Social Justice in Career Services: Perspectives of University Career Center Directors

Research indicates that career development practitioners value social justice and desire additional skills to be able to advocate effectively. Many of these practitioners work on college campuses under the supervision of career center directors; however, directors' perspectives on social justice have been missing from the literature. Following the National Career Development Association's mandate to actively practice the professional value of honoring diversity and promoting social justice, we surveyed 11 career center directors regarding advocacy in career services. Results of thematic analysis yielded center directors' insights into both defining and promoting social justice. Participants addressed the roles and responsibilities of career counselors, career center directors, and institutional culture. Implications for practice include the importance of open communication and the need for collaboration inside and outside of the career center. These findings highlight potential areas for future research into best practices for integrating social justice and advocacy in university career services.     

Missionary Kid Career Development: A Consensual Qualitative Research Investigation Through a Social Cognitive Lens

Repatriated, young adult children of international missionaries (missionary kids [MKs]) face unique challenges in education and career development. The authors conducted a consensual qualitative research investigation, grounded in social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986 ), as it informs social cognitive career theory, of career planning and decision making with 11 repatriated MKs. Participants ranged in age from 19 to 23 years (58% female, 67% Caucasian) and had repatriated to the United States between the ages of 14 and 19 years, spending between 4 and 19 years abroad. The authors' interpretation of the study findings led to a context‐specific revision of Bandura's ( 1986 ) Triadic Reciprocality Model. That is, regarding career development, faith intersects environmental variables, personal attributes, and overt behaviors in unexpected and multidimensional ways. Recommendations for researchers and practitioners include (a) attending to issues of sociocultural adaptation, (b) continuing to offer empirically supported (standard) career services to MKs, (c) using contextual and developmental approaches, and (d) inquiring about faith and calling.     

Infusing Career Development to Strengthen Middle School English Language Arts Curricula

An approach is presented for strengthening middle school standards‐based English language arts (ELA) classroom instruction by infusing theory‐ and research‐supported career development constructs and practices. Over an 8‐week period, 90 urban 7th graders participated in an integrated ELA–career development curriculum. Career agency emerged as an important construct for students. It was related to key markers of ELA achievement (i.e., standardized test scores, grades, and positive change in 6th‐ to 7th‐grade test scores) and elaborated on in nuanced ways by students in their written narratives. Four themes related to career agency were identified in student writings: time perspective, challenges of self‐direction, career development, and social and emotional development. Advantages for students and schools related to synergy, scale, and sustainability are discussed.     

The Validity of Social Media–Based Career Information

The use of social media expands the availability and sources of career information. However, the authorship of this information has changed from traditional print media and multimedia sources created by experts to social media–based career information created by the users themselves. Although variability in career information validity has been an issue for some time, rapid growth in the use of social media creates some unique challenges. The ease with which social media–based career information can spread creates the potential for rapid widespread dissemination of disinformation and biased perceptions. Potential sources of invalidity include intentional bias (with or without profit motive), unintentional bias, restricted range of experience, out‐of‐date information, popularity bias, similarity bias, and context deficiency. The authors examine potential sources of social media–based career information invalidity and suggest implications for practice to help individuals make the best use of such information.     

Evaluating FOCUS‐2's Effectiveness in Enhancing First‐Year College Students’ Social Cognitive Career Development

This study examined the effectiveness of the computer‐assisted career guidance system, FOCUS‐2, on 1st‐year college students’ social cognitive career development. Specifically, the authors assessed career decision self‐efficacy (CDSE) and assessment of attributions for career decision making (AACDM) using repeated measures analyses of variance with a sample of 1st‐year college students (N= 420). Effectiveness was measured as a change in participants’ CDSE and AACDM scores from pretest to posttest. Results demonstrated that participants’ interaction with FOCUS‐2 was associated with increases in participants’ CDSE and alteration to a less optimistic style for AACDM. Gender, race, academic major status, and the amount of time using FOCUS‐2 were also considered. Implications for practice are explored.     

Career Development and Public Policy

The rationale for policy interest in career development services and the way in which this rationale is being strengthened by the current transformations in work and career are discussed. The potential roles of public policy in relation to career development services are explored, along with ways in which such services can influence the policy‐making process. A range of policy issues related to making career development services available to all throughout life are identified. Stronger structures and processes are needed to bring together career development practitioners with policy makers and other stakeholder interests in order to address tasks of common concern.     

Beyond polyphony: Open Dialogue in a Women’s Shelter in Australia as a possibility for supporting violence‐informed practice

Open Dialogue is a family/social network‐centered psychotherapeutic approach to responding to people in crisis and distress. In 2017, Open Dialogue network meetings were implemented in an Australian inner‐city shelter for disadvantaged women. The aim of this study was to explore the experience of participating in these meetings from the perspective of service users and Open Dialogue practitioners. Qualitative interviews were completed with thirteen participants (six service users and seven practitioners) and analyzed thematically. The findings suggested that dialogical processes created safety by attending to multiple voices in nonviolent ways that reduced perceived hierarchies. Notions of expertise were renegotiated, which allowed the women to feel heard in significant ways that were different from their previous experiences with other social and healthcare services. Open Dialogue is an approach that can meaningfully attend to some of the power relations within which women live and within which social and health care services are provided.     

