explore other options. Contact the National Board for Certified
Counselors at http://www.nbcc or make an appointment online with
Career Development Services, Rochester (CDS) NY, NY, which offers a
very reliable service in partnership with the Wall Street Journal at
http://www.careers.wsj.com. By expanding your options, you'll make a
better decision and formulate a plan you'll be happier with. Good luck
and let me know if this helps.

Within 48 hours, the client wrote back ... from the tone, you can al-
most feel his excitement and appreciation for a burden lifted, for the
discovery of new options and resources to pursue.

Wow ... just wanted to say thanks for your advice ... it certainly helped
me make some initial decisions ... is there a phone number or more di-
rect way to access your services? Are you an individual or do you have
INFORMATION H5

others working for you (pref. in the Cinci, OH region?) Thanks again, I
will forward your name to many others.

EXPERIENCE FROM CCLP/PRIVATE PRACTICE

It may be Important to note that all examples in the book were selected
from messages sent to me directly before they were publicly posted. I
read and responded to each, allowing clients to respond in kind. OCC
provided this service at no charge to the job seeker (850 clients who
utilized OCC.com). In contrast, once OCC merged with Monster I was
listed among the experts on the message boards where questions or
messages were posted publicly instead of arriving at my private prac-
tice, Center for Career/Life Planning (CCLP). As a courtesy for clients
wanting to hire my services, Monster provided a direct link to CCLP.
Naturally, I appreciated this, as career counseling is both my profes-
sion and the way I make my living. However, it rarely worked that way.
Monster clients appeared to use the link to bypass the message boards
and chats in the hopes that I would answer directly. So, I would re-
spond by noting they had reached my private practice, a fee-for-service
program, and directed them back to free services at Monster or sug-
gesting they search for one-stop centers in their community at
http://www.ttrc.doleta.gov/onestop.
There are three interesting points about these clients: (a) confidenti-
ality did not appear to be an issue, meaning, this was not the motiva-
tion to link to my private practice; (b) they shared a great deal of
personal information either anticipating I would answer and/or ex-
pecting CCLP to be a free service; and (c) only a small percentage (less
than 2% or 28 from an estimated 1,440 e-mails) contracted for paid
services with CCLP. This led me to conclude that only a small portion
of the public is ready to pay for online service, particularly when free
services are readily available.
I also concluded that it was not fair to provide free services to those
linking through Monster when my in-person clients were paying for
similar privileges. At times, I felt torn. There were so many messages
and with resources at my fingertips, a brief reply would not hurt them
or me. I did this initially before joining Monster, and until the brief
messages took more time than those I answered for Monster or spent
conducting live chats. It was then I began using a cut-and-paste
method. Yet, every now and then one or two of messages would stand
out, giving me pause. This is one such message. As you read it you'll see
116 CHAPTER 7

why I responded, ever briefly, and why I believe providing information

and referral is important online service.

Example From CCLP/Private Practice

Notice the message is from a 53-year-old male following a downsizing

or "reduction in force" (potential discrimination/ageism issue). He
asks about employer background checks (legal issue) adding he has
multiple sclerosis (a disabling disease). Here is his actual message and
with his permission, his signature.
I am a 53-year-old male who was just gone through a "Reduc-
tion-in-Force". To date I have sent out over 125 resumes to viable job of-
fers for which I was uniquely qualified. So far... I have received only
ONE positive response for future consideration, only to be told that the
employer has just instituted a "Hiring Freeze." Several of my fellow
younger associates, who were also let go, have already received several
valid job offers within our computer software/business analyst industry.
Additionally, I have read recently where employers are now using private
"Investigation Search" firms for background screening information of ap-
plicants. There are laws that restrict what kinds of information (job re-
lated only) an employer can elicit from the applicant, yet there appears
to be no such safeguard for the potential employee in regard to these
"Investigation background checks?"

Another concern that impacts my employment situation is the fact that I

have Multiple Sclerosis, which was first discovered back in 1965. The dis-
ease has taken a toll on my ability to walk without assistance, but other
than the damage that has already occurred I am one of the "Lucky" MS
survivors who can still lead a somewhat normal existence. Over the last
five years I have not missed ONE single workday due to an ailment of
any kind. BUT ... if a prospective employer finds out that I DO have MS
... guess who will NOT be offered a job??
Perhaps I am just going through some sort of normal job search para-
noia, but it would appear that someone in my shoes (being over 50 and
having a so-called catastrophic disease) has only a remote chance of
ever getting another job for which I am truly qualified???

In addition to the issues this client presents, his message also illus-
trates the amount of personal information clients are willing to share
online, even before they contract for services. Like many clients, he
INFORMATION m

freely provides personal details about his age, education, and disabil-
ity. Like many, too, he asks what's wrong with me, "am I just going
through some sort of normal job search paranoia?"
Because I was traveling the day his message arrived, it posed an
added challenge. Was this a question I really wanted to ignore or could
I quickly send a brief response from my laptop? Sometimes, too, a cli-
ent truly seeks my services and might be insulted if I assume he or she
is writing only for free services. Monster.com does clearly provide on
my bio page, the link for inquiries about my private practice, the CCLP.
As is seen here, I wrote him, mentioning my services, fees, and proce-
dures with a brief postscript. And, notice I respond to only one of his
three issues, very briefly, too. This is definitely not an example of on-
line career counseling, it is strictly an example of providing accurate
information and referral. However, it does demonstrate how empow-
ering the right information can be for a client.

My Reply
Thank you for inquiring about my private practice, which is a fee-for-ser-
vice program. If you are interested in these services I would be happy to
assist you. I've helped many clients long distance. Below are details
about my online services, fees, and procedures. You may read details be-
low or the general information on my vocational testing site at
http ://admin. cpp-db.com/C/cclpin. Sincerely, Pat Boer
P.S.
Because you have M.S., consider calling the Job Accomodation Network
(JAN) for additional suggestions and advise. There is no charge for this
service and it may be the best call you'll ever make. If you do and it
helps, let me know. The number is (1-800-526-7234, outside West Vir-
ginia and inside the state at: 1-800-526-4698)

The Client's First Reply

Your prompt reply is most excellent! I will contact JAN as you suggested
and proceed onward from that point. The additional information about
your services is impressive and the fee structure is reasonable. After I
have contacted JAN, I will get back to you with the results and the next
step in my quest for continued employment. Your kindness is much ap-
preciated lim Minehan

A month later he wrote about his experience with JAN ....

118 CHAPTER 7

Client's Second Reply

Last month (11-11-99) you were kind enough to E-mail me some infor-
mation about your services and also suggest that I contact the Job ac-
commodation Network (JAN) for assistance with my search for new
employment based on the fact that I have MS. In your note back to me
you suggested that contacting JAN might be a most valuable tool for
me and your advice was 100% ACCURATE. Please allow me to say
THANK YOU in a big way for your suggestion.

I spoke to a man named Eddie at JAN last week and explained that I
was afraid my MS was being used against me by many of the respective
new employers that I had been in contact with. Eddie took the time to
talk me through all the potential options and variables that I might en-
counter. During the course of our conversation, Eddie mentioned the
fact that he was born without any arms. Needless to say, my perceived
troubles suddenly took a back-seat position. The person to whom I was
speaking was recording my pertinent information by typing on his key-
board with his TOESII was truly impressed with Eddie's demeanor and
candor as he so generously assisted my situation and responded with
valuable information that I can use most effectively on a going forward
basis. I have such respect and admiration for someone like Eddie who
has overcome a situation that is unthinkable in most people's realm.
Thanks to Eddie (and ultimately ... yourself) I can get back on track and
focus on the real blessings that I do have and continue with my quest
for new employment with a renewed enthusiasmlll
I truly hope you have an excellent holiday season and Happy New Mil-
lenniuml Certainly I will... thanks to your excellent assistance.
Most Sincerely,
Jim Minehan

My Second Reply

As I have noted throughout this book, I've received many notes of ap-
preciation. Jim's stands out among the top five. Not only is he appre-
ciative of the information, he generously shares how he's used it. His
message demonstrates how one unknown resource (JAN) can make a
major difference in a person's life. It also reminds me of something a
colleague used to say in training sessions regarding appropriate infor-
mation. Here's my paraphrased version, "sometimes, with new infor-
mation the very thing we want to fight and die for on Friday, becomes
what we want to live for Monday."
INFORMATION 119

When new information is the client's main issue, helping him or her
access the information or providing the appropriate link is key. Access
is what online career counseling provides, yet many counselors are
still skeptical of this medium. This is why I asked Jim for permission
to share his experience, writing.
Dear Jim!
I am so glad to know JAN was helpful to you. And, thank you for writ-
ing back such a warm and complete update. I know it took thought and
time so I appreciate that too. It also was inspirational to read. Now, I'm
wondering if I could ask a favor of you. I am writing a book for counsel-
ors on the value of e-mail career counseling and would like to include
your message as an example of how this medium reaches out and is
helpful to more people than our traditional delivery methods (in-person).
It my belief the Internet is a valuable tool to extend services, particularly,
for people with disabilities or anyone who might hesitate to meet with a
counselor face to face. Let me know if you would be willing to share
your message. Your name can remain anonymous like the other mes-
sages I present, or adding it may demonstrate that many users do not
worry as much as professionals about confidentiality. Please do not feel
you have to say yes. If you prefer not to be in the book I understand to-
tally. Thank you again for writing back. Your appreciation made my day
and makes all my work worthwhile. A very happy holiday to you toolll
Pat

Here's his permission:

I would be honored for you to use my response in your book! You also
are absolutely correct about the positive impact of E-Mail career counsel-
ing. It DOES work. Please let me know when the book is published so I
can be one of the first to get a copy. You are obviously very gifted at
what you do and the book has to be of equal quality. If you ever get out
to Arizona on a book signing tour I can have you autograph it. Thank
you for ALL you have done for me!If
Jim
My reply
Thank you for your written permission to include your example and
words in my upcoming publication on career counseling over the
Internet. Once, published I'll personally make sure you're among the first
to receive a copy. Now it's my turn to say thank you. Thank you, Jim, I
truly appreciate your assistance and know your voice will have an impor-
tant and positive influence on readers.
Best regards. Pat
120 CHAPTER 7

Looking back on this scenario, I gained much, too. I learned you

don't need to respond to everything to be helpful to a client. Some-
times, underneath the story is one factor driving the others. When
that's addressed, the client handles the rest. It's an important lesson
for this online art, and a reminder of what I learned years ago as a
practicum student. I can still hear my supervisor say, "Clients tell you
what's important in the first 5 minutes. If you miss it, they'll tell you
again until you get it or they move on to another counselor." As I would
review tapes for submission or later from students presenting their
tapes to me, I would hear the client say from the beginning what was
important. Jim's message teaches me anew, leading me to my eighth
lesson on the road.

LESSON 8: PROVIDING APPROPRIATE ONLINE INFORMATION

AND REFERRAL

What makes the skill of online information and referral important is

the word appropriate. Messages needn't be long or detailed, as in my
message to Jim. Messages simply need to match the client's chief con-
cern. And, they needn't come from extensive online searches. Appro-
priate information and referral is often drawn from experiences the
counselor brings to the online setting, from his or her previous in-per-
son practice. This was the case with both Jim and in the earlier exam-
ple with the medical student.
Brevity may also be important and reinforces one of the dos and
don'ts recommended for career coaches. In a training model developed
for online career coaches, Louann Kummerer, senior consultant for In-
terim Career Consulting, Inc., now Spherion Corporation, emphasizes,
"You don't need to over answer." As I look back on so many of my early
responses I wonder if over answering isn't my weakness. It's so easy to
do. It's like giving too much feedback in a face-to-face session when you
need to be listening. Listening is equally important when clients ask of
information about education, training and employment trends.

GETTING STARTED WITH ONLINE INFORMATION AND REFERRAL

So how do career counselors who want to practice online know which

sources are the most appropriate for referrals for clients, particularly
those representing diverse populations or who ask complex questions
related to disability issues, ageism, and the legal ramifications? Ba-
INFORMATION 121

sically, you do it the same way you would offer referrals to clients in
person. You begin with the basics.

Using Labor Market and Educational Information

Most career counselors are familiar with and refer clients to labor mar-
ket information published by the U.S. DOL such as the Dictionary of
Occupational Titles (DOT) at http://www.oalj.dol.gov/libdot.htm or
what's now called O*Net at http://www.doleta.gov/programs/onet/. The
Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) is another DOL publication at
http://www.bls.gov/ocohome.htm. It works the same way for informa-
tion on education. Many counselors rely on Peterson's Guide. This
guide is also available online at http://www.petersons.com.

Using the NCDA Site

Another way to get started is by finding a site with established and ex-
tensive resources for referral. Just as many counselors might turn to
the NCDA for printed resources to provide clients or add to their per-
sonal career libraries, these resources are available online on the
NCDA homepage at: http://www.ncda.org/hotlinks.htmV.

NCDA Links. The links on this page not only connect to the OOH,
there are links to:
• state labor market information: http://www.dbm.com/jobguide/
trends.html#gov/
• community colleges and universities: http://www.utexas.edu/
world/univ/
• financial aid: http://www.ed.gov/proginfo/SFA/StudentGuide

Other links are categorized under organizations and publications;

career planning and assessment; searching databases for occupa-
tional information education and training, financial aid, internships,
and job openings, as well as links to other online career centers. By
identifying lists of links such as those available on the NCDA site, valu-
able time can be saved. These are not the only links to recommend.
NCDA represents just one starting point. For financial aid, I like a very
simple site call Find Aid at http://www.finaid.org. However, the value of
starting an online search by using a site like NCDA is the information
has already been sorted for ease of retrieval.
122 CHAPTER 7

NCDA Publication. Another tool to help the novice get started is the
NCDA(1998) publication, The Internet: A Toolfor Career Planning. This
first edition lists a model for career planning as well as sample websites
developed by Dikel. This publication was not in print when I started on-
line, so today's novice may very well want to begin with its review.
Using Resources on NACE

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) offers one

of the most complete list of resources. It is easy to use with the alpha-
betized list at http://www.jobweb.org/rmap.htm. More than 50 resource
links are available for clients and counselors to search for their own
college career center, internships, information on headhunters and
search firms as well as company information and job trends. Coun-
selors who are familiar with or who have referred in-person clients to
NACE publications, like Job Choices, will find this online resource
even more valuable.
Using Monster.com

Another way to get started is the way I did. You begin with one of the on-
line centers, which provides extensive information and/or links to la-
bor market trends, salary surveys, relocation information, and
databases you can search by city, state, country, and industry.

CREATING USEFUL INDEXES OF RESOURCES

Utilizing any and all of the above ways to get started will help the novice
find his or her own favorite links and resources. Also, I have compiled
a basic list of links to help the novice get started online. The re-
sources/links are categorized links by

1. Career counseling for referrals to career counselors in person.

2. Education and training for referrals to educational information,
alumni groups, and financial aid.
3. Internships to refer career changers as well as traditional stu-
dents.
4. Occupational information about various career options.
5. Job openings to search nationwide including a list of the 200 best
small companies.
6. Military career guides for career transition.
INFORMATION T23

These categories are incomplete and something I put together to help

me get started. Once you go online, you'll find your own. You'll notice
this basic list is just that. It's very basic and does not include lists for
special populations. This is because I discovered the Society for Human
Resource Management (SHRM) has compiled one of the best lists of re-
source links on special populations at http://vvww.shrm.org/lirlinks.
These links give special attention and resources to complex issues and
special populations including the following

• Diversity issues and affirmative action.

• Flexible work arrangements.
• Expatriate worker.
• Safety and health issues including employee assistance pro-
grams, sexual harassment, and workforce violence.
• Work/life with 14 separate links including issues on the best com-
panies for women and minorities, elder care, day care and the
family and medical leave act.

