Instructions for Completing the Career Problem Solving and Decision-Making Paper
MHS 5340 - Foundations of Career Development
The career problem-solving and decision-making paper provides you with an opportunity
to use the CASVE cycle to solve a current career problem. Students have used this paper to make
the following choices:

Specialty areas of practice in counseling.

Settings for counseling practice.

Working with a M.S./Ed.S. Degree or pursuing doctoral study before practicing.

Working as a doctoral-level academic or as a doctoral-level practitioner.
As you become more aware of your own career problems, you can be more aware of the career
problems of your clients. Insight into your own career problems can help you to better use
appropriate self-disclosure as an effective counseling technique. As you better understand the
process for solving your own career problems, you can better help clients to understand the
process for solving their own career problems.
A good paper shows evidence of insight, resourcefulness, and clarity of thought and
expression. Given the interrelatedness of career development and mental health for you and your
clients, this paper deserves your very best effort!
Role of the Career Advisor
Ask a Career Advisor in the Career Center’s Curricular-Career Information Service
(CCIS) for help in selecting, sequencing, locating, and using the career resources for this
assignment. A Career Advisor can specifically help you:

Clarify your career problem (the gap).

Clarify your goals in relation to the gap that you intend to narrow.

Create an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) based on this assignment.

Locate the career resources indicated on the ILP.

Learn how to use the resources indicated on the ILP.

Follow up on your use of the resources indicated on the ILP.

Critique your résumé.

Critique your cover letter.

