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Running head: CAREER COUNSELING RESOURCES1

Career Counseling Resources

Alyssa Heggen

Ball State University

CAREER COUNSELING RESOURCES2

1. Self Directed Search

Description of the Tool: The SDS was developed as a research instrument to validate Holland’s

theory and yields Holland types (Sharf, 2006). The SDS uses subsets such as aspirations and

competencies to measure one’s similarity to the six Holland types (Miller, 1997).

How it is used: A self-administered, self-scored, and self-interpreted career counseling tool

(Krieshok 1987). Individuals are instructed to indicate activities that they like or dislike,

activities they believe they perform well in, and occupations they would be of interest to them.

Afterwards, instructions are provided to score the assessment. The three highest scores are

organized to reveal a three letter Holland code that represents the various Holland types. It is

recommended that the individual then look at The Occupational Finder for more information

regarding their code.

School counselors could administer the SDS during freshman orientation or in classes

such as psychology, home economics, or technology. It would also be appropriate to offer during

the beginning of the school year to willing students during their study hall or lunch period.

Target Population: The SDS is most appropriate for use with high school students, though there

are also versions adapted for middle school students (Miller, 1997).

Evaluation of the tool (friendliness, reliability, validity, cost, etc): 25% of students taking the

SDS make errors in scoring the instrument, 10% of those are serious, which suggests a trained

proctor or school counselor should be available to assist students (Miller, 1997). Validity scores

range between 48-64% depending on the sex and age of the students (Krieshok, 1987).

University of Maryland facilitated a study to determine test-retest reliability. Here, 65 subjects


were administered the SDS during freshman orientation and 7-10 months later. Results showed

little change in code.

This assessment tool is user-friendly in that the instructions and questions are easy to

follow and understand. The scoring is simple and allows the student to do it by themselves or

with an adult.

2. DISCOVER (http://www.act.org/discover/)

Description of the Tool: DISCOVER includes research-based assessments such as an interest,

abilities, and job values inventories. Also includes a World-of-Work Map that organizes

occupations into six clusters that are parallel to Holland’s Hexagon. DISCOVER also provides a

comprehensive guidance process that aids in identifying strengths, needs, and helpful build a

plan based on an individual’s personal profile. DISCOVER also has a database which includes

occupations, college majors, schools and training institutions, etc.

How it is used: Individuals are instructed to take the interest, abilities, and job values

assessments. The results are then interpreted using DISOVER’s Work-of-Work Map to

demonstrate the types of occupations related to their interests, abilities, and values according to

Holland’s code.

Target Population: DISCOVER has been suggested for individuals in middle school to

adulthood. Below is a suggested timeline according to Super’s career developmental theory:

Grade6 click on Occupational tab, then “By the World-of-Work Map”

Grade 6-7: take the Interest Inventory

Grade 8: take the Interest and Abilities Inventories


Grade 9 or above: take Interest, Abilities, and Values Inventories

This tool can be used in high schools, two-year colleges, four-year institutions, technical training

institutions, and/or vocational rehabilitation centers (Osborne, W., 1997).

Evaluation of the tool (friendliness, reliability, validity, cost, etc): Based on more than 20

empirical investigations conducted by counselors and researchers over the past two decades,

DISCOVER is effective in helping individuals make general or specific career decisions. It is

also increases an individual’s career and occupational certainty, career maturity, career self-

efficacy, vocational identity, and career exploration behavior (Discover, 2011).

3. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Description of the Tool: Reports a person’s preferred ways of attending to the world. There are

4 Letters representing one’s preferences (16 combinations):

Where you focus your attention

— Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I)

The way you take in information

— Sensing (S) or Intuition (N)

The way you make decisions

— Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)

How you deal with the outer world

— Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)

How it is used: The MBTI is used more as a personality assessment that allows people to better

understand themselves and their preferences. The MBTI is often combined with the Career


Report which provides individuals with the 50 most and 25 least occupations for a person with a

particular code (Zunker & Osborn, 2002). It is also suggested that the MBTU be used in middle

schools to help teachers know what learning styles work best for their students. Often used in

psychology or interpersonal related classes or for team. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator also

helps to improve communication and decision making (Watkins & Campbell, 2000).

Target Population: Used most often for older students and adults – often at the college level

Isabel Myers designed to use this for a wide age range and for multiple presenting issues

(Watkins & Campbell, 2000). However, Zunker and Osborn (2002) suggested that the MBTI

may be appropriate for high school students with a reading level at the 7th or 8th grade level.