Further, Monster.com compiled specialized lists under Toolkits for:

• Women workers at http://content.monster.com/womenworkers/

• Older workers at http://content.monster.com/olderworkers/
• Military transition at http://content.monster.com/military/
• Internationa] at http://international.monster.com/workintheus/

In addition there are many more links for resources covering issues
I have not mentioned, such as mentoring and employee assessment
and links for the gay and lesbian community. Instead, this is an over-
view or guide to get started. Once comfortable online, the second stage
for learning about appropriate links for information and referral hap-
pens by searching online and toggling back and forth until you find
what fits. At this stage, some counselors may want to take computer
courses to help them feel more proficient online. I took several courses
that helped me feel more confident about my process and how I ma-
neuvered online.
However, it wasn't computer courses or searching online that lead me
to resources like JAN. I'd like to say I discovered this resource by search-
ing online, like I did with SHRM at http://www.shrm.org. However, that's
not the case. My knowledge of JAN (http://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu/engMsh/
contacthtm) grows from experience providing a diverse population with
124 CHAPTER 7

information and resources. One excellent resource is a book by Melanie

Astaire Witt (1992), Job Strategies for People with Disabilities, perti-
nent for special populations today.

EXAMPLES OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Some resources that did result from online searches are related to spe-
cial populations and warrant attention. Here's one on discrimination
based on sexual orientation, signed, 'Thanks, I hope!!" He writes:

I'd appreciate some advice from people who are or have experienced job
loss due to discrimination based on sexual orientation, sexual harass-
ment, and other similar reasons. How do you cope during the legal
"battle", how do you regain your self esteem and self-confidence. When
do you stop being angry and feeling like a victim? What do you do
when you transfer out of state for a promotion that turns into a "night-
mare" such as described above? Hope you get my drift; I can assure you
even a monetary settlement is meaningless when you've suffered any of
the above experiences. Thanks, I hopelll

Although my response may look like it gives this client several op-
tions, it may be an example of overanswering or overwhelming a client.
As counselors know, many clients just want a safe place to vent rather
than information or problem-solving strategies. It is possible that
someone going through litigation just wants to sound off or find sup-
port. This is why my response starts with a referral to a career coun-
selor as a first step in seeking support and exploring options:
Yes, psychological pain and grief are always harder to experience and
handle, making monetary settlements seem unimportant. Like handling
any type of grief, begin by acknowledging that it's hard and accept your
feelings as okay. To do this takes understanding and support from
friends, family, and professionals, even your attorney. Keep in mind, too,
it's always harder to feel okay when your future seems uncertain. So
make support your first goal. Find a qualified counselor by contacting
the National Board of Certified Counselors at http://www.nbcc.org.
Once you deal with your grief and feelings, the second part is easier,
that is, discovering new options. As you begin to discover new choices,
you'll feel less like a victim and find your self-esteem and confidence re-
turn. To explore all your options for support and future employment
check out these Web sites:
INFORMATION 125

1. The Gay Workplace Issues Homepage at

http://www.nyu.edu/pages/sls/gaywork. On this page you'll find re-
sources for organizations, company policies, universities, publications,
and e-mail lists.
2. The National Organization for Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Techni-
cal Professionals at http://www.noglstp.org. If you are in a technical
field this is a good place to start. This site has a workplace discussion
list, and/or workplace issues.
3. Company lists and links to the 100 most positive companies for gays,
lesbians, and bisexuals at http://www.noglstp.org/. By developing a
supportive network and researching companies with work environ-
ments matching your interests and orientation, you will both feel
better and avoid another nightmare. Good luck and let me know if
this helps.

Or consider this request from a woman looking to make a career

change from education. She implies she found satisfaction by working
on the business side of raising money for breast cancer:

I am looking to make a career change. I am currently working in the field

of education. I worked on a project this summer where I co-ordinated
and dealt with the business end of a charity ride. Two women rode
across country to raise money for breast cancer. We are looking into
how to keep the charity going???? Do you have any suggestions?

Because I am not sure what she means by all the questions marks af-
ter her question on "keep the charity going, " I answer it literally first,
providing information on fundraising sources for breast cancer. I fol-
low this with information on fundraising as a career, providing a link
to the Foundation Center.

Congratulations on doing such important workl And, yes, I have some

suggestions. To keep the charity going????, consider writing grants.
Two excellent sources are The Feminist Majority on Breast Cancer at
http://www.feminist.org/other/bc/bchome.html/ and the Foundation
Center at http://www.fdncenter.org/. At the Foundation Center's site
you will find a wealth of information on funding provided by public, pri-
vate, and corporate foundations. You'll also find info on how to write a
grant as well as job listings for people interested in professional fundrais-
ing. If you're thinking of changing career from education to something
new, you may be able to create a whole new position and lifestyle for
126 CHAPTER 7

yourself as you raise funds for this worthwhile cause. Good luck and let
me know if this information helps. Sincerely, Dr. Patricia Boer, OCC's Ca-
reer Guru

One of the most common requests for information came from men
and women wanting to work at home. Many wrote stating all the infor-
mation on the Internet appeared to be about scams or sites that re-
quested they send money. With few exceptions they wrote asking for
resources for legitimate ways to work from home. For example, here's
a very straight forward request:

I'm trying to figure out how I can make a few extra dollars at home by
either using my computer or not. Have any suggestions on how to get
started?

In response I wrote:

Working from home is a hot topic nowl And, it often falls under the cat-
egory of developing a small business. Each state has services to assist
small business owners, so you might consider checking with one of the
centers in your area by viewing http://www.sbaonlin.sba.gov. Another
option is to search our site under Browse for Jobs by Industry. Check
out the options under Telecommuting and Consulting. Or you could
check Home Office, a computing magazine for small home based busi-
ness ideas at http://www.smalloffice.com. Also, try New Ways to Work
at http.V/www.nww.org/. Let me know if it helps.

Many wrote too asking for help understanding ageism in the work-
place. Here a divorced 58-year-old man who wrote:

What's a guy to do? At 58, divorced in 1997, divested of my interest in a

successful life and health insurance and financial advisory practice in the
process and not at all ready, willing or able to retire in the traditional
sense, I find myself confronted with a marketplace that values youth and
technology and devalues experience when at comes with advanced
years (from the point of view of the recruiter, not mine). I am a very ca-
pable salesperson, executive, coach, team builder and all around good
guy but can't seem to uncover a single situation where my years of ex-
perience, accumulated skill and concomitant wisdom are of any use or
value. Your advice is greatly appreciated.
INFORMATION [27

Here's my reply. Because he sounds down or some might character-

ize as negative, I want to affirm his perceptions before offering options.
I also want to point out his skills and how these might transfer to an-
other field. I wrote the following:

In many ways you are right, the marketplace appears to value youth ...
theirs is a smaller price tag unlike those of us with considerable experi-
ence and expertise. Sometimes, it's strictly a question of dollars. How-
ever, many small businesses and nonprofits value maturity and
experience. Given the skills you describe (sales, executive, coach, team
builder) why not consider a new career, one calling for these, such as a
development officer in professional fundraising. This field particularly val-
ues experience and maturity. Many universities, hospitals, and nonprofits
hire fundraisers and reward them financially. To learn more about fund-
raising, foundations, and positions in the field, check the Foundation
Center at http://www.fdn.org/. Also, you might look at Philanthropy
On-line. This site links to other nonprofit jobs. Visit at
http://wwwjobs.pj.org/. Let me know if this helps.

He writes back almost immediately, saying:

Thanks for your reply. The ^obs.pj.org" page is loaded with good "stuff'
that will most certainly help. The "fdn.org" address points to a French
home page that does not seem to address the subject at hand. Is there
something I'm missing? Thanks in advance.

Yes! He's right, there is definitely something missing. This hap-

pened rarely but it can and does happen. It's one of the possible barri-
ers to communication online. The best information may be lost due to
a misspelled word or address (URL) that is out of date. Fortunately, he
wrote back. His message shows his appreciation and interest in receiv-
ing the correct address. In this case it was an easy mistake to fix, I had
simply mistyped the address leaving out a word. Here's the correct
URL for the Foundation Center http://www.fdncenter.org.

COMMUNITY INFORMATION AND REFERRALS

Just as identifying and searching for appropriate online information

starts with the basics, searching for community resources starts there,
128 CHAPTER 7

too. It starts with hard copy community directories and agencies that
counselors make available to in-person clients.
Human Services Agencies

For example, most communities have a comprehensive directory of

human services. In Indianapolis, it's called the Rainbow Book, listing
more than 800 community agencies and programs. This single publi-
cation provides information to serve the gay and lesbian community,
ex-offenders, people with disabilities, new immigrants, the unem-
ployed as well as resources for dealing with everything from bank-
ruptcy to bereavement, attorney referrals, caregiver services as well as
how to file complaints, earn a GED, or deal with learning disabilities.
Now online, this publication is available via the Internet at
http://www.irni.org/links.html. On this site are links to the main office
of United Way, another excellent community resource with additional
links on volunteer opportunities at http://www.uwci.org/links.html.
Direct links are also provided to nonprofit organizations in the com-
munity. Most communities have something similar. If not, a search can
be conducted through a national directory of United Way agencies at
http://www.unitedway.org or through the public library.
Public Libraries

Today, public libraries are considered information centers. Most are

linked together through a vast network of additional links leading
straight to the library of congress. For example I can start in Marion
County where I live at http://www.imcpl.lib.in.us and link from there to
any state. All I need do is either follow the links on the library Web page
or substitute the "in" in the URL for the two-letter abbreviation for any
state of interest. Interestingly, sometimes the oldest and most obvious
resources are often the best, meaning, the public library can be the
best place to start.
Resources on Your Desk

And don't over look the wealth of resources that float across your desk.
Working Woman Magazine (1999) published a special Internet issue, at
http://www.workingwoman.com. The issue offers a 25-page guide of the
best Web sites for women in 25 categories from books, career moves, and
health to purchasing computers, distance learning opportunities, invest-
INFORMATION [29

ing, and parenting. For distance education UCLA heads the list at
http://www.onUnelearning.net followed by Colorado State for those inter-
ested in an online MBA at http://www.biz.colostate.edu/mba/distance/dis-
tance.htm. Donna Hoffman, professor of management and co-founder in
1994 of Vanderbilt University's Project 2000, is quoted as worrying about
the "creation of a disadvantaged class of non-Net user," adding that "if
you're not online, you're not in society." Her concerns stem from what she
calls the race divide, noting that even as the prices of computers decline,
lower income Blacks are lagging in terms of computer ownership com-
pared with Whites. Although she doesn't offer solutions, she raises some
important questions.
SUMMARY
One might think providing information and referral a simple task, and
sometimes it is. However, to provide the right information and the
most appropriate for an individual client is a skill in itself, complicated
by the shear volume of online information. Counselors can start by
trusting what they already know and drawing on their experiences
from in-person practice. Professional organizations, community agen-
cies, and directories like Working Woman's Special Internet Issue are
resources not to overlook. Equally important are the number of online
college career centers as well as online commercial career centers like
Monster.com. And, least counselors get lost in the maze of information
overload, we can look to our public libraries and those at our alma
maters for assistance, remembering what's good for our clients is good
for us too.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Define and discuss how a counselor provides appropriate in-

formation and referrals.
2. Do you agree with the concept, "you don't have to over answer."
Give an example and explain why you agree or disagree.
3. Name three sources to help you get started with an online ca-
reer search. Explain your choices and why you think they are of
value.
4. What are two common resources many counselors overlook?
5. Are there other resources, not mentioned, that you would rec-
ommend adding?
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 PART

III

Preparing for a Paradigm Shift

*
Starting with chapter 8, Embracing Technology, this section of
the book looks to the future of online services. Examples of mes-.
sages that were returned due to computer glitches or technology
failures, demonstrate the barriers or the downside of this me-
dium. The chapter also discusses the importance of support for
putting a human face on technology in the delivery of career coun-
seling services. Closely related is chapter 9, Encouraging Qualita-
tive Research, or what professionals can learn from reviewing
and reflecting on qualitative studies. An analysis from interactive
research methodologies offers suggestions for counselor train-
ing, supervision, and the development of practice models. Chap-
ter 10, Emerging Practice Models, offers a summary of key
reflections on 11 lessons from the road with suggestions for a
practice that reinforces the purpose of the book, valuing online
career services as the medium for the 21st century, these last
three chapters offer insights for researchers and practitioners
alike as we move forward to fulfill the NCDA mission "to facilitate
the career development of all people across the life span."
This page intentionally left blank
 8
Embracing Technology

When former ACA President Donna Ford took office, she was quoted
as saying that she was looking forward to viewing the future in a differ-
ent way. She chose as her theme "Formatting Our Future," selecting
the term/ormat to emphasize the need for counselors to take a lead in
the delivery of counseling services via the Internet, Ford (1999) stated:
It is better to embrace the new technology, learn all we can, get over our
personal fears and decide how to provide ethical, competent counseling
services for the public. As counselors we are in the position to set the
standards that will guide the future, (p. 5}
Ford's presidential theme reflects attention to the third issue in the
debate about online counseling technology. Debaters ask what impact
technology has on the counseling process in both keeping up with its
changes and its failures. Like many counselors, my journey to em-
brace technology was gradual and in many ways skeptical. Not only did
I worry about technology's changes, I worried that technology was yet
another way for business to take over our field.
While thinking I was so savvy, I often denied technology's impact.
For example, working with clients in individual sessions or workshop
settings, I would say, "all fields cycle." Before the days of full employ-
ment, most clients knew exactly what this meant. They could picture a
friend or relative who left a field like real estate. When interest rates
soared, causing the market to drop they knew of agents who quit. Or,
they would remember an unemployed or aspiring teacher changing ca-
reers when the field was flooded. Or, they could even recall what hap-
133
134 CHAPTER 8

pened to nurses when managed care entered the scene. Some had their
own horror stories to share about their experiences, which is why they
were seeking direction through my services.
Secure in the belief that transitions increase the demand for career
counselors, I glossed over the impact that technology was making in
my own field. I missed some beginning signals. Later, discovering
search engines to identify college or company information for clients,
the impact was more apparent as I observed Web pages appearing or
disappearing overnight.
Suddenly, it seemed that a career counselor needed to be a cross be-
tween a librarian, a researcher, and a computer guru. With more and
more information available on the Web, it appeared that technology
threatened to replace the field, as practitioners folded offices or
merged into different fields. Clients, too, expressed frustration in try-
ing to identify appropriate online information and the value of posting
resumes online.
Today, online users hardly realize that career services via the Web
are still in its infancy, less than the age of a preschooler. As daily
changes continue to occur, I know what I write today maybe outdated
when this volume goes to press. Still, I believe it is important to chroni-
cle the evolution of events and services. Because, just as the Internet is
changing the way career counselors conduct practice, the changes
challenge us to expand our knowledge base and develop best practices.
To respond to the challenges, Tyler (cited in Morrissey, 1997), an
assistant professor of counselor education at Florida Gulf Coast Uni-
versity, called for "differentiation between counseling, education, cri-
sis intervention and other services that could be performed via the
Internet" (p. 4).

OTHER ELECTRONIC CAREER INTERVENTIONS

A closer look at definitions on electronic career services helps to dis-

tinguish online career counseling from other online career interven-
tions, including crisis interventions.

• Usenet newsgroups: These are discussion groups, known as

Usenet, or online groups in which individuals discuss a topic
through text messages posted in a public discussion area. It al-
lows readers to reach as many as 100 e-mail messages/senders in
a short time. The flip side is that the message/discussion is pub-
TECHNOLOGY 135

lie. Usenet newsgroups also are known as bulletin boards and

message boards, or places on the net where one can read, leave,
and respond to messages pertaining to a selected topic.
• Web forums: Web forums are like Usenet, except these exist only
on the Web. According to Dixon (1998), Web forums are less in-
habited than Usenets and therefore users have an easier time get-
ting to know a handful of people who frequent the forum.
• Llstservs/mailing lists: These are discussion groups carried on
by e-mail. They may be either public (i.e., archived or stored on
the Usenet) or private lists.
• Message Boards: Message boards work like an old-fashion bulle-
tin board, where individuals can post messages or advertise
something with someone designated to monitor the board. On-
line message boards are set up by topic areas, often called "Ask
the Experts" or defined by a specific topical category like the 24
topics listed on Monster.com at http://community.monster.com/
#boardlist. Experts range in backgrounds from NCCC to employ-
ment attorneys, from resume specialists to specialists in self-em-
ployment, careers for Latinos, and aging in the workplace.
• Toolkits: Monster.com has also introduced the idea of
"toolkits" on special topics or directed at special populations
like women, older workers, those in military transition, career
changers, and those with nonprofit careers. Toolkits provide
specialized information on these topics as well as links to mes-
sage boards, resources, and books. The career changers'
toolkit offers two unique features: assessment links at
http://content.monster.com/tools/personality/links.html, and
multiple ways to research an employer and/or industry at
http://campus.monster.com/links/research.
• Chats: Online chats or chat rooms are Web pages, that allow us-
ers to type a message to a group of people in real time, that is, us-
ers do not have to wait for responses to messages to arrive later.
They simply type their message, press "enter," and the message
appears on the screen (in a communal chat area) for others to
read and make replies. According to Dixon (1998), "chat rooms
tend toward quippy conversations as opposed to substantive con-
versations" (p. 168).
• Video and teleconferencing: According to Sussman (1998),
real-time video, audio, and teleconferencing has not arrived to
counseling. It is in the near future, meaning, 2 to 4 years, and
136 CHAPTER 8

holds the promise of making online counseling, "the next best

thing to being there."

