Career Development Theories

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Career Development Theories

• Dawn Tincher
• Dr. John Scott
• University of Georgia

How do we choose our career?
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Career Theories
Finding a career is very important finding one
that is a right fit is important also. Research
of career theories is relatively new. In this
presentation we will look at two career
theories. 1. Hollands Personality-Type
Theory 2. The Social Cognitive Career Theory
developed by Lent, Brown, Hacket
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Hollands Personality-Type Theory
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John Hollands

• Realistic - practical, physical, hands-on,
  tool-oriented
• Investigative - analytical, intellectual,
  scientific, explorative
• Artistic - creative, original, independent,
  chaotic
• Social - cooperative, supporting, helping,
  healing/nurturing
• Enterprising - competitive environments,
  leadership, persuading
• Conventional - detail-oriented, organizing,
  clerical
• Holland argues that 2-3 types dominate in each
  person.

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• Realistic - practical, physical, hands-on,
  tool-oriented

Conventional Detailed oriented, organizing,
clerical
Investigative - analytical, intellectual,
scientific, explorative
Hollands Hexagon of Personality Types
Enterprising - competitive environments,
leadership, persuading
Artistic - creative, original, independent,
chaotic
Social - cooperative, supporting, helping,
healing/nurturing
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Realistic (R)

• Realistic individuals are active,
  stable, and enjoy hands-on or manual activities
  such as building, mechanics, machinery operation
  and athletics. They prefer to work with things
  rather than ideas and people. They enjoy engaging
  in physical activity and often like being
  outdoors and working with plants and animals.
  People who fall into this category generally
  prefer to "learn by doing" in a practical,
  task-oriented setting, as opposed to spending
  extended periods of time in a classroom.
  Realistic types tend to communicate in a frank,
  direct manner and value material things. They
  perceive themselves as skilled in mechanical and
  physical activities, but may be uncomfortable or
  less adept with human relations. The preferred
  work environment of the realistic type fosters
  technical competencies and work that allows them
  to produce tangible results. Typical realistic
  careers include those in the military,
  electrician, engineer and veterinarian.

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Investigative (I)

• Investigative individuals are analytical,
  intellectual and observant, and enjoy research,
  mathematical or scientific activities. They are
  drawn to ambiguous challenges and may feel
  stifled in highly structured environments. People
  who fall into this category enjoy using logic and
  solving highly complex, abstract problems. They
  are introspective and focused on creative
  problem-solving, therefore investigative types
  often work autonomously and do not seek
  leadership roles. They place a high value on
  science and learning, and perceive themselves as
  scholarly and having scientific or mathematical
  ability but lacking leadership and persuasive
  skills. The preferred work environment of the
  investigative type encourages scientific
  competencies, allows independent work, and
  focuses on solving abstract, complex problems in
  original ways. Typical investigative careers
  include medical technologist, biologist, chemist,
  and systems analyst.

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Artistic (A)

• Artistic individuals are original,
  intuitive and imaginative, and enjoy creative
  activities such as composing or playing music,
  writing, drawing or painting, and acting in or
  directing stage productions. They seek
  opportunities for self-expression through
  artistic creation. People who fall into this
  category prefer flexibility and ambiguity, and
  have an aversion to convention and conformity.
  Artistic types are generally impulsive and
  emotional, and tend to communicate in a very
  expressive and open manner. They value
  aesthetics, and view themselves as creative,
  non-conforming, and as appreciating or possessing
  musical, dramatic, artistic, or writing abilities
  while lacking clerical or organizational skills.
  The preferred work environment of the artistic
  type fosters creative competencies and encourages
  originality and use of the imagination in a
  flexible, unstructured setting. Typical artistic
  careers include musician, reporter, and interior
  decorator.

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Social (S)

• Social individuals are humanistic,
  idealistic, responsible and concerned with the
  welfare of others. They enjoy participating in
  group activities and helping, training, caring
  for, counseling or developing others. They are
  generally focused on human relationships, and
  enjoy social activities and solving interpersonal
  problems. Social types seek opportunities to work
  as part of a team, solve problems through
  discussions, and utilize interpersonal skills,
  but may avoid activities that involve systematic
  use of equipment or machines. They genuinely
  enjoy working with people, therefore they
  communicate a warm and tactful manner, and can be
  persuasive. They view themselves as
  understanding, helpful, cheerful, and skilled in
  teaching, but lacking mechanical ability. The
  preferred work environment of the social type
  encourages teamwork and allows for significant
  interaction with others. Typical social careers
  include teacher, counselor, and social worker.

