Career Development
What is Career Counselling?
Career counselling is very similar to traditional counselling; however, the focus is generally more related to issues such as the exploration of one’s career, career change, and career development. Oftentimes when individuals come for career counselling they will know what they want to happen (i.e. have a specific goal in mind), but are just unsure of how they can make it happen. As I indicate on my area of special interest page, the domain that I want to practice in is sport psychology. Within this area, career counselling may be a significant aspect of my work. Career counselling issues that athletes will come in for may revolve around the notions of needs and values, counselling for adjustment within the work place, and counselling for retirement.
Career counselling is very similar to traditional counselling; however, the focus is generally more related to issues such as the exploration of one’s career, career change, and career development. Oftentimes when individuals come for career counselling they will know what they want to happen (i.e. have a specific goal in mind), but are just unsure of how they can make it happen. As I indicate on my area of special interest page, the domain that I want to practice in is sport psychology. Within this area, career counselling may be a significant aspect of my work. Career counselling issues that athletes will come in for may revolve around the notions of needs and values, counselling for adjustment within the work place, and counselling for retirement.
Career Counselling Theories
The Minnesota Theory of Work Adjustment (Dawis & Lofquist, 1984)
· This theory posits that person (P) and environment (E) can be seen as interrelated. In essence, P variables and E variables interact in order to determine one’s behavioural outcome (P+E = fit).
· P and E come together because each has requirements that the other can meet. Fulfillment of these requirements results in P’s satisfaction with E.
· There are four possible outcomes for the correlation between P and E. P can be: (1) satisfied and satisfactory, (2) satisfied but unsatisfactory, (3) dissatisfied but satisfactory, and (4) dissatisfied and unsatisfactory.
Holland’s Theory of Vocational Personalities in Work Environments (Holland, 1997; Afolabi, 1996)
· This theory describes how individuals will interact within their environment. Holland claims that individual and environmental factors will combine and exert an influence on one’s vocational choices.
· Holland’s research found that people can exemplify one or more of the six personality types elaborated on in the table below.
· Matching the results from this assessment tool with related careers may outline occupational choices that an individual will be most successful in.
The Minnesota Theory of Work Adjustment (Dawis & Lofquist, 1984)
· This theory posits that person (P) and environment (E) can be seen as interrelated. In essence, P variables and E variables interact in order to determine one’s behavioural outcome (P+E = fit).
· P and E come together because each has requirements that the other can meet. Fulfillment of these requirements results in P’s satisfaction with E.
· There are four possible outcomes for the correlation between P and E. P can be: (1) satisfied and satisfactory, (2) satisfied but unsatisfactory, (3) dissatisfied but satisfactory, and (4) dissatisfied and unsatisfactory.
Holland’s Theory of Vocational Personalities in Work Environments (Holland, 1997; Afolabi, 1996)
· This theory describes how individuals will interact within their environment. Holland claims that individual and environmental factors will combine and exert an influence on one’s vocational choices.
· Holland’s research found that people can exemplify one or more of the six personality types elaborated on in the table below.
· Matching the results from this assessment tool with related careers may outline occupational choices that an individual will be most successful in.
Gottfredson’s Theory of Circumscription and Compromise (Gottfredson, 1981)
· This theory is based upon the notion that the occupation an individual holds is increasingly seen as the measure for who he or she is in society. Furthermore, this theory focuses on how young people are either able to accept or not accept their position.
· In order to fully grasp the notions of circumscription and compromise, 4 developmental phases need to be taken into consideration:
o Cognitive Growth
o Self Creation
o Circumscription
o Compromise
· As individual progress though these 4 different developmental stages of life, they either flourish or flounder within their environment. The ability to successfully make good choices will result in the attainment of responsibility to direct one’s life; whereas failure to make good choices will result in a lack of satisfaction with one’s position in life.
