Chp 11 and 16

Chapter 11 had a lot of interesting and surprising information in it.  For Example, the different styles of resumes preferred by different employers ranged from chronological, plain text, or functional (Brown, 2012).  These different styles of resumes were never taught to me in high school or college.

Another interesting note Brown (2012) wrote in this chapter was the twitter job search.  I was astonished that there is an actual Twitter Job Search Guide.  This is a good thing for individuals who have access to the internet and are capable of maneuvering through twitter in order to take advantage of their resources.  Twitter connects people all over the world and this strengthens the claim Brown (2012) made about the global economy.  Twitter can provide a fast way of effectively communicating in the world of work for employers, employees, and job seekers.  However, those who are technologically disadvantaged suffer because they do not have access to twitter.  The digital divide can be seen within our own country and across countries (Brown, 2012).  There are still “classic” ways to find job openings, but it is likely that there are businesses whom only post jobs on their website, search engines (i.e. monster), and twitter.  Therefore, people who do not have access to the internet have fewer options when perusing job openings.

What’s more, Eck (1993) discovered that the more one’s education had prepared one to perform a job the more likely one is to secure a job.  The implications of this study are vast.  First, underemployment is the result of a mismatch between education and occupation. These individuals are prepared by their education to perform a job, yet the job they secure does not require them to use their skills, abilities, and knowledge.  Furthermore, underemployed individuals likely have low satisfaction; whereas, their employer has high satisfactoriness (Theory of Work Adjustment via Brown, 2012).  Second, the educational system is instrumental in the future of its students.  Those who receive an education that does not prepare them to perform a job will be less likely to secure a job.  Third, the results indicate a strong need for the educational system to integrate career and the world of work with one’s education.  Lastly, since not everyone goes to postsecondary schooling it is the job of elementary, middle, and high schools to prepare these adolescents for a job and the work environment.

A final surprising and interesting discovery was made by Hall and Parker (2010).  Their study concluded that clients with disabilities felt misunderstood, and received little help by counselors in the One-Stop Career Center.  The findings support the early assertions made by Brown (2012) in previous chapters.  The traditional model and underpinnings of career development ignore marginalized and disenfranchised individuals (Brown, 2012; Blustein, McWhriter, & Perry, 2005).  Moreover, Goal-oriented change is not possible in the United States for oppressed and disadvantaged individuals (Blustein, et. al 2005; Peterson & Gonzalez, 2005).  Career counselors need to recognize their prejudices, assumptions, and stereotypes in order to best serve their clients.  Every client has different needs and is at varying thresholds; thus the career counseling interventions should be tailored on an individual basis.

Furthermore, in Chapter 16 Brown (2012) discusses the different styles of experimental design; thus, evidence-based practices.   Purposefully selecting participants and developing focus groups can allow practitioners to gain insights into a specific subject and environment.  Presumably Hall and Parker (2010) used a qualitative evaluation, in the form of a focus group, to understand the perspective of clients with disabilities.  This is an appropriate strategy used by the researchers in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the One-Stop Career Center for individuals with disabilities.  Therefore, Chapter 16 was focused on strengths and weaknesses of differing experimental designs in order to evaluate evidence-based practices and being mindful when selecting a strategy (Brown, 2012).

Blustein, D. L., McWhriter, E. H., & Perry, J. C.  (2005).  An emancipatory communitarian approach to vocational development theory, research and practice.  Counseling Psychologist, 33, 141-179.

Brown, D. (2012).  Career information, career counseling, and career development (10th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Eck, A.  (1993, October).  Job-related education and training:  Their impact on earnings.  Monthly Labor Review, 21-38.

Hall, J.  P.  & Parker, K. (2010).  Stuck in a loop:  Individual and system barriers for job seekers with disabilities.  Career Development Quarterly, 58, 246-256.

Peterson N. & Gonzalez, R. C.  (2005).  The role of work in people’s lives:  Applied career counseling and vocational psychology (2^nd ed.). Belmont, CA:  Brooks/Cole.