E-MAIL CAREER COUNSELING

In contrast to the public electronic interventions just outlined, I define

career counseling over the Internet as:

Individualized e-mail career counseling, a specialty of WebCounseling,

integrating professional career counseling and career planning services
and utilizing electronic resources to communicate and deliver services
when the client and the counselor are in separate or remote locations.

What are popularly known as chats, message boards, listserves, or

other group activities, sometimes called online career counseling, are
excluded from this definition. By definition, these activities are conver-
sational in nature, similar to the advisement models used by teachers,
librarians, or professional expertise offered via talk radio, television
interviews, or newspaper columns.
One-to-One Basis

Like telephone counseling, a one-to-one basis implies a deeper level of

involvement with the client. This means my definition of online career
counseling is confined to e-mail career counseling practiced on an in-
dividualized, one-to-one basis, with the e-mail messages and re-
sponses written between the client and the career counselor within a
specified time frame, similar to individual appointments. The process
involves a total-person approach similar to that described by Crites
(1981). E-mail career counseling is an integration model involving
both career counseling modalities and career planning services, in-
cluding information and referrals or links to services specific to client
questions, and with an appreciation for the client's context and
worldviews.

LESSON 9: EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY IS RELATED TO SUPPORT

So how did I embrace technology, becoming an advocate for online ca-

reer counseling? How did my role change from providing in-person ca-
reer counseling to using an online format? Some might say I was in the
right place at the right time. True. Yet I also believe it was a natural evo-
TECHNOLOGY [37

lution, one resulting from a growing interest in technology coupled

with support to pursue my interests from the OCC.

MY PROCESS TO EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY

Although I often ignored technology's impact, I did keep abreast of

changes reported in the literature and at professional meetings. I also
used technology in daily tasks, taking classes to improve my skills.
Furthermore, I was the first private practitioner in my city to offer vo-
cational assessments online. So, when Susan Bryant, OCC's product
manager, along with Craig Besant, vice president of marketing, visited
me to share ideas for starting an online career magazine I was in-
trigued. From them I learned OCC.com was headquartered in India-
napolis where president Bill Warren, first started the company. By
spring 1998, OCC was not only successful financially, it was nationally
visible, dubbed by Dixon (1998) among the Big Seven of all sites and
among the top five sites for job seekers.
Seeking to expand online career services for job seekers, Susan and
Craig were looking for a consultant with national credentials to help
launch a magazine. At the time, I didn't dream an online publication
would spark such interest nor present me the ideal situation to re-
search the online career counseling process. Not only would I have
support for my contributions, I would have the confidence of the com-
pany's president. I was also to find a colleague in Susan Bryant, herself
a counselor. Through Craig, I would have added support including ap-
proval for additional funding, opportunities to conduct live chats, and
approval for ongoing technical support. Nor did I have a clue that my
contributions to a start-up career magazine would lead to a daily love
affair with this new medium as I served online clients and embraced
technology to conduct practice.
Identifying My Role

Initially, my role called for me to serve as the magazine's career consul-

tant, authoring articles and answering questions posed by the reader-
ship. Once I agreed to the arrangement, Susan's job was to suggest a
format and title for the magazine as well as a series of topics for me to
address. I, too, would need a title as well as a separate page on which to
post my credentials.
The first title proposed was Dr. Pat to be the magazine's Career Doc-
tor, that is, until it was discovered another site used that title for their
138 CHAPTER 8
career advisor. Then OCC's public relations department stepped in,
adding a new twist. The magazine was to have a theme reflecting its title
and mine. Thus, Career Karma was born with its Career Guru provid-
ing "career enlightenment" for readers.
Primary Concerns
At the time, posting my credentials appropriately was my chief con-
cern. I wanted to be sure OCC listed my education and experience as an
NCCC appropriately. This proved to be no problem as Susan and Craig
were in agreement that my commitment to WebCounseltng Standards
was an asset and they were more than happy to provide links to both
the NBCC and NCDA.
Because I saw my role as one of a consultant to OCC.com, I didn't
give much thought to providing counseling via the Internet. Rather, I
viewed my role as similar to the work I contributed to columns in the
Indianapolis Business Register.
Once the Web page was designed with my bio posted, the next step
was to announce the premier issue of Career Karma with the Career
Guru answering selective questions (four or five) to be posted publicly
in the magazine. Susan planned to screen the questions, sending me a
selection for consideration, simple enough, not requiring sophisti-
cated technology. Then, 3 weeks before launch date, to everyone's sur-
prise, more than 250 questions began arriving faster than anyone
could read!
Shifting Gears
Quickly, we shifted gears. For instance, OCC technicians were called to
network my office to OCC's server. This allowed all messages to be de-
livered via e-mail directly to my desktop, ensuring Career Karma
questions would be separate from my personal e-mail on AOL. Al-
though users were informed that submitting their questions meant
they were agreeing to have their answers selected for public posting in
the magazine or online, they were also assured that their identity
would remain confidential. Neither their names nor addresses would
be posted.
Once the service was announced, messages were secured in my
e-mail by a secret log on and password. When the messages poured in
faster than anticipated, I quickly needed to develop a method to handle
the traffic, more than 30 e-mails per day. Suddenly, too, my role
TECHNOLOGY [39

changed from consulting to screening and providing individualized re-

sponses to each message. In other words, OCC decided to sponsor a
very unique job-seeker service. Through the magazine, job seekers
could send a personal question to the Career Guru, who would answer
them individually and confidentially. The announcement for the ser-
vice included a disclaimer that the service is not a substitute for profes-
sional career counseling. The announcement follows:
Need some career enlightenment?
Send your career questions to our Guru, Dr. Patricia Boer. Questions
that have the broadest application to many job seekers are posted here
anonymously. If you have a question or concern about making a career
shift, adapting to a new corporate culture, doing your best in an inter-
view, managing workplace stress, or anything else career-related, please
send to the [email protected].
We look forward to hearing your questions (and please let us know how
the Guru's advice has worked out for you).
Note: Although the advice from the Career Guru (Dr. Patricia Boer) is based on
her extensive experience in the field of career development, the responses pro-
vided are not a substitute for professional career counseling. Readers are encour-
aged to pursue individual assistance from a qualified professional for more in
depth answers to their career concerns. To find a qualified career counselor in
your area or to learn more about the services career counselors provide, visit the
National Board for Certified Counselor or the National Career Development Asso-
ciation for more information.

The announcement was followed by a link to information about my

credentials and background. By using the services, clients realized
their questions and personal responses might be chosen to be publicly
yet anonymously posted. In effect, by sending a question, clients were
waiving their rights to privacy. With this announcement, I was confi-
dent messages would be free of personal information. More than 850
messages would prove me wrong. As e-mails poured into my mailbox, I
observed the personal nature of each and need to prioritize by issue or
search online for resources, links or referrals before responding. Also,
I needed to track who sent what, on which topic, which day, week or
month, and which ones had been answered or returned. To help me,
OCC technicians installed an e-mail software package, Eudora, allow-
ing me to sort questions and answers into online folders categorizing
them by month, thank you messages, and/or returned messages.
Eudora software was invaluable in helping me track the large volume
of messages.
140 CHAPTER 8

With multiple levels of support from OCC.com, I easily embraced the

medium and online services. Without support I am convinced I would not
have taken the risks I did. As a private practitioner, it meant limiting my
in-person practice to devote myself full time to online clients. It also
meant venturing into a new medium with few practice guidelines. Sup-
port helped me take risks, move forward, and quickly become an advo-
cate of technology. For example, not only was the company's president
pleased with my work, when he learned I was renting a laptop to take on
vacation, he volunteered his. And, when I needed technical support a
technician was assigned to make office calls as I created and set-up a new
process. Susan's support was invaluable, too. She stayed in daily contact
with me either by phone or e-mail, and sometimes both. Together we de-
signed and worked on reference lists like interviewing questions, resume
tips, and other job search resources as well as selecting appropriate on-
line assessments or developing online quizzes. It was a pleasure to work
with her and have the opportunity to be as creative as I liked.
Responding to Client Questions

My early process of responding to clients included printing each ques-

tion and numbering them individually. Next, I would read quickly, high-
lighting key words, and issues, prioritizing and reflecting on responses
to write, generally within 48 hours. As stated in previous chapters com-
mon questions revolved around immigration issues, telecommuting,
changing careers after a downsizing, preparing for the interview, and
specifics about various fields, such as what can one do with a degree in
psychology, human development, sociology, history, and/or one of the
languages. Teachers and nurses, attorneys, and even doctors wrote ask-
ing how to transition into alternative careers. This meant I needed to
search online for resources, learning all I could about immigration is-
sues as well as emerging career areas. For instance, forensic nursing,
nursing infomatics, legal nursing, and parish nursing are all emerging
specialties within the field. Like many teachers, nurses often think leav-
ing direct service means creating a whole new skills set. Soon, I learned
that searching for customized links made answering individual ques-
tions time-consuming and called for greater efficiency on my part.
Identifying Search Engines

Finding a good search engine was the first step. Alta Vista was my
search engine of choice until I discovered Snap.com. Unlike Yahoo, a
TECHNOLOGY m

directory providing more links than needed, Snap.com narrowed

searches, often providing specific resources such as a professional as-
sociation, article, or specialty site related to a profession. For example,
Findlaw.com at http://www.flndlaw.com is an excellent resource for at-
torneys seeking alternatives both within and outside their field.
Once I became more efficient, I began experimenting by answering
online directly. Instead of printing and prioritizing questions, I began
answering directly online on a first come basis. This freed my time to
search more extensively when needed. Within 2 months of working 10
to 12 hour days, I developed a better system. With many resources and
links literally at my fingertips, I was able to handle a much larger clien-
tele than I thought possible.
Just as I became comfortable, believing I had found a niche, I dis-
covered two realities about online services: online services create their
own barriers, and things constantly change.

EXPERIENCING TECHNOLOGY BARRIERS

The first barrier occurred early in my online experience. It happened

when replies to questions were returned with some type of error mes-
sage like:

• Returned mail: User unknown

• Returned mail: Host unknown (host not found)
• Undeliverable mail: No such users
• This message could not be delivered
• Mail System Error
• Delivery Notification: Delivery has failed

Here are examples of questions received with my replies to the

sender returned, stating: "Returned mail, user unknown."

Example I: Returned Mail, User Unknown

Dear Dr. Boer,

I have been trying for several months to secure a job in northern CA. But
so far, no luck. I was wondering if I'd have better luck if I bit the bullet
and moved there without a job. I am currently in upstate NY. Also, is it
true that I should be expecting to make 60% more than I do in Upstate
NY, if I land a job in San Francisco? Thanks!
142 CHAPTER 8

Here's my reply...

If you can afford to move, I'd say bite the bullet. It's always easier to find
a job when you live in the locale, rather than applying long distance.
Also, people are more likely to help you when you're new in town, just
as they are when you're leaving.
So take advantage of tapping into your network both in New York as
well as California. Do as much research as you can on opportunities in
San Francisco, if that's your destination. For example, each state has its
own site. California's is http://www.state.ca.us/. On this site you can go
to other sites listing job opportunities and salaries. Also, use the salary
calculator (on our Career Services page, under Relocation) to help you
answer salary differentials between your home in NY and San Francisco.
Good luck and let me know how your relocation progresses.

Example 2: Returned Mail: User Unknown

Here's another example from a high school teacher wanting a porta-
ble career. Her message appears here, yet my reply was returned stat-
ing, "Returned Mail: user unknown:

Dear Guru
Currently, I am a high school teacher with eight years experience. I am
also married to a military member. I am growing tired of changing
school systems every three years and essentially restarting my career. I
want to change to a field where frequent moves on my part doesn't
necessarily mean that I have to find a new employer. I've thought that
technical writing might be such a field but I don't know how or where
to start looking. I have an MA in linguistics and am fluent in French and
Spanish. What advice do you have?

Here's my response ...

Getting started in technical communications is like getting started in any

field, even teaching. It's starts with:

1. A dream or idea, generally followed by gathering information, con-

necting with others who are involved in the field or will help you ad-
vance. It may require gaining the necessary training or credentials.
Since you have an MA in linguistics and are fluent in French and
Spanish, you may be half way there already.
TECHNOLOGY [43

2. Investigation of the field. Gather as much information as you can

about technical writing. Or review the basics outlined in the online
book. Getting Started in Technical Communications at
http://www.acel .com/webbook.htm.
3. Professional Associations. Leam more about the field by linking to
professional organizations such as the Society for Technical Commu-
nications at http://www.stc-va.org/. On this site, you'll find a data-
base ofjob listings by state, salary, and permanent or contract
arrangements. You'll also find information on local chapters and sal-
ary surveys.
4. Additional links. Other professional groups include the Association of
Teachers of Technical Writing at http://english.ttu.edu/attw/. This site,
too. offers additional resources and links you'll want to review, such
as links to the Association for Business Communication and the Soci-
ety for Intercultural Education, Training and Research.
5. And, because your husband is in the military, inquire at his duty sta-
tion about the Armed Forces Communication and Electronics Associ-
ation. This group could connect you to contract opportunities in
technical writing making your relocations a win-win for both of you.
Once you get started gathering information, you'll discover the many
options offered by this field and be better prepared to weigh its pros and
cons for your lifestyle. Good luck and let me know if this helps.

Of course, this client was never able to let me know if my research

helped her. She never received the message. Error messages, like
these two examples, represented 10% of the first replies sent as we set
up the system. This was very frustrating, not only because the client
would not receive the message, but because it meant valuable time was
lost for others who were anxiously awaiting replies delivered error
free. Even the following one, a favorite of mine because it referenced
my hometown was returned, host unknown.
Example 3: Returned Mail: Host Unknown
I just recently got laid off. I WAS INSTALLING ELECTRONIC WATER
METER'S. I enjoyed the job but due to lack of work I was laid off. .1 WAS
TOLD BY some maintenance people that if I was willing to relocate to
California, San Diego or somewhere out west. They were sure I could
get a job. At an Avalon apartment complex. I was told they would pay
for me to relocate. I'm not sure what to do. Dorft sound bad. I like the
beach. DO you know anything about San Diego?
144 CHAPTER 8

My reply began ...

If you like the beach, you'll love San Diego. I know a lot about it. San
Diego is my hometown. That means I'm also very prejudiced. You must
not take my word for it. You need to check it out yourself. Read all you
can about San Diego in San Diego Magazine online at
http://www.sandiego-online.com/. On this site, you'll be able to investi-
gate various lifestyles, dining, entertainment, etc. Then take time to uti-
lize the resources of OCC's relocation page at
http://www.occ.com/occ/career/relocation/. On this page, you can de-
termine or calculate salary and living cost differentials as well as other ex-
penses related to relocation. By reading and gathering information on
San Diego and similar cities in the west, you'll make the right decision for
yourself. Good luck and let me know what you decide.

