Week 7 Post

I thoroughly enjoyed the information presented in Chapter 8 of Brown’s (2012) text. I found it beneficial for the author to focus on career development at all ages rather than focusing solely on adults. With such a strong emphasis on using information to facilitate career development, I thought it was interesting that one of the most important sources of information, O*NET, was only accessible online. While this database may be more comprehensive in nature compared to The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), it may not necessarily be readily available to those without internet access or difficult to navigate for those who are not technologically savvy (Brown, 2012). I found the domains of information contained within the content model of O*NET to be extremely helpful and thorough; however, it is certainly lacking in regards to an assessment. It would be much easier if the database already had assessment inventories integrated into the database in an attempt to narrow occupations based on interests as the article indicates (Brown, 2012). I also found it interesting that little information regarding military careers was incorporated into O*NET or The OHH because the military is often a vying option for many individuals as they consider occupations and enter the workforce. Because military service no less important than any other career choice, it would be helpful if information was made available for individuals to explore as well as careers that may be correspond with military service when these individuals return from duty and renter the workforce.

In regard to the other types of occupational information available, I had the opportunity to participate in a senior project and shadow an individual during high school and graduate school, respectively. While in high school, I took part in a program which was comparable to the work experience program described in the text (Brown, 2012). Every morning of my senior year, I would spend approximately two hours at a local middle school in a seventh grade classroom. I was afforded the opportunity to not only observe the teacher during my time there, but also, instruct several math lessons, prepare materials, and grade assignments. I found this experience to be extremely beneficial in terms of understanding this career field, becoming familiar with the work environment, and developing a work ethic. During my second year of graduate school, I was provided the opportunity to shadow a school psychologist for a school day. While this experience allowed me to observe the individual in her work environment performing daily activities, it also made me realize that the career was not the right option for me. Based on my personal experiences, I recognize the benefit in gathering career information through these various sources and would recommend that others continue to do the same.

References

Brown, D. (2012). Career information, career counseling, and career development (10th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.