Self‐Help Career Services: A Case Report

Self‐help career services represent an important form of career intervention rarely described in the literature. Using a case‐report approach, the author describes this type of career intervention, which was guided by cognitive information processing theory and Holland's ( 1997 ) typological theory. The report offers an example of appropriately identifying client readiness to engage in career counseling using a 3‐tier model for service delivery composed of direct, brief, and self‐help interventions. It also demonstrates an effective method for translating theory to practice, a particularly critical need in the career development field. The outcome of the intervention supports a differentiated model of career services that increases client accessibility to those services.     

Career Outcomes Data From Social Media: Examining Quality in Current Practices

Social media websites contain information that can be used to assess career outcomes. Yet, questions remain about the quality of this data source. This study examined social media data collected from a large sample of recent college graduates (N = 3,094), considering how well those data represented the broader population of graduates and to what extent social media data matched survey responses on 5 employment variables. Results indicated that indiscriminately using social media data can lead to biased inferences about career outcomes. Specifically, social media data matched survey data in just 67% to 76% of comparisons. Despite these limitations, findings also revealed strategies to improve agreement between data sources, leading to more trustworthy inferences about career outcomes from social media. Results indicate a need to heighten practitioner awareness of data quality issues related to career outcomes data sources. A framework for examining data quality is offered, with suggested directions for future research.     

Affect in Daily Career Decision Self‐Efficacy and Career Choice Anxiety

The authors investigated the impact of emotional intelligence on 2 career decision variables: daily career decision self‐efficacy and daily career choice anxiety. They also examined the mediating effects of daily positive affect on these variables. At baseline, 103 Korean undergraduate and graduate students completed questionnaires about emotional intelligence. Using a daily diary method, the authors also collected data on participants’ daily positive affect, daily career decision self‐efficacy, and daily career choice anxiety for 21 consecutive days. Hierarchical linear model analyses indicated that emotional intelligence predicted daily career decision self‐efficacy and daily career choice anxiety. These findings suggest that fostering emotional intelligence and daily positive affect could help students determine their future career. For individuals experiencing difficulty in the career decision process, counselors may foster career decision self‐efficacy and reduced career choice anxiety via enhancing clients’ emotional intelligence and daily positive affect.     

A Phenomenological Study of Career Anxiety Among College Students

This study explored the phenomenon of career anxiety through a qualitative investigation of the experiences of 7 traditional‐aged college students who were in various stages of their undergraduate degree programs. Using Moustakas's ( 1994 ) method of transcendental phenomenology, the authors conducted in‐depth interviews to answer the following questions: (a) What are coresearchers’ (participants') experiences with the phenomenon of career anxiety? and (b) In what contexts do the coresearchers experience career anxiety? Seven themes emerged: general symptoms of anxiety, existential concerns, pressure, lack of career guidance, cognitive distortions, social comparisons, and economic/occupational uncertainty. The findings provide a contextual and developmental perspective on career‐related anxiety that can guide counselors in the implementation of interventions for reducing anxiety associated with career choice and development.     

Creative Use of the Career Construction Interview

Designed as part of an individual career construction and life design counseling intervention, the Career Construction Interview (CCI) and My Career Story (MCS) workbook aid career counselors and other career service providers in helping clients construct, deconstruct, and reauthor their career stories. Recently, some career counselors have developed ways of using the CCI and the MCS in group settings. In this article, the author offers 3 additional ways to use the CCI and, thereby, add creativity to the career counseling process. These 3 ways include use of written exercises, career collages, and career portfolios. The article concludes with a call for career practitioners to continue to think creatively in using the CCI with clients.     

Social capital,human capital,and career success in public relations in Taiwan

This study examined the degree to which demographic, human capital, and social capital variables can predict career success for public relations practitioners in Taiwan. Social capital includes two dimensions: social trust and social network. Human capital includes education, rank, career tenure, and motivation. Public relations practitioners (150) from 16 agencies in Taiwan were interviewed in 2006. Social capital explained the significant variance in subjective career success. As for human capital, motivation negatively predicted job comfort, but positively predicted challenge and task significance. Career tenure and rank in the agency positively predicted autonomy, while only age and professional tenure predicted objective success. This study also revealed that the longer the practitioners stay in the business, the more the sense of autonomy, financial rewards, and support they have. Combined with the results of objective career success, career tenure is the best predictor for career success among all the variables in human capital. Since gender does not predict career success, we may infer that public relations practice in Taiwan does not seem hostile to women.     