Revise your ILP as needed.
You can decide to either work with one career advisor during their scheduled hours in the
Career Center library or you can work with any Career Advisor on duty from 8:30 to 4:30
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, or 8:30 to 8:00 on Tuesday. Please note that Career
advisors are not available on Fridays between 1:30 and 2:30.
Instructions for the CASVE Cycle Paper
First year counseling students who work as Career Advisors in CCIS, also take
counseling classes with students who are enrolled in this class. In order to minimize any potential
dual relationship ethical problems, students in this class should first seek assistance from Career
Advisors who are permanent staff members and then doctoral students who are working in the
Center, followed by second-year counseling students who work as Career Advisors.
During peak periods of demand, there may be some delay in meeting with a Career
Advisor. You can wait until either a Career Advisor is available or you can return at a time that is
typically less crowded.
You may decide that you need additional career assistance beyond what can be provided
by a Career Advisor on a drop-in basis in CCIS. Discuss the option of individual career
counseling appointments with a Career Advisor or your instructor.
Preparation of the Paper
Successful papers tend to be worked on steadily each week. Much of the paper involves
the expression of insight about yourself and your options. Insight is obtained through a recursive
process of clarifying your self knowledge and enhancing knowledge of your options, followed by
a time of reflection to integrate what you have learned and express this learning as insights.
Complete the paper in the order of the outline, as the paper is designed so that the information
from initial sections is used in subsequent sections.
All papers need to be double spaced, edited, and proofed prior to submission. Use the
headings presented at the end of these instructions to organize your paper. All headings need to
conform to APA style. The instructions for presenting the contents for sections and subsections
are presented in italics. A binder clip should secure the body of the paper and the appendices. To
make your paper easier to use as a reference document for future career choices, it is
recommended that the paper be three-hole punched for placement in a three-ring binder.
However, do not submit the paper in a three-ring binder for this class.
Organization and Content of the Paper
Title Page
Include your name, the title of this course, and the date.
Table of Contents
Include all APA style headings presented at the end of these instructions.
Communication
Describe the cues that prompted you to begin the process of career problem-solving and
decision making.
External Cues
Events
Describe the events that made you aware you had a career problem needing your
attention. Events could include the requirement for you to state your future
employments plans as part of class introductions, hearing other students talk with
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Instructions for the CASVE Cycle Paper
certainty about their career plans, meeting other students who appear to have very
different interests than you do, attending a class that seems very uninteresting, the
requirement to write this paper, etc.
 As you think about these types of events, explain any insights you have gained
about yourself. For example, how do you tend to cope with problems in general?
How do you cope with problems that have not occurred before? How do you cope
with problems that you have been expecting?
[Presentation: One or more narrative paragraphs that describe both the nature of
events and your insights.]
Input from Significant Others
Describe the input you have received from significant others that signaled that you
needed to solve a problem. Significant others can include partners, spouses, parents,
other relatives, friends, current or former employers, current or former
teachers/professors, etc. Input from significant others could include being asked what
you are going to do in terms of your career plans; if you are sure that you know what
you are doing, or why you are not sure of your career plans.
 As you think about this type of input from significant others, explain any insights
you have gained about yourself. For example, how do you know when to consider
the input from another as relevant? How do you typically react when a significant
other states that you have a problem? How do relationships with significant others
impact your willingness to admit that you have a problem?
[Presentation: One or more narrative paragraphs that describe both the nature of input
from significant others and your insights.]
Internal Cues
Emotions
Describe any emotions that helped you realize that you had a career problem that
needed solving. When you have a problem, do you tend to be curious, excited,
anxious, frustrated, angry, embarrassed, or depressed? What impact do these
emotions have on your problem solving?
 As you think about your emotions, explain any insights you have gained about
yourself. What emotions provide you with the clearest signal that you have a
problem?
[Presentation: One or more narrative paragraphs that describe both the nature of your
emotions and your insights.]
Avoidance Behavior
Describe any procrastination you engaged in that helped you realize that you had a
career problem. Procrastination can include completing low priority tasks first or
escaping by watching television or talking with a friend. This does not include the
procrastination associated with completing a disagreeable task. As you think about
your avoidance behavior, explain any insights you have gained about yourself. When
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Instructions for the CASVE Cycle Paper
you procrastinate, what is your typical behavior? What is the relationship between
your procrastination and your emotions?
[Presentation: One or more narrative paragraphs that describe both the nature of your
avoidance behavior (if any) and your insights.]
