The Career Counseling Case Study Project

Diversity Issues in Career Counseling

According to Arthur & McMahon (2005), over the years, the population has changed from homogenous groups to mosaic people. The mixture of different groups of people come with diverse customs and cultures. The diversity has influenced many aspects of the society in that the focus has shifted from monoculturalism to a wider focus, and that is multiculturalism. The idea of an integration of society with different groups of people has probed the career counselors to adapt more combative measures in counseling the various groups found in the same society. Various characteristics define the diversity issues in career counseling.

Taneka is a teenager in junior high school in need of vocational guidance. As the eldest sibling in a family of three, she exhibits characteristics of a responsible, hardworking and a dependable young adult. In this case, Taneka, an African-American girl from a low-income family needs career counselling. Any career advice that Taneka can get from a career counselor must address some of the characteristics of diversity issues in career development.

Age is one of the characteristics which plays a significant role in the type of counseling that a professional counselor must consider so that it can help her to transition from high school to college and the job market as well. By the fact that she is still a teenager, the relationship would be the one of a mentor and a mentee. At this level, Taneka would be required to consider adult questions and make adult choices. The kind of counseling focuses on comparable outcomes, and that is socialization to higher education both socially and academically. At seventeen years, Taneka needs advice on the best career path to follow. Her abilities to deal with people would make her prosper in the sales business.

As a professional counselor, I must be able to foster a relationship that respects all parties and in this case, the relationship should employ cultural sensitivity and diplomacy (Arthur & McMahon, 2005). In her family, post-secondary education has never been given much priority due to the lack of the financial resources. However, since Taneka had seen some light on the issue, I should be sensitive to her feeling about the matter and try to make her understand the importance of furthering her studies. In the counselling process, understanding the client is critical. In the case of Taneka, the counselling would be a client-centered approach (Arthur & McMahon, 2005).

Gender impacts counselling significantly. Since Taneka is a woman, the advice should be centered on matters affecting women in the society. The cultural conceptions influence the career choices that people choose. In the case of Taneka, as a career counselor, I have to listen to her perception about her understanding of the career paths and the role that gender plays in the same. Gender variations in the selection of activities that constrain occupational choices occur earlier in the life cycle. In the case of Taneka, she did not put much effort in studies while in her early years in high school since she saw no need to put the needed efforts to make her go to college. As a career counselor, I would advise her on the range of career paths she can follow with the kind of grades and show her ways of getting the financial resources in advance to prepare for the course she chooses.

Biases and Assumptions have a telling effect on the counselling process both to the counsellor and the client. To start with, the client may have assumptions about an individual career and a counselor must have the knowledge on how to explain such assumptions and biases. Taneka had the perception that college was out of her reach due to the family’s socioeconomic status and the fact that no one in her family had proceeded to college (Ponterotto, 2010).

Also cultural bias can influence the counselling session. The western culture emphasizes autonomy, competition, independence and assertiveness while those from the east emphasize on interdependence, cooperation, maturity and compliance. The counsellor must realize the differences in the sets of values and strike a balance between the two when carrying out the counselling process. The values of the counselor may have an influence on the client’s values. The values of the counselor affect how they work with the clients. Counselors must understand their values and those of their clients as well. Values act as points of reference for individuals; the counselors must be careful that their values do not conflict with those of the clients because this would cause a strained relationship. Counselors must stay neutral so that the clients can move from an external to an internal locus of control (Ponterotto, 2010).

Over the years, career counselling in the U.S has developed a comprehensive network of theories and intervention strategies that make counselling worthwhile. In the case of Taneka, various models can be manipulated to give positive results amid the potential challenges in the counselling process. The life cycle developmental model can be used to outline the abilities, personalities, interests, values and self-concepts. Under the assumption that each occupation requires a set of characteristics would help the counselor determine Taneka where would fit best.

The identity development model would assist the client to develop and implement a self-identity. As the self-concept becomes more realistic and stable, so does vocational choice and behavior. People like occupations where they are free to assert their personal identity, and this would help Taneka. The gender development theory would help address the challenge of making it in a male-dominated occupation and help her become a success in the line of work. The empowerment that comes with the counselling would give her the confidence to face the challenges in the chosen career path (Ronzio, 2012).

References

Arthur, N., & McMahon, M. (2005). Multicultural Career Counseling: Theoretical Applications of the Systems Theory Framework (1st ed., p. pg. 208). University ofCalgary, 2500 University Dr. N. W, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2.

Ponterotto, J. (2010). Handbook of multicultural counseling. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Publications.

Ronzio, C. (2012). Counseling Issues for Adult Women in Career Transition. Journal Of Employment Counseling, 49(2), 74-84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-1920.2012.00008.x