03/25/2020

NCDA’s COVID-19 Career and Mental Health Resources

There are countless resources, lists, webinars and tools being circulated to support helping professionals during this global pandemic. Read more about how these resources were chosen below. NCDA will update this page continuously. Have a suggestion? Please leave a comment at the bottom of the page.

• If you only have 10 minutes, please start here.
• Career Resources
• Remote Working
• From NCDA Publications
• Resources from our Cousin Organizations
• How is NCDA choosing resources?
• NEW! Call to Action!

Start Here

Flatten the Curve and Social Distancing

With you, we have been watching the coronavirus situation unfold with growing concern. Our fields support those that are most vulnerable in unprecedented times. People from all walks of life will be looking to helping professionals for support, reassurance and guidance. We are here to help you help those people.

As a first step, we are answering the call from the Federal government, particularly Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization to inform each other and to help you inform everyone to flatten the curve and practice social distancing. We encourage you to do the same and share this information widely, as it is vital for the health of our clients, communities and countries.

CDC Coronavirus Information

WHO Coronavirus Information

Just for Kids: a Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus

Shareable Coronavirus Social Media Images

Basic Needs and Provisions

Our field provides wide-ranging support and we all should remember with the basics.

COVID-19 Support and Information from the NCDA Government Relations Committee and NCDA Lobbyist

Domestic Violence Community Protocols during COVID-19

Mental Health Resources

First, let’s check in with ourselves. Am I ok and well-supported? Is my metaphorical oxygen mask in place? The following mental health resources can support your personal well-being, your family and friends and, once you are ready and able, they can help clients, students, employees, colleagues and others.

New! Video: Start with these 2 questions to help people adjust - A helpful conversation with with Global Career Guy Brian Hutchinson 

Five Ways to View Coverage of the Coronavirus

Lending a helping hand during crisis

Seven crucial research findings that can help people deal with COVID-19

Thriving Through Chaos: How to Manage your Mental Health and Help Your Clients do the Same  - CERIC Free Webinar Series - March 31, Apr 1, 2 & 9. Replay available.

Career Resources

How can I job search during a pandemic? Which sectors are hiring right now? Can I really take the time to focus on career exploration when I can feel a layoff coming down the pipeline? How can I network while we are all practicing social distancing around the world?

These are real questions our clients are asking. Our members are responding. For example:

Free webinar for career services professionals: "Help! I Need a (Better) Job!"

An Expert's Take on Essential Work, Overwork, and Unemployment (an interview with David Blustein)

Don’t Let The Virus Make You Lose Your Story! So Says Eminent Career Scholar Mark Savickas

The uncertainty of students' future is captured in this video (May 5, 2020, NBC News) which includes a comment from Dr. Melissa Venable of BestCollege.com and NCDA Board Member. 

Our approaches can be adapted to help people during this time of crisis. After starting with mental health and coping strategies, use these resources to help you once you are ready to engage in career conversations. 

COVID-19: Job Market Insights & Job Search Strategies from Experts

How do you continue a job search during a pandemic?

Resources from Google - A remote job board, built with support from NCDA

IBISWorld - Global COVID-19 Impact on Industry Sectors

Remote Working

As we all practice social distancing, many of us are working remotely, and so are our clients. Here are a few key resources to help you consider the logistics, ethics, best practices and challenges of remote work during this crisis, and beyond.

Resources for Working Remotely from LinkedIn Blog

Practicing Distance Therapy, Legally and Ethically

Ethical Use of Social Networking Technologies in Career Services - This paper shares the results of the NCDA Ethics Committee’s comprehensive review of literature about the use of social networking technologies in practice by career professionals and those in related helping professions. The paper served as a foundational resource to inform the guidelines that are now a part of the 2015 Code of Ethics.

From NCDA Publications

NCDA headquarters and members are gathering resources, and we will highlight them in this section. Note, while the older articles have been written in a very different time and we acknowledge that today's world experience is unprecedented, the message can still be helpful.

Teaching Online Career Development Classes- Free chapter from the NCDA monograph, Teaching Career Development: A Primer for Instructors and Presenters (Osborn, 2016).

Intentional Exploration: A Holistic Process to Navigate Career Change and Uncertainty- Free article from NCDA's Career Developments quarterly members-only magazine (Franklin 2015)

Career Convergence - helpful articles and tips during COVID19 restrictions, such as social distancing, online learning, and working remotely:

• Hold onto Your Hats: The Multi-faceted Role of Career Practitioners During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Counselor Educators, Working Identities and Constructing a Better, Healthier World
• Exploring and Addressing Generalized Anxiety Disorder in the Workplace
• Professional Communication: Teaching Students to Use Email Effectively 
• Preparing Students for Career Success: Exposing Students to Online Interviewing
• Working Learners Need Better Access to Career Advising: How and Why to Take Your Services Online
• To Digitize or Not to Digitize: The Question of Scale for Independent Career Development Professionals
• Learning to “Drop Your Tools” in Uncertain Times: A Call for Career Educators
• Addressing Practitioner Anxiety as it Relates to Technology
• Strategies Seasoned Professionals Use to Connect with Clients, Colleagues and the Market
• How To Build Your Career Brand In The Digital Age 
• Create a Social Media Marketing Strategy for Your Private Practice
• How Gamification Brings Joy and Motivation to Career Development
• Ethical Foundations and Social Technologies in Career Services
• See also Tech Tips archives for a full list of technological hints to use in your practice, office or work with clients.
• Finally, stay connected! Use the comment section on each article to stay connected to the colleagues and your field. The interactive comments sections is automatically shared with the author, the web magazine editor and associate editor, and posted online for readers to view and respond. Here is an article about how NCDA Members are Responding to the Pandemic.

NCDA Webinars & CEUs:

Did you know all pre-recorded NCDA webinars are free for viewing at anytime at your convenience? Linked under Professional Development, these webinars offer a wide range of topics. CEUs can be purchased for only $35 per webinar. Now, as part of NCDA's response to COVID-19, CEUs for watching a group of webinars are available at a discounted price. Watch 1, 2, or 3 webinars, then click on the link below to purchase CEU's.

Discounted CEUs Webinar Package

CEUs are required for credential holders and registry instructors. Gaining approved CEUs is as easy as 1-2-3 with NCDA! For more information about each webinar visit the Professional Development:Webinar page, or, for registration questions contact acheek@ncda.org

Resources from our Cousin Organizations

ACA - American Counseling Association
Highlight: Self-care resources for helping professionals
See the Complete ACA List

NACE - National Association of Colleges and Employers
Highlight: NACE Members Respond - Resources & Ideas
See the Complete NACE List

ICF - International Coach’s Federation
Highlight: Video Series: Making the Shift to Virtual Coaching (scroll down to that section)
See the Complete ICF List

CERIC - Advancing Career Development in Canada
Highlight: How Career Professionals Are Adapting to COVID-19
See the Complete CERIC List

American Psychological Association
Highlight: Free Access to the Publication Manual and Other Resources During the Coronavirus Pandemic  (or try here)
See the Complete APA List

How is NCDA choosing resources?

NCDA has formed a working group to select and evaluate resources. No one person is equipped to deal with these unprecedented times. We are approaching this together, as a community of career professionals. Then, you in turn, can support your communities across the country, and worldwide, knowing that your colleagues and peers have carefully chosen these resources for you. Do you have an approach, a tool or a resource to share with your NCDA community? Please leave your comment at the bottom of this page.

Call to Action

NCDA members are encouraged to tell their story. Read the details on the NCDA Advocacy webpage: Call to Action.