Career Exploration Discussion

I’m working on a psychology multi-part question and need a reference to help me learn.

Career exploration typically begins with the application of one or more guiding career theories. Career theories (i.e. Parsons (1909), Holland (1973), Super (1953), and Gottfredson (1981)) emphasize the importance of self-awareness (knowing one’s interests, aptitudes, values, and beliefs) and career awareness (knowing the specific occupational training and skill requirements so that meaningful career goals can be identified and pursued.

Discuss how as a school counselor (or your desired position) you would address career exploration with your students/clients. Be sure to include the grade level or age of the student/client and describe how you would include self-awareness and career awareness in you career exploration plan.

Finding a job can be a challenge for youth. They must determine what careers are available, what their interests are, and what skills they have or need to develop. Numerous resources are available to help youth get a sense of their interest and skills as well as gain employment experience and learn about employment opportunities.

Mentoring
Mentoring—matching youth or “mentees” with responsible, caring “mentors,” usually adults—has been found to be an important support for youth as they transition to adulthood and the workforce.1 Mentoring provides opportunities for youth to develop emotional bonds with mentors who have more life experience and can provide support, guidance, and opportunities to help them succeed in life and meet their goals.2

Mentoring relationships can be formal or informal, with substantial variation, but the essential components include creating caring,

empathetic, consistent, and long-lasting relationships, often with some combination of role modeling, teaching, and advising. One form of mentoring, called instrumental or topic-focused mentoring, focuses on a particular problem and aims at helping mentees reach specific goals, such as improving academic performance or preparing for employment opportunities.

Career-focused mentoring, a type of instrumental or topic-focused mentoring, can take a variety of forms and may focus on different pieces of career development and employment. Some examples include assisting with the following:

writing resumes and cover letters;
conducting mock interviews and providing support for answering interview questions;
exploring possible careers and assisting with job, internship, or program searches;
developing on-the-job skills (soft skills or technical skills);
modeling behavior, attitudes, or skills in the workplace (job-shadowing); and
career planning and goal setting.3
Apprenticeships and internships can provide on-the-job opportunities to integrate mentoring into employment experiences for youth. You can find out more about both apprenticeships and internships for youth below. Learn more about mentoring and the benefits for youth and their mentors.

Assessment, Testing, and Counseling
Self-assessments help teach youth about themselves so that they can find a career that is a good fit for their interests and skills. They allow youth to explore

what they do and do not like,
how they react to certain situations,
their skills, and
values.4
A professional, such as a counselor at a high school, trade or vocational school, college, or career training center, can help in selecting an appropriate assessment, interpreting the results, and providing career counseling.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration sponsors two valuable resources to assist youth identify career pathways. CareerOneStop is a website that provides a range of career-exploration help:

Up-do-date information on job salary and benefit information and related education and training opportunities
Job search tools, resumes, and interview resources, and people and places to help jobseekers virtually, such as What’s My Next Move (PDF, 10 pages), a guide to exploring careers for youth
The American Job Centers (AJCs), also known as One Stop Centers, provide job referrals, counseling, and other supportive services to help with both job search and location of training and education resources. AJCs have locations across the United States.

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability provides a range of assessments that can help with the transition from school to employment. In addition to their focus on career planning, these resources recognize unique challenges faced by students with disabilities.

An additional online resource, Students and Career Advisors, allows students, career advisors, and parents to learn more about potential career opportunities. This resource provides opportunities for students to explore their interests, learn about potential careers, learn how to get job experience, and find additional educational opportunities to support career development.