Evaluation of the tool (friendliness, reliability, validity, cost, etc): Younger students yield

scores with lower reliability than did adults 20 years and older (Capraro & Capraro). Higher

achieving students yield higher reliability than do lower achieving students (Capraro & Capraro).

Validity may be questionable because no evidence to show positive relation between MBTI and

success within an occupation (Pittenger, 1993).

4. Drive of Your Life http://www.driveofyourlife.org/

Description of the Tool: Drive of Your Life is a career exploration game based on Holland’s

Codes. This interactive game allows students to answer questions about themselves to learn

about themselves and careers that interest them on a “virtual drive.” This program was created

specifically for Indiana students by IYI, funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc.

How it is used: It is suggested that schools use Drive of Your Life through a series of seven

psycho-educational lessons:

http://www.driveofyourlife.org/


Lesson 1:Introduction of Drive of Your Life (15 minutes)

Lesson 2:Log on to Drive of Your Life (20 minutes)

Lesson 3:Customize your ride (45 minutes)

Lesson 4:Personal Style Assessment (20 minutes)

Lesson 5: Plan your trip (40 minutes)

Lesson 6: Jump in and drive (40 minutes)

Lesson 7: Conclusion and print out (20 minutes)

Target Population: Learn more Indiana recommends 6th grade students use this program.

Although it was created for middle school students, students from 5th grade through high school

teachers have found it helpful.

Evaluation of the tool (friendliness, reliability, validity, cost, etc): Last school year Drive of

Your Life was used by 1,530 schools, 103,000 students in the state of Indiana, 223 Youth

Serving Organizations (not for profits, after school programs, churches), and 923 youth. This

program is used state wide so it should cross all SES, race, and genders, but these statistics are

not tracked by IYI. “Drive of your Life” was created in 2005. At this point, students who have

used this program are not yet going on to college. Indiana Youth Institute is in the process of

doing an evaluation to see its effectiveness on college going rates and college success (K.

Coffman, personal communication, April 4, 2011).

5. learnmoreindiana.org

Description of the Tool: Learn More Indiana helps students and parents check out colleges and

career training programs, explore different careers including the fastest growing Indiana


occupations, keep academics on track through grad-specific checklists and tips for supporting

life-long learning, find ways to save and pay for college.

How it is used: Learn More Indiana is used as a resource for students, parents, and educators. It

can be used to provide college and career related research. It also provides several interest

inventories: Career Clickers eXpanded, Career Clickers eXpress, Career One Stop, Career Party,

and Drive of Your Life.

Target Population: As mentioned earlier is provided for students, parents, and educators.

College and career checklists and resources are provided for students as young as the 6th grade

and continue on to 12th grade and high school graduating students.

Evaluation of the tool (friendliness, reliability, validity, cost, etc): Learn More Indiana

collects data through student surveys to inform schools, communities and policy-makers about

student postsecondary aspirations, perceived barriers and access needs. These surveys also

provide a way to link students directly with Indiana’s colleges and universities and provide

valuable information to improve school counseling and communication efforts. (Learn More

Indiana, 2007).

6. Kuder Career Search with Person Match Sketches

Description of the Tool: The Kuder Career Search is an interest inventory that is computerized

and available online. This assessment tool consists of six career clusters; outdoor/mechanical,

arts/communication services, sales/management, science/technical, social personal, and business

operations. Included in this inventory are the Occupational Scale and the College Majors Scale.

The Kuder Career Search also provides online links to the Occupational Outlook Handbook


when the individual’s results are revealed. The “Person Match Sketches” provides information

about specific jobs from actual individuals in the field (Zunker & Osborn, 2002).

How it is used: For the Kuder Career Search, students are instructed to respond to a list of three

items by indicating the most-liked and the least-liked. The student’s results are then matched to

one of the six career clusters. The students are then presented with occupational chart with

careers that match their results, including educational requirements for each occupation. The

Kuder Career Search is designed to assist in career decision-making process by providing

information for future career exploration (Zunker & Osborn, 2002).

Target Population: It is suggested that this assessment be administered once in middle school

and twice in high school (Zytowski & Laing, 1978).

Evaluation of the tool (friendliness, reliability, validity, cost, etc): For reliability, test-retest

reliability was tested on high school seniors and college students and results indicated a

coefficient of .90 (Zunker & Osborn, 2002). In terms of validity, when administered to adults,

the assessment correctly matched the individual with their current career 51% of the time

(Zytowski & Laing, 1978). More data is needed on the predictive validity of this instrument.