It is important to note that these return messages are examples of

providing appropriate information and referrals versus examples of
career counseling per se. Nor do they represent messages of clients in
crisis. Interestingly, one question in the debate on technology's barri-
ers asks about crisis counseling. Some ask what happens when tech-
nology fails and the client is in crisis halfway around the globe? In the
case of the 850 clients I served through e-mail career counseling, this
was not an issue. Among the sample of error messages, not one repre-
sented a client in crisis, that is, a life or death situation. The technology
failures experienced are better characterized as frustrating either for
me as a provider or for the client awaiting a response. Although there is
the potential for career situations to produce the need for crisis coun-
seling and intervention, this was not indicated during my 5 months of
online practice.
OTHER COMPUTER PROBLEMS

In addition to the returned messages, other glitches happened periodi-

cally like getting bumped off the OCC server while I composed online
responses. Susan referred this to one of the technicians, sending me
the following reply. Her message is an example of server problems.
When OCC's server experienced technical problems, there was a ripple
effect in my office. For instance, Susan writes about a problem with the
NBCC link on my bio page:
Hi Pat,
Just wanted to let you know that the Career Karma link isn't working
TECHNOLOGY 145

yet. So, someone cannot get to the NBCC link by clicking on it. You may
need to add the NBCC link in your messages for now.
Also, Trever e-mailed me back and said the following:
"She can probably solve her "getting bumped off" problem (if she leaves
Eudora running all the time) just by going into (in Eudora) Tools, then
Options, then Checking Mail, and making certain that the time interval
for checking new messages is set to something less than 15 minutes.
(Five minutes is good.)"

Susan was excellent at keeping me informed, not to mention assist-

ing me. She was encouraging and supportive of my work, ever affirm-
ing and keeping me posted on events at OCC as well. Here's an
example of one of the e-mails she sent that demonstrates other tech-
nical barriers as well as her own affirming style. In the message, she
sends me a disclaimer that she wants to post reference the Self Di-
rected Search. She writes:
Hi Pat:
Here's what I have, let me know what you think: The self-assessment
inventories provided by Online Career Center are intended as one of
many career resources available to our users. Although our inventories
have been carefully selected to provide the greatest benefit to the user,
there are limits to the type of information online self-assessment can
provide. Readers are encouraged to pursue individual assistance from a
qualified professional for more in-depth interpretation and answers to
their career questions. To learn more about the services career counsel-
ors provide, or to find a counselor in your area, visit the National Board
of Certified Counselors or the National Career Development Association
for more information.
I think that by saying there are limits to the type of info self assessment
can provide, we are basically saying we cannot guarantee your results.
We could run this by our lawyer, too I guess to see if he feels its neces-
sary we explicitly state we are not endorsing or guaranteeing results. I
just don't want to give the inadvertent impression to users that we are
not confident in our tests. -Susan

And, here's an example of how she kept me posted on upcoming

changes at OCC. For example, when Netscape heard what we were
doing, a new alliance was formed between the sites. Susan sent this
message:
146 CHAPTER 8

Hi Patl
I don't want to freak you out, but the Guru may be getting a much big-
ger audience soonll Craig and Emma Frimann (our VP Alliance person)
are trying to work out a deal with Netscape/Netcenter to be a part of
their Career Center. Guess what part of our OCC content they want to
put there?? "Words of Wisdom from the Career Guru" of coursel Here's
the page on Netscape:
http.7/home.netscape.com/netcenter/careercenter/index.html?cp=
hom09cbca. This deal is all speculation now, but I thought I would fill
you in case it does develop. Are you ready to be on Netscape???!!!
Wow! Pat Boer- "Career Guru to the Universe! 11"

And, later, after the deal was made, Susan sent these updates:

Hi Patl
We're live on Netcenter! A new question will appear daily.
http://occ.netscape.com/careerguru/

Hi Patl
Guess what?! The Career Guru on Netscenter got 1,024 hits yesterdayl
About 1/3 clicked on "more questions from the guru" at the bottom of
the page that took them to Career Karma magazine. Yayl these are
good statsll -Susan

And, still later, she sent this:

Pat, you're answers to guru questions are GREATII just got done read-
ing through all of them. You really do a super job. I'm so lucky I found
youlll I have to pick the rest of the month's Q's to go online with
Netscape today/tomorrow so I'll try to send a copy over to you prior.
THANKS AGAIN PATI

When you are trying something new for the first time, it's empower-
ing to have respect and support from those who have hired you. To
have someone there daily, cheering you on, is an extra plus. Suddenly,
12 hours days are shorter. Acknowledgment makes a difference, too,
when inevitable changes and new challenges occur.
ONLINE COMMERCIAL CAREER CENTERS CONSTANTLY CHANGE
Continuing change at online career centers reflect the nature of the
online industry. One way to observe changes is among shifts in its
TECHNOLOGY 147

personnel, which happen regularly. Personnel move in and out of

their roles either as a result of a promotion, better opportunity at an-
other site, or company mergers. In the case of OCC, all three oc-
curred.
By mid-October, Susan sent me another message announcing OCC,
and the StudentCenter.com were expecting to merge with
MonsterBoard effective January 1999. The three sites planned to pool
resources under the umbrella title, Monster.com. This is why clicking
on OCC.com or Student Center.com, now links you to Monster.com.
What this merger eventually meant in Indianapolis was a retirement
for OCC's founder and president, Bill Warren, and promotions for
both Susan and Craig, with Craig moving to new headquarters in
Maynard, Massachusetts.
These changes signaled the end of my contract with OCC. When
Monster extended an offer for me to join their career experts to moder-
ate a message board and conduct live chats I accepted. Although, not
online career counseling, working with Monster was an opportunity to
continue utilizing my online career services skills.

THE HUMAN FACE OF TECHNOLOGY

After my work with OCC.com ended, I felt a loss. OCC.com had been a
unique experience both to embrace technology and to pursue online
practice. It was also unique because the company supported my efforts
on three levels, all levels necessary for success on any job.

1. Financial support: This helped me in two ways. It freed my time

exclusively for online practice and allowed me to hire my col-
league, Dena Weinstein, to oversee my private practice during the
duration of the project.
2. Leadership support: With OCC's endorsement from president
Bill Warren to Craig Besant and Susan Bryant, I felt empowered
to take risks and embrace technology.
3. Technical support: Trever Furnish and the OCC technical team
answered questions on the spot, making my online life easier.

Reflecting on my process to embrace technology and the support I

received from OCC, coupled with client voices, reinforced three other
conclusions drawn earlier about this medium.
148 CHAPTER 8

Three Conclusions

As suggested in earlier chapters, I propose three points regarding ca-

reer counseling online. Online career counseling is:

1. Personal counseling: It is personal counseling because it is diffi-

cult if not impossible to separate personal issues from career in-
formation,
2. Similar to in-person counseling: It requires counselors to follow
the same codes of ethics and standards of practice including
counselor skills, attitudes, knowledge, and respect for various
worldviews.
3. A Specialty of WebCounseling: As a specialty of WebCounseling, a
new career counseling credential would replace the retired NBCC
career specialty, thereby distinguishing who is qualified to prac-
tice career counseling and who offers something different.

And, further reflections on who is qualified to practice career coun-

seling online and who offers something different lead to lesson 10, that
is, the need for a new credential for online career counseling practice.

LESSON 10: DEVELOPING NEW CREDENTIALS

FOR ONLINE PRACTICE

The establishment of a new credential for the practice of online career

counseling is not only driven by my reflections on practice, it is driven
by society's growing reliance on technology. A new credential ad-
dresses the need to embrace technology and provides a vehicle to pro-
tect public interest. Client voices demonstrate that credentials serve as
a vehicle to identify qualified career counselors over the Internet. As re-
ported in chapter 3, clients consistently wrote, saying things like, "I've
been looking for a nationally certified career counselor." My creden-
tials indicated I could help them and they could trust me. Counselor
credentials were mentioned more often and appeared more important
to clients than issues of privacy and confidentiality.
By posting my credentials online as an NCCC online, certified by
the NBCC, clients were able to link to the ethical standards I follow for
providing career counseling over the Internet. These links offered
consumer guidelines for selecting a career counselor as well as client
rights and responsibilities. Thus, clients were able to determine ini-
TECHNOLOGY 149

tially what services are provided, who they are for, and about my cre-
dentials.
With the retirement of the NBCC National Certified Career Coun-
selor specialty in June 1999, the practice of online career counseling
has no way for clients to distinguish it from other services like career
coaching. A new credential would specify for clients and counselors
alike a reliable way to distinguish which individuals are qualified to
provide online career counseling from others offering something dif-
ferent, such as coaching or advising. This 10th of my 11 lessons is also
in keeping with directives from Ford (1999), who emphasized the need
for counselors to take the lead in the delivery of counseling services via
the Internet.

SUMMARY

To embrace technology takes many forms. For me it meant a gradual

transformation until a human face accelerated the process, that is,
working with key individuals within the OCC community. It was not a
computer course, nor the latest in technologies in the OCC arsenal that
led me to embrace technology, it was the human face of doing business
with outstanding individuals who supported and encouraged my
work. It was also the human face of the clients who responded with ap-
preciation for the benefits received through this service. Technology is
a tool, and like any tool it needs fine tuning and constant care to keep
running. What made the challenges attractive were the faces of its peo-
ple. By going online to practice career counseling and dealing with the
glitches mentioned, whether those involving return messages or server
problems, I learned it is a human face that makes or breaks this pow-
erful medium. A new credential for online practice is one way to im-
prove the human face of this medium. A new credential will recognize
counselor online expertise providing guidance and support for coun-
selors to embrace technology.
Although I fully recognize that counselors need training in technol-
ogy and need to learn all they can to implement online services, I am
equally aware that without support new hardware and training oppor-
tunities will not be the answer. What I have learned on this journey is
that if you are venturing into new territory, if you are looking to em-
brace technology, when there is support, you will. It's that simple.
Whether you are in the business community, government, private
practice, or the academic world, with support you will develop plans to
ISO CHAPTER 8

learn technology, keep up with changes in the ethical codes, and take
risks to implement services globally. Without support you are likely to
label technology a barrier instead of tool for the advancement of client
transformation. ACA's new president, Ford (1999) clearly recognized
this when she selected her theme, "Formatting Our Future," extending
her support for counselors to embrace technology.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What is the definition of online career counseling? Do you

agree with this definition? Why or Why not? Describe at least
other three online career interventions and how these are dif-
ferent from or the same as online career counseling
2. Name some of the typical online line computer problems a
counselor is likely to face conducting career counseling over
the Internet? What is meant by the phrase, "Putting a human
face on technology"? Do you agree with this concept? Why or
Why not?
3. What do you believe influences counselor to embrace or not
embrace technology? Give examples.
4. What is driving the need for a new credential and is a new cre-
dential necessary for the practice of online career counseling?
Give examples and reasons to support your position.
 9
Encouraging Qualitative Research

Although perspectives differ regarding the WebCounseling debate,

there is agreement about the need for research. Research is the fourth
issue in the debate on WebCounseling. Leaders and counselors alike
ask: "How do we know if WebCounseling is helpful or harmful? What
are best practice models for online career counseling?" These same
professionals call for increased efforts for research. In the NCDA An-
nual Review: Practice and Research in Career Counseling, Niles
(1997), reviewing practice and research in career counseling and de-
velopment stated: "the proliferation of online career services ... re-
quires researchers and practitioners to increase their efforts aimed at
translating career theory into effective and innovative career interven-
tions" (pp. 134-135). Two years later in the same publication, Young
and Chen (1999) noted, "increased attention to qualitative based as-
sessment would enhance the field" (p. 127). Tyler (cited in Morrissey,
1997), an assistant professor of counselor education at Florida Gulf
Coast University, called for the importance of "differentiation between
counseling, education, crisis intervention and other services that
could be performed via the Internet" (p. 4).
Not only must we differentiate between terms, we need qualitative
studies to inform us on several aspects of career counseling. We need
studies to identify and describe client populations and issues. We need
descriptive research to identify appropriate interventions and re-
sources for global populations. Descriptive studies will inform us, too,
about counselor characteristics and gaps in counselor training to
better prepare online counselors to address online client issues. Quali-
151
152 CHAPTER 9
tative research, particularly studies addressing the voices of both cli-
ents and counselors will provide insights and guidance about
proceeding in this new practice medium.
Qualitative studies reflect what Paisely (1997) described as the im-
portance of personalizing our history:

The personal component adds the texture we might otherwise ignore. As

counseling comes of age as a discipline and as we as counselors acknowl-
edge the diversity of our experience as well as our different ways of know-
ing, we must also come to a place where we can honor both empirical
data and the power of personal narrative. To limit ourselves profession-
ally to one approach also limits our definition of who we are and who we
can become, (p.4)

METHODOLOGY FOR ONLINE PRACTICE

Aware that little research on career counseling over the Internet is

available, I chose a qualitative study with interactive research meth-
ods. As noted earlier, Merriam and Simpson (1989) defined interac-
tive research methods as having three distinguishing characteristics
from other forms of social science research:

1. The researcher serves as a facilitator for problem solving... (and)

... as a catalyst between the research findings and those individu-
als most likely to benefit or take action from the findings.
2. The results of research are intended for immediate application by
those engaged in the research or by those for whom the research
was initiated.
3. The design of interactive research is formulated while the re-
search is in progress, rather than being totally predetermined at
the outset of the study.

These characteristics match what I perceived as a work in progress,

that is, I served as both the facilitator and researcher for online career
counseling; the results were intended for immediate use and for the
benefit of the client users; and, the research was formulated during the
study rather than, "being totally predetermined at the outset of the
study." Consequently, from client messages received I made observa-
tions about client populations and issues, recording these in journal
notes. By tracking the messages and categorizing them into online
folders, I identified resources helpful to clients, further identifying rep-
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH \53

resentative samples of common questions and responses from a popu-

lation of 850 clients. Like the autobiography, client messages serve as
an important qualitative method. Lancy (1993) cited to Langness and
Frank (1981) to remind us how we can "record the direct testimony of
those rare individuals who are able to provide us with a vivid picture of
life in realms otherwise closed to us outsiders" (p. 5).

USING A FOURFOLD STRATEGY

To provide a vivid picture of online career counseling, my methodology

or strategy for procedures was fourfold:

1. Understanding of the role of instrumentation in qualitative re-

search.
2. Collecting data.
3. Analyzing the data.
4. Conducting an ongoing review of the literature to support obser-
vations and data analysis.

The role of instrumentation in qualitative research means the in-

strument is the researcher. This means that as a researcher I must be a
skilled questioner, as well as a skilled observer, and an insightful ana-
lyst. Because I have conducted previous studies in ethnographic re-
search methods and taught master's level graduate students
qualitative methodology for the Department of Educational Leader-
ship at Ball State University, these methods are familiar and come nat-
urally to me.
My second strategy involved collecting evidence or my observations
about the online processes, which were carefully recorded in journal
notes. In addition, it meant tracking representative client messages to
illustrate specific observations and reflections from this online prac-
tice. My third strategy was data analysis. I read and re-read journal
notes and representative samples of client messages. An analysis con-
ducted was similar to the method Lancy (1993) suggested in the work
of Lauer and Asher (1988, cited in Lang, 1993):

Sometimes the task Is called coding—the setting up and labeling of cate-

gories, which then become the variables of the study... the broader term
for this effort is content analysis, which is a major measurement proce-
dure.... The method is designed for use with communication data of all
kinds: ... letters, and so forth, (p. 26)
154 CHAPTER 9
In addition, ongoing reviews of the literature (Strategy 4) added to
my reflections, confirming variables or lessons learned. For instance,
to support my findings on anonymity (that anonymity increases ac-
cess), the literature indicated a similar observation by Haas (2000).
Haas noted "Another benefit for clients is the increased sense of being
anonymous" (p. 26). Further Haas, pointing to Garry Walz (in press),
co-author ofCybercounseling and Cyberlearning: Strategies and Re-
sourcesfor the Millennium, (in press) appeared to confirm other con-
clusions such as "online counseling can be more than giving advice and
has the ability to be therapeutic." Literature drawing attention to the
need to clarify terms, utilize disclaimers, and make clients aware of the
limitations of online services are additional verifications of my obser-
vations or lessons related to the ethical practice of online career coun-
seling. This literature is also consistent with my observation that
safeguarding the online counselor-client relationship is similar to or
the same as safeguarding the relationship in person.

THE FINDINGS

An analysis of observations from journal notes and representative

samples of client messages resulted in 11 categories or lessons from
the road. Drawn from 850 messages received at the OCC between Au-
gust 1998 and January 1999, these lessons determined the impor-
tance of:

1. Valuing written texts

2. Understanding the power of anonymity
3. Viewing career counseling as personal counseling
4. Listening to client voices
5. Bridging cultural differences
6. Setting online boundaries
7. Affirming clients through assessments
8. Providing online information and referrals
9. Embracing technology
10. Developing new credentials
11. Recognizing the counselor as curriculum.

