Capella NCDA 2013

© 2010 Capella University - Confidential - Do not distribute
How do you DO that?
Providing career services online,
a new model for the next 100 years
Sharon Balke and Melody Jennings Kruzic
Capella University Career Center
NCDA Conference, July 2013

© 2010 Capella University - Confidential - Do not distribute 2
Presenter Introductions
Melody Jennings Kruzic
Career Counselor
Sharon Balke
Career Center Supervisor

Quick Audience Survey
How many of you:
• …work in Higher Education?
• …work in P-12 Education?
• …work with adult clients in a setting outside of higher ed?
• …currently use online tools and resources to deliver career
services?
• …have been asked by leadership to begin implementing
online tools and resources in your career center or
organization?
• …simply have a curiosity about how online tools and
resources could be used to deliver resources and services?

Learning Outcomes
• Learn how one online institution provides comprehensive
services in an online career center.
• Appreciate how diverse populations benefit from the
accessibility, flexibility, and portability of online career
services.
• Understand the benefits, challenges, best practices, and
lessons learned from career professionals who provide online
career services at several institutions.
• Learn practical strategies for transitioning career resources
and services to an online format.

Relevance to conference theme
• “Father of Vocational Guidance”
• Choosing a Vocation, 1909
• Trait and Factor Theory
• Progressive social reformer and suffragist,
committed to open and equitable access
to education and vocational opportunities.
• Involved in building the Civic Service
Home, a settlement aiding immigrant
groups, and in 1905 he helped organize
the Breadwinner's Institute, which offered
education and a diploma to the poor
Frank Parsons, 1854-1908

Relevance to conference theme
• Effective online career counseling builds upon the legacy of
those who have provided a solid theoretical foundation and
structure for conducting career counseling.
• Leverages innovative delivery methods that allow career
services professionals to further Parsons’ vision of equitable
opportunity and access to services to diverse populations in a
variety of settings.

Capella University at a Glance
• Physically located in Downtown Minneapolis
• Located online at www.capella.edu
• 36,405 Learners and 38,422 Alumni in all 50 states
and 61 countries (as of March 31, 2013)
• Doctorate (31%), Master’s (42%), Bachelor’s (25%), and
Certificate (2%)
• Average age is 40 (range of 19 to 89!)
• 74% female, 26% male
• 95% part-time, 5% full-time
• 54% of color, 46% white, non-Hispanic
• 14% affiliated with the military
• Accredited by The Higher Learning
Commission and a member of the North
Central Association of Colleges and
Schools (NCA)

Capella Career Center
Staff of 7: 1 Supervisor, 5 Career Counselors, 1 Career Associate

Capella Career Center

Online Tools and Strategies
Resources:
• 24/7 self-service
• Online Career Center
content
• PDFs
• Self-assessments
• Interactive media pieces
• WebEx for webinars
• InterviewStream
• YouTube videos
Services:
• Personalized counseling
• “Ask a Career Counselor”
webform ; creates CRM case
• Email (within CRM system)
• Phone appointments
• Adobe Connect for
assessment interpretation
• Seminars in courseroom

NCDA Code of Ethics
• NCDA Code of Ethics (2007)
• Section F: Use of the Internet in the Provision of Career Services
• Benefits and limitations
• Ability to benefit from technology-assisted services
• Appropriate uses of technology-assisted services
• Informed consent and confidentiality
• Qualifications of developer or provider
• Assess and understanding of environment
• Appropriateness of internet content
• Ongoing client support
• Use of assessment
• Unacceptable behaviors on the Internet

Trend toward online career services
• What to call it….? “Online” vs. “virtual”
• Personal observations with professionals (i.e. NACE, NCDA)
• Inquiries transitioned from – What? Why? to How?
• Diverse requests for our PowerPoint presentation
• Large universities, community colleges, individual career
practitioners, even New Zealand!

Online Career Counseling Survey
• Survey of Career Services
Professionals
• Posted on LinkedIn groups
• Between 13 and 17
responses per question
• Of those who responded,
54% indicated that at least
60% of their career services
are delivered online or via
phone

Benefits
Access and Convenience:
The benefit is being able to offer services to students
who would not otherwise have access to career
services. For those who are studying at one of our
many extended campuses or studying abroad, it
provides access without additional expenditures on
human resources. For working students, online career
resources or phone appointments allow for flexibility
with their schedule.