Career Experiences of Women With Major Financial Barriers

The career experiences of women facing major financial barriers are unique and varied. To better understand and assist such women, the authors interviewed 10 women twice to explore their lived career experiences, using photographs in one interview as stimuli to increase participants' voice and triangulate data. Participants' responses were grouped into 20 themes across 4 domains: career as privilege, reasons for engaging in work, supports, and barriers. Women with major financial barriers appear to understand career as a privilege while experiencing significant obstacles to successfully obtaining work. Participants expressed resiliency and self‐motivation to transcend and mitigate these obstacles. This study indicates a need for increased focus on the career development and engagement of marginalized populations in career counseling theory, assessment, and practice while suggesting practical interventions.     

Academic Support Services and Career Decision‐Making Self‐Efficacy in Student Athletes

This study examined the relationship between evaluations of academic support services and student athletes’ career decision‐making self‐efficacy. One hundred and fifty‐eight NCAA athletes (68% male) from 11 Division I teams completed measures of satisfaction with their academic support services, career decision‐making self‐efficacy, general self‐efficacy, and locus of control. Results indicated that evaluations of academic support services were positively related to levels of career decision‐making self‐efficacy. In addition, this relationship was moderated such that student athletes with lower levels of general self‐efficacy and internal locus of control benefited more from positive experiences with academic support services. Limitations and implications are discussed.     

Project HOPE: Evaluation of Health Science Career Education Programming for Rural Latino and European American Youth

Project HOPE comprises a health science career pipeline program based in social cognitive career theory. The program aims to promote health science career exploration for rural and Latino middle school students while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of achieving in math and science subjects. The authors conducted 2 studies to evaluate Project HOPE using baseline and follow‐up evaluation data. Results of Study 1 indicated that Project HOPE was associated with increases in math/science self‐efficacy for both Latino (n = 42) and European American (n = 31) students. Results of Study 2 indicated that Project HOPE was associated with higher health science career self‐efficacy beliefs for European American students (n = 22) and higher health science career interests for Latino students (n = 28). These results suggest that domain‐specific career interventions for middle school students that focus on jobs tied to the local economy may be a useful way to engage students in career exploration.     

The Self‐Directed Search as a Stand‐Alone Intervention With College Students

The Self‐Directed Search (SDS; Holland, 1994 ) is sometimes administered to large student groups outside of counseling to address common career development needs. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the SDS as a stand‐alone intervention by comparing a general sample of college students who completed the SDS (n = 39) with a no‐treatment control group (n = 41) on several outcomes. Completion of the SDS related to an increase in the number of career alternatives being considered 4 weeks later but did not relate to career exploration, career decision‐making self‐efficacy, career indecision, and seeking of career counseling services. If the SDS is used outside of counseling with broad student samples, the authors suggest providing additional intervention to ensure that it promotes exploration of any additional careers being considered.     

Racial/Ethnic Minority Vocational Research Trends: An 11‐Year Update

This study extends Flores et al.'s ( 2006 ) 36‐year analysis of racial/ethnic minority (REM) career research to identify recent trends in choice of topics and leading individual and institutional contributors. The authors identified 166 articles on REM career research published from 2005 to 2015 in the Journal of Vocational Behavior, The Career Development Quarterly, the Journal of Career Assessment, and the Journal of Career Development. Of these studies, 92% were empirical, with more than three quarters of these using quantitative rather than qualitative methodology. Most frequently, the empirical studies (n = 153) were based on samples of high school (30.7%) or undergraduate (34.6%) students. The authors discuss the implications of their findings and suggest ways to expand REM career research in the future.     

Career Engagement: Investigating Intraindividual Predictors of Weekly Fluctuations in Proactive Career Behaviors

This study applied a microlevel perspective on how within‐individual differences in motivational and social‐cognitive factors affected the weekly fluctuations of engagement in proactive career behaviors among a group of 67 German university students. Career self‐efficacy beliefs, perceived career barriers, experienced social career support, positive and negative emotions, and career engagement were assessed weekly for 13 consecutive weeks. Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that above average levels of career engagement within individuals were predicted by higher than average perceived social support and positive emotions during a given week. Conversely, within‐individual differences in self‐efficacy, barriers, and negative emotions had no effect. The results suggest that career interventions should provide boosts in social support and positive emotions.     

Social work students’ professional and personal exposure to social work: an Australian experience

General career research suggests that many factors may influence how people select a career, including information about or exposure to the career. The focus of this paper is upon how exposure to a social worker personally (e.g. friend or family) or in a therapeutic capacity (e.g. received social work therapy) may influence the decision to become a social worker, when compared to other disciplines. The results showed that 63% of 64 social work students had personal and/or professional exposure to social work prior to making a career decision. When compared to other students (n?=?447) the social work students were significantly more likely to have accessed social work services (themselves or a family member). The influence of a friend who was a social worker and working with a social worker was noteworthy for mature-aged students. These results highlight that every interaction social workers have with the community provides valuable information about the profession and gives insight into social work as a career. Additionally, the results suggest that the increase in numbers of social workers and the influence of that exposure to a social worker have resulted in an increase in the use of social work services by students, and may continue to rise in the future.