In addition, an ongoing review of the literature was used to support

this analysis.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 155
Observations From Journal Notes

As I read and reviewed my journal notes as well as responses to early

questions from online clients, I noticed some of my early observations
apply to current experience such as notes regarding client populations
and issues.

Client Populations. Client populations included the following:

• Many foreign nationals requesting tips on immigration issues

and/or the names of companies and recruiters seeking to sponsor
foreign nationals.
• Many men and women wanting to work at home.
• Young college students apparently unaware of university career
services.
• Family members or friends asking how to help a family member
or friend.
• High numbers of career changes as the result of downsizing, un-
employment, or women re-entering the workforce.
• All groups demonstrating high levels of educational attainment
with BA/BS degrees or higher.

Client Issues. These issues included the following:

• Direction. Whether clients are starting out at 21 or starting over

at 50, a vast majority continue to ask for help with direction, that
is, "How do I get started?" or "Where do I begin?"
• Immigration. Foreign nationals represent one in ten messages.
They ask primarily for information about sponsorship, visas,
and in some cases directions.
• Appreciation. Next to messages about immigration issues, the
next largest category of messages are thank you notes, ranging
from 7% to 10%. These e-mail messages reveal that the service is
helpful and that we are doing something right.
• Career change. One theme that crosses all issues and spurs many
questions is the process of career change.
• Work/Family. Women still ask the majority of work/family ques-
tions. However, a growing number of men ask similar questions,
particularly question about working at home.
156 CHAPTER 9

• Advancement. Many questions revolved around continuing edu-

cation, whether for a graduate degree or for some type of com-
puter certification. Many inquire about the value of an MBA and
growing numbers ask about the value of distance education and
whether an employer will recognize it.
• Interviews. Everyday, there are questions about the interview
process, whether they are about appropriate questions for em-
ployers to ask or how to respond to difficult questions. Many ask
about telephone interviews and how to best prepare.
• Resume critiques. Like interview questions, many users attach
their resumes for the counselor to critique. This could and
should be a separate service by itself.
• Aging and Discrimination. Men as well as women write questions
about age discrimination and it appears the questions come from
younger users, that is, those in their early 40s. Several questions
in this category related to downsizing, company takeovers, and
buyouts.
General Reflections on Practice

As I reviewed my journal notes and read representative client mes-

sages, I noticed other themes, such as values. Regardless of the cli-
ents' presenting issues, two work values appeared throughout the
messages. One related to combining or balancing work and family or
personal life. Men as well as women appeared to place a high value on
finding balance as evidenced by the increasing numbers of requests
from both genders regarding work-at-home opportunities or how to
start a home business. Also, a very high percentage of online users ap-
peared highly educated, that is, a majority held bachelor degrees or
higher. As an educated and privileged group, they often inquired
about continuing education to reach their goals. Related perhaps to
education was the second work value recorded, identifying meaning-
ful work. Among career changers, the search for meaningful work ap-
peared as a prime motivator. Representative of this group were
teachers, nurses, attorneys, MBAs, and PhDs. Several were engi-
neers, with a smaller proportion representing sales. Other indicators
of values related to meaning were expressed by phrases such as "an
opportunity to make a difference," "to be creative," "earn respect
and/or achieve personal or professional growth."
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH [57
Other Obseruations
In my journal, I noted other observations such as my own interest in
this work springing from a desire to provide greater access to clients
and the need to use reflection when responding to clients. Reflection is
needed to frame and respond to written texts similarly to the type of re-
flection writers use to illuminate their work. Reflection is also an es-
sential skill to utilize or understand a diverse population as well as the
context of their lives. Furthermore, I noted that credentials help to
build trust with clients online. Also, confidentiality did not appear to
be as important to the client as emphasized in the literature. For in-
stance, clients provided unsolicited personal information without any
sign or expressed concern for breeches in confidentiality. Wanting to
encourage client questions, few guidelines were provided to them ex-
plaining what was or was not appropriate to ask. Later, as more per-
sonal questions arrived or presented complex issues, I noted the need
to clarify boundaries and limits for online practice.

Specific Observations. There were two specific observations, noted

in my journal:

1. The NCDA definition of "career planning services" as limited to a

specific need like help with a resume was not characteristic of the
numerous personal questions submitted, meaning that clients re-
vealed in detail, personal circumstances regarding their situation.
• More clarification is needed about career planning services.
Are these to be interactive or intended as a referral service in
which the vast majority of clients are to be referred to a coun-
selor in their location?
• Clients may want more than information, that is, they want an
opportunity to vent their feelings or seek support in difficult
times.
2. Online career counseling counselors first and foremost need to
be effective in-person counselors meaning they are:
• Grounded in a philosophy of career counseling theory and
practice
• Grounded in an attitude of positive regard for a diverse clien-
tele with an understanding and acceptance of differing values
and worldviews.
158 CHAPTER 9
• Experienced with diverse populations, possessing strong
counselor skills and a willingness to seek supervision when
needed as well as desire for continuing education for improve-
ment and growth.

Reflections on Learning

Once the messages poured in faster than I could keep up, I stopped
journalingfor a while. Consequently, I address what I learned from two
aspects. First, I discuss learnings from early practice, followed by cur-
rent reflections about the intervening and current months.

Early Reflections on Practice

1. The service is needed. Client voices in overwhelming numbers
(250 to 300 per month) make it clear that, online career services
are utilized by a large international population of adults. The
overwhelming response to the CareerKarma magazine, and Ca-
reer Guru column give direct evidence to me and to the profes-
sionals at OCC.com that the service is in demand.
2. Individuals are grateful for services. Large numbers of users of
online career services write thank you notes, one in seven ex-
pressed appreciation for the services received.
3. A large population of international clients suggests that specific
interventions need to be created to address their needs for immi-
gration information and resources.
4. Online career counseling requires additional skills than in-per-
son counseling, that is, it requires knowledge of both counseling
skills and content skills such as international labor market infor-
mation and the ability to write concisely.
5. Online career counseling also requires a strong comfort level
working online and keeping up with the latest technology.
6. Appropriate technology (hardware) and proficiency with software
makes the job easier.
7. Someone to assist in editing messages and material would free
the counselor to sort through and prioritize messages more effi-
ciently.
8. Prior career counseling experience with diverse populations
seems essential to be effective at online practice.
9. Online career counseling should be a specialty in its own right.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH [59

Current Reflections on Practice

Of the nine notations first outlined from early learnings on practice
via the Internet, many still hold, whereas others related to editing via
technology are not as important. In particular and foremost, I believe
the service is needed and should be a designated specialty of
WebCounseling. A designated specialty to replace the retired NBCC
Career Counseling Specialty in many ways summarizes the outcomes
of this study, both those just outlined and the 11 lessons on the road.
Current reflections lead me to believe that creating a new specialty
serves three general needs:

1. A new online career counseling credential demonstrates counsel-

ors are taking the lead in the delivery of online career counseling.
2. A new credential will trigger new training programs to bridge
gaps in current counselor preparation and continuing education.
3. A new specialty serves to prepare counselors for a paradigm shift
in the delivery of career counseling services to global populations.

Trusting Clients' Views

Client voices also support the need for new credentials. Throughout
the period, client messages expressed the importance placed on my
credentials, demonstrating they offered clients a method to trust my
ability to provide services. Messages often began with, "I read your cre-
dentials," "I've been looking for someone with your background," or
"Can you suggest a counselor in my area with credentials like yours?"
These messages indicate that clients look for a career counselor with
credentials. This is consistent with the educational attainment level of
online clients. A large majority hold post baccalaureate degrees un-
doubtedly influencing them to both respect the interplay and impor-
tance of credentials (theory and practice) as well as wanting someone
to address their needs who holds equivalent educational attainment.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE FINDINGS

Three major recommendations stand out from the findings, including:

(a) clients want, use, and seek career counseling over the Internet from
qualified career counselors with credentials; (b) a new career counsel-
ing credential should be established to replace the NBCC Career Spe-
cialty Credential retired in June 1999; and (c) career counseling
160 CHAPTER 9

training programs should be developed based on the counselor as cur-

riculum.
Recommendation I
Just as it is important for professionals to listen to our clients in indi-
vidual sessions, it is equally important to listen to what they have to say
in qualitative studies. The findings of this study indicate that the sheer
numbers of clients seeking services are an indicator that the services
are wanted and used. Client messages in written texts, particularly in-
troductory and thank you messages, indicate counselor credentials
are recommended as a key strategy in building trust between client
and counselor interaction over the Internet.
Recommendation 1
The literature is replete with calls for research to clarify terminology
and distinguish career counseling from career coaching and other ser-
vices via the Web. Creating a new credential, a specialty of
WebCounseling, to replace the NBCC Career Credential retired in
June 1999, is recommended as the best way to distinguish for counsel-
ors and clients a reliable way to identify who is qualified to provide ca-
reer counseling online and who is offering something different, such as
coaching or advising.
Recommendation 3
Career counseling training programs to prepare counselors to provide
career counseling via the Internet are recommended and should be
based on the concept of the counselor as the curriculum. This recom-
mendation grows from the other two and is elaborated on in the follow-
ing section on additional support in literature.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN THE LITERATURE

Clarifying Terms
The literature suggests there is a need to clarify terms and services.
Pointing to Walz (in press), coauthor of Cybercounseling and
Cyberlearning: Strategies and Resources for the Millennium, Haas
(2000) noted "online counseling can be more than giving advice and
has the ability to be therapeutic" (cited in Haas, 2000). Haas empha-
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH [6^

sized that the difference between talking with a counselor versus other
professionals by quoting from Walz who stated: "counselors know
what questions to ask that guide self-evaluation that brings insight to
people" (p. 26).
Ruiz and Lipford-Sanders (1999) also emphasized the importance of
differentiating between the two, noting that coaching and advice require
"no specific training, experience or credentials." The authors also ex-
pressed concern about consumers being able to differentiate between
the two asking, if a "counselor presents their counseling credentials and
offers coaching or advice giving as separate services," then what? "What
are the legal and ethical consequences of such a scenario?" Although
Ruiz and Lipford-Sanders, as well as Hass are addressing counseling in
general, their points easily apply to individual career counseling via
e-mail. They ask important questions that a new specialty will address.
By clarifying what is and is not career counseling, a more reliable
high-quality service could be provided to online clients.
Training or Supervising Advantages

A new credential will spark the development of specialized training

and supervision programs to assist online counselors both now and in
the future as we continue to address the complex issues presented by
global online populations. Course content will need to emphasize the
special needs of diverse populations, with special attention to cultural
differences, the special needs of women and minorities as well as peo-
ple with disabilities. Our ethical codes, standards for practice and ca-
reer counseling competencies, provide the framework for coursework.
However, as we move forward to design new programs, it is important
that we not emphasize skill over art, lest we forget our roots as counsel-
ors and the main ingredient for successful career counseling out-
comes, that is, the counselor-client relationship. Stoltz-Loike (1996)
reminded us:

The counselor's respect for the client's perspective dramatically affects

the success of counseling sessions ... successful counselor-client rela-
tionships are characterized by nurturance, collaboration and in-
sight-orientation, (p. 103)

Consequently, coursework needs to integrate reflection about coun-

selor qualities and values including nurturance, collaboration, and in-
sight orientation. These characteristics build both empathy and
162 CHAPTER 9

understanding of the global human condition; and will provide in-

sights on international perspectives including cultural strengths and
differences. Furthermore, counselors need opportunities to explore
and define their values and personal characteristics, articulating what
they need to know for practice. Whether they need knowledge of career
counseling theory and practice; and on going computer and technology
skills that give attention to online searches and research application
skills or special internships, activities need to permit counselors to
test their online comfort level in safety and with supervision by experi-
enced online career counselors. With supervision from experienced
online counselors, counselors will be able to integrate their skills and
values in a safe environment as they experience how to be with and re-
spond to clients through written texts.

VALUING COUNSELOR CHARACTERISTICS

As noted in earlier chapters, legislation in the 1980s made possible the

expanded programs to meet the growing demand for career services
resulting from plant closings. However, this expansion may have come
with a price that ignored counselor characteristics in place of career
competencies. We all know these competencies: career development
theory; individual and group counseling skills; individual/group as-
sessment; information resources; program promotion, management
and implementation; coach, consultation and performance improve-
ments; diverse populations; supervision; ethical/legal issues; re-
search/evaluation; and technology.
Although it is important to train counselors in technology, it is
equally important to provide opportunities for counselors to reflect on
past traditions, meaning, the importance of counselor characteristics
as the basis for successful counseling outcomes.

The Person-Technician View

For instance, Brammer and Shostrom (1968, cited in Hansen et al.,

1972), as abase for their book, discussed counselor characteristics as
the person-technician balance by listing five focal points:

1. The counselor is engaged in helping others but is also a human

being with personal weaknesses and problems of his or her own.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH [63

2. The counselor is an expert in helping others but has no mystical

or technical solutions. Technical training can be helpful but only
through continuous attempts to increase self-understanding and
awareness can he or she believe in what he or she is attempting to
do with clients.
3. Both the client and the counselor are unique individuals.
4. Therefore, counseling must be viewed as a workshop for the
growth of both individuals.
5. The central emphasis for the counselor must be the development
of a core of valid techniques along with the flexibility for adding
new ideas and discarding old approaches. Counseling techniques
should be developed for the client and most of all, be consistent
with the counselor.

The authors believed that counseling should not be guided primar-

ily by one theory of thought, but viewed rather as "a dynamic interplay
of unique relationship between two distinctive individuals" (p. 177).

APAView

Earlier still, in 1947, the American Psychological Association (APA)

Committee on Training in Clinical Psychology compiled the following
list of 15 ideal traits for a counselor:

1. Superior intellectual ability and judgment.

2. Originality, resourcefulness, and versatility.
3. Fresh and insatiable curiosity; self-learner.
4. Interest in persons as individuals rather than as material for ma-
nipulation—a regard for the integrity of other persons.
5. Insight into own personality characteristics; sense of humor.
6. Sensitivity to the complexities of motivation.
7. Tolerance.
8. Ability to adapt "therapeutic" attitude; ability to establish warm
and effective relationships with others.
9. Industry; methodological work habits; ability to tolerate pres-
sure.
10. Acceptance of responsibility.
11. Tact and cooperativeness.
12. Integrity, self-control, and stability.
13. Discriminating sense of ethical values.
164 CHAPTER 9

14. Breadth of cultural background—"educated man."

15. Deep interest in psychology, especially in its clinical aspect.
ACA Counselor Preparation Publication

Hansen et al. (1972) cited characteristics found in a publication by the

National American Vocational Guidance Association (1949) on coun-
selor preparation. General counselor characteristics were stated as, "a
deep interest in people, and patience with them, sensitivity to the atti-
tudes and actions of others, emotional stability and objectivity, a ca-
pacity for being trusted by others and respect of facts" (p. 160). In
addition, the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
(1964, cited in Hansen et al., 1972), indicated counselors needed six
basic qualities:

1. Belief in each individual.

2. Commitment to individual human values.
3. Alertness to the world.
4. Open-mindedness.
5. Understanding of self.
6. Professional commitment.

EARLY THEORISTS

The characteristics just listed demonstrate what earlier theorists con-

sidered the most significant resource a counselor brings to the rela-
tionship, that is, his or her self. In other words the counselor needs to
experience him or her self as a person of worth and individuality before
he or she can afford such a luxury to a client. This concept is what was
known as the counselor as a technique.
Drefyus

According to Dreyfus (1967, cited in Hansen et al., 1972), "it is not a

counselor's training and what he (or she) does as a counselor, but rather
his (or her) ability to be human that is of prime importance" (p. 160).
Whitaker

Whitaker (1975) advocated the importance of being with clients versus

reliance on theory or technique. Theory, he noted, is useful to begin-
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH H 165 65

ners, but counselors, he warned, need to be themselves. Pointing to

Paul Tillich's (1952) concept of "being is becoming," Whitaker stated:

Therapists that base their work on theory are likely to substitute dispas-
sionate technology for caring... Instead of having the courage just to "be"
with families and help them grapple with their problems, (p. 279)

Whitaker suggested that counselors attend to their own behavior

first, by going inside themselves to examine their own responses, anxi-
eties, values, and beliefs. By first looking at their own assumptions and
fears, counselors will begin to trust themselves and be in a better posi-
tion to engage clients in looking at their issues. This is consistent with
feminist therapy and multicultural approaches.