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Enterprising (E)

• Enterprising individuals are energetic,
  ambitious, adventurous, sociable and
  self-confident. They enjoy activities that
  require them to persuade others, such as sales,
  and seek out leadership roles. They are
  invigorated by using their interpersonal,
  leadership, and persuasive abilities to obtain
  organizational goals or economic gain, but may
  avoid routine or systematic activities. They are
  often effective public speakers and are generally
  sociable, but may be viewed as domineering. They
  view themselves as assertive, self-confident and
  skilled in leadership and speaking, but lacking
  in scientific abilities. The preferred work
  environment of the enterprising type encourages
  them to engage in activities such as leadership,
  management, and selling, and rewards them through
  the attainment of money, power, and status.
  Typical enterprising careers include salesperson,
  business executive, and manager.

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Conventional (C)

• Conventional individuals are efficient,
  careful, conforming, organized, and
  conscientious. They are comfortable working
  within an established chain of command and prefer
  carrying out well-defined instructions over
  assuming leadership roles. They prefer organized,
  systematic activities and have an aversion to
  ambiguity. They are skilled in and often enjoy
  maintaining and manipulating data, organizing
  schedules, and operating office equipment. While
  they rarely seek leadership or "spotlight" roles,
  they are thorough, persistent. and reliable in
  carrying out tasks. Conventional types view
  themselves as responsible, orderly, efficient,
  and possessing clerical, organizational, and
  numerical abilities, but may also see themselves
  as unimaginative or lacking in creativity. The
  preferred work environment of the conventional
  type fosters organizational competencies, such as
  record keeping and data management in a
  structured operation, and places high value on
  conformity and dependability. Typical
  conventional careers include secretary,
  accountant, and banker.

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O-Net Interest Profiler
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Social Cognitive Career Theory
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Social Cognitive Career Theory

• Three variables
• self-efficacy beliefs
• outcome expectations
• personal goals
• These are the basic building blocks of SCCT

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Self-Efficacy Beliefs

• Refers to peoples judgments of their
  capabilities to organize and execute courses of
  action required to attain designated types of
  performances. (Bandura, 1986, p. 391)
• Self-efficacy in the case means prior
  accomplishments, physical situation, vicarious
  learning, and social position. If a person sees
  their relatives and other people around them
  limit themselves or not limit themselves to
  certain careers, that may well effect their
  choice.

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Efficacy beliefs are assumed to be acquired and
modified via four primary sources

• personal performance accomplishments
• vicarious learning
• social persuasion
• physiological states and reactions

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• Evidence of reading and resarch of the topic and
  preparation for the speech with PowerPoint and
  handout.
• Introduction that identifies the key points of
  information that will be presented
• Presented a rational for why the topic is
  important for the audience to listen or read
• Presented key points of information in proper
  sequence in the presentation or paper
• Identified specific resources or used examples to
  clarify key points of information
• Provided sufficient detail in slides or paper for
  the audience or reader to clearly understand
  information presented
• Provided information on how to use information
  presented to improve a program or to inform
  others as to a course of action
• Summarized the key points of information in the
  presentation or paper and provided a challenge
  for the listener or reader
• Provided at least three reference to uspport the
  presentation or paper
• Inforamtion provided was presented in an
  effective and scholarly manner
• A thoughtful reflection of a pragraph or two was
  provided for the midterm learning experience

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Sources

• http//www.ceap.wcu.edu/kirk/CDTheories/Holland_oc
  cupcong_theory.html
• http//www.careerkey.org/asp/your_personality/holl
  ands_theory_of_career_choice.asp
• http//www.learning4liferesources.com/holland_code
  s.html
• ONet Interest Profiler
• Lent, R., Hackett, G. Brown, S. A social
  cognitive framework for studying career choice
  and transition to work, Journal of Vocational
  Education Research, v21, no4, p. 3-31, 1996.
• Presentation, Scott, J. Presentation
• Lent, R., Hackett, G. Brown, S. A social
  cognitive view of school-to-work transition, The
  career development quarterly, vol 47, 1999
• Lent, R., Hackett, G. Brown, S. Toward a
  Unifying Social Cognitive Theory of Career and
  Academic Interest, choice, and performance
  Journal of vocational behavior v45, pp. 79-122,
  1994