THEORIES OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Dr.Maheshbabu.N
Assistant Professor
Dept. of PG Studies and Research in
Psychology
email : madhu.pratihasta@gmail.com
Vocational counseling an integral part of the
educational process.
 Educational & vocational counseling are
together provided to both school and college
students.
 Jessie B Davis (1898) ECCC in Detroit
 Eli Weaver (1907) “Choosing a career”
 Frank Parson – started Voc-Coun-Movement
 “choosing a vocation”
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If voc-coun were made an essential part of the overall
educational process, it would be most meaningful, helpful
and useful to the individual.
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It will be helpful if the counselor is knowledgeable and has
the necessary information concerning how individual
develop vocationally
Holland’s career development theory (1997)
 Parsons (1909) “Trait and factor theory”
 Bordin (1990) “Psychodynamic theory”
 D.Brown (1996) “Value based theory”
 McCrae & Jhon (1992) “Five factor theory”
 Mitchell & Krumboltz (1990)“Social learning
theory”
 Krumboltz (2009) “Happenstance learning
theory”
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Vondracek, Lerner & Schulenberg (1986)
“Contextual approach to career”
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Roe (1956); Roe & Lunneborg (1990)
“Personality development and career choice”
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Theories of Content
Content refers to the influences on career development
which are either intrinsic to the individual themselves or
emanate from within the context in which the individual lives.
Theories of Process
Process refers to interaction and change over time and is
depicted in some theories as a series of stages through
which individuals pass. The stage or developmental theories
of Ginzberg and his colleagues (1951)
Holland’s theory of career development
(1997)
 Proposed six personality traits
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 Investigative
 Realistic
 Conventional
 Enterprising
 Artistic
 Social
Investigative
Artistic
Realistic
Holland Types
Conventional
Enterprising
Social
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Three fundamental questions:
ONE:
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What characteristics of persons and environments lead to
positive vocational outcomes (such as satisfying career
outcomes)?
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What characteristics of persons and environments lead to
negative career outcomes?
TWO
What characteristics of persons and environments
leads to career stability or change over the lifespan?
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THREE
What are the most effective ways of providing
assistance to people with career concerns?
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Frank Parsons is “… credited with founding the career counselling
specialization of modern day professional counselling and the related
fields of vocational psychology and counseling psychology” (Pope &
Sveinsdottir, 2005).
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With an intense commitment to assisting young adolescents transition
from school to work.
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Parsons’ best known contribution to the field of career
development is his identification of three key elements of
career selection. They are:
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1. A clear understanding of yourself, aptitudes, abilities, interests,
resources, limitations and other qualities.
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2. A knowledge of the requirements and conditions of success,
advantages and disadvantages, compensation, opportunities and
prospects in different lines of work.
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3. True reasoning on the relations of these two groups of facts
(Parsons, 1909, p. 5).
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Parsons acknowledged that individuals differ in
terms of …
interests,
abilities,
values,
personality and skills.
Parsons developed “self-assessment tool”
“Established the format for career counselling”
(Holland, 1987)
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Parsons’ second element relates to knowledge about the
world of work, a concept he viewed as vital to
comprehensive career planning and development, and
that has always been viewed as critical in career
development work (DeBell, 2001).
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Parsons’ (1909) work represents the “first conceptual
framework for career decision-making and became the
first guide for career counsellors” (D. Brown & Brooks,
1996).