July, August, September 2020                                                        Volume 15 Number 3
Note: Articles that are marked with an asterisk (*) can be read for continuing education credit by NAPS certificate holders. Any CPC, CTS or CERS who reads any six of the linked articles can apply two hours of contact time toward the 17 hours he or she must earn each year as a part of their certification maintenance. In this edition, thirteen items qualify as professional reading. Reading all four quarterly editions of The NAPS Credential and their links over the course of the year can qualify the reader for eight contact hours or .8 CEUs annually.
In This Issue
Career and Life Decisions Require Structure*
by Frank Burtnett, Ed.D.
NAPS Certification and Education Consultant



Career and life decision-making, indeed, all choosing of importance, is the application of a set of behaviors or "connecting of the dots" that take the decision-maker one step toward her/his goal. In order to enjoy the product of the various decisions (i.e., right job, reasonable compensation, relocation, etc.), a candidate has to learn the process and the search and staffing professional may have to be the teacher.
 
A Decision-Making Model
 
Following is my career decision-making model that identifies the behaviors that effective decision-makers practice:
  • Know there is decision to be made - Failure will result in opportunity lost or allowing someone else to make it.
  • Prepare of a list of options - Does the decision involve choosing A or B or a much larger number of options? Identify all.
  • Identify the consequences associated each option - An analysis of the "pros and cons" of each option.
  • Eliminate unrealistic and nonviable options - Dream briefly and then come down to earth again. Tuck wild ideas away for a more appropriate time.
  • Rank remaining options - Prioritize options according personal preferences, viable outcomes and those offering the greatest rewards.
  • DECIDE
  • Step back and contemplate - Take one last reflective look at the decision.
  • Implement the decision - Commit to, invest in and take action.
  • Evaluate the decision - Pause periodically to measure progress toward career goal. 
Yes.... There are nine stages in the Burtnett decision-making model. But don't be frighten by any sense of complexity. You and your candidates apply this model every day. The impact of the decisions will vary in intensity, but the same process can lead to the decision-making mastery that all need to learn.
 
Life Decisions Often Laden with Complexities
 
A recent study out of Ohio State University has found that major life decisions such as job and career selection result in decision maker behaviors that cover a spectrum of options that include knowing the right decision and still not making it. Search and staffing professionals are encouraged to examine these findings.

Read more...

Necessary Ingredients
 
In order for the above model to be successful, decision-makers need four ingredients to be present:
  • Sense of self-awareness - The best decisions are made by individuals who have a strong sense of self.
  • Time - The worst decisions are made by those who are rushed and those that procrastinate.
  • Information - Accurate information is essential to determining and refining options. What the decision-maker doesn't know can limit and hurt. 
  • Support - Professional (competent recruiters) and personal (spouse, partner, family, mentors, colleagues, networks, etc.) that will facilitate the actions generated by decisions.
Career decisions present circumstance that demand the serious application of some type of systematic model. Consider the above model a framework that must take into consideration the uniqueness of the decision-maker and nuances of the decision-making circumstances. Encourage candidates to develop and refine a personal decision-making model that is proactive and ready for application to their next important life or career decision.
Job Losers Look to Education
National poll findings released by the Strata Education Network in late June say one fourth of American adults would plan to enroll in education or training programs with a six month period if they lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. The survey also revealed that more than a third (35%) of these individuals would change occupational fields and be more interested in non-degree skills training than pursuing college degree studies.
 
Read more...
Coronavirus Toll on Workplace Mental Health*
With sixty percent of the U.S. workforce in a recent survey saying that their mental health influenced their productivity, it was natural for television business channel CNBC to link that finding with the coronavirus pandemic and do a feature story on the subject.

Supreme Court LGBT/Sexual Orientation Ruling Necessitates Updates
A ruling by the US Supreme Court on June held that discrimination of the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is now illegal.  NAPS took immediate action to update the NAPS Certified Personnel Consultant and Certified Temporary Staffing Specialist legal manual and related certification study materials. Adjustments were also made to bring both the CPC and CTS certification exams in line with the ruling.
 
Readers can visit the link below to read the Littler summary of the ruling.
 
