Brief Overview of the Advancement of Postmodern Approaches to Career Counseling

Narrative potential and career counseling under quantity, quality, and mixed interventions: An emphasis on university students

Although robust evidence has been accumulating over the last decades supporting the effectiveness of career counseling in various populations, yet there are scarce conceptual or empirical studies investigating the impact of distinct approaches, such as traditional-“psychometric,” narrative, or a mixed (integrative) one. The primary aim of this paper is to make a contribution in the field, providing a synthetic overview of contemporary research findings regarding the effectiveness of narrative and mixed career counseling approaches with a special focus on university students. The recent trend of utilizing mixed approaches in career assessment and intervention is also emphasized in the article, suggesting they may have a great potential in helping young adults advance meaning-making about career and life design. Finally, a discussion of both benefits and challenges relating to narrative and mixed interventions along with recommendations for extending research in the area of assessing career interventions’ effectiveness for university students is provided.

Enhancing the sense of self of a mid-career woman through career construction counselling

This article reports on career construction counselling with a purposefully selected, mid-career, midlife woman. A single-case study research design was implemented. Data were gathered using an integrative qualitative and quantitative approach. After the intervention, the participant exhibited an enhanced sense of self-awareness. Career construction counselling can be used to help a mid-career, midlife woman become more aware of the meaning she assigned to life and her view of herself. Future research with diverse mid-career, midlife women (individually or in group-based settings) is needed to establish the effectiveness and long-term effects of the kind of intervention espoused here.

Archetypal values of science and engineering staff in relation to their career orientations

Orientation: Career decision-making in the 21st century is increasingly guided by the individuals’ deep-seated values and career orientations, as they are required to become proactive career agents in the pursuit of their career.Research purpose: The objective of the study was to explore the relationship between individuals’ archetypal values (measured by the Pearson–Marr Archetype Indicator) and career orientations (measured by the Career Orientations Inventory). The study also assessed the differences between race, gender, marital status, employment status and age groups regarding the archetypal values and career orientations of the individuals.Motivation for study: Career counsellors and industrial psychologists are increasingly required to explore new career guidance frameworks that are relevant and appropriate to the evolving nature of careers.Research design, approach and method: A quantitative survey was conducted. A non-probability sample of 207 voluntary participants employed within the science and engineering sector was obtained.Main findings: Correlational analyses revealed that the participants’ archetypal values related significantly to their career orientations. The various biographical groups differed significantly regarding their archetypal values and career orientations.Practical/managerial implications: The findings highlight the importance of understanding the deep-seated archetypal values that seem to explain the individuals’ career choices and decisions, and how these values differ regarding these choices and decisions.Contribution/value-add: The explanatory utility of the results may prove useful to enhance the individuals’ self-insight in their career choices and experiences. This study represents original research that contributes new knowledge to the field of career psychology and career counselling practices.