Postmodern and Spiritual Theories of Career Development

    Both the David (2006) article and Brown (2012) Chapter 3 part from the person classification matched with job type classification of Trait and Factor Theories. To me, these address the issues I had with Hollands from class last week.  The whole Hollands system needs to be changed as industry changes.  When a theory focuses more on the process of career development and the ‘meaning’ of a career for a person, industry can change and they tools of the theory stay the same.  

    As a budding counselor, I can see how both perspectives of theories help a client, but I think it depends on the client’s needs.  In trying to make a career choice in college, high school, or other settings theories of the logical positive position, like trait and factor theories, seem more helpful because of the focus on the choice to be made in conjunction with the individual match with career (Brown, 2012). Sometimes a learning theory may also help someone who doesn’t know what they want to do because it focuses on how to make the decision. It empowers the person to make the necessary career decisions without a counselor always talking it through with them. I resonated with Krumboltz Social Learning Theory because it suggests the role of the counselor should “be to facilitate the acquisition of self-knowledge and the skills needed to negotiate an ever-changing world filled with uncertainty” (Brown, 2012, p. 61).   There is no need to update a list of career clusters over time with this type of theory.

When someone finds themselves in crisis because of dissatisfaction at work, a spiritual perspective offers a theory to work with finding a satisfying, meaningful career (David, 2006). Though Chaos theory and spiritual theories have their place in the initial decision making process of young adults, I could see it used more for those already down a path making meaning of their lives. Solution-Focused brief career counseling can also be used at a time of crisis for an individual (Brown, 2012).

I see a lot of value in socioeconomic theories, though I find them overwhelming, also. I find them more “career” focused than “vocation” focused as David’s article defined those words (2006). For example, the practicality of economics should be a small consideration in everyone of these strategies, how will your career allow you to provide for yourself and family?  It might not be the main question, but it should probably be present in the conversation. Of course, like spiritual theories values the interconnectedness of decisions, I find it more difficult to separate the role of these theories in actual life examples.  All have a place of value;  however, I connect more with the postmodern theories.  

 

Brown, D. (2012).  Career information, career counseling, and career development (10th ed.). New

             York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Duffy, R. D. (2006). Spirituality, religion, and career development: Current status and future
              directions. The Career Development Quarterly, 55(1), 52-63.