Basic Issues and Concepts in the Career Development and Counseling of Women

Abstract

Although the focus of this book is on career counseling for women, it presumes that the reader has a basic, working knowledge of the major theories of and approaches to career development and career counseling. The field of vocational psychology is nearly 100 years old, if Frank Parsons’ groundbreaking work, Choosing a Vocation (1909), can be considered its birth. Since then we have built a rich tradition of theory, research, and counseling methods, including methods of vocational and career assessment. Accordingly, I assume a familiarity with the theories of Super (see Super, Savickas, & Super, 1996), Holland (see Spokane & Cruza-Guet, 2005), Dawis and Lofquist (Dawis, 2005), Gottfredson (Gottfredson, 2005), Krumboltz’ social learning approach (Mitchell & Krumboltz, 1996), and Lent, Brown, and Hackett’s (1994, 2000; Lent, 2005) social cognitive theory and with traditional methods of career assessment in the areas of abilities and aptitudes, vocational interests, and vocational needs and values. Readers who wish to expand or review their knowledge in these areas may consult such resources as Brown and Lent’s (2005) Career Development and Counseling, Osipow and Fitzgerald’s classic text Theories of Career Development (1996), the Handbook of Vocational Psychology (Walsh & Osipow, 1995), the Handbook of Counseling Psychology (Brown & Lent, 2000), Swanson and Fouad’s (1999) Career Theory and Practice, Spokane’s (1991) Career Intervention, and Luzzo’s (2000) Career Counseling With College Students.