Read more...
College Group Reports on Student Mastery of Employability Skills*
A new report from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) focuses on the importance of certain employability skills and the level of preparedness of college students in their mastery. The APLU study identified 11 key deficiencies out of 42 skills believed essential in the workplace.
NAPS at Night ~ Innovative Study Groups Lead to CPC and CTS Certification
NAPS is currently engaged in the second series of information CPC and CTS certification study groups led by President Trinette Cunningham and Chair-Elect Ryan Scott. The study groups represent the interaction of CPC and CTS aspirants over a six Thursday evenings where the laws governing employment transitions in the U.S. are discussed in preparation for the upcoming certification exams. Counting both the spring and summer groups, 15 prospective certificants have participated. Keep an eye out at www.naps360.org to learn about future programs.
Coronavirus Pandemic Impact on College Class of 2020 and Beyond*
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is in the midst of a series of "quick polls" designed to assess the impact of the coronavirus impact on the Class of 2020 and beyond. A review of polls conducted to date and future schedule can be found at the following link.

Read more...
https://www.naceweb.org/talent-acquisition/trends-and-predictions/coronavirus-quick-poll-preliminary-results/
CPC and CTS Achievers for 2020 Second Quarter
The second quarter of 2020 saw the following search and staffing professionals admitted to the Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and Certified Temporary Staffing-Specialists ranks of the National Association of Personnel Services.

 

Trinity Taylor
Alexander G. Macy
Kristen Piccirillo
Richard A. Landman
Ashley Armstead
David Adams
Marsha McKim
Colton Schwiesow
Jonathan McIntosh
Keith Link
Mackenzie Smith
Trinette Cunningham
 
 
Mackenzie Smith
Trinette Cunningham
Becky Barclay Prewitt
Amanda Lee Roberts
Alexander Rutz
Elizabeth Wagner
Nancy Cristobal Bernal
Tiffany Biskobing

Congratulations and welcome to this new group of NAPS certificants.

Older Women Protected Less by Age Discrimination Laws*
A new academic paper published by a University of Buffalo economist is recommending that older women in the workforce be considered collectively as a unique demographic group that includes both gender and age if they're to receive adequate protection against workplace discrimination.
Pros and Cons of Multitasking in the Workplace*
Researchers at the Computational Physiological Center at the University of Houston have been studying worker ability to perform or juggle multiples tasks at the same time. Obvious, but key finding is that constant email interruptions produce a negative emotional affect.
Is Work Killing People? Study Examines Worker Mental Health and Mortality*
A study out of Indiana University and published in the Journal of Applied Psychology has found that worker mental health and mortality have a strong correlation with the amount of autonomy individuals have in their work roles, workload and demands, along with the cognitive ability to deal with those demands.

Read more...
Coronavirus Pandemic Impact on Women in the Workplace*
Acting in response to the increased economic uncertainty the coronavirus pandemic is having on women graduates and workers, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) has issued a call for policy makers to provide more emergency aid to college students and cancel portions of their loan debt.
Quotable Quotes of Notable People ~ Mr. Rogers on Life Transitions

"Often when you think you're at the end of something, you're at the beginning of something else."


Fred Rogers (1928-2003) was the beloved American children's television personality, puppeteer, author, and musician known for his award-winning program---Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Robots ~ Winning or Losing the Jobs Competition?*
Robots have been a force in the American workforce for some time. How has their emergence impacted humans? Where has that impact been the greatest? Those and other questions are the subject of a study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist Daron Acemoglu.
Upcoming NAPS Lunch n' Learn Webinars ~ Delivering Education to the Desk


The popular NAPS Lunch n' Learn Webinars are being enriched in the coming months as a result of the postponement of the NAPS National Conference until 2021 and many of the Las Vegas presenters be delivering their timely messages via the popular NAPS series. Take this opportunity to engage in a casual, distance learning experience presented by top professionals in the search and staffing industry.
 
Visit www. NAPS360.org and click on Professional Development---then Lunch n' Learn to view the program descriptions for the following 12 programs. Check back frequently to keep abreast of new programs being added to the calendar. All of the programs at 12:00pm - 1:00pm and offer one hour of continuing education credit for application to CPC and CTS certificate maintenance.