· This theory is based upon the notion that the occupation an individual holds is increasingly seen as the measure for who he or she is in society. Furthermore, this theory focuses on how young people are either able to accept or not accept their position.
· In order to fully grasp the notions of circumscription and compromise, 4 developmental phases need to be taken into consideration:
o Cognitive Growth
o Self Creation
o Circumscription
o Compromise
· As individual progress though these 4 different developmental stages of life, they either flourish or flounder within their environment. The ability to successfully make good choices will result in the attainment of responsibility to direct one’s life; whereas failure to make good choices will result in a lack of satisfaction with one’s position in life.
Building Competency in Career Counselling
By increasing my familiarity with the different theories outlined above, I will be able to become more competent within the field of career counselling. I think that practice applying these theories will be the best way for me to gain familiarity within this area, become more confident in my skills, and eventually be able to apply my work in this area to a diverse population of individuals. From my understanding of career development, the main area that I will need to focus on, aside from counselling skills that I can carry over from traditional counselling, is tailoring the interventions that I use with clients to fit with their unique needs and goals relative to their unique occupational concerns. Taking time to fully explore potential underlying concerns such as a lack of knowledge, anxiety, vocational identity, carer maturity, goal stability, and/or self-efficacy will be imperative in order to practice effective career counselling. Checking in with clients to see if our work with one another is fitting with their goals of expanding, reducing, or deciding among options to pursue will also be essential. As noted by Brown and Lent (2005), career issues are commonly the reason that clients will choose to present in counselling; however often times there is much more going on below the surface, and I will need to explore this in order to fully help my clients achieve their goals.
By increasing my familiarity with the different theories outlined above, I will be able to become more competent within the field of career counselling. I think that practice applying these theories will be the best way for me to gain familiarity within this area, become more confident in my skills, and eventually be able to apply my work in this area to a diverse population of individuals. From my understanding of career development, the main area that I will need to focus on, aside from counselling skills that I can carry over from traditional counselling, is tailoring the interventions that I use with clients to fit with their unique needs and goals relative to their unique occupational concerns. Taking time to fully explore potential underlying concerns such as a lack of knowledge, anxiety, vocational identity, carer maturity, goal stability, and/or self-efficacy will be imperative in order to practice effective career counselling. Checking in with clients to see if our work with one another is fitting with their goals of expanding, reducing, or deciding among options to pursue will also be essential. As noted by Brown and Lent (2005), career issues are commonly the reason that clients will choose to present in counselling; however often times there is much more going on below the surface, and I will need to explore this in order to fully help my clients achieve their goals.
References
Afolabi, M. (1996). Holland’s typological theory and its implications for librarianship and libraries, Librarian Career Development, 4(3), 15 - 21
Brown, S. D., & Lent, R. W. (2005). Career development and counselling: Putting theory and research to work. Hoboken, New Jersey; John Wiley & Sons.
Dawis, R. V., & Lofquist, L. H. (1984). A psychological theory of work adjustment. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Gottfredson, L. S. (1981). Circumscription and compromise: A developmental theory of occupational aspirations. Journal of Counselling Psychology, 28, 545-579.
Holland, J. L. (1997). Making vocational choices: A theory of vocational choices and work personalities (3rd ed.). Odessa, FL; Psychological Assessment Resources.
Afolabi, M. (1996). Holland’s typological theory and its implications for librarianship and libraries, Librarian Career Development, 4(3), 15 - 21
Brown, S. D., & Lent, R. W. (2005). Career development and counselling: Putting theory and research to work. Hoboken, New Jersey; John Wiley & Sons.
Dawis, R. V., & Lofquist, L. H. (1984). A psychological theory of work adjustment. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Gottfredson, L. S. (1981). Circumscription and compromise: A developmental theory of occupational aspirations. Journal of Counselling Psychology, 28, 545-579.
Holland, J. L. (1997). Making vocational choices: A theory of vocational choices and work personalities (3rd ed.). Odessa, FL; Psychological Assessment Resources.