Feminist and Multicultural Perspectives

Feminist and multicultural perspectives look not to technique or the-

ory, rather, these perspectives ask the counselor to re-examine the val-
ues and structure of our society and how, as counselors, we might be
perpetuating or changing those attitudes that prove destructive for cli-
ents. In this perspective counselors learn to trust themselves in order
to engage clients to look at their own values and issues.

Graduate School Experience

Since graduate school, I haven't given much thought to the concept of

the counselor as technique. I accepted the concept, considering it a
universal among counselors. I believed it was a distinguishing char-
acteristic of a good counselor. However, as I reviewed the various
codes of ethics and standards of practice as well as literature regard-
ing the paraprofessional field of coaching, I recognized that over the
years, perhaps something has been lost in terms of counselor train-
ing. It may be that in defining competencies, and in articulating stan-
dards for practice, our profession has come to favor the skill of
counseling over its art. This means the concept of the counselor as
technique may have been traded for counselor competencies, skills,
and tangible outcome measures, versus the early measures of suc-
cessful counseling as observed in a client's ability to gain insight or
measured by their expression of increased life satisfaction.
166 CHAPTER 9

Current Observations
A return to our roots, viewing career counseling as a way to develop the
human potential in both the counselor and the client, is an important
step in designing new programs for counselor education. It is a step in
the renewal of counseling as an art versus a technology for change. The
art of our profession needs to apply not just to helping clients renew
their lives, it follows we need to apply our skills and insights to our own
renewal and growth.
By focusing on values and integrating values into counselor training
programs we not only will enhance and improve our counselor educa-
tion programs, we will operate consistently with the values of the pro-
fession. Interestingly in an interview with ACA's former president,
Donna Ford, published in Counseling Today, (1999), Ford outlined
six values she has incorporated into the ACA strategic plan. These val-
ues are not that far afield from those offered by earlier leaders includ-
ing, "caring for self and others, respecting diversity, encouraging
positive change, acquiring and using knowledge, empowering leader-
ship and promoting linkages."
LESSON 11: THE COUNSELOR AS THE CURRICULUM
Reflections based on practice have led me to my final lesson on the road,
new counselor education programs for online career counseling prac-
tice need to be grounded in what I characterize as the counselor as cur-
riculum. This lesson flows from the others, namely that if client voices
inform our practice, so do counselor voices. It follows that counselor
voices are equally important to the development of new curricula for
adding to the growing demand for online career counseling services.
A model based on the counselor as the curriculum concept would al-
low for additional advantages, such as strategies for managing burnout.

THE COUNSELOR AS CURRICULUM ADDRESSES COUNSELOR

BURNOUT

One of the concerns I regularly hear from counselors leaving the field,
as well as from social workers and others in direct service roles, is
burnout. When I ask these people what strategies they have used to
arm themselves against burnout, to wrap themselves (so to speak), to
nurture or provide self-care, the question is met with puzzlement.
Many do not have a clue. And, when I press further asking what they
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH [67

learned about managing burnout in graduate school, the response is a

laugh. This reaction reminds me of the practicum students I super-
vised over the years. Often, their supervisors appeared more inter-
ested in their attendance and paper work than whether they were
integrating counseling skills for their own growth and as a strategy for
serving clients.
I propose we will fail aspiring counselors unless we develop new pro-
grams incorporating renewal issues. We need to design programs that
allow counselors to examine their values, nurture their creativity, and
celebrate opportunities for their own self-care and growth. To be online
means an opportunity for counselors to utilize their spontaneity and
creativity as they respond to clients. It is an opportunity to draw upon all
the counselor skills they have integrated into their lives and practice set-
tings. To do this they must be able to use themselves as resources and
call on experiences, trusting their instincts and creative responses. How
else will clients learn to trust their instincts if not through the modeling
and expertise offered by qualified career counselors?

SUMMARY

Interactive and qualitative research methods provide insights and new

understanding for career counseling professionals to uncover best
practices as counseling theories and skills are translated over the
Internet. Evidence from interactive research suggests that online cli-
ents value counselor credentials as an indicator for reh"able help. Cre-
dentials also serve to build trust between the client and counselor as
well as protect the public interest without legislation. Furthermore, a
new career counseling credential will spark the need to develop coun-
selor programs. A value based curriculum integrating counselor char-
acteristics and strategies for self-care will provide counselors the
opportunity for renewal. By providing counselors an opportunity to be
full partners in the development of new programs, we will model for
them the very goals we articulate for clients, that is, the full develop-
ment of their potential.
As the millennium unfolds, rather than competencies alone, coun-
selor values and characteristics may better define for the public who is
qualified to provide career counseling and who is offering something
different. New counselor programs and career counseling credentials
can also provide the catalyst for a paradigm shift without the need for
168 CHAPTER 9

legislation, and reflect Ford's call for: "Alignment of our values with all
association activities."

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why are qualitative research methods important to the devel-

opment of the new medium of online career services?
2. Describe the client characteristics outlined in this qualitative
study regarding online clients.
3. Which client characteristics and/or issues are important to
your practice and why?
4. What is your assessment of the need for a new credential for
online career counseling? Do you think one is needed? Why or
Why not?
5. What are your views about designing a new curriculum based
on a model of the counselor as the curriculum? What is the ba-
sis for your view? Be prepared to provide evidence to support
your view, for or against, the counselor as the curriculum.
 10

Emerging Practice Models

When you travel, you experience, in a very practical way, the act of re-
birth. You confront completely new situations, the day passes more
slowly, and on most journeys you don't even understand the language the
people speak. So you are just like a child Just out of the womb. You begin
to attach much more importance to the things around you because your
survival depends on them. You begin to be more accessible to others be-
cause they may be able to help you in difficult situations. And you accept
any small favor from the gods with great delight, as if it were an episode
you would remember for the rest of your life. At the same time, since all
things are new, you see only the beauty in them, and you feel happy to be
alive. That's why a religious pilgrimage has always been one of the most
objective ways of achieving insight.
—Coelho(1995, p. 32)

Like Coelho's hero in The Pilgrimage, I found insight on my journey by

attaching, "importance to the things around." I found my way by listen-
ing to client voices, those filled with hope, trust, and appreciation for
this new medium. And, like a child, I may "remember for the rest of my
life," their words and messages as I continue to reflect on and apply
these lesson in my practice and for the development of new practice
models.

REFLECTIONS ON PRACTICE

As a narrative study, my reflections on practice have limitations. First,

the study is limited to the practice of e-mail career counseling spon-
sored by the OCC for a diverse population of adults between August
169
170 CHAPTER 10

1998 and January 1999. This means the findings are specific to this
population under these circumstances. The study is not intended to be
comprehensive nor focused on technology issues reported in recent lit-
erature like security for online client records and the lack of regulations
and laws to catch up with the explosive use of the new technology (Haas,
2000). As a narrative based on interactive methods, I have focused on
the human side of career counseling technology and the voices of its us-
ers. Not all voices have been included nor all issues presented such as
those writing about hostile and abusive work environments, how to han-
dle bad performance reviews, and/or lack of recognition. I did not track
demographic information except very generally. Nor did the study focus
on college and university career centers although many suggestions are
applicable to those catering to adults and alumni. As a narrative, the
study is restricted to e-mail career counseling between one individual
counselor and 850 individual clients. And, because these services are
new, I may "only see the beauty in them."

ONLY THE BEAUTY

However, by restricting the study to e-mail career counseling and re-

flections on client voices, seeing only the beauty, a unique coun-
selor-client perspective emerges providing insights for application.
What makes this experience unique is not only the setting and over-
whelming response from clients, it is the luxury afforded by OCC. With
the opportunity to devote my time to full time practice via the Internet, I
was freed to reflect on the meanings and possibilities this medium of-
fers the future. Although I focused on only one model, OCC's confiden-
tial and free e-mail career counseling service, many other models are
possible and undoubtedly will emerge. Whether new models emerge as
value added or fee-for-service, development will follow in any setting
offering support levels similar to those provided by OCC: financial,
professional, or technical support.
In addition, I enjoyed the vicarious support of career counseling
professionals from coast to coast. It came from JoAnne Har-
ris-Bowlsbey, past president of NCDA and executive director of ACT
Educational Technology Center, Hunt Valley, MD, and Shannon An-
derson in San Diego where she directs the Career Counseling Exten-
sion Program at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). In
between, I found enthusiasm and encouragement from my colleagues
at Options Career and Resource Center, Houston; Resource Careers,
PRACTICE MODELS m.

Inc., Cleveland; Career Development Services, Rochester, New York;

and colleagues at Interim Career Consulting, currently Spherion Cor-
poration, Indianapolis. As they learned what I was doing, all were
very positive and encouraging. Their support further energized and
empowered my efforts to discover and share what works.
Consequently, I trust my journey along the road to online practice
during my 5 months with OCC and its 11 lessons provides useful in-
sights to the emerging body of knowledge on career counseling over the
Internet. I trust, too, the study provides perspectives, which inspire
new research efforts, practice models which bridge a paradigm shift
within the profession.

SUGGESTIONS FOR CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

As a career counselor, qualitative researcher, and adult educator, I

look back on my original thoughts about this book as a vehicle to share
my experiences, and perhaps serve as secondary text. I planned the
book in a sequential fashion, one chapter building on the other. Yet as I
re-read the content and reflect on its 11 lessons, I see many chapters
may stand independently. And, on further reflection believe the 11 les-
sons may offer a framework for curriculum development for new
coursework on career counseling over the Internet or for ongoing pro-
fessional development. Each lesson could serve as content for work-
shop topics offered individually. Topics could be offered in
combination or even integrated into counselor internships.
Whether topics are offered individually or in some combination, the
curriculum content should include a review of the ethical codes and
standards of practice for WebCounseling and Internet career counsel-
ing, as well as competencies specific to the topics. The delivery and for-
mat of the content may vary by instructor. However, I believe new
practice models require an interactive, experiential approach with an
emphasis on the counselor as curriculum. This concept is similar to
what Belenky, Chincy, Goldberger, and Tarule (1986) called con-
nected teaching.
Connected teaching calls for an emphasis on connection and rela-
tionship (rather than separation and autonomy) with both the knowl-
edge learned and with the facilitator and other learners. By this,
Belenky et al. meant that women learn best in environments where
knowledge that comes from life experiences as women, is valued and
where the knowledge that is presented helps women see themselves as
172 CHAPTER 10

creators of knowledge. Like Belenky, Miller (1986) noted the impor-

tance of connectedness in training women for competence and effec-
tiveness stating:
The girl and woman often feel a sense of effectiveness as arising out of
emotional connections and as bound up with and feeding back into
them. This is very different from a sense of effectiveness (or power)
based in lone action and in acting against or over others, (p. 16)
If you substitute the word counselor/s for "girl, woman and women"
and life experience as a counselor/s for "life experiences as women,"
you will have a close description of the "counselor as curriculum." This
concept values counselor knowledge and his or her experience base. It
invites counselors to become co-creator in new curriculum to meet
their needs. By affording counselors opportunities as co-creators of
curriculum, new strategies for counselor renewal and commitment to
the field should follow, as well as enthusiasm for online practice. In
this way, too, counselors may view technology as a tool to reach
underserved clients rather than a replacement of themselves.

11 LESSONS FROM THE ROAD

A brief summary on the 11 lessons follows incorporating how each

maybe the subject of course content for an emerging practice model.
Lesson I: Valuing Written Texts
Whenever I hear a counselor downplay online counseling, emphasizing
that counseling cannot take place without the visual and nonverbal ex-
change that happens in a face-to-face situation, I immediately think of
my early reactions to this medium. It took receiving and reading literally
thousands of e-mails from clients, sharing intimate details of their lives,
for me to know and experience the power and value of written texts. Not
only did I discover nonverbal clues within their written messages, I
learned to translate and apply individual counseling skills as I re-
sponded to their clues. I learned, too, that just as we clarify with clients
in person something that is said or communicated nonverbally, we can
do this in written texts. Client voices in written texts speak their own lan-
guage, whether they share an experience, outcome, or send a thank you
note, these messages teach us that the client counselor relationship
rather than being compromised online can be both established and
maintained via written texts. And, as Lee (1998) reminded us:
PRACTICE MODELS m
We have an emerging generation for whom interaction via the computer
is common, natural, and fully accepted means of communication. This
generation of potential clients is used to less actual personal contact and
greater interaction in cyberspace in many aspects of their lives. To think
that clients in the new century would not expect to access Internet coun-
seling services is probably foolish and shortsighted on our part.

From a curriculum standpoint, a workshop on written texts pro-

vides an opportunity for counselors to learn guidelines for applying
counseling skills online. By taking an interactive approach to the topic,
counselors can review and renew their skills by sharing past experi-
ences and comparing how their experiences match or do not match ex-
amples in the book. By also reviewing ethical codes and standards for
practice, counselors will learn how to integrate and apply their skills
online in an ethical and effective manner. The review may serve equally
to acknowledge individual counselor strengths, affirming each in the
process. Furthermore, the curriculum will include attention to each
counselor's own philosophy of career counseling providing guidance
for participants to articulate and write their own definitions and goals
of the online career counseling process.

Lesson 2: Understanding the Power of Anonymity

The power of anonymity afforded by the Internet is an important topic

for counselors to understand. Just as Rogers (1942) introduced the
power of unconditional positive regard and empathy in the cli-
ent-counselor relationship, departing from the straightforward
trait-and-factor approach of Parsons (1909), I believe the Internet
holds another departure and new power—the power of anonymity. By
providing clients with the opportunity to ask questions, anonymously,
an unexpected confidentiality follows, allowing clients who, out of
shame, fear, or embarrassment, might otherwise not step forward to
do so. With the opportunity to ask questions anonymously and confi-
dentially, a new type of access makes career services available to
underserved clients.
Consequently, the very concerns many counselors express about
the Internet creating barriers to the development of the client-coun-
selor relationship may not necessarily be true. By examining client
messages, counselors can view and judge for themselves the value and
power of anonymity in serving an online population. Like in-person cli-
ents, counselors will learn strategies for informing and assuring cli-
174 CHAPTER 10

ents about confidentially and/or its risks over the Internet, allowing
clients the choice to utilize or not, services in this medium. Again, this
part of the curriculum will allow for a review of ethical issues and prac-
tice sessions for online application.
Lesson 3: Viewing Career Counseling as Personal Counseling

Like Lesson 2, Lesson 3 speaks to the personal nature of career coun-

seling over the Internet and how to safeguard the client-counselor rela-
tionship. I believe safeguarding the relationship online is the same as
safeguarding the relationship in person. We do this by being good pro-
fessionals and following best practices. Also, we pay attention to our
clients and respect their needs and risk factors. This is evident in a re-
view of client questions. Rarely does a client write asking a strictly in-
formational question like, "What is the difference between a
chronological and functional resume?" Instead, they ask about the
best resume for their circumstances, adding in great detail individual
differences that are often related to gender, class, ethnic background,
and/or cultural differences, with many touching on discrimination is-
sues. This is just one of the reasons I believe that qualified career coun-
selors rather than paraprofessionals are needed, even when career
services are restricted to job search practices. Career counseling is
personal counseling, not a mechanical skill practiced by anyone.
Course content on this topic would naturally focus on individual coun-
seling skills and how to translate these online in an effective and ethical
manner. The course content would also address ethical dilemmas and
the Practitioner's Guide to Ethical Decision-Making. Using an experi-
ential focus would allow counselors to present actual situations they
have faced for case review and analysis.
Lesson 4: Listening to Client Voices

Listening to client voices is one of the most important lessons along my

road, which could be an umbrejla topic for a semester's curriculum.
Clients have much to teach us, particularly their views on confidential-
ity, anonymity, and access. It is their voices that first prompted me to
explore online services. Their written message confirmed that the me-
dium was reaching a global population of underserved clients in the
United States and more than a dozen countries (Burma, Austria, Can-
ada, China, Ghana, Holland, India, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Russia, Switzerland, Thailand, Sweden, Venezuela, and the United
PRACTICE MODELS [75

Kingdom). By focusing the curriculum on client voices, particular at-

tention will be paid to (a) the characteristics of clients, (b) typical ques-
tions asked, and (c) dealing with personal data. Like valuing written
texts, the focus of this workshop will (a) examine written messages for
clues about personal data or affective phrases like, "feeling more re-
laxed," "givingme insight," "finding specific answers," "giving me peace
of mind," "gaining a grip," and "time to find someone who can be sup-
portive!"; (b) observe client movement or behavioral signs of resolu-
tion, such as language indicating a readiness for change, and/or
congruence between the client's language and actions they describe; (c)
choose a format or turnaround time for responses to clients as well as
whether the service will be offered free or for a fee; and (d) review ethi-
cal concerns, including a broader understanding about privacy issues
as specified in our profession by three codes of professional ethics.
The curriculum would also give attention to counselors' voices, allow-
ing them to express and write their views or philosophy of practice for
online career counseling over the Internet.