Physiological States
Describe any physiological states that indicated to you that a problem deserved your
attention. Physiological states include headaches, stomach problems, etc. As you
think about the physiological symptoms you may have, explain any insights you
have gained about yourself. What are your typical physiological states when you are
confronted by a problem? How do your physiological states relate to your emotions?
[Presentation: One or more narrative paragraphs that describe both the nature of your
physiological states and your insights.]
Gap
Effective problem solving and decision making begins with clearly stating the problem that
needs to be solved.
 It is important to understand that not all problems are bad. The word “problem” is
often used to communicate that something bad has happened. However, some
problems are good to have, such as needing to choose between attending two very
desirable colleges where you have been accepted for admission or choosing how to
spend money that was presented to you as a gift. A problem can be an opportunity or
a threat, depending on the circumstances.
 For this part of your paper, include a summary statement of the gap in your problem
solving and decision making. A gap statement clearly indicates where you are now
and where you want to be in the future (the difference between an existing and a
desired state of affairs). The gap needs to involve an occupational choice. Examples
could be:
o I am not confident that I have made an informed choice about seeking a doctorate
and I want to be confident that I have a good chance for success and that I will
like being a professor.
o I am not satisfied with my current choice to seek jobs in college counseling
centers after I graduate and I want to be satisfied that I have made a good tentative
choice.
[Presentation: One sentence]
Goals
Include two to three goal statements that clearly indicate an outcome, or outcomes, related
to narrowing the gap identified in the prior section. Examples of goals include the
following:
 Make an informed occupational choice.
 Enhance my self knowledge.
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Instructions for the CASVE Cycle Paper
 Clarify my knowledge of occupations.
 Generate occupational options.
 Improve my decision-making skills.
 Learn how negative thoughts can influence my career choices.
 Learn how to reframe negative thoughts that make my career choice more difficult.
 Identify the skills I need to acquire in my graduate program.
 Learn how to organize a job campaign.
 Learn how to write a résumé and cover letter.
 Improve my job interview skills.
 Learn about managing my career after I graduate.
[Presentation: One sentence for each goal. Also include the goals on your ILP.]
Analysis
Self Knowledge
Summarize the self knowledge (values, interests, skills, and employment preferences) that
you have obtained from the following sources. The self knowledge that you describe
above should show considerable personal insight. Include the three to seven key
elements of self knowledge from each source of assessment data. As best as you can,
include at least one key value, interest, and skill from each assessment resource.
Important Life Experiences
Describe three to five important life experiences (your story) and what you have learned
about yourself as a result (your insights). Pay particular attention to your values,
interests, skills, and employment preferences.
Previous and Current Paid Work Experience
Describe both full-time and part-time work experience in terms of your story and your
insights, paying attention to your values, interests, skills, and employment
preferences.
Previous and Current Volunteer Experience
Describe your volunteer experience in terms of your story and your insights, paying
attention to your values, interests, skills, and employment preferences. Pay particular
attention to any volunteer experience that involved helping others.
Previous and Current Leisure Experience
Describe your leisure experience in terms of your story and your insights, attending to
your values, interests, skills, and employment preferences. Pay particular attention to
any of your leisure activities that helped you to deal with stress or helped you to
meet any needs that were not being met at school or work.
Previous and Current Academic Experience
Describe your academic experience in terms of your story and your insights, paying
attention to your values, interests, skills, and employment preferences. Include
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Instructions for the CASVE Cycle Paper
courses, independent study, or research projects that were particularly helpful in
clarifying your values, interests, skills, and employment preferences.
Feedback from Significant Others
Describe the perceptions your significant others have about your values, interests and
skills. Significant others should include two or more family members, friends,
employers, mentors, etc. Include the insights you obtained form this feedback.
The Self-Directed Search
Complete the paper-and-pencil version of the Self-Directed Search and discuss your
results with a Career Advisor, using both the client summary and the professional
summary. Pay equal attention to the Holland code and the SDS secondary constructs.
Occupational Card Sort
With the assistance of a Career Advisor, complete an occupational card sort. Emphasize
what you learn about your likes and dislikes in relation to the occupations in the card
sort as opposed to which occupations you prefer. In the appendices, include the Card
Sort Summary Sheet that you and your Career Advisor complete.
Assessment Features of Choices Planner
Use the Choices Planner for adults in career transition.
Interest Profiler
Identify your interests and specifically compare your results with the Self-Directed
Search.
Values Sorter
Identify your values and specifically compare your results with eDiscover and SIGI
Plus.
Assessment Features of eDiscover
The eDiscover system requires a password that can be obtained form a Career Advisor.
Values
