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

Career Development Quarterly, Sept, 2003 by Mei Tang

The major threat from information technology and the wide use of the Internet is to the provision of career services and the training of career practitioners, but at the same time, information technology provides an exciting opportunity for a new application of career counseling and advances in the profession (Lent, 2001; Luzzo & MacGregor, 2001). Because of the information and communication technology, overwhelmingly enormous amounts of information become available to the public. The occupational information that has traditionally been available in career centers is now accessible from home with a few keystrokes on the computer keyboard. Online testing becomes much more appealing than boring pencil-and-paper testing. In essence, computer technologies significantly change the methods of delivering career services and provide an alternative avenue of offering career services. What is the role of counselors then? Are they really obsolete? How can counselors take advantage of advanced technologies to enhance career counseling services?

Historically, career development and career counseling have to a large extent been shaped by the federal government (Herr, 2001; Pope, 2000). Power and resources are important to the implementation and realization of any innovative programs or ideas. Without institutional support and government policy and regulations, career counseling may end up only in scholarly publications. State licensure and health insurance policies are the other external barriers that may affect the provision and scope of career services. A client is depressed because of the loss of a job. This client will not be covered by his health insurance if he only seeks career intervention, which is what he might need the most; instead, he must go for mental health counseling, which may be in vain if his career concerns are not appropriately addressed. Adequately addressing the needs of everyone calls for career counselors to have more active roles in legislation and advocacy.

Strategies: Building on Strengths and Overcoming Weakness to Face the Challenge

The importance of the integration of career development theory and practice has been effectively discussed in a book, Handbook of Career Counseling Theory and Practice, edited by Savickas and Walsh (1996). Practitioners need to be active and participating consumers of research, and researchers need to conduct research that is based on clinical cases. If theorists and practitioners can collaborate to construct career counseling theories that focus on career counseling rather than on career development and vocational behavior, it will truly build on the strengths that we as career counselors already have and overcome the shortcomings we have--the disconnect between theory and practice.

To help their clients adjust well to the environment that is changing due to the transformation of economical and social structures, career counselors need to take an expanded role in career counseling. This expanded role includes being a change agent (Savickas, 2000); an advocate for lifelong learning and life-span planning (Stoltz-Loike, 1996; Young & Chen, 1999); and a facilitator for holistic planning by integrating work, family, and community (Hansen, 2001). The goals of career counseling should go beyond making a decision at the beginning, but should instead focus on lifelong adaptability. Equally important, an ecological consideration of clients' unique resources and limitations should be incorporated into the implementation of any career intervention.