Career Counseling

Career Counseling

Elizabeth Rohde

Brandman University

Transition to Work

PSYU 617

Dr. Steven Pomerantz

June 20, 2017

Abstract

 The following paper will allow this student to give her thoughts as to the use of career counseling in her scope of practice, and to put forth the information in a clear and concise format. While the main point of therapy is to help a client with significant and personal goals, that will affect differing areas of their lives, career counseling should also be made available, if the client so asks for this type of help.  The following paper will not only give an insight to that aspect, but will also provide a glimpse into the process of incorporating all that was learned within the confines of this class.  

                                           Selecting a Career Counseling Model and

                                        Best-fit Counseling Theories for My Practice

       In looking through my research for this paper, I happened upon some very good information that helps me to both understand what types of models are available to incorporate into my basic counseling style, and to learn the techniques in applying these tests, for the client to gain a good insight into their way forward.  There are several theories for this type of counseling, which affords the therapist to choose which would be the best to use when approached by the client to help with future career counseling, when the client is ready to broach this phase of their lives.  There are a couple of theories that I am interested in using, as my approach would be to address problems arising for a client, using a more holistic, and integrative, way in which to deal with problems that the client faces. In researching the theories and, in which to use, it seems as if one might want to choose a little bit of each theory, as, I feel, each one has some value that could be used to base a good route in which to let the client feel good about the direction on the path, that we travel together.  I feel very strongly that the therapist must learn how to “read” a person’s body language and to hone into what the client ISN’T saying. I’ve always believed that was the key into understanding a person, listen and learn, and the rest will follow.  The two following theories are that I feel would be beneficial are: Cognitive Information Theory (CIP) which focuses on how the individual makes career decisions. There are (10) assumptions with this theory:

 1) The career choice results from an interaction of both cognitive and affective processes

 2) Making a career choice is a problem solving activity

3) Motivation

4) Career problem solving is a high memory load task

5) The capability of the career problem solvers depends on the cognitive ability as well as knowledge, of the career operations

6) The career change continues to provide growth and increased knowledge in the chosen career path

7) Career identity depends on the person’s self-knowledge: Do they have a clear picture of their own ability to do the chosen career

8) Career maturity depends on the person’s ability to solve problems when they arise

9) In career counseling, the ultimate goal is achieved by facilitating the growth of information processing skills

10) The career counseling enhances the client’s capabilities as a career problem solver and decision maker

       I feel that this theory reveals a very good and clear indication, of the client’s ability to move forward in their lives and to enhance the growth processes for the client, who wishes to either, become confident in learning a new career path and in their own personal feelings of growth as the change occurs. The other theory that I find appealing is: Social Cognitive Career Theory or known as SCCT.  This theory posits that it is a complementary theory along with Cognitive Information Processing, as it highlights the increased emphasis on cognitive development within the career development process. There are three (3) basic ways in which to translate and share knowledge, working within a collaborative stance with other theorists. These are:

1. Seeking agreement on the meaning of the conceptual related items
2. Describing fully the common outcomes found among all of the differing theories
3. Fully explaining the relationship among the diverse constructs

In utilizing this theory, there are constructs that are contained, that seem to effortlessly go hand in hand with CIP theory. These constructs are one of self-efficacy, in that the client has certain beliefs about their capability. The client “learns” how to perform the job, IE: the career change. They are comfortable about their personal performance in this career change, and have a clear understanding, and belief, of the expected outcomes or consequences of this career. Basically, the person learns to monitor themselves, enhancing their self-efficacy, for changing bad behaviors and to maintaining the new behaviors, in order to move forward with their lives, in a way in which the client feels good about themselves.  Self-efficacy sometimes can be the harshest critic, and one must do what is needed to police their own actions and behaviors if they would like to keep the upward swing of their career change.  One must also recognize that not all career changes are for the better, and hopefully the client comes to realize this and can make suitable changes in order to not get dragged back down into a downward spiral of gloom.

                                         Model of Approach That Might Be Utilized

       There are several “approach theories” that might be used when a client asks for career counseling and is ready to embark on a new pathway. These are:

1. Trait and Factor Approach in which, in a short form, utilizes a three (3) step strategy in which the individual is evaluated
2. The client evaluates the occupations that are of interest
3. Matching of the client to a well suited occupation

This approached was founded by Frank Parsons, who is credited with being the “father” of this approach. This approach was also the precursor of the vocational testing and career options in the teachings in the vocational fields. Most high schools, dating back to the 1960’s, had vocational classes for the male gender, which taught woodworking, metal work, and other actual modes of working with the hands.  Much has changed since many of the vocational classes had fallen by the wayside in recent years, due to new technical advances in the digital world.  There is a still a need for these types of jobs, and I feel that the pendulum is starting to swing back into the vocational fields again.  Vocational classes, and testing, seem to be back into the upswing as indicated by my nephew, who had classes in both fields of study at Del Campo High School. In the Trait and Factor Approach, (Chartrand, 1991) the goal is to identify a client’s interests, aptitudes, interest and abilities, to determine which occupation the client would be best suited for.  While this approach seems to “work” as presented on paper, the approach fails to measure the divergence of other factors that help to develop the personality of the client. A persons personality changes over the course of time, depending on that persons changing values, interests, abilities, environmental and psychical factors, socio-economical needs and influences, and cultural leanings, all of which have a direct influence in that person’s lifetime.  The Trait and Factor Approach does not take these into consideration when doing a career assessment for that person. In the Needs Approach, Ann Roe, who had helped to develop this approach, posited that the very earliest of childhood experiences can influence a future career development, as it pertains to person-oriented and non-person oriented (Roe, 1949).  The very basis of the Needs Approach means that a person’s early relationships affect the development of interests and further in turn, the occupational choices of that person. I, for one, do not subscribe to this approach as it fails to incorporate the Nature versus Nurture aspect of the human developmental stages of growth, and which questions how much each contributes to personal growth and knowledge.  While most professionals, in the psychological field, seem to lean towards this theory of Nature versus Nature, there are still some professionals in the field, who do not subscribe to this vein of thinking about human development. These would be my choices for incorporating career counseling styles, within the confines of a therapeutic setting with a client.