Career counseling in the future: constructing, collaborating, advocating - Career Counseling in the Next Decade

Career Development Quarterly, Sept, 2003 by Mei Tang

   Helping individuals adapt to changing environments is a major
   strength of career development practice. Additional strengths are a
   solid theoretical framework, effective assessment tools and
   technology, and a clear professional identity. Areas of weakness
   include the lack of integration of contextual factors into career
   intervention strategies, poor communication between practitioners and
   researchers, insufficient attention to underserved populations, and
   inadequate training in counselor education programs. Changes in the
   economy and in social structures require that people possess adaptive
   skills; therefore, career counselors should expand their efforts to
   help clients construct their lives, collaborate with other
   professionals, and advocate for clients.

In writing this article, I found that sometimes it is a challenge to clearly distinguish strength from weakness. Depending on one's perspective, strength can also mean weakness. For instance, the career development of members of minority groups has been viewed as understudied in the literature, but more attention has been paid to this area in the last decade (Arbona, 2000; Swanson & Parcover, 1998). Weakness, if addressed properly, can become strength, and similarly, strength can become weakness if not handled appropriately.

Internal Strength

The greatest strength of career counseling lies in its origin and evolution a reaction to the social and economic changes that occurred in the late nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries. The mission of career development practice from its birth to today has never shifted from its focus on helping individuals adjust well to their changing environments. The practice of vocational guidance was launched to address social and psychological needs at the beginning of the twentieth century. As Herr (2001) wrote,

   vocational or career guidance and counseling and other career
   development practice have been seen as making access to education and
   training opportunities; educational reform; economic efficiency;
   creating human capital; matching persons and occupational
   opportunities; rehabilitating those on the margins of society by
   providing support and direction to their career development; and
   helping persons find dignity, purpose in, and adjustment to work. (p.
   202)

Career counseling has been responsive to the needs of people in a changing society in the form of educational reform (e.g., integrating career education into school curriculum), development and revision of theories (e.g., Social Cognitive Career Theory [Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994]; Super's life-span and life-space theory [Super, Savickas, & Super, 1996]), and implementation of legislation advocating career guidance (e.g., the School-to Work-Opportunities Act of 1994).

A variety of career development theories have provided solid theoretical framework for the practice of career counseling. Since Parsons's (1909) pioneering work of matching people's traits with work conditions, career development theories have evolved to an impressive breadth and depth, including approaches that concentrate on person-environment fit (Dawis & Lofquist, 1984; Holland, 1985), development (L. S. Gottfredson, 1996; Super et al., 1996), social cognitive learning (Krumboltz, 1996; Lent et al., 1994), career decision-making model (Tiedeman & O'Hara, 1963), and life roles (Brown, 1996; Hansen, 1997). Practitioners more readily accept some theories because they offer practical guidance, whereas others contribute significantly to the conceptual underpinnings of the field (Lent, 2001). Career development theories have definitely advanced and enriched the strategies and methods for helping people deal with career concerns.

Similarly, career counseling practice has enjoyed a long-standing history of using assessments to assist the career intervention process. The field can be proud of its richness in vocational assessment: vocational interests, occupational values, career maturity, career identity, career decision making, and career self-efficacy (Walsh & Srsic, 1995). Many of these measurement tools are based on theoretical constructs and empirical data. Some of them have been repeatedly revised and improved (Fouad, 2001). Vocational assessment enables career counselors to understand clients' vocational behavior in a relatively objective way and improves the process of career intervention.

Vocational assessment is enhanced by the use of technology. More specifically, the advancement in computer-assisted techniques greatly enriches career assessment and intervention. Counselors are relieved from the tedious task of data entry and analysis, and, therefore, can focus more time on facilitating clients' awareness of themselves by explaining the assessment results. The recent wide use of the Internet makes it possible to share and distribute information in a much more efficient way. Another achievement of technology is the development and improvement of computer-based career planning systems (CBCP). According to Harris-Bowlsbey and Sampson (2001), since the late 1960s, at least 12 CBCP systems have been developed. They provide an important support tool for the career counselors.