Lesson 5: Bridging Cultural Difference

This lesson could spin off several workshops or the expansion of aca-
demic courses focusing on immigration issues, destination services,
and effective skills for dealing with cultural issues and differences. For
example Sue and Sue (1990) recommended influencing skills versus
affective skills, noting, "to avoid placing Asian Americans in the un-
comfortable and oppressed position," counselors should utilize influ-
encing versus attending skills, that is, they should provide clients with
the advice and information they seek rather than relying on reflection
of feelings. Sue and Sue (1990) noted a study by Atkinson et al. (1978),
in which the findings showed that "counselors who use the directive
approach were rated more credible and approachable than those us-
ing the nondirective counseling approach" (p. 69). Examining and dis-
cussing these studies is one way to bridge cultural differences.
Internet career counseling offers a fresher approach, allowing coun-
selors to examine written text freed from biases that typically are expe-
rienced during in-person sessions. Building on this concept, it would
be equally important to draw on the resources of counselors in atten-
dance, allowing them to be co-creators in the curriculum, defining for
the group what is important to integrate regarding cultural differences
and strengths. Part of building bridges occurs through networking, a
176 CHAPTER 10

critical skill to teach international clients, particularly those wanting

to immigrate to the United States. It is also a critical skill for counsel-
ors to know and apply in their daily lives. If counselors do not network
for themselves, it may be difficult for them to see or teach the skill's
value for new immigrants. Networking could be part of the curriculum
on cultural differences or could stand alone as a separate workshop.
Lesson 6: Setting Online Boundaries

Louann Kummerer, senior consultant for Interim Career Consulting,

the outplacement branch of Interim Career Services, currently
Spherion Corporation, shareed the list of dos and don'ts she devel-
oped for working with career coaches online. This list bears repeating
and could serve as a guide to help counselors develop their own list of
boundaries regarding:

A. Legal Policy: Three key points:

1. Career coaching services are provided only to adults over 18
years of age.
2. Career coaches must refrain from providing legal advice to
those contacting us.
3. Career coaches must provide options; not advice!
B. Style: use a standard greeting and closing, such as:
1. Greeting: "Greetings"; "Hello"; or the person's name.
2. Closing: "Thank you for your question and best of success in
your future career endeavor."
3. Signing: "Career Coach."
C. Content: Whenever providing options, use a disclaimer statement.
A workshop focused on boundary issues and disclaimer statements
provides an opportunity for counselors to again review ethical codes
and standards of practice over the Internet. It also provides an oppor-
tunity to work together collaboratively suggesting, designing, and de-
veloping new policies and disclaimer statements appropriate for
career counseling practice. By taking an experiential approach, partic-
ipants can help guide the content of this session based on a combina-
tion of factors from their own practice, including counselors who may
have online experience already.
In addition, content should engage counselors in understanding the
larger picture that consulting skills play in online practice. Savickas
(1996) noted the importance of influencing public policy stating:
PRACTICE MODELS [77

Counselors can contribute important perspectives and ideas to the na-

tional dialogue about public policy concerning (a) goals for career inter-
vention, (b) who will plan and who will deliver career Interventions, and
(c) to whom and how career intervention will be made accessible, (p. 4)

Lesson 7: Affirming Clients Through Assessments

Clients say they feel affirmed by their test results. Affirmation appears
to take place when the results of testing or an assessment session
brings to light a client's strengths, new insights about preferences,
and/or confirmation about new directions to pursue. Rarely does the
client deny the tangible results from the testing, particularly, those ar-
ticulating the client's potential. Having something tangible in black and
white, so to speak, confirms an inner hunch or sparks an old dream.
Results like these can be very energizing for clients. Testing provides
hope as well as a starting point.
Because counselors know a great deal about providing assessments
for clients, this topic may require only brief review. Instead, the focus
could center on practicing or translating assessment skills online.
Again, taking an experiential approach allows counselors to shape the
curriculum and, rather than focusing on the content of assessment se-
lection, counselors may prefer a self-assessment process for their own
growth. Utilizing self-assessments exercises may allow counselors to
experience the affirmation clients feel when accurate and appropriate
assessment instruments are available to them. It would also give coun-
selors an opportunity for self-renewal and provide strategies for their
own career management and self-care.
Just as Seligman (1980) recommended testing as an integral part of
the counseling relationship, it can provide counselors in professional
development sessions similar opportunities for their own growth by
the following actions:

• Promoting more relevant and focused discussion.

• Stimulating and guide exploration and information seeking.
• Indicating the likelihood that certain events will happen.
• Clarifying self-concept.
• Promoting translations of interests, abilities, and personality di-
mensions into occupational terms.
• Suggesting options or alternatives.
• Facilitating the ordering or ranking of options.
178 CHAPTER 10

Assessment or what lay people call career testing has great appeal to
both clients and counselors alike. For counselors, it can be a concrete
and valuable tool to analyze or determine issues or categorize client
difficulties. Furthermore, it can provide the most appropriate refer-
rals and links to additional resources. Knowing how to and encourag-
ing counselors to use assessment tools for their own career
development and self-care is equally important.
Lesson 8: Providing Online Information and Referral

If there is any argument demonstrating that online services extend ac-

cess and a unique service for what professionals call special popula-
tions, it is illustrated by the fourth competency for certified career
counselors, Information Resources and Referral. Clients reluctant to
step forward out of embarrassment or for any reason, may not only
find greater access to career counselors online, they may find almost
instant answers through appropriate links and resources at their fin-
gertips. To become familiar with the vast array of resources and to un-
derstand which are the most appropriate for which individual or
special population is a skill in itself, particularly, in an age of special-
ization. Clients are often confused about how to work through the
maze of information that is available. This competency is all the more
critical when someone's circumstances represent more than one spe-
cial population. That is why I contend that working online requires ex-
perienced counselors with a strong knowledge base and an
understanding of special populations. A workshop or program on this
topic would focus on special populations, reviewing sensitive issues
and cultural differences related to each population. It would also in-
clude how to search online and locate resources, identifying those in
the local, national and global community for reference.
Lesson 9: Embracing Technology

Lesson 9, embracing technology, looked at the human face of online

services rather than technology issues per se, such as security, han-
dling online client records, and the lack of regulations and laws to
catch up with the explosive use of the new technology (Haas, 2000). Be-
cause there is available literature on technology topics, I left this dis-
cussion to others in an attempt to address motivational issues for
embracing technology. By this I mean, yes, there are problems and
barriers with technology. And, yes, counselors need to keep up with
PRACTICE MODELS [79

technology and learn all they can about implementing new technolo-
gies. However, if there is no support for what counselors are trying to
do (new courses), new technology will not necessarily be the answer.
To embrace technology requires resources and support. With the
right resources and support counselors will take time to learn the lat-
est in technology, keep up with the changes in ethical standards for
online practice, and embrace technology willingly. Whether a coun-
selor is in the business community, government setting, private prac-
tice or the academic world, support can and will enable them to make
the transition without legislation. Without support, they are likely to
hit stonewalls and label technology a barrier instead of tool for the ad-
vancement of client transformation. I suggest curriculum for this
topic focus on three areas. First is the examination of policy issues re-
lated to technology such as use policies, disclaimer statements, and
the boundaries of online practice. Second, is the exploration of coun-
selor attitudes and fears about technology and online career counsel-
ing. Group discussions coupled with the examination of client voices
in written texts can uncover or identify counselors' real and perceived
barriers in utilizing the medium. Identifying barriers would also in-
clude motivational issues as well as strategies to garner the support
and resources for overcoming barriers. The third area would address
action plans for embracing technology. Written technology plans,
whether in individual or group format should outline specific goals
and objectives for action steps to overcome barriers and embrace
technology.

Lesson 10: Developing New Credentials

With the retirement of the NBCC National Certified Career Counselor

specialty, the practice of online career counseling has no way to distin-
guish itself and is often confused with career coaching. As a specialty of
WebCounseling, a new credential for career counselors would give cli-
ents a reliable way to distinguish who is qualified to provide career
counseling online and who is offering something different, such as
coaching or advising.
Our ethical codes, standards for practice and career counseling
competencies, provide the framework for coursework related to skill
development for this specialty. However, as we move forward to design
new programs, it is important that we not emphasize skill over art of
counseling, lest we forget the main ingredient for successful career
180 CHAPTER 10

counseling outcomes, that is, the counselor-client relationship. As

Stoltz-Loike (1996) said:

The counselor's respect for the client's perspective dramatically affects

the success of counseling sessions ... successful counselor-client rela-
tionships are characterized by nurturance, collaboration and in-
sight-orientation, (p. 103)

Consequently, all coursework aimed at a new credentials needs to

integrate reflections on counselor qualities and values, including
nurturance, collaboration, and insight orientation, all characteristics
that develop empathy and understanding of the global human condi-
tion. Counselor supervision and internships need to integrate atten-
tion to and self-care for counselors. Without attention to self-care, we
will see an exodus from the field as counselors suffer burnout or grow
tired from greater demands placed on them. More than anything else,
new curriculums need to provide opportunities for counselors to vali-
date their experience, feel a sense of renewal, and find respect for and
draw on the creative spirit within. Counselors need to trust and value
themselves. By knowing themselves and identifying their values, coun-
selors will gain a deeper sense of who they are as persons. Without this,
they won't be in a position to guide a global clientele. Coursework for a
new credential needs to recognize opportunities for counselors to inte-
grate their counseling skills and values in their daily lives so that their
online practice becomes an extension of what they do in person, not
different from or something separate.
Lesson 11: Recognizing the Counselor as Curriculum

Coursework for new credentials will develop and flow from an ap-
proach based on the counselor as curriculum. This concept is consis-
tent with feminist and multicultural perspectives, which look not to
technique or theory, but rather ask the counselor to re-examine the
values and structure of our society and how, as counselors, we might
perpetuate or change those attitudes that prove destructive for clients.
In this way counselors begin to trust them selves, and trust clients to
engage in looking at their own values and behaviors. In workshops,
this means emphasizing the importance of counselor values and char-
acteristics as the basis for successful counseling outcomes. For exam-
ple, in 1964 the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
indicated that the counselor should have six basic qualities:
PRACTICE MODELS m

1. Belief in each individual.

2. Commitment to individual human values.
3. Alertness to the world.
4. Open-mindedness.
5. Understanding of self.
6. Professional commitment.

These characteristics demonstrate what earlier theorists consid-

ered the most significant resource a counselor brings to the relation-
ship, that is, his or her self. Using interactive exercises involving
autobiographies, journals, and genograms, counselors will have the
opportunity for reflection to identify their values and characteristics,
thus experiencing a sense of renewal, worth and individuality.
Interestingly, the six counselor characteristics outlined decades
ago, are not far afield from those emphasized by ACA's past president,
Donna Ford. In an interview, Ford outlined six values she has incorpo-
rated into the ACA strategic plan. These are: "caringfor self and others,
respecting diversity, encouraging positive change, acquiring and using
knowledge, empowering leadership and promoting linkages" (Ford,
1999).

TOMORROW'S PRACTICE MODELS

I am aware that critics mayjudge the value I place on listening to clients

as inconclusive, not based on hard research. These critics may dis-
count qualitative methods as too subjective, finding the narrative with-
out merit. However, I believe the narrative worthy and consistent with
new traditions in our field (Paisely, 1997). Older traditions, too, recog-
nized the importance of interactive and qualitative methods to inform
theory. Rogers (1974) looked to his clients to inform his theory. Fur-
thermore, he attributed his own growth to his profound respect for the
client-counselor relationship, writing: "If I subtract from my work the
learnings I have gained from deep relationships with my clients and
group participants, I would be nothing" (p. 120).
It is hard to believe that Frank Parson's early inspirations for the es-
tablishment of the Vocational Guidance Bureau was not the result of lis-
tening to the young adults and immigrants he served. These traditions
greatly influence my recommendations and/or lessons from the road.
Listening to client and counselor voices provides a fresh approach
to online practice and positive change. As the millennium unfolds,
182 CHAPTER 10

rather than competencies alone, counselor characteristics may prove

the catalyst for creating and implementing new practice models as well
as a paradigm shift, one not requiring legislation to protect public in-
terest as we implement career counseling over the Internet.

SUMMARY

Counselor and client voices are emerging and telling us to press for-
ward with career counseling over the Internet. I trust this study offers a
groundbreaking look at what many online clients have to tell us. Al-
though their voices are expressed to only one counselor, it is my hope
their messages resonate with others and spark more interest in re-
search, particularly with an emphasis on client and counselor voices.
Client voices (the users of online career counseling) are an important
guide to help professionals examine and develop appropriate pro-
grams and strategies for implementation over the Internet. Attention to
client voices will also serve for the improvement of practice models if
we but listen with our hearts and minds. Furthermore, utilizing experi-
mental and interactive methods, the counselor as curriculum, may
hold the secret of renewing and reinventing counselors as well as their
instructors. For as Paulo discovers at the end of The Pilgrimage, his
mysterious guide, Petrus, believes:

You can learn only through teaching. We have been together here on the
road to Santiago, but while you were learning the practices, I learned the
meaning of them. By taking on the role of guide, I was able to find my own
true path. (Coelho, 1995, pp. 191-192)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Which are the most important of the 11 lessons to you and

why?
2. Are there other lessons you would add? Why or why not?
3. What do you believe is necessary for counselor renewal and
growth?
4. Explain what Petrus means by learning happens "only through
teaching." Do you agree or disagree with his view?
 Appendix A: Websites

About Work http ://www. aboutwor k. com

Advanced Consulting Group http:/Avww.advgr oup.com
Alumni Net http ://www. alumnet. com
Amazon.com http :/Avww. amazon .com
American Corporate Counsel Association http://www.acca.com
American Counseling Association http://www.aca.com
American Embassies (Norwegian) http://www.usembassy.no
American Embassies and Consulates Worldwide http ://travel. state .gov/links .html
American Federation of TV & Radio Artists http://www.aftrasf.org
American's Job Bank http://www.ajb.dni.us
American Immigration Lawyers Association http://www.aila.org
American Management Association http ://www. amanet. org
American Occupational Therapy Association http://www.aota.org
Association of Teachers of Technical Writing http://english.ttu.edu/attw
Associations http://www.vcanet.org/
Black Collegian http://www.black-collegian.com/jobs
Books online/Southwestern publishing http://www.swep.com
California Civil Service http://www.spb.ca.gov
Career Action Center http://www.careeraction.org
Career Development Services http://www.careerdev.org
Career Karma Magazine http://www.careerkarma.com
Career Magazine http://www.careermag.com
Career Mosaic http://www.careermosaic.com
Career Zone.com http ://www.careerzone .com
Career Path http ://www. careerpath. com
Caribbean Resourcing Solutions, LTD http://www.caribinfo.com/jobs/default.htm
Center for Career/Life Planning http://admin.cpp-db.eom/C/cclpin
Chronicle of Higher Education http ://chronicle .com/jobs/
Chronicle of Philanthropy http ://www. philanthropy, com
Colleges and Universities http ://www.mit.edu:800 I/people/
cdemello/V.html
Community Colleges http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ/
Department of Veteran Affairs http://www.va.gov/Jobs/monthly.htm
Dictionary of Occupational Titles/O*Net http://wwwdoleta.gov/programs/onet/
Directory of Executive Recruiters http://www.kennedyinfo.com/hr/hrcder.htm
Directory of Executive Recruiters 1-603-585-6544
183
IS4 APPENDIX A: WEBSITES

