Introduction
This essay presents a career strategy for a client’s current issue or professional worry. The paper’s primary goal is to develop a career counseling plan for the client that encompasses the inquiry, understanding, and action stages. The paper will review the case’s pertinent sociocultural influences, the client’s demographic information utilizing the ADDRESSING identity model, and the client’s professional challenges and counseling objectives (Espin, 2018).
The article will also include methods for establishing rapport, demonstrating empathy, and addressing sociocultural issues, as well as pertinent career assessments and theories that clarify why the client’s professional objectives are constrained. The career plan’s final stage involves developing plans based on the insights, evaluation techniques, and follow-up activities from Stage 2, as well as creating an advocacy statement to advocate on behalf of the client. The paper will conclude with a recap of the key points, an interpretation of the broader implications, and a reminder of the length and citation requirements.
Case Study
The client in this case study is Jermel, a 27-year-old African American male. Jermel is seeking counseling because he has trouble obtaining and keeping a job. Since graduating from high school, he has held several low-paying jobs before being recently laid off due to the pandemic.
Jermel’s professional objective is to find a job that pays more and gives greater security. Although he has stated that working with computers and technology is one of his interests, he is aware of only a few possible career paths in this area. The major obstacle Jermel faces is a lack of guidance and understanding on how to meet his professional objectives.
Several sociocultural factors are relevant in Jermel’s case. As an African American man, Jermel faces discrimination and systemic barriers in the job market. He also grew up in a low-income neighborhood, which limits his access to resources and networks that could help him in his career search. Additionally, Jermel’s gender and sexual orientation may impact his career choices and opportunities.
As Jermel’s counselor, I support him in his career exploration and goal setting. I will provide a safe and non-judgmental space for him to explore his interests, values, and skills. Using the ADDRESSING model, Jermel’s demographic variables are as follows:
- Age: 27
- Disability status: None reported
- Religion: Not specified
- Ethnicity/race: African American
- Sexual orientation: Not specified
- Socioeconomic status: Low-income background
- Indigenous heritage: None reported
- National origin: United States
- Gender: Male.
To support Jermel in his career exploration, I will utilize the Holland-type career assessment, which aligns with Holland’s theory that individuals choose careers that match their personality types (Thul-Sigler & Colozzi, 2019). Through informal conversations and career-related activities, I will also explore Jermel’s interests, values, and skills. I will actively listen to Jermel’s story and validate his experiences to develop rapport and express empathy. I will also use open-ended questions to encourage him to share his thoughts and feelings about his career journey. Regarding sociocultural factors, I will explore how Jermel’s racial identity and socioeconomic background have influenced his career choices and opportunities.
I will identify Jermel’s interests, abilities, and strengths in the Insight stage. I will use a variety of career assessments and computer-assisted programs, such as the Strong Interest Inventory and O*NET, to help him gain deeper insight into his career preferences and options (Hanna & Rounds, 2020). I will also examine theories that could clarify the factors limiting Jermel’s career goals, including Gottfredson’s theory of circumscription and compromise and the social cognitive career theory.
In the Action stage, I will develop plans based on the insights gained in the previous stage. For example, suppose Jermel’s low self-efficacy beliefs and foreclosed occupational options hinder his career decision-making. In that case, I will facilitate discussion of additional options through activities such as card sorts and job shadows.
I will also provide psychoeducation on job search skills and utilize role-play to assess the increased knowledge. To advocate for Jermel, I will explore community resources and networks that could support his career development and access to opportunities. In conclusion, Jermel’s case underscores the challenges faced by individuals from underrepresented backgrounds in the job market. As a counselor, I will support Jermel’s career exploration and goal setting by utilizing evidence-based career theories and interventions that take into account his sociocultural context.
Career Plan
Stage 1: Exploration
To facilitate career exploration with Jermel, a licensed professional counselor or school counselor should engage in several activities. First, the counselor should interview with Jermel to learn about his personal and career background, as well as his interests, values, and skills. The interview would encourage Jermel to “tell his story.”