According to Zunker and Osborn (2002), the Kuder Career Search is one of the best valid and

reliable interest assessments that are currently provided online.

This assessment appears to be very easy to use and takes about 30 minutes for a student

to complete. This tool is valuable because it provides links to current information about various

jobs. It also provides real insight about various occupations from individuals in the field

themselves. In addition, the Kuder website provides counselor tips and other features currently in

development.


7. Junior Achievement

Description of the Tool: Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide is the world’s largest

organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and

financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs (Junior Achievement, 2011). JA is a

program used in the school to help students gain a better knowledge of real world jobs with a

focus is entrepreneurship, global business, and finances.

How it is used: Junior Achievement can be taught in class or as an after-school program. In

addition to volunteers, teachers and school counselors can also present Junior Achievement as

psycho-educational programs. Junior Achievement Programs help prepare young people for the

real world by showing them how to generate wealth and effectively manage it, create jobs which

help the community, and apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace. Students put these

lessons into action and learn the value of contributing to their communities. (Junior

Achievement, 2011)

Target Population: This program can be taught at an elementary, middle, and high school level.

Junior Achievement has several programs designed for each academic level. For elementary, JA

has a program called BizTown, middle school focuses on financial literacy, while high school

does a program called “Careers with a Purpose” and job shadowing (Junior Achievement, 2011)

Evaluation of the tool (friendliness, reliability, validity, cost, etc): JA Worldwide reaches 9.7

million students per year and 379,968 classrooms and afterschool locations. JA programs are

taught by volunteers in inner cities, suburbs, and rural areas throughout the United States of


America (Junior Achievement, 2011). Junior Achievement hired the World Institute for Research

and Evaluation (WIRE) and found that students who participated in JA had a better

understanding of free enterprise, were more likely to be employed, and more likely to enroll in

postsecondary education than other same-age students. Further, JA students were significantly

more confident about their ability to complete college than were students in general (Junior

Achievement, 2004). JA students, as compared to students in general, were also significantly

more likely to describe themselves as taking responsibility for their behaviors and having a

positive self-concept. These two characteristics, according to the psychological literature,

correlate positively with success in adult life (Junior Achievement, 2004).

8. Occupational Card Sort

Description of the Tool: The occupational card sort consists of a number of cards that each have

a various occupation listed on it. The cards are used to sort and facilitate an open discussion in

order to gain a better understanding of an individual interests, values, and abilities.

How it is used: Clients are typically first instructed to take the occupational cards and sort them

according to occupations they “would choose”, “would not choose”, and are “unsure.” Clients

are then asked to re-sort the cards in each pile into sub-categories based on whatever reasoning

they choose. Throughout this process, the counselor is asking the client about themes and the

client’s reasoning. This allows clarification of the client’s view of them and the world of work.

Target Population: The card sort can be used on anyone at any age level. However, it has been

suggested that counselors use this tool on clients/students who are undecided or whose interest

inventories are perceived by the client as inaccurate. This tool can also be used on females to


discuss thoughts about gender roles and stereotypes. Older clients may find the card sort helpful

for discuss their previous work and life experiences and how this affects their current work role.

Evaluation of the tool (friendliness, reliability, validity, cost, etc): Card sorts are not

interpreted as standardized assessments but instead are more symbolic of an individual’s thought

process and perceptions of careers and work. It has been found that card sorts are just as

successful as predicting the career choices of clients, reducing their career un-decidedness,

demonstrating changing in their career choices, and increasing satisfaction with their career

choices as currently standardized assessment tools (Zunker & Osborn, 2002).

9. Career Decision Making 2000 (CDM)

Description of the Tool: The Career Decision Making 2000 (CDM) is based on Holland’s code

but has changes the name of 5 out of 6 occupations types. Instead, the occupational types are

described as crafts, scientific, arts, social, business, and office operations. The assessment tool

consists of a self-administered and self-interpreted interest inventory, which varies depending on

grade level. Included in the manual for professionals who administer the assessment is an

overview of how to deal with various results or situations that may arise such as need for

exploration, possible sex stereotyping, profiles that are lacking consistency, unrealistic career

goals, and vocational confusion.

