0000000001293527

AUTHOR

James P. Sampson

Career practitioners' conceptions of competency for social media in career services

This article reports findings from a phenomenographic investigation into career practitioners' understanding of competency for social media in career services. Sixteen Danish and Finnish practitioners with experience using social media in career services were interviewed in focus groups. Competency for social media in career services was conceived as (i) an ability to use social media for delivering information, (ii) an ability to use social media for delivering career services, (iii) an ability to utilise social media for collaborative career exploration and (iv) an ability to utilise social media for co-careering. The findings can be used to develop pre-service and in-service training of …

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The Perceived Role of Technology in Career Guidance among Practitioners Who are Experienced Internet Users

The increasing use of technology is placing new demands on career guidance practitioners. This article examines what changes, if any, have occurred in the perceptions of guidance practitioners regarding their role and the role of the internet in meeting guidance goals and delivering career guidance services. The data were collected in focus groups in 2001–2002 and a follow-up study in 2010. A total of seven focus groups were held. The data were analysed using combined methods. The results indicated that practitioners now observe that the need for differentiated service delivery modes is more explicit due to varied levels of readiness in decision-making and ICT literacy.

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The Validity of Social Media-Based Career Information

The use of social media expands the availability and sources of career information. However, the authorship of this information has changed from traditional print media and multimedia sources created by experts to social media–based career information created by the users themselves. Although variability in career information validity has been an issue for some time, rapid growth in the use of social media creates some unique challenges. The ease with which social media–based career information can spread creates the potential for rapid widespread dissemination of disinformation and biased perceptions. Potential sources of invalidity include intentional bias (with or without profit motive),…

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Practitioners’ Experiences of Social Media in Career Services

A growing number of career practitioners and career centers are reaching out to individuals and community members in new ways by integrating various social media tools, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, into their professional practices (e.g., Dyson, 2012; Osborn & LoFrisco, 2012). To many, social media are simply online tools to share information and to communicate and socialize with one another. In the broader sense, social media is defined as a process whereby individuals and groups build a common understanding and meaning with contents, communities, and Web 2.0 technology (e.g., Ahlqvist, Back, Heinonen, & Halonen, 2010; Kangas, Toivonen, & Back, 2007).An extensive body of litera…

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The role of practitioners in helping persons make effective use of information and communication technology in career interventions

We examine the role of counselors and other practitioners in delivering career interventions using Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Current benefits and limitations of ICT use provide the basis for recommendations. Potential benefits of increased ICT engagement include cost-effectiveness and improved access to resources and support. Potential limitations include poor assessment and information quality, limited practitioner support when needed, problems with distance intervention and social media, confidentiality of client records, inequality of access, inadequate competencies, and poor implementation. Specific practitioner roles are identified, and those related to social med…

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Career practitioners' conceptions of social media in career services

This article reports the outcomes of a study, undertaken from a phenomenographic perspective, of career practitioners' conceptions of social media usage in career services. Fifteen Finnish career practitioners – representing comprehensive, secondary and higher education as well as public employment services – were interviewed in focus groups. The analysis of the interview data revealed five distinct descriptive categories reflecting the career practitioners' conceptions of social media's use in career services. Social media in career services was conceived as (1) unnecessary, (2) dispensable, (3) a possibility, (4) desirable and (5) indispensable. The results indicated associations between …

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Challenges in implementing ICT in career services : perspectives from career development experts

This article reports the findings from a phenomenographic investigation into career development experts’ conceptions of challenges involved in the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT) in career services. The results show that these challenges varied from (1) inadequate access to ICT, (2) inadequate access to information, and (3) inadequate skills and competencies, to (4) inadequate integration. These findings provide a deeper understanding of critical aspects that may have an important role in the further development and successful implementation of existing and emerging technologies within the guidance service sector. peerReviewed

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A Bibliography on the Use of Communication and Information Technology in Counseling and Career Interventions

This bibliography contains citations from publications or papers presented at professional meetings concerning the use of information and communication technology in the delivery of counseling and career interventions based on work completed at Florida State University and other organizations in various locations. Topics have evolved over time and include computer-assisted career guidance systems, career information delivery systems, assessment, information, distance counseling, social media, research and evaluation, ethical issues, and professional standards. The bibliography is organized by publication year and then author in reverse chronological order by date in order to highlight most …

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