Embassies http :/Avww.embassy. org/embassies/

Event Planning Groups http://eventsource.com/cf/resources/
Excite Careers Network http ://www. excite .com/careers
Federal Government Agencies http -.//fedworld .gov
Federal Government Agencies http://usgovinfo.miningco.com/blemploy.htm
Feminist Majority on Breast Cancer http://www.feniiiiist.org/orner/bs/
Dchome.html
Financial Aid http ://www. finaid. org
Financial Planners http://www.icfp.org
Find Law http://www.findlaw.com
Food Service Industry http://hrpublications.hypermart.net/food-
retail.htm
Foundation Center http://www.fdncenter.org
Gay Workplace Issues Homepage http ://www. nyu. edu/pages/sls/gaywork
Getting Started in Technical Communications http://www.ace 1 .corn/webbook.htm
Healthcare Online http ://www. heal thcareer s. com/Jonllie .htm
Home Business http://www.usahomebusiness.com/book.htm
Home Office Association http://www.hoaa.com
Home-Based Working Moms http://www.hbwm.com
Homewor kers. org http://www.homeworkers.org
IBM Online Business http ://www. ibm.com/e-business
Indianapolis Public Library http://www.imcpl.lic.in.us
Immigration Forum http ://www. immigrationformus.org
International Coach Federation http ://www/coachfederation.org
International Home Workers Association http://www.tjobs.com
International Resources http://internatioanl.monster.com/
workintheus
International Telework Association & Council http://www. telelcommute .org
Job Accommodation Network http ://janweb. icdi. wvu. edu. english/contac V
htm
Job Accommodation Network 1-800-526-7234 or 1-800-526-4698
Jobs in Geology http://alserv.rug.ac.be~gbaret/jopsearch.html
Kennedy's Pocket Guide to Deal with Recruiters http://kennedyinfo.com/js/pocket.html
Korn/Ferry International Recruiters http ://www. kornferry.com
Library, Indianapolis http://www.imcpl.lib.in.us
MBA http://www.biz.colostate.edu/mba/distance/
distance/htm
Medical Associations http://library.tmc.edu/medassoc.html
Military Transition http ://content. monster. com/military/
Monster Board http ://www. monster. com
National Association of Colleges & Employers http://www.jobweb.org/map.htm
National Association of Public Interest Law http ://www, napal. or g/links
National Association of Asian American
Professionals http ://www.naaap. org
National Association of Social Workers http://www.nasw.org
National Association of Certified Counselors http://www.nbcc.org
National Organization of Gay and Lesbian
Scientists http://www.noglstlp.org
National Service http://www.nationalservice.org
National Association of Professional Engineer hrrp ://www.nspe .org
National University http ://www. nu. edu/index/html
New Ways to Work http://www.nww.org
New York University Career Services http://www.nyu.edu/careerservices
Nonprofit Center with Searchable Databases http ://www. opporunitynocs. org/home
Nonprofit/Action Without Boarders http://www.idealist.org
Occupational Outlook Handbook http ://stats.bls .gov/oco/oco 1 OOO.htm
Older Workers http ://www. sr empoly. org
Older Workers http ://green thumb. org/experwks. htm
APPENDIX A: WEBSITES 185
One Stop Centers http:/Avww. ttrc.doleta.gov/onestop
Online Career Center http :/Avww. occ. com
Options Resource and Career Center http ://www. optionshouston. com
Personalities/Career Inventories http://content.monster.com/tool/
personality/links.html
Peterson's Guide http://www.petersons.com
PGA http://www.pga.com
Philanthropy Online http://www.jobs.pj.org
Public Relations Society of American http://www.prsa.org
Rainbow Book http://www.irni.org/links.html
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic http ://www. rfbd. org
Resource Careers http ://www. resour cecareers. com
San Diego School Districts http://www.sdcoe.k 12.ca.us/hr/distemp.html
Science of Soil Journal http ://www. hintze .online. com/sos
Showbiz Jobs h ttp ://www. showbizjobs. com
Single Mothers Newsletter/Job Listings httpy/execpc.conV-philsch/newspaper.html
Skills2000 httpy/www.microsoft.com/skills2000/intern
Small Business Administration http ://www. sbaonlin. sba.gov
Small Office Computing Magazine http://www.smalloffice.com
Society for Human Resource Management http :/www.shrm.or/hr links/
Society for Technical Communications http ://www. stc-va. org
Sports Industry http ://www. onlinesports .com
States (California example) http://www.state.ca.us
Student Financial Aid http://www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/Student
Guide
Tech Center FSU http://www.aus.fsu.edu/techcntr
Thomas E. Bliss& Associates http://www.etbliss.com
Time Warner Telecom, Inc. http ://www.prnewswire .com
UCLA Online Learning http://www.onlinelearning.net
United Way, Indianapolis http://www.uwci.org/links.html
United Way, National Directory http ://dir. unitedway. org/
University Career Centers http://www.jobweb.org/catapult/
homepage.htm
US School Districts http ://www.jobweb. org/sear chschools/
Vocational Rehabilitation by State http://trfn.clpgh.org/srac/state-vr.html
Volunteers http://www.servenet.org/
Wall Street Journal http ://www. careers. wsj. com
Wellness Councils of America http://www.welcoa.org/
Womeswire (best companies) httpy/www.womenswire.comAvork/work.html
Work at Home Mom's Magazine http://www.wahm.com
Working Woman Magazine http ://www. workingwoman. com
Yahoo Classified http ://.yahoo .com/employment, html
This page intentionally left blank
 Appendix B: Databases

Career Counseling
Center for Career/Life Planning h ttp ://admin .cpp-db .conVC/cclpin
One stop Career Centers http:/Avww. ttrc.doleta.gov/onestop
National Career Development Association http:7Avww.ncda.org
National Board for Certified Counselors http ://www. nbcc. org
University Career Centers http://www.jobweb.org/catapult/
homepage.htm

Education and Training

Alumni Net http://www.alumnet.com
College Net http ://www. collegenet. com
Colleges and Universities http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ
Find Aid http ://www. finaid. org
Financial Aid US News and World Report http://www. usnews.com/usnews/edu/
dollar s/ff_web .htm
Peterson's Education Center http://www.petersons.com

Internships
Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training http://www.doleta.gov/individ/apprent.htm
College and University Career Centers http://www.jobweb.org/cata-
pult/homepage .htm
Corporation for National Service http://www.nationalservice.org
Internship Programs http://www. internshipprograms.com/
Microsoft Skills2000 Program http://www.microsoft.com/skills2000

Job Postings
America's Job Bank http://www.ajb.dni.us
Career Mosaic http ://www. careermosaic. com
Career Path http ://www. careerpath. com
Forbes List of Best 200 Small Companies http://www.forbes.com/tooVtoolbox/
200best
Monster.com http://www.monster.com
Nation Jobs Online Job Databases http://www.nationjob.com
187
188 APPENDIX B: DATABASES
Military
Military Career Guide Online http ://www. militarycar eers. com
The Officer Placement Service http ://www. troa.org/tops/
US Air Force http:7Avww.airforce.com
US Army http :/Avww. army. mil
US Coast Guard http :/Avww. uscg. mil/jobs
US Navy http ://www.navyjobs .com
Veterans http://www.va.gov/jobs/montiily/htm

Occupations
America's Career Info Net http://www.acinet.org
Careers Online Virtual Careers Show http ://www. car eer sordine. com/au/show/
menu.html
Find Your Career: US News http ://www. usnews .com
Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www.bls.gov:80/occhome.htm
O*Net (Dictionary of Occupational Titles. DOT) http://www.doleta.gov/programs/onet/
Princeton Review Career Find-O'Rama http ://www.review.com/career/find/
index.htm
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 Author Index

A G

Adams, S. C., 19 Goldberger, R. N., 28, 169, 171

Allen, R. G., 24 Guerra, P., 9, 10
Anderson, S., 78 Guerriero, J. M.. 24
Armour, S., 70 H
Asher, 153
Hansen, J. C., 3, 21, 22, 93, 95, 162.
B 164
Belenky, M. F., 28, 171 Harris-Bowlsbey, J., 9,
Bloom. J. W., 4, 23, 30 Hass, C.,154, 160, 178
K
C
Campbell, D. S., 78 Kummerer, L., 120
Chen, C. P., 151 L
Chincy, B. M., 28, 169, 171
Coelho, P.,vii, 169, 182 Lancy. D. F., 153
Cramer, S. C., 22 Langness, 153
Crites. J. O., 20, 23, 29, 136 Lauer. 153
Grose, R., 3 Lee. C.. 13, 172
Lipford-Sanders, J., 161
D
Davis, T., 53
M
Dewey, J., viii Merriam, S. B., viii, 152
Dikel, M. R., 102, Miller, J. B., 172
Dixon. P., 6, 29, 135 Miller-Tiedeman, A. L., 3
Dreyfus, 164 Minchin, S., 3
Morrissey, M., 10. 11, 14, 23, 38, 53,
F 55, 134
Ford, D., 133, 150, 166, 181 N
Foster-Miller, H., 53
Frank, P., 153 Miles, S. G., 87, 88, 151
193
194 AUTHOR INDEX

P Sussman, R. J., viii. 10, 25, 135

Paisely, P. O. , ix, 6, 152, 181 T
Parson, F., 22, 173
Tarule, J. M., 28, 169, 171
R Tiedeman, D. V., 3
Tillich, P., 165
Rayman, J. R, 60, 61. 73
Remer, P., 25 W
Rogers. C. R., 3, 16, 21, 28, 172, 181
Rosberg, 22 Warner, R. W., Jr., 3. 21, 93, 95
Ruiz, N. J.. 161 Watts, A. G., x. 9, 14, 162, 164
Weddle, P. D., 7
S Whitaker, C. A., 164
Witt, M. A., 124
Satir, V., 3 Wolf, C. J., 43
Savickas, M. L., x, 176 Worell, J., 25
Schmid, R. E., 60
Seligman, L.. 99, 106, 177 Y
Sharf, R., 21
Shostrom, 162 Young, R. A., 151
Simpson, E. L., viii, 152
Sirch-Stasko, M., viii, 10, 26 I
Stevic, R. R. , 3, 21, 93, 95, 162, 164 Zunker, V. G., 6, 25,94
Stoltz-Loike, M., 85, 161, 180
Sue, D., 24, 28. 61, 63, 66, 72, 75, 175
Sue, D. W., 24, 28, 61, 63, 66. 72, 75,
175
 Subject Index

A Career counseling process, 23-26,

95-98
Academic online career centers, 6 Career development theory, 20-23
Acceptable use policies, 43-44 Career Karma, 15. 17, 138-139
Access, 11, 16-17 Career planning services, see NCDA
American Counseling Association (ACA), guidelines
19 Center for Career/Life Planning (CCLP),
Code of ethics, 45, 48-52 see Career centers
Eleven competencies for certified ca- Client-counselor relationship, 3, 161,
reer counselors, 19-20 174
Strategic Plan, 166, 181 Client populations and issues, 155
Anonymity, xi, 16, 173-174 Client themes from online messages,
American Psychological Association, 163 45-47
Assessment, see also Testing Client voices, 159, 182
affirming clients, 99, 177 Coaching, see also NCDA guidelines
appraisal support, 87 boundaries for coaching, 176
barriers and career concerns. 87-88 broader scope for counselors, 85
counselor assessment skills. 86 coaching disclaimers, 79-81
definition of, 92-92 differences between online coaching
importance of, 107 and counseling, 78-88
limitation, 107 examples, 82-83
standardized/non-standardized, 93 Community information and referrals,
self-assessments, 94 128-129
Competencies and skills for career coun-
B selors, 18
assessment links. 103
Bridging Cultural Difference. 63, 11 competencies (NCDA, Revised Ver-
175-176 sion, 1997a), 18
influencing skills, 66
C Confidentiality. 11, 38-40, 50-51,
Counselor burnout, 166-167
Career Centers. 115 Connected teaching, 171-172
Career counseling as personal counsel- Counselor characteristics, 162-164
ing, 29, 148, 174 Counselor as curriculum, 166-167,
emerging definition, 28-29 180-181
four examples. 30-36 Counselor as technique, 164-165
195
196 SUBJECT INDEX
Counselor training, see Practice models I
Credentials, see also NBCC
developing new, 148, 179 Immigration issues, 65
11 competencies for certified career Information and Referral, 128, 178
counselors, 19-20 Influencing skills, 147-148
importance of, 148-149 Intake assessment appointment, 105
importance to clients, 45 International Coaching Federation, 79
retirement of NCCC, 149 International clients, 59-74
communication style differences, 62
D educational attainment levels, 63
importance of cultural differences, 61
Debate, 3 importance of networking, 69
five core issues, 4, 8 reports on, 60-61
responses from stakeholders, 8-11 sample of online clients, 63-64
responses observed from practice, students versus those seeking em-
11-17 ployment, 66
Disclaimers, see coaching disclaimers, Internet career counseling, 66
79-81 Issues see also Debate
Diverse populations, 24, 59, 123, 165 clients priorities related to confidenti-
sampling from online practice, 63-64 ality and trust, 45-48
statistics, 60-61 multiple issues expressed by clients,
110-115
E
Educational information, see also Stu- Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
dent center 117, 123
NACE links, 122 Job strategies for people with disabili-
NCDA links, 121 ties, 124
Peterson's Guide, 121
Student center links, 103 L
University of Missouri-Columbia, 103
Electronic interventions 5, 134-136 Labor market information, 105, 121
E-mail Career Counseling, see also Lessons from the road, vii, 67, 71-73
WebCounseling Listening to client voices, 40-48
definition of, 136 Luck, 121
Embracing Technology 133-150
ACA former president Ford's call M
133, 150
author's process, 136-141, 170-171 Monster.com links, see also Assess-
Employment sites, 6-8 ments and Diverse Populations
assessment links, 103
F diverse population links, 123
Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), 14,
Feminist perspective, 25. 165, 171-172 104
Findings of the study, 154-159
Five core issues, see Debate N

G Narrative format, see Qualitative Re-

search
Gay Workplace Issues, 125 National Association of Colleges and Em-
Guidelines for coaching and consulta- ployers NACE, 6, 121-122
tion, 77 National Board for Certified Counselors
NBCC, 4
H NBCC as a referral source, 124
Standards for ethical practice, 39, 52
Human Service Agencies, 128 National Career Development Associa-
Human face of technology, 147-148 tion NCDA, 4
SUBJECT INDEX 197
Guidelines for the Use of the Internet, recommendations from the study,
4, 39 159-160
Guidelines on coaching and consulta- support in the literature, 160-161
tion skills, 77
National Ethical Standards, 52 R
o Resolving ethical issues, 51-55
One-stop government sponsored career S
centers, see Career Centers
Online assessments, see also Mon- Safeguarding the client-counselor rela-
ster, com links tionship, 38-55
five conditions for ethical practice, Small business development centers,
104 126
intake appointment, purpose of, 105 Special populations, 109, 116-120,
Online boundaries, 176 123-126
Online Career Center (OCC.com), 14-16, Student center links, 103
92m 105m 137-140, 146-147 Strong Interest Inventory (SII). 14, 104
Online career centers, see Career Cen-
ters T
Online career counseling process, 6
Online client populations and issues, Technology barriers, 141-147
155 Testing and counseling, see also Assess-
Online theory of career counseling prac- ments
tice, author's, categories of, 93-94
clients' view, 99
P online, 103-105
Paradigm shift, 8-17, 131 a place to start, 99, 101, 107
People with disabilities, see also Diverse relationship between. 92
and Special populations as a tool of counseling, 99-100
Job Accommodations Network (JAN), Training and supervision, 161-168,
job strategies for people with disabili- 169-182
ties, 124 u
Practice models, 171-172, 181-182
Practitioner's guide to ethical deci- University of Missouri-Columbia, 103
sion-making, 53-55
Public libraries, 128 V
Q Volunteer activities, 128
Q & A examples, 31-32, 67, 72-73,
82-85, 89-90. 100-102, w
106-107, 110-119, 124-127.
141-144 WebCounseling, 4, 23, 30, 136
Qualitative research, 151-168 Websites and links, see Appendix A, B
findings from the study, 154-159 Written texts, 12-16, 172
interactive research methods, viii, Workforce dynamics, 75
methodology for online practice, 152 the 1960s and 1970s, 75-76
personalizes counseling history, the 1980s and 1990s, 76-77
viii-ix,152