Identify your values and specifically compare your results with Choices Planner and
SIGI Plus.
Interests
Identify your interests and specifically compare your results with the Self-Directed
Search and Choices Planner.
Abilities
Identify your abilities and specifically compare your results with prior academic
performance.
Assessment Features of SIGI Plus
Values
Identify your values and specifically compare your results with Choices Planner and
eDiscover.
Activities
Identify your activities (interests) and specifically compare your results with the
Self-Directed Search, Choices Planner, and eDiscover.
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Instructions for the CASVE Cycle Paper
[Presentation: Narrative paragraphs with a minimum of one paragraph for each source
of self knowledge. The SDS should include a description of your summary code and
an analysis of secondary constructs obtained from the SDS professional summary.
Choices Planner, eDiscover, and SIGI Plus should include a summary of assessment
results with related printouts provided in the appendices. Results from the card sort
should be summarized in the text with the Card Sort Summary Sheet included in the
appendices. Use of the SDS and an occupational card sort, as well as the assessment
features for Choices Planner, eDiscover, and SIGI Plus, should be indicated on your
ILP. If available, prior career assessment results may also be included in this
section.]
Similarities and Differences Among Self-Knowledge Data
Discuss the similarities and differences in the self-knowledge data you have received
from the various assessment resources you have used in preparing this paper.
[Presentation: Narrative paragraph]
Self-Knowledge Summary
Values
[Presentation: List]
Interests
[Presentation: List]
Current Skills
[Presentation: List]
Employment Preferences
[Presentation: List]
Occupational Knowledge
Knowledge of a Specific Occupation
Describe what you have learned in terms of knowledge of specific occupations based on
the information resources included in this section.
 Given space limitations, include only occupational knowledge from one of the
three occupations that you are likely to identify in Synthesis-Crystallization
below. (In reality, you would use information from two or more occupations in
actually solving your career problem.)
 Use Career Key in the Career Center Library to assist you in locating information
resources. Information resources used to clarify occupational knowledge should
be indicated on your ILP. Additional information resources that are relevant to
your goals can be added to the ILP at any time. Please note that some information
resources include many occupations while other information sources include
fewer, more commonly existing occupations. This situation may result in your use
of a “related” occupation in this assignment, which means that you have to be
more tentative in your conclusions about the occupation.
 Include three to five key elements of occupational knowledge from each source of
occupational information, e.g. typical job tasks or employment outlook.
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Instructions for the CASVE Cycle Paper
One Print-Based Document
The Information Features from Choices Planner
The Information Features from eDiscover
The Information Features from SIGI PLUS
O*NET
The Internet Version of the Occupational Outlook Handbook
An Internet Web Site Dedicated to a Specific Occupation
A professional association Web site would meet this requirement.
An Information Interview
Guidelines for conducting an information interview are available in the Career
Center Library and on the Career Center Web site.
[Presentation: Provide a narrative paragraph that briefly describes what you have learned
from each of the above resources.]
Similarities and Differences Among Sources of Occupational Knowledge
Discuss the similarities and differences in occupational knowledge that you have
learned from the various information resources you have used in preparing this
paper. Reflection on what you have learned from your use of occupational
information may cause you to reassess your values, interests, skills, and
employment preferences. As a result you may want to revise your previous
summary list of your values, interests, skills, and employment preferences.
[Presentation: Narrative paragraph]
Schema for Organizing the World of Work
Identify your schema for organizing the world of work that you use to organize your
knowledge of occupations e.g., Holland Hexagon, World-of-Work Map, etc. Briefly
explain your rationale for your choice.
[Presentation: Narrative paragraph]
Generic Information Processing Skills
Describe your generic information-processing skills, emphasizing your awareness of
yourself as a decision maker. Focus your discussion on important decisions you have
made in your life. Give an example of a decision that exemplifies your generic
information-processing skills.
Past Ability to Apply a Decision-Making Model
Describe your past ability to apply the CASVE Model or another problem-solving and
decision-making approach. Describe the extent to which your approach is rational,
intuitive, or a combination of both. Describe your tendency to be independent,
dependent, or interdependent with others in making important decisions.
[Presentation: Narrative paragraphs]
Decision-Making Style
Describe your decision-making style in terms of information gathering (spontaneous to
systematic) and information processing (external to internal).
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Instructions for the CASVE Cycle Paper
[Presentation: Narrative paragraph]
Influence of Your Holland Code
Describe the potential influence of your Holland code on how you make important
decisions in your life.
[Presentation: Narrative paragraph]
Metacognitions
Self-Talk
Describe the nature of your self-talk related to career problem solving and decision
making. Include a discussion of your scores from the Career Thoughts Inventory and
your use of the CTI Workbook. If negative career thoughts are making decision
