Theories of Career Development— Week 2,

April 8, 2010

Myths about Career Counseling

1. Crystal Ball
o A person’s career can be determined by testing and answers can be provided with
assessment

o Irrational Belief—The choice is not up to the person

2. Quitters never win myth

o Once you begin something you must stay the course –no changes.

o Irrational belief—If I change I fail

3. When are you going to decide you dummy myth

o A career decision is that should occur at a particular time in life

o Irrational belief—Career choice involves one decision

4. I want you to have it better than I did myth

o There is a formula to follow for success and to lead the good life—follow it and you’ll
have it and all will be well

o Irrational belief—Follow rules equals happiness

5. My work is my life myth

o Career is most important and must be intrinsically satisfying

o Irrational belief—My work must satisfy all my needs

6. Anyone can be president myth

o If you don’t succeed it’s because you didn’t try hard enough

o Irrational belief—You can do ANYTHING if you try

7. My son/daughter the doctor myth

o Status=good person

o Irrational belief—My worth (the goodness of my parenting) is tied

to my occupation
Cultural Influences
o Individualism—western cultures
o Work is a cultural value and we work for
 Material rewards
 Societal expectations
 Fulfill basic needs
 Respect (from self and others)
 Personal goals
o Collectivism—eastern cultures
o Work is cultural value where work is for the common good of all

Definitions
o Work—an activity that produces something of value for oneself or others
o Four types
1. Wage work—for payment
2. Home work—done for the home
3. Gift work—voluntary
4. Learning work—studying and learning new skills
o Task—an assignment of piece of work
o Position—a group of tasks performed by one person
o Job—a group of similar paid positions in a single organizations (hospital)
o Occupation—a group of similar jobs in various organizations
o Job satisfaction—the result of an appropriate match of personality traits, interest, and work
environment (Peterson & Gonzalez, 2005)

Factors Related to Job Satisfaction

1. Prestige of the job
2. Autonomy—control over the conditions work
3. Cohesiveness of the work group, which facilitates interaction
4. Challenge and variety of job tasks
5. Employer concern and involvement of employees in decision making
6. Wages with respect to both amount and one’s perception of adequate wages compared to
others performing similar tasks
7. Mobility potential (workers want to feel there is potential for upward movement through the
skill hierarchy, the occupational hierarchy, the organizational structure in which the work is
performed or any combination of the three
8. Satisfactory working conditions
9. Job security
Definitions of Terms
1. Career—series of positions than an individual occupies during a lifetime.
2. Career development—the total constellation of economic sociological, psychological,
educational, physical and chance factors that combine to shape one’s career
3. Career counseling—includes all counseling activates associated with career choice over a life
span. In career counseling all aspects of individual needs (family, work, personal concerns, and
leisure) are recognized as integral parts of career decision making and planning.

Career Development Theory

Frank Parsons
1. Educated as an engineer at Cornell University
2. Wrote several books on women’s suffrage, taxation, and education for al. Taught history, math
and French
3. Worked as a railroad engineer
4. Passed the state bar for lawyers and taught at Boston University’s law school
5. Main interest in social reform and helping individuals make occupational choices
6. Is generally considered the “father of guidance”
7. His trait-and factor model is considered to be the forerunner of all modern theories of career
development
8. Parsons maintained that vocation guidance is accomplished through a 3-part formulation of:
a. Studying the individual
b. Surverying the occupation
c. Matching the individual with an occupation

Career Development Theory?

A set of concepts, propistions and ideas that provides us with insights into what is believed to be true
about the process of career development.

Theories are important because…

1. Help account for all the external and internal factors that influence people
2. Help explain behavior
3. Guide what is done with counselees
4. Help hypothesize about a client’s future behavior
Developmental Theories
1. Structured (trait oriented)— focused on the individual characteristics and occupational tasks,
Trait and factored, Holland
2. Process oriented (developmental)—focus on lifelong pattern of career choices that a person
makes

Trait Oriented Theories

Trait Oriented Theories
1. Trait and Factor
2. Person—Environment—Fit
3. John Holland’s Typology

Trait and Factor Theory

1. Trait—refers to a characteristic of an individual that can be measured through testing
2. Factor—refers to a characteristic required for successful job performance
3. Basic assumptions
a. Occupational choice is a straightforward process
b. Occupations require specific traits to be a success
c. The closer the match between ones traits and job factors the more productive and
satisfied the person will be with his or her job
4. Basic traits and factors assessed by testing and interviewing
a. Aptitudes—skills that will be applicable for the future
b. Achievements –looks at past achievements
c. Interests—leisure, what a person likes
d. Personality—values,

Prerequisites In Career Selection

1. Clear self—understanding;
2. Knowledge of requirements and conditions for success in different types of work;
3. True reasoning on the relations of these two groups

Steps for Counselors Utilizing the Trait and factor approach

1. Utilize appropriate test and inventories to aid in the conceptualization of clients career concerns
and self understanding
2. Assist the client in obtaining knowledge about the world of work
 3. Assist the client in integrating information about one’s self and the world of work

Williamson’s Six Steps

1. Analysis
2. Synthesis
3. Diagnosis
4. Prognosis
5. Counseling
6. Follow-up

Person-Environment-Fit Theory (PEF)

P-E Theories
1. Focus on the person(P) in the environment (E) and the fir between them
2. Fit—refers to the degree to which P characteristics correspond to E characteristics
3. Interaction—refers to P’s and E’s action on and reaction to each other in a mutual give and take
4. Active—where the worker attempts to change the work environment
5. Reactive—where the worker attempts to correspond better with the work environment