Walk the Line:Balancing the Pulls of

Technology

Deb Osborn, PhD2/24/17

Agenda• Explore how technology can enhance career

decision making and job searching• Identify red flags of misuse• Review relevant ethical standards• Outline strategies to help clients and career

practitioners walk the line of healthy technological use in their lives

Cool ToolsSelf-Knowledge

Options Knowledge

DecisionMaking

Self-talk

Job Search

considerA client brings in some career test results from a free test on the Internet. She is very excited about the suggestion that she would be “matched” to being an electrical engineer. When you ask about the test, you realize it is a color test where the person is given a list of careers that best match the color preferences of the individual.

Ethical Concerns?

Ethical Concerns• Purpose of the test, client’s need?• Test quality – psychometric properties for

online use• Client privacy, confidentiality, records• Qualifications of the developer • Are clients referred to qualified career

practitioners?• Practitioner competencies

How might you proceed?

A better way

What about other career assessments?

What ethical standards need to be considered?

Section e:Evaluation, Assessment & Interpretation

•Assessment – valid, reliable•Competence to use/interpret

assessment instruments•Informed consent in assessment•Cultural sensitivity•Instrument selection,

administration, interpretation

Options knowledge

•Consider: A 19-year-old college sophomore is in the process of making an occupational decision that will impact her selection of courses in her accounting major.

•Where might you direct her?

Options knowledge

Examples of Socially-constructed career information

Career information literacy

• Recognize that career information is needed, followed by the capacity to locate, evaluate, and effectively use the information.

• Evaluating - a core element of digital literacy. Involves capacity to:

• Understand the nature of career information online,

• Analyze the origins of the career information, and

• Consider the usefulness of the career information

• We have a responsibility to teach individuals and clients to be critical consumers of all information.

Apps• A client wants to focus on career decision

making. Her counselor is a great fan of the app, Unstuck, and believes it will be helpful in the process.

Ethical concerns & strategies?

Ethical concerns• Does it work for the intended concern?• Privacy/confidentiality• Time involved for training?• Career provider competence in using the app• Cultural considerations• Imposing values-recommendations can impact

relationship• Consider that these apps could be considered

telehealth.

strategies• Contact app developer

• HIPPA complaint for data collection, storage, sharing?• Advise client on potential security risks

• how to protect privacy • how to lock mobile device• how to erase data if device is stolen• how to handle requests from apps for permissions to share

information, access private information, etc.

• Use/recommend apps that have privacy protections• Remember recommendations can have repercussions

on the relationship.

Online service delivery• A career practitioner has decided to extend their

services through providing on-line career advising. • A currently unemployed individual reaches out via email

and says:• “There’s a job fair coming up, and I’d like to go to it, but

I’m very introverted and nervous about going up to employers and selling myself to them. I get really nervous that I’m going to say something stupid. I get so overwhelmed that I stumble all over my words and turn red. Can you help me?”

• Potential client issues?• Ethical issues?

Ethical issues (section f)

• Knowledge & Competency, Laws & Statutes, Outside Assistance• Informed Consent, Disclosure, Confidentiality & Security• Client Verification• Providing Online Services-Benefits/Limitations, Boundaries,

Technology-Assisted Services, Access, Communication Differences in Electronic Media, Using Assessments in Electronic Media

• Records• Web Maintenance &Technology Development• Social Media

Providing Career Services Online, Technology, & Social Media

What if?

You are hereClient is here

What does the law say?• Most say that

counseling takes place where the client is.

• Check with licensing board of your client’s state!

For What? • Rules and regulations

• How do they differ from your state?

• Must you be licensed in the client’s state?

For example, disclosure laws of

Washington

Colorado

Washington

Colorado

Wisconsin vs. Colorado

• Who: Certified counselors and certified advisors

• When: Prior to starting

• Who: every unlicensed psychotherapist, licensee, certificate holder, or registrant

• When: During initial client contact

Wisconsin Colorado

Distance Counseling Considerations

• Who is the client?• What do I charge? How will I charge? • What services do I provide? Backup plan for tech

failures?• How will I screen? • Policy on serving those outside my state• How do I protect confidentiality/privacy?• How do I evaluate my services?

• Distance Credentialed Counselor: http://www.cce-global.org/DCC

Specific Strategies?“There’s a job fair coming up, and I’d like to go to it, but I’m very introverted and nervous about going up to employers and selling myself to them. I get really nervous that I’m going to say something stupid. I get so overwhelmed that I stumble all over my words and turn red. Can you help me?”

Ethical concerns with the strategies?

• Cultural sensitivity• B6-Records and Documentation-creating,

maintaining, storing, disposing• Counselor competency

What if?During the conversation, the client becomes very upset and threatens to commit suicide?

Ethical standards to keep in mind

• B1. Respecting Client Rights• Confidentiality/privacy, diversity considerations,

exceptions

• B3: Information shared with others• Treatment teams, confidential settings,

transmitting confidential information

• B5-Cilents lacking capacity to give informed consent

• B6-Records and Documentation-creating, maintaining, storing, disposing

SECTION B: Confidentiality, Privileged Communication, & Privacy

Red flags of misuse?

Red flags of misuse• Pre-occupied with thoughts about being online• Need to spend more time online to get the same level of satisfaction• Staying online longer than intend; lying about online use• Withdrawal symptoms when attempting to cut back• Use technology as an escape• Pressured to respond immediately to the smartphone• Constant checking even when there is no indication of a ring/vibrate

(phantom)• Neglecting face-to-face relationships; prefer virtual world to real world• Ignoring activities/hobbies previously enjoyed• Changes in mood, motivation, attitude; anxious when away from device

Strategies for a healthy balance?

Strategies for a healthy balance

• Honestly evaluate online use. Consider a behavior chart for a week.

• Identify the triggers for use & build other coping skills.• Boredom, stress/anxiety, escape, loneliness

• Identify and restructure the underlying thoughts• Challenge, alter, change (cognitive restructuring)

• Discuss/set boundaries• Don’t have to respond to every notification immediately• Set distinct times/places/# of times for responding to

emails/checking SM..• Consider removing social media apps so they can only be checked

at a computer.

• Strengthen face-to-face relationships. Set aside time for these.

Challenge: How to Stay Current

Strategies – Google Alerts

• Daily alerts in email format• Based on search terms you identify

Guess which?

10. Yelp9.Quora8. Tumblr 7. LinkedIn6. P*interest5. Instagram4. Reddit3. Twitter2. Youtube1. Facebook

Twitter Lists

Twitter Lists

• Read your favorite Tweeps

• Organize by subject• Save time (don’t have to

scroll through hundreds of posts or remember who you ilke reading

Find People Who Love Technology

Tweeps:@TechnologyTwins@counselingtech; @CareerTechForum; @dsosborn; @Melissa_Venable; @PeterCarey NCDA Technology

Committee; Tech Tips

technologytwins.wordpress.com

conclusion• Balancing technology use can be like walking a tightline• As career service providers, we can model balance

• In our own lives• In our decisions for using technology as an intervention

• Our ethical standards provide a support for us• Our association and colleagues also provide support &

strategies

Connect With Us!technologytwins.wordpress.com

• Deb Osborn• https://twitter.com/dsosborn• https://www.linkedin.com/in/debosborn• dosborn@fsu.edu

• Melissa Venable• https://twitter.com/Melissa_Venable• https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissavenable• https://www.pinterest.com/melissaavenable/• melissa@onlinecolleges.net

@TechnologyTwins