making difficult, be especially careful as you respond to assessment items and as you
think about what you have learned about various occupations. It is possible that
negative thoughts can limit your self perceptions and interfere with learning about
your options.
[Presentation: Narrative paragraphs]
Self Awareness
Describe your level of self-awareness as a decision maker as you make a career choice.
[Presentation: Narrative paragraph]
Monitoring and Control
Describe your capacity to monitor and control your progress through the phases of the
CASVE cycle.
[Presentation: Narrative paragraph]
Synthesis
Elaboration
Identify your methods of generating occupational alternatives, e.g. your own ideas,
suggestions from significant others, data from assessments, data from computer-assisted
guidance systems.
[Presentation: List]
Crystallization
Identify three occupational alternatives that are used in the VALUING phase that follows.
[Presentation: List]
Valuing
Costs and Benefits
Describe the relative costs and benefits for each of the three occupations that you are
considering in relation to: 1) yourself; 2) your significant others, (e.g. family members
and friends); 3) your cultural group; and 4) your community or society at large. If a
category is not relevant in you decision making (such as society at large), indicate that it
is not applicable.
[Insert First Occupational Alternative]
Self
Costs
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Instructions for the CASVE Cycle Paper
Benefits
Significant Other(s)
Costs
Benefits
Cultural Group
Costs
Benefits
Community or Society at Large
Costs
Benefits
[Insert Second Occupational Alternative]
Self
Costs
Benefits
Significant Other(s)
Costs
Benefits
Cultural Group
Costs
Benefits
Community or Society at Large
Costs
Benefits
[Insert Third Occupational Alternative]
Self
Costs
Benefits
Significant Other(s)
Costs
Benefits
Cultural Group
Costs
Benefits
Community or Society at Large
Costs
Benefits
[Presentation: Brief phrase for each cost and benefit for the three occupations being
considered. This information may be presented in narrative or table form.]
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Instructions for the CASVE Cycle Paper
Tentative Choices
Tentative Primary Occupational Choice
[Presentation: One-item list]
Tentative Secondary Occupational Choice
[Presentation: One-item list]
Leisure Activities
List and categorize four leisure activities as complementary, supplemental, or
compensatory. Also, indicate the contribution of each leisure activity (challenge,
support, structure, feedback, application, and integration) to your well-being.
[Insert First Leisure Activity]
Category of Leisure
Contribution to Well Being
[Insert Second Leisure Activity]
Category of Leisure
Contribution to Well Being
[Insert Third Leisure Activity]
Category of Leisure
Contribution to Well Being
[Insert Fourth Leisure Activity]
Category
Contribution to Well Being
[Presentation: List]
Execution
Preparation Program
Draft a preliminary program of study for your counseling specialization. Include a onesentence rationale for how each course will relate to your tentative primary occupational
choice.
[Presentation: List each course with a one sentence rationale for taking the course. Do not
include your official College of Education Program of Study Form]
Reality Testing
Preliminary Practicum Choice
Identify your preliminary practicum site choice.
[Presentation: One-item list]
Identify how your practicum will provide a reality test for your self and occupational
knowledge.
[Presentation: One sentence relating reality testing to self-knowledge and one sentence
relating reality testing to occupational knowledge.]
Preliminary Internship Site Choice.
[Presentation: One-item list]
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Instructions for the CASVE Cycle Paper
Identify how your internship will provide a reality test for your self and occupational
knowledge.
[Presentation: One sentence relating reality testing to self-knowledge and one sentence
relating reality testing to occupational knowledge.]
Potential Volunteer Opportunity
Identify at least one potential volunteer opportunity that might help you confirm your
primary choice, as well as provide you with an opportunity to gain additional work
experience.
[Presentation: One item list]
Employment seeking
New Skills
List the new skills that you plan to gain from your academic courses, your practicum,
and your internship. (These skills should build upon, and not duplicate, the skills you
previously identified in the ANALYSIS Phase.)
[Presentation: List]
Job Search Strategy
Identify how you will locate job opportunities, e.g. networking, the FSU Career Center,
specific professional association placement services, specific Internet job banks, and
specific job search publications.
[Presentation: List]
Draft a résumé based upon your ideal self at the conclusion of your degree. Include your
résumé in the appendices. Draft a cover letter for the job related to your tentative
primary occupational choice identified above. Include your cover letter in the
appendices.
Communication
Describe what changes, if any, have occurred in the external and internal cues associated with
your career problem (gap).
[Presentation: Narrative paragraphs]
Conclusion
Describe the outcome(s) associated with writing this paper.
[Presentation: Narrative paragraph(s)]
APPENDICES
(A) CTI Test Booklet
(B) SDS Interpretive Report: Client Version and Professional Summary
(C) Card Sort Summary Sheet
(D) Choices Planner Assessment Printouts
(E) eDiscover Assessment Printouts
(F) SIGI Plus Assessment Printouts
(G) Career Key printouts
(H) Choices Planner Information Printouts
(I) eDiscover Information Printouts
(J) SIGI Plus Information Printouts
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Instructions for the CASVE Cycle Paper
(K) O*NET Printout
(L) Occupational Information Handbook Printout
(M) Web-Site Printout
(N) Résumé
(O) Cover Letter
(P) Individual Learning Plan (ILP)
[Presentation: Use tab dividers to separate each appendix]
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