Journal of Career Development

This study examined the separate and combined effects of a career planning course and a computer-assisted career guidance system (SIGI PLUS) on undecided university students. Seventy first and second year university students were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups (career planning course only; career planning course and SIGI PLUS; SIGI PLUS only; wait-listed control group). Pre and posttest measures were administered and an analysis of covariance was conducted to determine differences among groups for each measure. Significant overall differences were found for each measure. Follow-up procedures revealed significant differences between specific career treatment groups and the control group. Implications for counselors are discussed.

The article makes a case for the construction of narratives as major focus for career planning. Narratives can be seen as an appropriate compliment to the analysis of objective test data that has dominated our practice in the past. Narrative is described as an approach for career counselors to understand clients' vocational experiences and future plans. Subjective and objective aspects of a career narrative are explored, and emphasis is placed on co-authoring a career story that is subjectively meaningful and objectively sound. The client's subjective understanding of the career story is given importance as being pivotal information that must be considered in career counseling. Five key interventions are described from a narrative perspective.

A structured exercise that is based on PCP theory has been described and demonstrated to show how it can facilitate self-understanding and career development. The primary advantage of a PCP-based approach, when compared to approaches that use standardized inventories, is that a PCP approach encourages career explorers to use their own constructs. It is hypothesized that when people use goals that are articulated from their own constructs, they will understand their goals more fully and be more empowered to work towards those goals. A fuller understanding of their goals should allow them to find environments where these goals are more likely to be realized. Future investigations will continue to test these hypotheses.

The ever increasing demands on guidance and counseling programs has added new responsibilities to the tasks of the counselor specifically in the area of career development. Along with this increase in responsibility, the issue of accountability has been added. Career information delivery systems assist the counselor in meeting the need for accurate, relevant occupational and educational information that can be disseminated in a timely efficient manner. Therefore, CIDS should be a vital part of all comprehensive career guidance and counseling programs.

A variety of client characteristics, drawn primarily from John Holland's theory and constructs, were used to examine client reactions to using a computer-assisted career guidance system. The subjects were 206 individuals who sought assistance at a university-based career center. A regression analysis revealed that persons with higher Social and Enterprising scores rated the system lower on its ability to help them acquire self and occupational knowledge.