July 8 / Wednesday
The Key Aspects of Prosperous Social Networks
Joe Johnson
 
July 22 / Wednesday
Productive Conflict in the Workplace
Elizabeth Ruiz
 
August 3 / Monday
Quarterly Legal Webinar with Littler Mendelson, P.C.

August 12 / Wednesday
Leading with Questions
Bea Carson
 
August 26 / Wednesday
60 Minute Recruiter Boot Camp
Guy Hulen
 
September 10 / Thursday
The Runaround Dilemma: What are You Priorities Now?
Rob Mosley

September 15 / Thursday
How to Eradicate Fears
Klyn Elsbury
 
September 17 / Thursday
Elevate Your Virtual Presence - 3 Strategies for Advanced
Video Communication Skills
Laura Mathis
 
September 21 / Monday
Never Again - What "Shelter in Place" Should Have
Taught You About Your Desk
Greg Doersching

September 23 / Wednesday
Leading THROUGH Transition
John Klymshyn
 
September 25 / Friday
Emerging COVID19 Legal Challenges for Staffing Agencies 
and Possible Solutions
Leiza Dolgih
 
September 30 / Wednesday
Imagine Your Life Is Free From Burnout
Michael Levitt
Meeting the Workplace Needs of the Future*
A recent edition of the Phi Delta Kappan includes an insightful essay by Maria Ferguson, executive director of the Center for Education Policy at George Washington University, on the global challenges that must be addressed if American business education is to prepare the best workforce for tomorrow.
Walmart Expands Employee Education Initiative*
InsideHigherEd reported in early summer that Walmart is expanding its two year old debt-free employee tuition assistance program, a popular program that has been used by approximately 25,0000 employees. Walmart and Sam's Club employees will soon find in-demand digital and trade skills subjects available.

Read more...
Certification and Education Question ~ Certification Maintenance in a COVID 19 World
Question: With the postponement of the NAPS National Conference and many other regional, state and community conferences, what does NAPS recommend as their replacement for CPCs and CTSs seeking to meet their certification maintenance requirements?

Answer: Until face-to-face meetings and classes return to our regular learning routines, there are several avenues a CPC and CTS can take to earn their 17 annual hours of continuing education required for certification maintenance. One of them is the very communique that you are reading right now.

The professional reading contained in reading any six of the asterisk marked items in Table of Contents at the front of each edition of The NAPS Credential can earn you four hours of continuing education credit. Do this with each of the quarterly editions and the hours will mount. Also consider the NAPS Lunch N Learn webinars and other industry relevant podcasts and distance learning options.

Message from the Editor ~ Let The NAPS Credential Hear from You
Have a question about certification or continuing education? Let us know the issues and concerns that are on your mind and they may become subjects for future editions of  The NAPS Credential . NAPS encourage readers to submit information about certified persons and accredited firms who are making the news and performing outstanding professional feats. Our goal is to provide news, research and resources that will help CPCs, CTS and CERSs do a more effective job. Direct comments and input to Frank Burtnett, Ed.D., NAPS Certification and Education Consultant at [email protected] .
About The NAPS Credential
Copyright © 2020.
 
This electronic newsletter is distributed to NAPS members and to all active Certified Personnel Consultants (CPCs), Certified Temporary Staffing-Specialist (CTSs) and Certified Employee Retention Specialists (CERSs) whose credentials are posted in the National Registry of Certified Staffing Professionals and for whom NAPS has a working email address.
 
The reference to a study, product, service or activity or the appearance of a website in The NAPS Credential does not imply endorsement by NAPS. Any views and opinions are those of sponsoring organization and may or may not be shared by NAPS.
 
Direct comments, questions and submissions to [email protected]. All submissions will be subject to review by NAPS for accuracy, timeliness and relevance to the readership and may be edited to meet space parameters.
 
Tom Erb, President
Tallann Resources, LLC
NAPS Chair
 
Trinette Cunningham
President
 
Carolyn Boyer
Vice President
 
Maria Palladino
Design, Marketing and Website Manager
 
Frank Burtnett, Ed.D., Editor
NAPS Certification and Education Consultant
 
National Association of Personnel Services web site:
 
National Registry of Certified Staffing Industry Professionals website: