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Helping Diverse Clients Overcome Job Search Problems

Helen LaVan, PhD, LPC, NBCCProfessor DePaul University1 E. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, Il 60604312-362-8539hlavan@depaul.edu

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Helping Diverse Clients Overcome Job Search Problems1. Long History Of Unemployment2. Poor Prior Evaluations3. Insufficient Experience4. Recruiter Not Getting Back To

Candidate5. Fear Of Drug Tests6. Fear Of Psychological Profile

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Helping Diverse Clients Overcome Job Search Problems7. Don't Know Career Options Or Likely

Employers8. Criminal Record9. Poor Credit History10. Depression Or Other Psychological

Problems11.Problem: Difficulty In

Diagnosing/Solving Personal Problems

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1. Problem: Long History Of Unemployment: Resume Strategies

•Don’t use dates with each entry. Use one date for entire Employment History.

•Overall dates—No months in employment section of resume.

•When listing dates worked, use a range of years rather than months. For example, write 2008-2010 rather than 5/2008-1/2010.

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Problem: Long History Of Unemployment—Avoidance Strategies

•Work with your current employer for reduced schedule.

•Build and keep your network before you need it.

•Stay active in professional associations. •Volunteer in community, school and civic

organizations.http://www.volunteermatch.org/search•Engage in temporary or contract work.•www.ifreelance.com•www.sologig.com/All+Jobs/

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Problem: Long History Of Unemployment—Interview Strategies• "As you know, the current situation resulted in mass

layoffs. I took some time off to reflect and focus the direction I wanted to proceed in. I began researching industries and actively interview and that's why I'm excited to be here today.”

• An answer like that demonstrates that you've done your homework and are looking for a long-term position that meets your requirements, rather than rushing into any paying job.

• If you became unemployed as the result of a mass layoff rather than a performance-based firing, make this known in the interview.

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2. Problem: Poor Prior Evaluations

•Check this is actually being communicated, since prior employer has vested interested in getting individual reemployed with new employer.

•Explain poor fit for prior job.

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3. Problem: Insufficient Experience

•Volunteer.•http://www.volunteermatch.org/search•Internship—even short term unpaid one.•http://www.simplyhired.com/a/jobs/list/q-i

nternship/l-Milwaukee%2C+WI

•Temporary work or projects.•http://www.freelancewriting.com/freelanc

e-writing-jobs.php

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4. Problem: Recruiter Not Getting Back To Candidate

•Do not be set on one company or opportunity.

•Let company rather than self-evaluation of qualifications.

•Reapply.•Send something to attract attention, such

as article, coffee gift card.•Try to identify either hiring party or

recruiter and communicate but not stalk.

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5. Problem: Fear Of Drug Tests

Detectability.Pay for private drug test. Products to self-test: Saliva or urine. Know legal consequences which can vary

by state, municipality and company policy. Some companies do not have a Zero Tolerance policy.

Consider possibility of false positives.

Substance Urine Hair Blood / Oral FluidAlcohol 6–24 hours[3] Note: Alcohol tests may

measure EtG which can stay in urine for up to 80 hours

up to 2 days 12–24 hours

Amphetamines (except methamphetamine)

1 to 5 days[4] up to 90 days 12 hours

Methamphetamine 3 to 5 days[5] up to 90 days 1–3 daysMDMA (Ecstasy) 72 hours up to 90 days 24 hoursBarbiturates (except phenobarbital)

1 day up to 90 days 1 to 2 days

Phenobarbital 2 to 3 weeks[6] up to 90 days 4 to 7 daysBenzodiazepines Therapeutic use: up to 7 days. Chronic

use (over one year): 4 to 6 weeksup to 90 days 6 to 48 hours

Cannabis 2 to 7 days, up to >30 days after heavy use and/or in users with high body fat

up to 90 days 2–3 days in blood, up to 2 weeks in blood of heavy users[7] However, it depends on whether actual THC or THC metabolites are being tested for, the latter having a much longer detection time than the former. THC (found in marijuana) may only be detectable in saliva/oral fluid for 2–24 hours in most cases.

Cocaine 2 to 5 days with exceptions for certain kidney disorders

up to 90 days 2 to 5 days

Codeine 2 to 3 daysCotinine (a break-down product of nicotine)

2 to 4 days up to 90 days 2 to 4 days

Morphine 2 to 4 days up to 90 days 1 – 3 daysHeroin 1 to 4 days[8] up to 90 days 1– 2 daysLSD 12 to 24 hours Undetectable 2 to 4 daysMethadone 3 days up to 97 days 24 hoursPCP 3 to 7 days for single use; up to 30 days in

chronic usersup to 90 days 1 to 3 days

Approximate values for detection periods11

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False Positives In Drug Test

•http://www.askdocweb.com/falsepositives.html

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Substances That May Cause A False Positive

•Ibuprofen •Vicks inhaler•Many prescription medications

•Advil •Allerest •B-2 vitamin

•Nuprin •Over-the-counter diet pills •Benadryl

•Motrin •Cough suppressants •Tylenol sinus gelcaps •Excedrin IB

•Over-the-counter nasal sprays •Unisom

•Aleve •Amoxicillin •Wellbutrin

•Nyquil •Tonic water •Asthma medication

•Contact•Medications for kidney infection, kidney disease, liver disease and diabetes

•Sudafed

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6. Problem :Fear Of Psychological Profile

Research assessments using Tests In Print/Mental Measurements Yearbook

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6. Problem:Fear Of Psychological Profile

http://www.rileyguide.com/assess.html

Practice with freely available assessments.

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7. Problem:Don't Know Career Options Or Likely Employers

•Career Assessments.•O’Net.•Lexis Nexis.

http://career-intelligence.com/assessment/Career-Assessment-Matrix.asp

What do you want to learn? Consider these tools Description

Strong Interest Inventory® Basic Profile

Provides a summary of your basic interest scales, helps you identify which fields might interest you.

Strong Interest Inventory® Interpretive

Provides a summary of your basic interest scales, descriptions of your personal work style and a l ist of specific occupations that might interest you.Interpretive.

iStartStrong® Provides results based on the Strong Interest Inventory, it presents your results as General Themes (based on GOTs) and Specific Interests (based on BISs) and provides hyperlinks to related O*NET occupations.

MBTI® Career Provides a summary of your results, the effects of preference on career choice. Includes the 50 most popular and 25 least popular occupations for your reported type.

I want help choosing a new career that typically requires a 4-year college degree.

Strong Interest Inventory® Professional

Provides a summary of your basic interest scales, information on your preferred work environment and management style and a description of your personal work style. Includes a l ist of occupations that might interest you and those that probably would not.

Strong Interest Inventory® College Profile

Provides suggestions for college major and extracurricular activities based on your interests and personal style scales.

Strong Interest Inventory® College Profile with Interpretive Report

Provides suggestions for college major and extracurricular activities based on your interests and personal style scales. Also includes Strong Interpretive report.

I want help making a career transition.

Career Transition Report Provides information on the day-to-day tasks in different departments and helps you determine which departments you'l l find most interesting.

I want to move up in my current career.

Career Enrichment Report Provides a summary of organizational functions, including information on the day-to-day tasks performed in your three main areas of interest. This includes a breakdown of the duties you will probably enjoy and those you may not.

MBTI® Communication Style Report

Become aware of how your personality preferences influence your your communication style and learn how to adapt your style to communicate more effectively with others.

TKI Provides information on your preferred conflict-handling style and suggestions on how to improve your working relationships.

MBTI® Interpretive Provides in-depth information on your reported Type, how you prefer to communicate, gather data, and make decisions. Includes information on your personal style and how it compares with others.

TKI Provides information on your preferred conflict-handling style and suggestions on how to improve your working relationships.

MBTI® Interpretive Provides in-depth information on your reported Type, how you prefer to communicate, gather data, and make decisions. Includes information on your personal style and how it compares with others.

TKI Provides information on your preferred conflict-handling style and suggestions on how to improve your working relationships.

I want to improve my working relationships.

I want help choosing a new career.

I want help choosing a college major.

I want to develop better communication skills.

I want to become a more effective manager, supervisor or leader.

