1. Prepared by Merrit B. Henry JP., PhD. Career Development Specialist
Dysfunctional Career Thinking: Connecting The Dots… Education, Interests, Careers and the 21st Century Workplace.
Prepared by
Merrit B. Henry JP., PhD.
Career Development Specialist

2. Overview Introduction Background to the Study
Dysfunctional Career Thinking (DCT)Explained
Findings
Development of a Career Information Kit (CIK)
How DCT impacts Career Development- Secondary, Tertiary level
DCT :21st Century Workplace
Connecting The Dots
conclusion & Recommendations

3. Introduction Career Defined Dysfunctional Career Thinking
“Time extended working out of a purposeful life pattern through work undertaken by the person.” (Reardon, Lenz, Sampson, Peterson, 2009, p. 6)
Dysfunctional Career Thinking
Dysfunctional career thinking comprises the verbalising of negative statements about career choices that make career problem solving and decision making more difficult. (Sampson, Peterson, Lenz Reardon and Saunders, 1996)

4. Dysfunctional Career Thinking-How Learnt
“Dysfunctional career thoughts and dysfunctional career thinking are learnt in families, peer groups, at school and at work through exposure to misinformation, lack of information, misinterpretation of information, beginning in childhood and continuing through adolescence and adulthood in response, to negative learning thoughts.” (Sampson, Lenz, Peterson Reardon & Saunders, 1996, p. 13).

5. Background to the Study
Evidence of DCT school and home – ( Erickson, 1959,1980);
– Misinformation, lack of information , verbalisation of negative statements about careers
Parental influence
Inadequate career information (Henry,1997)
Evidence that secondary level institutions are not adequately prepared to help students make realistic career choices

6. Background to the Study
Cultural norms and gender biases regarding career decisions
Transitional challenges of students at the tertiary level
Demands of a globalized world of work- Diversity of
careers
Access to Information (positive and negative)

7. Assumptions Governing Career Information Processing
Career choices are based on how we think and feel
Making career choice is a problem solving activity
Our ability as career problem solvers is based on what we know and how we think
Career decisions require a good memory
Career decisions require motivation

8. Assumptions Governing Career Information Processing (cont.)
Career development continues as part of our lifelong learning and growth
Our career depends largely on what and how we think about it
The quality of our career depends on how well we learn to make career decisions and solve career problems

9. Career Decision Making : Cognitive Information Processing(CIP)  
Adapted from “Career Development and Planning: A Comprehensive Approach” Reardon, R. C., Peterson, G. W., Sampson, James, P. Jr., & Lenz, J. G. (2000). Career development and planning: A comprehensive approach (1st. ed.). Pacific Grove, California: Wadsworth-Brooks/Cole Publishing.
Communication ,Analysis, synthesis,Valuing&Execution

10. Decision Making Skills Domain-CIP
Communication- Identification of a gap
Analysis-Interrelating problem components
Synthesis-Likely alternatives
Valuing---Prioritising alternatives
Execution-Forming means -ends strategies

11. STUDY
Existence or otherwise of dysfunctional career thinking in Jamaican secondary schools & development of a CIK
Population consisted of third form students from secondary schools in region 1 (Kgn. & St. Andrew)
Sample size 20%- 6 secondary schools
Interviews conducted with guidance counsellors from 6 schools

12. Findings -Study Research findings:
Guidance Counsellors and third form students from 6 secondary schools -
DCT exists at all stages of the career decision making process (Knowledge, Decision Making , Executive Processing)
Lack of career information
62% were not aware of the use of career assessment instruments
50% were aware of a career information centre

13. Development of a Career Information Kit (CIK)
The CIK was developed based on:
Research findings – Henry ( 2016)
Literature - (Reardon, Lenz, Sampson, Peterson, 2009)
High level of validity and reliability

14. How DCT impacts Career Development
Secondary level
Subject Choices : third form, sixth form
Lack of Career Information
Parental Expectation
Tertiary level
Students at tertiary level not settled in their career choice(Reynolds, 2004)
Majors not in keeping with Interests ,abilities, values & marketability
Poor performance
Attrition
Changing Major/ faculty & Spending a longer time to complete
Financial Challenges
Delayed goal attainment

15. DCT and 21st Century Workplace
World of work changing- focus not only on academics:
Holistic development of individual
Global village –shift from national to regional and international companies
Access to global market
International recruitment-Requirements
Digital-age Literacy, Dedication, Commitment
Inventive Thinking , Creativity, Cultural diversity
Effective Communication, Foreign Languages
Flexibility, Problem solving , High Level of Productivity

16. DCT and 21st Century Workplace
New and emerging career
Online – Facilitators, Programme Developer,
Logistics
Solar/Energy Alternative Personnel
Aeronautical Engineering
Animation
Social Media Manager
Web Developer
Electronics Engineer
Social Marketing

17. DCT and 21st Century Workplace -Impact
Competitive world of work requiring highly skilled & motivated persons
Persons experiencing DCT difficult to land a job
Lacks motivation
Poor performance
May work in an area not in keeping with qualification
May Seek retraining
Absenteeism
Ill health

18. DCT…..Twenty First Century Workplace….Connecting The Dots..
In global economy need for human resources contemplated in terms of global demands and supply
Need for highly trained persons in specialised career areas to meet global requirements
Educational institutions are suppliers of Human resources-Tertiary level playing a major role
Link between tertiary and secondary levels in students career development in order to ensure success at tertiary level

19. DCT…..Twenty First Century Workplace……Connecting The Dots...(cont’d)
Exposure to career information at the Secondary Level important
Link between preparation of human resources ( Secondary & Tertiary) and labour market supply locally regionally and internationally - integration of Global Market Place

20. DCT exists among students in Jamaican secondary level institutions
Conclusion
DCT exists among students in Jamaican secondary level institutions
Influence of peers ,teachers, family other significant others can impact DC
Interests, values abilities, marketability are major factors to consider when making a career decision cognitive information processing plays a vital part in career decision making
Availability of career information is vital to the career decision making process

21. Recommendations
Increased training and placement of Career Specialists in high schools by Ministry of Education
Parenting sessions organized by PTA
Structured career development programmes in
schools
Increased availability of career information in secondary schools and public libraries - CIK

22. Recommendations-cont’d
Greater linkages between secondary and tertiary level institutions and world of work
Transitional programmes

23. A Glimpse of the CIK
15 High Demand Career Areas

24. Discussion/Questions/Answers