What we do plays a large role in the formation of our identities.

Career Development Theory Career Development

is the ongoing process of trying to understand how our careers affect who we are. Scholars have
been formulating theories on career development for many decades. Over the years, Career Career developments theories help make sense of experiences. Theories may provide direction,
Development Theory has changed to reflect our society's growing consideration of race, class and if they are tested and prove true, they expand knowledge. There are two types of career
and gender. development theories:

Ginzberg, Ginsburg, Axelrad and Herma Theory
1. Developed in 1951, this theory proposes that vocational choice is influenced by the
reality factor, educational process, emotions and the values of the individual.
Super's Theory of Vocational Choice
2. Super's Theory, developed in 1954, takes into account the idea of self-conception. As
people's concept of self changes, their career ideals and ambitions change as well.
Holland's Career Typology
3. In 1959, John Holland proposed that people choose their career based on their
personal needs and what appeals to them. These personal characteristics are
influenced by heredity and life history.
Lent, Brown and Hackett's Social Cognitive Career Theory
4. This most recent theory (1987) is also the most dynamic. SCCT tries to address issues
of gender, class and race while valuing the role of the individual in making meaningful
career choices.
Considerations
5. While the different aspects of Career Development Theory attempt to understand how
career choices affect life satisfaction, a more holistic approach tailored to each
person's unique situation is more realistic.
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• Structural Theories focus on individual characteristics and occupational tasks.
• Developmental Theories focus on human development across life span.
Structural Theories
Structural Theories focus on individual characteristics and occupational tasks.
• Trait and Factor
• Vocational Personalities and Environments
• Socioeconomic Theory
Trait and Factor
This theory began with Frank Parsons, who proposed that a choice of a vocation depended
upon:
• Accurate knowledge of yourself
• Thorough knowledge of job specifications
• The ability to make a proper match between the two
Two major assumptions of trait and factor theory are:
• Individuals and job traits can be matched.
• Close matches are positively correlated with job success and satisfaction.

Choosing a career is a decision that affects your standard of life, your daily activity and your Vocational Personalities and Environments
social life. Many people have difficulty deciding on their career, but certain factors influence
their decision. John Holland suggested that "people can function and develop best and find job satisfaction in
work environments that are compatible with their personalities." Holland based his theory of
personality types on several assumptions:
Researching Careers
• People tend to choose careers that are reflective of their personalities.
1. Learning about careers helps people determine the cost of obtaining degrees, the
amount of work needed to get them, and the expected salaries made in the
profession. Type Activities Occupations
Interest Working with tools and
2. Not everyone is fortunate to have an interest that can be turned into a career, but Realistic machines Farmer, Carpenter, Mechanical Engineer
some people decide on careers that coincide with an existing interest.
Family Business Investigative Working ideas and theories Chemist
3. If your family has a business, often you will grow up working in the business and Artistic Creating things Painter, Writer
become trained in that area over time. You may attend business or managerial school
or obtain a degree in a field related to the service or manufactured item. Social Helping people Social Worker, Counselor
Family Profession and Education of Parents
4. This is different from a family business because there is no job assurance. Enterprising Leading others Sales Representative, Entrepreneur
Nevertheless, many people choose careers that mirror their family members' chosen
professions and education. Sometimes family contacts can help them become Conventional Organizing data Auditor
employed. • Because people tend to be attracted to certain jobs, the environment reflects their
High School personalities.
5. Sometimes whether the attended high school is public or private together with the
type of people there may impact career decisions. Guidance counselors also influence Holland classified personality types and work environments into six types:
career decisions. Each of us has elements of all six types, but one type is usually evidenced most strongly.
Other Influences
6. Close family or friends can influence career decisions. In addition, some careers Socioeconomic Theory
attract a specific gender more than others. Socioeconomic theory is also known as the "chance" or "accident" theory. This approach to
understanding career development suggests that many people follow the path of least
Read more: Factors Influencing Career Choices | eHow.com resistance in their career development by simply falling into whatever work opportunities
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Developmental Theories
Some of the developmental theories of career growth: Much growth takes place as a result of learning and imitating the behavior of others. John D.
• Super's Theory Krumboltz developed a theory of career decision-making and development based on our social
• Krumboltz's Social Learning Theory learning, or environmental conditions and events, genetic influences, and learning experiences.
• Decision Making Theories People choose their careers based on what they have learned, Krumboltz theorized. Certain
• Cognitive Theories behaviors are modeled, rewarded and reinforced.

Super's Theory Decision-Making Theories

Donald Super and other theorists of career development recognize the changes that people go Some decision-making theories hypothesize that there are critical points in our lives when
through as they mature. Super formalized stages and developmental tasks over the life span: choices are made that greatly influence our career development. These decision-making points
are such events as educational choices, entry-level job positions, or changing jobs.

Other decision-making theories are concerned with ongoing choices across the life span. The
Stage Age Characteristics decisions that we make are influenced by our awareness of the choices that are available to us
Development of self-concept, capacity, attitudes, and our knowledge of how to evaluate them.
Growth Birth to 14 or 15 interests,
Others theories address our complex environment. H.B. Gelatt says, "We make our decisions
needs, general understanding of the world of work
based upon what is actual and what is actual is never static."
Exploratory 15-24 "Trying out" through classes, work experience, hobbies.
Tentative choice and related skill development Cognitive Theories
Establishmen Entry-level skill building and stabilization through work
t 25-44 experience Cognitive theories of career development are built around how individuals process, integrate,
and react to information. The ways in which individuals process information are determined by
their cognitive structures. These structures influence how individuals see themselves, others,
Maintenance 45-64 Continual adjustment process to improve position
and the environment. Cognitive theories suggest ways to help clients build or refine a hierarchy
of thinking and decision-making skills that influence career development.
Decline 65+ Reduced output, prepare for retirement
People change with time and experience, and progress through the following vocational
development stages:

Vocational Ages General Characteristics/Developmental Tasks

Crystallization 14-18 Developing and planning a tentative vocational goal

Specification 18-21 Firming the vocational goal

Implementatio
n 21-24 Training for and obtaining employment

Stabilization 24-35 Working and confirming career choice

Consolidation 35+ Advancement in career

Although super originally presented the stages and tasks in a sequential manner, he later added
that we cycle and recycle throughout our life span as we adapt to changes in ourselves as well
as to the trends in the work place.

The six factors in vocational maturity are:

• Awareness of the need to plan ahead
• Decision-making skills
• Knowledge and use of information resources
• General career information
• General world of work information
• Detailed information about occupations of preference

Super also looked at the different roles we play during our lifetimes and the relative importance
we give to those roles at different times in our lives.

Krumboltz's Social Learning Theory