Chapter 8

Last Wednesday in class, we were given a lot of information about how the learning theory applies to career development. I enjoyed learning about self-efficacy and outcome expectations (Notes, 10-9). I thought it was interesting how an individual’s interpretation of what they thought they were good at and the way other’s responded to the individual’s behavior impacted what the person was interested in (Notes, 10-9). I think that especially in our society, other people have more of an influence than what one thinks, on our individual interests and whether we pursue what we are interested in. I also liked the narratives because when a client first comes to see a counselor, many times they are intimidated and unsure of what is going to happen. By asking them to tell their story, the client unintentionally communicates their “problem” and how it came about, as well as what the client has done in response to that problem (Notes, 10-9). The client may even find their own solution by telling their story to the counselor.

Online resources can be very valuable in the career counselor setting (Brown, 2012). These sources are easy to use and provide the user with large amounts of information. The user can either type in, or click on a category that they are interested in and they can view jobs that are available, the salary and the skills needed for that job (Brown, 2012). The user can also take the Self-Directed Search, come up with their Holland Code and search for jobs by their interests (Brown, 2012). Also, the online sources provide the user with jobs that may involve similar interests that the user was unaware of (Brown, 2012). I was introduced to O*NET and the Occupational Outlook Handbook as an undergrad and it gave me a lot of insight as to what I could pursue for a career that met both my interests and my abilities.

I also liked how chapter eight (Brown, 2012) talked about the different ways people can learn about career/occupation options. I feel as though many people feel limited in their career options because they have not explored their possibilities. In my opinion, shadowing/ internships and interviewing people who are in the field are the best ways to learn about the job. These experiences allow people to see and hear first hand what the job looks like on a day-to-day basis. It also allows you to see whether your likes and dislikes will allow you to do your job successfully and if you really are interested in what you thought you were.

Brown, D. (2012). Career Information, Career Counseling and Career Development. (10^th Ed.) New York. Pearson Education Inc.