Career Counseling Strategies and Techniques for the 21st Century

Chapter 8

Career Development InterventionsCareer development interventions provide the historical foundation for the counseling profession (Dorn).The counseling field emerged from three distinct movements (Herr & Cramer):vocational/career guidancepsychological measurementpersonality development

Career Interventions, continued

We know relatively little about the career counseling process (Niles & Anderson).

Career counselors rarely study how career counseling actually works.

What Do We Know?There is a positive relationship between counselor confidence in establishing a therapeutic relationship and client confidence in coping with career transitions.

Career counseling clients devote considerable attention to noncareer concerns in sessions.

What We KnowCareer counselors tend to give information and set limits more frequently during career counseling than during general counseling.

Career counseling participants identify aspects of self-exploration, support, and educating as the most important and helpful career counseling interventions.

What We KnowThere seems to be a close relationship between the processes of psychotherapy and career counseling.

Developing an effective working alliance is critical to positive outcomes in career counseling.

Expanding the Limited View of Career CounselingStudents often conclude that career counseling is a sequence of interventions that resembles the following:Step 1: Client presents for career counseling.Step 2: Counselor gathers client information and administers a test battery.Step 3: Counselor interprets tests and identifies a few appropriate occupational options for the client.

Characteristics of This ApproachCounselor is in charge of the process.Counselor is directive and authoritative.Clients are passive recipients of a predetermined test battery.Career counseling becomes something that is done to clients rather than something the counselor and client participate in collaboratively.

Career Counseling and Mental Health Counseling (Niles & Pate)Given the relationship between work and mental health, it is perplexing that there has been an artificial distinction between career counseling and mental health counseling.Career counseling and personal counseling are often referred to as if they were completely separate entities.In fact, there are few things more personal than a career choice.

Career Counseling in the 21st Century (CACREP)

Career counseling is both a counseling specialty and a core element of the general practice of counseling.

Crites ViewThe need for career counseling is greater than the need for psychotherapy.Career counseling can be therapeutic.should follow psychotherapy.is more effective than psychotherapy.is more difficult than psychotherapy.

Definition of Career Counseling (Brown and Brooks)

Career counseling is an interpersonal process designed to assist individuals with career development problems.

Designing Career Counseling Strategies for the 21st CenturyCareer counselors must respond toglobal unemploymentcorporate downsizingjobless economyglobal competition of small companies via information highwayworkerless factories

Designing Career Counseling Strategies for the 21st Century, continuedredefinition of social contract between employers and employeesincrease in the number of companies offering daycare and parental leaveincrease in the number of families with dual incomesincrease in the number of people working from home

Requirements of Todays WorkplaceUsing computer technologyEngaging in lifelong learningInteracting effectively with diverse co-workersTolerating ambiguity in job securityBeing vigilant about maintaining a high level of self and occupational awareness to maintain marketability

Characteristics of Career Development Interventions That Foster Self-Affirmation

Provide counseling-based career assistanceProvide support to their clientsAttend to their clients life structure issuesEmpower clients to clarify their self-concepts and construct their own livesExhibit understanding that every counseling relationship is cross-cultural

Classifying Forms of Client Resistance

Response quantity resistanceResponse content resistanceResponse style resistanceLogistic management resistance

Types of Support

Emotional supportInformational supportAssessment support

Skills for Working with Resistant ClientsUsing presuppositionsUsing embedded questions and directivesCorrecting transformational errorsLabeling and reframingRecognizing and dealing with resistanceIdentifying irrational beliefsIdentifying distorted thinkingUsing reflective judgment stagesFocusing on excuses

Savickas Career Style Assessment

Identify life themes (early experiences, role models, books, movies, etc.).Turn life themes into career goals.

Types of Clients Who Benefit from Subjective Interventions

Indecisive clientsDifficult cases or clients who have received but not profited from counselingMid-career changersCulturally diverse clients

Strengths of Subjective AssessmentsHelp clients understand themselves at a deep levelHelp clients consider the relevance of their life experiences to their career developmentHelp clients attach a sense of purpose to their activitiesAre inexpensive to useActively engage clients in the counseling processResults are clearly connected to client responses

Strengths of Objective AssessmentsAllow client to make comparisons with othersAre outcome-orientedDo not require as much counselor time as subjective assessmentsProvide a useful starting point for subsequent consideration of career options

A Framework for Career CounselingGetting startedHelping clients deal with changeHelping clients engage in self-assessment activitiesHelping clients learn more about the world of workHelping clients expand or narrow choicesHelping clients make plans

Phases of the Career Counseling Process (Gysbers, Heppner, & Johnston)

Opening phasePhase of information-gatheringWorking phaseFinal phase

Phases of the Career Counseling Process (Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey)Beginning or Initial Phaseestablish effective relationshipbegin to gather information about the clientdefine preliminary goals for counselingMiddle or Working Phaseexplore concerns and goals in depthdevelop and implement a specific plan of action

Phases of the Career Counseling Process (Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey), continued

Ending or Termination PhaseConnect the work done in the beginning and middle phases by assessing clients current statusRelate current status to clients goals for counseling

Premature Closure in Career Counseling (Brown & Brooks)Clients believe they have achieved their goal.The career counseling experience does not meet the clients expectations.Clients fear what might be uncovered in career counseling.Clients lack commitment to counseling.

Questions to Ask About Termination Did Ireview the content of what happened in counseling?review the process of what happened in counseling?reemphasize the clients strengths that were evident in counseling?evaluate what went well and what went poorly?

Questions to Ask About Termination, continuedDid Iexplore things unsaid in counseling?discuss feelings related to the ending of the counseling relationship?provide clear and direct structure for the clients next steps?

Career Counseling Groups

Group counseling offers a mode of service delivery that can be used instead of, or in addition to, individual counseling.Hansen and Cramer describe group counseling as an intervention for 5-15 members, with 5-8 members viewed as optimal.

Career Counseling Groups, continuedStructured career counseling groups address a specific issue that is a common concern.Structured career counseling groups typically meet for 3-7 sessions.Less structured career counseling groups focus on the intrapersonal and interpersonal concerns that clients have about career development.

Career Counseling Groups, continued

Less structured career counseling groups tend to be more affective-oriented than structured groups.Less structured groups meet over a longer period of time than structured groups.

Stages in Group Career Counseling (Pyle)

Opening stageInvestigation stageWorking stageDecision/Operational stage

Why Use Career Groups?(Kivlighan)Members learn new information about themselves and others.Members receive social and emotional support from other group members.Members learn from peers who are in similar situations.Members can share resources and ideas.

Criteria for Successful GroupsMembersare in open communication with each other.share a common goal.set norms that direct and guide their activities.develop a set of roles to play within the group.develop a network of interpersonal attraction.work toward satisfaction of individual needs.