Weekly Insight 2

This week’s classroom discussion and readings have given me an abundance of knowledge about career counseling theories and the meaning of genograms.

Although Gottfredson's developmental Stages theory is fitting, I particularly liked the Vocational Choice theory by Holland.  His focus on personality in relation to career development is very interesting and I relate to personally.  Also, Gibson’s article, summarizes the use of career genograms and its relation to families and career development, but also lists its limitations.   

The way we are raised and our interests we find over time seem to have a lot to do with what careers we choose as adults.  Holland proposes that his six personality types are "pure" in form; he also suggests that they do occur rarely. (Brown, 2012)  During my late teens, I was in a position where I had to choose between working full-time or join the military.  The Military seemed like a better opportunity. I had taken the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Batter (ASVAB) test, which showed that I was fit for a Human Resources type job.  This job was convenient short term, as it did not satisfy my need for happiness. This would make sense because Holland places that type of work in a conventional environment.  I found myself most happy in the social work environment, which also fits with my belief that I have a "social" personality type.  I never understood why I was so unhappy in a conventional setting, until now.

 

I would classify my father as realistic and my mother as social personality types.  My father is a truck driver and when I was in my teens, my mother stayed at home and also babysat.  To me, Holland's personality types and Gibson's genogram in career counseling can be interrelated. Gibson states "This emphasis on career education is timely, considering that research indicates children may identify with adult workers in their lives and that they specifically identify more with the mother's occupation than with the father's occupation." (Gibson, 2005) I have never used a genogram before, but I am learning that work history and home environments have a lot to do with what careers we choose as adults. Also, that it is important to start learning about this as early as elementary school.

 

Some limitations Gibson talks about are timeliness of implementation, today's nontraditional families, teachers' inadequate training, and self reporting.  While these limitations may be present, it seems as though the long term affects for career development and happiness are at stake if the use of genograms are not implemented in the school system.  I have never used a genogram before.  Had I gone over it properly at an appropriate age, I believe I could have saved prevented many years of unhappy work days.

Brown, D. (2012). Trait-and-Factor and Developmental Theories of Career Choice and Development        and their Applications. In Career Information, Career Counseling, and Career Development (10th ed., pp. 24-53). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Gibson, D. M. (2005). The Use of Genograms in Career Counseling with Elementary, Middle, and High School Students. The Career Development Quarterly, 53, 353-362.