Career-related choices are among the most important decisions people make during their lifetime. These choices have significant long-term implications for individuals’ lifestyles, emotional welfare, economic and social status, as well as their sense of personal productivity and contribution to society. Therefore, it is only natural that individuals at different stages of their lives are preoccupied with career choices (e.g., Campbell & Cellini, 1981; Gati, Saka, & Krausz, 2001; Super, 1980). Moreover, although almost all people make career choices, many people face difficulties in this area (e.g., Amir, Gati, & Kleiman, 2008; Osipow, 1999; Rounds & Tinsley, 1984; Tinsley, 1992).
This chapter explores some of the shortcomings of these two approaches, namely, the lack of reference to the essence of the career decision-making process, and suggests ways of addressing these shortcomings by conceptualising career decision making from a decision-theory perspective. It is suggested to adopt the view that the goal of career guidance and counselling is helping clients make better career decisions. To achieve this goal, a theory that focuses on understanding the processes involved is essential. This chapter shows the practical importance of designing procedures for making career decisions in specific situations requiring choices among alternatives along the developmental continuum described by career-development theories, and demonstrates how the goal of making adequate career choices (that is expected to lead to high person-environment congruence) can be better achieved by using a systematic decision-making model.
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Gati, I., Tal, S. (2008). Decision-Making Models and Career Guidance. In: Athanasou, J.A., Van Esbroeck, R. (eds) International Handbook of Career Guidance. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6230-8_8
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