Benefits
We serve a wide variety of students and alumni,
including some totally online students. Many of them
cannot take time out of their busy schedules to come
to campus to meet with us. If we were not able to
provide resources online or over the phone, they
simply would not utilize our services.

Benefits
One of the major benefits is convenience, for both the
client and the counselor, and it saves time, travel, and
energy. Sometimes I find it easier to be as direct with
a client as I need to be…I am not constrained by
geography and have worked with clients around the
globe. You are not "tethered."

Benefits
• Increased access
• Clients with disabilities, juggling multiple priorities, single parents,
remote, active military, study abroad, extended campuses or online
• Convenience
• Eliminates travel time (and costs); resources available 24/7
• Efficiency
• “Flipped appointments,” which allow quickly moving into deeper, more
individualized, appointments; reduced distractions by new environment
• Scalability
• Allows 1:many resource sharing
• Learning and Communication Styles
• Multiple technologies used (recorded seminar, real-time webinars,
interactive tools, individual appointments); some clients might be more
open during phone appointments

Examples of Online Resources
• Email templates
• Attachments
• Links
List of templates
Selected template with links
and attached documents

• PDFs with links

• Webinars using WebEx

Challenges
…People will attempt to multitask during
counseling (especially via phone) - picking
up kids from school, driving, putting me on
hold to answer work calls , etc. I didn't
realize I would need to setting expectations
for this.

Challenges
Lack of body language…could lead to
difficulty understanding if they “get it” or
are engaged; challenge with rapport
building and potential for
miscommunication. Communication [may
be] particularly challenging when client is
new to English or ESL.

Challenges
• Lack of focus; multi-tasking during appointment
• How-To (demonstrations) must be done differently
• No non-verbals as a guide
• Whole person not visible to assess presence
• Lack of security/confidentiality in communication modalities
• Time zone confusion
• Perception of depersonalization

• Interactive
Media
Pieces
• Virtual
Resume
Review
• CV and
Cover
Letter
virtual
reviews

• YouTube videos: Capella Career Center Channel

• Career
Seminars

Interviewing
InterviewStream
• Client
• Practice interview skills online with a webcam
• Share recorded interviews with trusted
colleagues or Career Counselor; provides
multiple, efficient feedback opportunities
• Available 24/7
• Counselor
• Assess presence and nonverbals at
their convenience

Appointment Process
• Set up and train on Red Card process
• Ensure confidentiality within systems
• “Virtual locked file cabinet”
• Set expectations for preparation and not multi-tasking (either
client OR counselor)
• Clarify time zones and who is calling whom when setting up
appointment

Discoveries
When I participated in the…training one of
the instructors commented that "clients
show up online just like they do in person."
She was so right, and even with the advance
notice, that surprised me. I think I was also
surprised at how natural it seemed.
Rapport and trust came easier than expected
Rapport and trust came easier than expected.

Discoveries
• Ability to develop rapport easier than expected
• Many people are becoming accustomed to connecting online
• Some people more comfortable and better at writing than
speaking
• Technology allows us to convey complex concepts in new ways
(visually, interactively)
• Online resources allow counselors to serve more
students/clients and they complement personalized
interactions (they don’t replace one-on-one counseling)

• Animated
Tutorials
• Professional
Assets

• Recorded Panel
Discussions
• Teaching in
Higher
Education Panel
Discussion

Best Practices
A best practice that I have developed is
focusing the content of my email to the
student I am working with. I often have a
wealth of information that I want to give
that person, and I find that it is best to hold
back and give the information that the
person is first looking for. This keeps me
from overwhelming the student.

Best Practices
Don’t overwhelm with content (concise
emails, short recorded sessions, don’t go on
and on and on in calls without checking in).
I try to always state to clients that it's okay
to interrupt me when they have a question
or comment - that I can't look and see that I
need to "rewind."

Best Practices and Lessons Learned
• Be careful not to overwhelm students with too much content
in email and on webpages.
• Be concise.
• Evaluate effectiveness and change as needed.
• On the phone, verbalize the nonverbals.
• Use navigational guides for students/clients.

• Career Planning Self-Assessment

Making the Most of Career Center Resources

Concluding Thoughts
• Providing resources and services online extends access and
allows counselors to share their expertise and guidance with a
greater number of people.
• A 21st century iteration of Frank Parsons’ work and vision.

Questions?
• Questions?
• Sharon Balke, sharon.balke@capella.edu
• Melody Kruzic, melody.kruzic@capella.edu
Thank you for attending!

Capella NCDA 2013

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