Career Assessment Solutions

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O’Net to Identify Career Options

http://www.onetonline.org/

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Identifying Likely EmployersUsing Lexis Nexis

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Identifying Likely EmployersUsing Lexis Nexis

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8. Problem: Criminal RecordCompanies That Hire Felons

http://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-companies-that-hire-felons/business-and-company-info

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Problem: Criminal Record Expungement

http://www.wisconsinexpungement.com/WisconsinExpungement.html

http://www.state.il.us/defender/expforms/07instguide.pdf

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Problem: Criminal RecordReferral To Social Service Agencies For Ex-offenders:

http://www.saferfoundation.org/

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Problem: Criminal RecordReferral To Social Service Agencies For Ex-offenders

http://www.saferfoundation.org/

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Problem: Criminal RecordReferral To Social Service Agencies For Ex-offenders

http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/

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Problem: Criminal Record Fidelity Bonding Program

http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/bonding/

9. Problem: Poor Credit HistoryThe Fair Credit Reporting Act• The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the federal statute

that places limits on an employer’s ability to use background checks on employees and potential hires, will soon add a new requirement.  Employers’ use of background checks, and credit history checks in particular, has come under scrutiny.  The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has pursued disparate impact claims against employers that rely on credit checks as part of the employment process on the theory that the recent economic downtown has impacted minorities and women more severely, and as a result, employer screening based on credit history has a disparate impact on minorities and women.

• http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/meetings/10-20-10/crawford.cfm

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Problem: Poor Credit History Prevalence•Credit checks are becoming an

increasingly prevalent practice in the employment sector. According to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, approximately 60% of its employer members use credit checks as a hiring tool, compared to 35% of employers in 2001. Some employers report that they use credit checks in hiring for all positions.

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Problem: Poor Credit History Lack of Predictability of Performance•Credit information does not predict job

performance or risk of crime in the workplace

•Credit reports provide limited and often flawed information.

•Credit checks negatively impact communities of color.

•Credit checks can be contrary to state and federal laws.

•http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/meetings/10-20-10/crawford.cfm

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Problem: Poor Credit History The Fair Credit Reporting Act • Notice and Authorization. Before an employer can ask for reports about you from

any companies that provide them, it must tell you that it might use the information to make a decision. This notice is separate from other documents you get — like an application. An employer may not get a report about you for employment purposes without getting your permission or authorization first, usually in writing.

• Pre-Adverse Action Procedures. If an employer might use information from a credit or other background report to take an “adverse action” — say, to deny your application for employment or a promotion, to terminate your employment or to reassign you — he must give you a copy of the report and a document called A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act before taking the adverse action. Read your report, and contact the company that issued it if you find inaccurate or incomplete information.

• You also can explain any inaccurate or incomplete information to an employer, but that won’t fix errors in your report. To do that, you have to contact the company that issued the report and dispute the information. If an investigation reveals that a correction is warranted, the credit reporting company or other company providing background information must send an updated report to the employer if you ask them to. Even if the information is not corrected in time to benefit you with that particular employer, it’s a good idea to dispute inaccurate information so it can be corrected before your next job interview or assignment comes along.

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The Fair Credit Reporting Act • Adverse Action Procedures. If an employer takes an adverse

action against you based on information in a report, it must tell you — orally, in writing, or electronically. The notice to you must include:

• The name, address, and phone number of the company that supplied the credit report or background information;

• A statement that the company that supplied the information didn’t make the decision to take the adverse action and can’t give you any specific reasons for it; and

• A notice of your right to dispute the accuracy or completeness of any information in your report and to get an additional free report from the company that supplied the credit or other background information if you ask for it within 60 days.

• http://business.ftc.gov/blog/2011/06/fair-credit-reporting-act-social-media-what-businesses-should-know

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10. Problem: Depression Or Other Psychological Problems

•Diagnosis by Career Counselor. Consider using DSM IV, soon to be DSM V.

•Referral to psychologist or psychiatrist.

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Problem: Depression Or Other Psychological Problems Depression Diagnosis According to DSM IV

• This disorder is characterized by the presence of the majority of these symptoms:

• Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). (In children and adolescents, this may be characterized as an irritable mood.)

• Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day

• Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5 percent of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.

• Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day

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Problem: Depression Or Other Psychological Problems Depression Diagnosis According to DSM IV

• Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day

• Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day • Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or

inappropriate guilt nearly every day • Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or

indecisiveness, nearly every day • Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of

dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.

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11. Problem: Difficulty In Diagnosing/Solving Personal Problems

•Examples include problems in time management, financial problems, goal setting.

•Might need life coach or counselor acting as a coach.

•May have student development/personal development activities/courses at community colleges.