Blog 7

For this week’s blog I would like to discuss an article I read for the mock career institute project. The article was called Integrating Perspectives in Career Development Theory and Practice, by Charles P. Chen (2003). What intrigued me while reading this article was how the author proposed the concept of combining theories in the field of career development. Not only this, but he proposed combining theories that were polar opposites in the way they conducted career counseling towards clients. By doing this, Charles P. Chen, strived to accomplish career self-realization, growing experiences, and context conceptualization (2003). He discusses the major differences of the positivist, or objective, view and the constructivist, or subjective, view of career development theories. We have learned about the main points of all of the theories that he proposes to integrate. These two views of career development may differ in many ways; however, Chen (2003) found aspects about both that could be incorporated in the career development practice to benefit the client even more. This would help the client in more ways than just using one theory or one perspective. Chen pointed out how the concept of self-realization was the basis of almost every career development theory. Whether the theorist described it as “self-concept”, such as Super did, or by using other terms, such as the self construct. Either way, almost all theories note the importance of the client understanding him or herself and realizing how they view themselves in the field of career development. “Prospects such as personal meaning making, meaning interpretation, intentionality, and purpose cannot occur without recognizing the role of a person’s internal selfhood” (Chen, 2003). Although the study of career development may be split into a subjective and objective view, one can notice similarities in both. Chen (2003), also noted one way of integration being career development as a process of self-realization. Using such techniques as narratives to help define a client’s life-theme, and gain insight to their self-concept, is one way that theorists have described this idea. By integrating these concepts as well as using other objective approaches, such as Holland’s code (1958), the client can gain a better understanding on themselves. This may lead them to identifying a career field that will work best. In order for integration of differing concepts in the field of career counseling will take flexibility and creativity. Theorists will have to be flexible and not set in their original way of thinking. The division of career theories will not benefit this idea of integration. Theorists must also be more creative and open to the idea. Chen (2003) identified that this new form of career counseling is where theorists must look for new ideas. I believe that this is where the field is going. In years to come, many more theorists will see the benefits that come along with using multiple forms of career counseling on clients and develop theories based on the multiple concepts that work in different career counseling theories. No matter how different the theories may be, there are underlying constant themes that can be discovered and integrated to form a new way of looking at career counseling. This integration and new path of career counseling will only benefit the clients.

References

Chen, C. P. (2003, March). Integrating Perspectives in Career Development Theory and Practice. The Career Development Quarterly, 51(3), 203-216. Retrieved October 14, 2016, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.2161-0045.2003.tb00602.x/abstract