1. Ethical Issues in Career Development Interventions
Chapter 14

2. Classifying Practitioner Behavior
Ethical and Legal
Ethical and Illegal
Unethical and Legal
Unethical and Illegal

3. Ethical “Rules of Thumb”
Dual relationships with the potential to exploit client trust and vulnerability are unethical.
Consult with professional colleagues who understand career interventions when unsure about how to resolve a dilemma.
Be aware of client’s values and those imbedded in career intervention models.

4. Ethical Dilemmas vs. Moral Temptations
Kidder (1995) contends that an ethical dilemma occurs only in instances when there are competing “rights” or there is a struggle to determine the “least bad” course of action.

5. Using Principles to Resolve Ethical Decisions
Van Hoose (1986) recommended that counselors use ACA’s five principles to guide their ethical practice:
Autonomy
Nonmaleficence
Beneficence
Justice
Fidelity (Herlify & Corey, 1996, p. 4-5)

6. Additional Principles
Beauchamp and Childress (1995) identified additional relevant principles to guide professional-client relationships:
Veracity: Tell the truth and do not lie or deceive others.
Privacy: Allow individuals to limit access to information about themselves.
Confidentiality: Allow individuals to control access to information they have shared.

7. Relevant Ethical Codes for Career Practitioners
American Counseling Association (ACA)
National Career Development Association (NCDA)
American Psychological Association (APA)
International Association of Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG)
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

8. Strategies for Minimizing Insensitivity to Clients’ Values
Become informed about variety of values held in society.
Be aware of your own values.
Present value options to clients in an unbiased manner.
Be committed to client’s freedom of choice.

9. Strategies for Minimizing Insensitivity, continued
Respect clients with values that differ from your own.
Consult with others when necessary.
Consider referring clients to another counselor when substantial moral, religious or political value differences exist.

10. Special Ethical Challenges
Are all individual career interventions counseling?
Should those without traditional training and credentials provide career services?
How should the Internet be used in career development interventions?

11. Reasons for Using the Internet in Career Service Delivery (current NCDA guidelines)
To deliver occupational information
To provide online searches of occupational databases for the purpose of identifying occupational options
To deliver interactive career counseling and career planning services
To provide online job searches

12. Six Sections of NCDA Ethical Standards
Section A - General
Section B - The Counseling Relationship
Section C - Measurement and Evaluation
Section D - Research and Publication
Section E - Consulting
Section F - Private Practice

13. Ethical Standards and Ethical Practice for Career Counselors
Offer only services they are competent to offer.
Respect and value individual differences among clients and potential clients.
Treat information received from and about clients as owned by the client and held in trust by the counselor.

14. Ethical Standards, continued
Do not engage in any professional relationship in which the counselor’s objectivity and ability to work for client’s welfare might be impaired.
Assume professional responsibility for clients and, if unable to assist, help the client obtain alternative services.

15. Ethical Standards, continued
Recognize they have obligations to other members of the profession and to society to act in responsible ways and to consider the effects of their behavior on others.