Competency Category:
Competency Series:

10.1 – Understand Career Development Theories and Models

Purpose & Context

Career Development Professionals (CDPs) draw from a wide variety of traditional and emerging career development theories, models, frameworks and approaches. A strong theoretical foundation enables CDPs to understand a client’s situation and choose relevant approaches and interventions.CDPs also use theoretical models to generate knowledge, stimulate thinking, and provide direction for research on the field of practice.

Effective Performance

Competent career development professionals must be able to:

  • P1. Describe career development theories, models, frameworks and approaches, i.e. recognize the unique body ofliterature, research and evidence informing the practice of CDPs
  • P2. Distinguish between evidence-based theoretical foundations and other approaches:
    • Evidence-based: research-based interventions inform theory-based practice, i.e. scientific method
    • Other approaches: untested but commonly recognized practices
  • P3. Identify traditional career development theories, for example:
    • Trait-factor theories, e.g. Holland’s person-environment fit
    • Developmental, e.g. Super’s theory of lifespan/life space career development
  • P4. Identify key components of contemporary and emerging career development theories, for example:
    • Responding to the unexpected, e.g. chaos theory of careers, happenstance learning theory
    • Collaborative meaning making, e.g. cognitive information processing, life design counselling, narrative and
      socio-dynamic counselling
    • Systems, e.g. career engagement, holistic, life roles, social justice, sociological, systems theory framework
      and 4s model of life transitions
    • Psychology, e.g. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
    • Cultural complexity, e.g. career counseling with under-served populations, culture-infused service delivery,
      cultural accommodation
  • P5. Identify theories from other professions that are applicable to career development, for example:
    • Human development, e.g. Erikson’s developmental stages, Skinner’s behaviourism
    • Change and transition, e.g. Bridges’ transition model, Prochaska and Diclemente’s stages of change
      model/transtheoretical model
    • Human resource development, e.g. theory of work adjustment
    • Education, e.g. Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development
    • Mental health/optimal experience, e.g. Csikszentmihalyi’s flow, Keyes’ mental health continuum
  • P6. Keep up-to-date with latest developments in career development theory, models, frameworks, approaches and research,
    for example:

    • Seek information from reliable sources
    • Consult colleagues
    • Participate in professional development and learning

Knowledge & Understanding

Competent career development professionals must know and understand:

  • K1. Theories, models, frameworks and approaches specific to the field of career development
  • K2. Theories, models, frameworks and approaches from related fields relevant to career development practice

Contextual Variables

Competent career development professionals must be able to perform this competency in the following range of contexts:

Theoretical models may need to be adapted based on client characteristics.

Glossary & Key References

Terms

Industry-specific terms contained in the standard defined here, where applicable.

Theory: An idea that has gained enough evidence to be accepted as true through observed or measured phenomenon.

Model: Simplified representation of something complex.

Information Sources and Resources for Consideration

Arthur, N., Neault, R., & McMahon, M. (Eds.). Career theories and models at work: Ideas for practice. Toronto, ON: CERIC, 2019.

Neault, R. A. Theoretical foundations of career development (pp. 129-152). In B. C. Shepard, & P. S. Mani (Eds.), Career development practice in Canada: Perspectives, principles, and professionalism. Toronto, ON: CERIC, 2014.

Context Rating Scales

Criticality

Q: What is the consequence of a professional being unable to perform this skill according to the standard?

Minimal risk: SOMEWHAT CRITICAL

Frequency

Q: How frequent and under what conditions is this skill performed?

Routinely, regular course of procedure

Level of Difficulty

Q: Under routine circumstances, how would you rate the level of difficulty in performing this skill?

Moderate difficulty or complexity

Time Required to Gain Proficiency

Q: What is the average length of time or number of repeated events that are minimally necessary for an individual to become proficient in performing the skill to the standard?

A career development professional requires a minimum of one year of experience with at least 40 different clients, representing a broad range of individuals.

Autonomy

Practitioners typically perform this competency without supervision, and alone.

Automation

It is unlikely that this competency will automate.

Requisite Work Aids, Tools, Equipment or Materials

None