The counselor should employ active listening, open-ended questioning, and reflective techniques to establish rapport and convey empathy. Based on specific career theories, counselors can provide career assessments, such as Holland’s Self-Directed Search, to individuals like Jermel (Papakonstantinou & Papadopoulos, 2022). The counselor can also ask Jermel to research and explore different career options that align with his interests and personality traits. The counselor should address sociocultural factors, including race, ethnicity, and social class.
Holland’s theory of personality types suggests a strong correlation between a person’s personality and career choices. A career assessment test, such as the Self-Directed Search, can help Jermel identify his dominant personality traits and corresponding career paths. The counselor can use the test results to encourage Jermel to further explore specific career options. In addition, Super’s Life-Span/Life-Space theory states that people go through several stages of career development and transition, which means that Jermel’s career concerns are typical and can be resolved with career exploration.
Stage 2: Insight
Using the second stage of the Hill and O’Brien Helping Skills Model for career planning, the counselor can identify Jermel’s interests, abilities, and strengths using relevant career assessments and consider theories that explain limitations to Jermel’s career aspirations, such as Gottfredson’s theory of circumscription. To gain a deeper insight into Jermel’s career situation, the counselor should utilize career assessments such as the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to identify his interests, abilities, and strengths (King & Mason, 2020). The counselor should also discuss with Jermel the changes in the world of work, including emerging technologies and the skills required to adapt to these changes, and encourage him to consider training and upskilling to increase his employability.
Stage 3: Action
The counselor may start creating a career plan based on the insights from Stage 2 once they have determined Jermel’s interests, skills, and talents. Together with Jermel, the counselor should identify attainable objectives and develop an action plan that aligns with Jermel’s passions and skills. A frequent evaluation of the plan by the counselor and contact with Jermel should also be done to ensure he is progressing toward his objectives.
Jermel should receive ongoing support and guidance from the counselor, who will also assist him in overcoming any challenges that may arise. In addition, the counselor should provide an advocacy statement outlining how they will advocate on behalf of Jermel to ensure he receives equal opportunities in the workplace. This statement should include information on how the counselor will work with employers to accommodate Jermel’s needs and support his success in his chosen career.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this paper outlines a comprehensive career plan for Jermel, a 27-year-old African American man seeking counseling due to difficulties finding and maintaining employment. As his counselor, I will focus on developing a career counseling plan for Jermel, which includes exploration, insight, and action stages. Using the ADDRESSING identity model, pertinent sociocultural aspects of the case have been explored together with Jermel’s demographic data. In addition to pertinent job assessments and theories that explain why Jermel’s professional objectives are constrained, techniques for building rapport, exhibiting empathy, and addressing sociocultural concerns have been addressed.
The career plan’s final stage comprises strategies for developing plans based on the knowledge gathered in Stage 2, follow-up activities with Jermel, and an advocacy statement to be used in conjunction with or on Jermel’s behalf. This career plan emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing the sociocultural factors that impact Jermel’s career search, supporting his career exploration, and helping him develop and achieve his career goals.
References
Espin, O. M. (2018). Issues of identity in the psychology of Latina lesbians. In Latina realities (pp. 97-109). Routledge.
Hanna, A., & Rounds, J. (2020). How accurate are interest inventories? A quantitative review of career choice hit rates. Psychological Bulletin, 146(9), 765.
King, S. P., & Mason, B. A. (2020). Myers‐Briggs type indicator. The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences: Measurement and Assessment, 315-319.
Papakonstantinou, D., & Papadopoulos, K. (2022). The implementation of Holland Self-Directed Search to employed higher education graduates: A comparison between sighted adults and adults with visual impairments. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 40(2), 316-326.
Thul‐Sigler, A., & Colozzi, E. A. (2019). Using values‐based webinar interventions to facilitate career‐life exploration and planning. The Career Development Quarterly, 67(3), 271-278.