1. Career Explorations for Gifted Students
Presented by:
Emily E. Bullock, Ph.D.
September 2008

2. Outline of Presentation
General Career Development Issues
Gottfredson’s Theory
Career Development Issues Specific to a Gifted Population
Determining the Interests of a Gifted Student
Holland’s Theory
Approach by which to Intervene in the Career Development Process and Decision-Making
Cognitive Information Processing Approach
Resources and References

3. How Career Development Occurs in Everyone
Many theories and factors (Niles & Harris-
Bowlsbey, 2005)
Gottfredson’s theory (Gottfredson, 2005)
Stage 1: Orientation to Size and Power
Stage 2: Orientation to Sex Roles
Stage 3: Orientation to Social Valuation
Stage 4: Orientation to Internal, Unique Self

4. Stage 1: Orientation to Size and Power Stage 2: Orientation to Sex Roles
(elementary school)
Stage 1:
Size and Power
(preschool)
Male
roles
Firefighter
Truck driver Doctor
Female
roles
Nurse
Teacher
Secretary
Big, powerful
Adult roles
Worker
Parent
Little,
Child

5. Stage 3: Orientation to Social Valuation
(middle school)
High prestige
Doctor
Teacher
Nurse
Firefighter
Secretary
Low prestige
Truck Driver
Male Neutral Female

6. Stage 4: Orientation to Internal, Unique Self
(high school and beyond)
High
Doctor I A
Artist
Sales
manager E R
Miner
Doctor
Social S
worker
Teacher C
File
clerk
Nurse
Secretary
Truck Driver
Low
Male Neutral Female

7. So what can teachers do to intervene?
Intervening at
Orientation to Size and Power
Orientation to Sex Roles
Orientation to Social Valuation
Orientation to Internal, Unique Self

8. Career Development Issue Unique to Gifted Students
Multipotentiality (Milgram & Hong, 1999)
Perfectionism
Expectations of Others
Decision-Making Difficulties
Early Cognitive Maturity and Vocational Identity
Special issue of Female Gifted Students
G:\gifted Students.mht

9. Holland’s RIASEC Theory of Careers

10. Welcome to the Holland Party Game

11. More Formal Assessment of Holland Types
Self-Directed Search (SDS)
SDS Form R: High School, College, and Adults
SDS Form E: High School Students and Adults with Limited Reading (4th grade level)
SDS Career Explorer: Middle School and Junior High Students
Multiple translated versions available
Paper-and-pencil, Computer, Internet-based versions

12. What do we do once we have our Holland Codes?
O*NET
Click on find occupations
Go to drop box under O*NET descriptor
Choose Interests
Choose a RIASEC type to begin search

13. How do we know where to start to intervene?
Cognitive Information Processing (CIP) approach to career problem solving and decision making
Sampson et al. (2004)

14. Pyramid of Information Processing Domains
Executive Processing Domain
Meta-cognitions
Decision-Making Skills Domain
CASVE Cycle
Self Knowledge
Options Knowledge
Knowledge Domains

15. CASVE Cycle Communication Identifying the problem - the gap Execution
Taking action to narrow the gap
Analysis Thinking about alternatives
Valuing
Prioritizing alternatives
Synthesis
Generating likely alternatives

16. Resources
CIP Career Choice and CASVE Decision Making Handout:
Interactive version of CASVE cycle:
Presentation slides found at:
My Address:

17. Key References
Achter, J. A., & Lubinski, D. (2005). Blending Promise with Passion: Best practices for
counseling intellectually talented youth. In S. Brown, & R. Lent, Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work (pp ). Hoboken, NJ, US: John Wiley & Sons.
America’s Career Resource Network retrieved at
FSU Career Center retrieved from
FSU Center for the Study of Technology in Counseling and Career Development retrieved from
Gottfredson, L. S. (2005). Applying Gottfredson's theory of circumscription and compromise in career guidance and counseling. In S. Brown, & R. Lent, Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work (pp ). Hoboken, NJ, US: John Wiley & Sons.
Milgram, R. M., & Hong, E. (1999). Multipotential abilities and vocational interests in gifted adolescents: Fact or fiction? International Journal of Psychology, 34,
Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development at the University of Connecticut. Retrieved from: G:\gifted Students.mht
Sampson, J.P., Jr., Reardon, R.C., Peterson, G.W., & Lenz, J.G. (2004). Career counseling & services: A cognitive information processing approach. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET online retrieved at