Career Guidance Theory

...an organized, systematic program to help the individual develop self-understanding...and knowledge of the world of work...(it)...emphasizes the process of planning, decision-making, and implementation of decisions. (p. 239)

The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the career guidance theory of John L. Holland and to review research applying this theory to a variety of guidance situations.

Holland's Theory of Career Guidance

Holland's (1992) theory of career guidance rests on four basic assumptions. The first assumption is that most people can be characterized as one or a combination of six measurable personality types (realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, or conventional); these types are said to be produced by the determinants of heredity, parents, social class, culture, peer interaction, and the physical environment.

Second, the theory assumes that the social environment (which encompasses the workplace environment) can be classified into the same six categories of personality in accord with the largest percentages of a given type in the environment. Third, the theory assumes that people seek out environments compatible with their personality types. And, fourth, the theory holds that particular behavioral patterns emitted in any environment are determined by personality and environmental types.

Sub-assumptions said to moderate and explain any predictions deriv

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client characteristics as the independent variables and ratings on a computer-assisted career guidance evaluation form as the dependent variable. Significant results were found for the personality type variable, with Social and Enterprising types rating the system lower on its ability to help them acquire self and occupational knowledge. Although not significant at the.05 level, a similar relationship was found for persons with higher Vocational Identity scores. Further analysis of post-measures using t-tests revealed significant changes in subjects' vocational identity, need for occupational information and level of career decidedness after using SIGI PLUS. Lenz (1990) concluded that the results of the study provided provide support for the positive impact of CACG systems on clients' career decision-making needs; further they were said to support Holland's theory, suggesting that attention to client personality characteristics and vocational identity level were warranted prior to their use of a computer-based career guidance system. Holland's theory indicates that developmental events can have an affect on vocational preferences and theories because of their power to shape personality. This notion was tested as part of a s
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Approximate Word count = 1895
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)

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