How it is used: There are two different levels of the CDMl; one for students in grades 7-10

(level 1) and one for students in grades 11 and 12 (level 2). Level 1 simply consists of a 96-item

interest inventory. Level 2 is more complex and includes a 120-item interest inventory. Level 2

also requires students to choose their top two preferences of career clusters, their two favorite

subjects in school, and their preferred training or education option for the future. All of these


components combined create a profile that aids the students in using the career cluster chart, the

CDM guide to majors and training programs, and tips for continuing education.

Target Population: This assessment tool is designed for middle and high school students.

Different levels of the CDM are administered depending on grade level.

Evaluation of the tool (friendliness, reliability, validity, cost, etc): Internal consistency of the

CDM ranged from .88-.93. Further, the authors of the study have found significant construct and

concurrent validity when comparing the CDM to other assessment tools such as the SDS. In an

11-year longitudinal study of college freshman, it was found that 76% had graduated with a

major that was congruent to their CDM results from freshmen year. A major strength of this tool

is that it is proven to have no sex bias and provides norms for minority groups. Further, it can be

self-administered, though it is suggested to have a professional at hand for assistance in

interpreting if needed (Zunker & Osborn, 2002).

10. Career Development Inventory (CDI)

Description of the Tool: The Career Development Inventory measures an individual’s maturity

and readiness to make career-related decisions. There are two versions available; one for middle

and high school students and one version for college-aged students. The first part of the

assessment, known as “Career Orientation”, uses four scales: Career Planning, Career

Exploration, Decision-Making, and World of Work. The second part is called, “Knowledge of

Preferred Occupation.” Here, the individual selected an occupation group from a list provided

and determines/selects various requirements for the occupation and the benefits of the particular

occupation group.


How it is used: The Career Development Inventory measures an individual’s vocational

maturity. It also provides specific strengths and weaknesses of the individual according to the

“Career Orientation” portion of the assessment, followed by an evaluation of the individual’s

readiness to make career decisions. This assessment allows school counselors to determine

whether further education and development is needed to increase readiness to make career-

related decisions.

Target Population: It is recommended that the CDI by used on students in grades 8 through 12.

However, the “Knowledge of Preferred Occupation” portion may be difficult for students who

are under a 9th grade reading level.

Evaluation of the tool (friendliness, reliability, validity, cost, etc): The Career Development

Inventory is incredibly useful for school counselors because it allows them to determine a

student’s readiness to make educational and occupational choices. Zunker and Osborn (2002)

also suggest that this tool can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a school counselor’s career

program. Internal consistencies on the four scales used in the CDI are as following: Career

Planning (.89), Career Exploration (.78), World of Work (.84), and Decision Making (.67). The

reliability for the “Knowledge of Preferred Occupation was .60 (Zunker & Osborn, 2002).


References

Capraro, R. M., & Capraro, M.M. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator score reliability across studies:

A meta-analytic reliability generalization study. Texas A&M University.

Discover, ACT, Inc., 2011. Retrieved from www.act.org/discover

Indiana Youth Institute. (2006). Drive of your life. Retrieved from www.driveofyourlife.org

Junior Achievement (2004). The impact on students of participation in JA Worldwide: Selected

cumulative and longitudinal findings. Retrieved from http://www.ja.org/files/long_

summary.pdf

Junior Achievement (2011). JA Job Shadow. Retrieved from http://www.ja.org/programs/

programs _job_ shadow_obj.shtml

Junior Achievement (2011). News Room: Fact Sheet. Retrieved from http://www.ja.org/about/

about_news_fact.shtml

Krieshok, T.S. (1987). Review of the self-directed search. Journal of Counseling and

Development, 9.

Learn More Indiana. (2007). Learn more Indiana: Your college and career connection. Retrieved

from http://learnmoreindiana.org


Miller, M.J. (1997). Error rates on two forms of the self-directed search and satisfaction with

the results. Journal of Employment Counseling, 12.

Osborne, W. L., (1997), Career development, assessment, and counseling : applications of the

Donald E. Super C-DAC approach, Alexandria, Va. : American Counseling Association.

Pittenger, D. J. (1993). Measuring the MBTI and coming up short. Journal of Career Planning

and Placement.

Sharf, S.S. (2006). Applying Career Development Theory to Counseling. California: Thomson

Wadswort

Watkins Jr., E. C., & Campbell, V. L. (2000). Testing and Assessment in Counseling Practice.

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, London.

Zytowski, D. G. & Laing, J. (1978). Validity of other-gender-normed scales on the Kuder.

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