The contemporary approaches to career guidance have in my opinion gone a step too far. Why should a counsellor need to understand another person's view of reality in order to help them? Why should we use a narrative technique to in order to reach an understanding? I know most of the class have become very enthused with these new techniques, but I am questioning why we should be looking so closely at a person's thought processes. Surely it is sufficient to look into their behaviour and go from there. Also since when did thinking about it ever get anyone anywhere? To add to that reasoning, where is the proof that narrative and metaphor techniques actually achieve anything for clients? I could see why Jennifer Kidd writes that they, "resonate with the individual", but what do they do beyond that?
Maybe this accounts for the failure of these techniques to catch on, and the tendency for career practitioners to stick with what they know i.e. direct interviewing.
Why should we have to act like psychologists if we are career advisers?
Like most things new, it pays to be weary of them. Look for example at house-building nowadays: not so much bricks and mortar as skimpy panels and plastic components. Or food, we have burgers and chicken nuggets instead of steaks. I say, "Let's have solidity and positivity, not minced up junk that plays havoc with your digestive system!" And the same goes for career guidance. We could give career guidance without processing the thoughts of clients. We could help them evaluate what they did before without being intrusive and getting so close too them. The kind of closeness advocated by narrative technique could scare some individuals. The counsellor has to remain at a certain distance just as they do physically.
As for Key Workers in the career service I am sceptical about this too. This is a step too far into social work for it to be a career guidance responsiblity. I know that there is a lot of worthwhile work being done, but once a career adviser becomes a Key Worker they have chosen a niche or what may be an opening to more work of the same kind.
Why should we become sociologists if we are career advisers?
I am hoping that the cognitive approach will provide the ideal answer, and I think Pete will be covering that this week.
Inspiration from Graduation!
16 years ago
I don't see contemporary techniques as me trying to understand someone elses reality. I think they are trying to understand themselves. I personally didn't feel that the narrative approach was intrusive. After all when we did life space mapping we drew symbols and could choose what we talked about. I felt it was less intrusive than say the 7 point plan by Alec Rodger. They are new ideas which will take a while to filter through to mainstream guidance such as CS but I think there is alot to be gained from the approach.
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