Invited commentary on Armstrong and Vogel's (2009) article on interpreting the interest-efficacy association stimulated an appraisal from a broader perspective. Like empirical research, scale development, and theorizing emanating from social cognitive career theory (SCCT), their conclusion about the importance of assessing both interests and…

Anthetic dialogue, an adaptation of gestalt empty chair method, identifies negative messages from counseling clients' inner critics. These dysfunctional beliefs can then be addressed by cognitive restructuring. (SK)

Four sources of self-efficacy than can be useful in career counseling are enactive attainments, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and physiological arousal. Self-efficacy interventions may benefit women, minorities, and disadvantaged individuals. The Career Search Self-Efficacy Scale is a useful instrument for such interventions. (SK)

In this document the author provides a brief overview of A. Bandura's self-efficacy theory. The author also provides a discussion of the value of this theory to career counselors, which includes particularly useful features of the concept of self-efficacy and suggestions for its application in career assessment and counseling, with a special focus…

Social Cognitive Career Theory suggests that self-efficacy and outcome expectations underlie vocational interests, goals, and actions. Counselors can use this theoretical framework to assess women's perceived career barriers and the effects of personal and contextual factors on vocational choices. (SK)

Constructivism is the foundation for viewing the self as an active agent in career development. As a counseling tool, narrative can be used to create life career projections from which to develop career plans. (SK)

As companies focus on competition and profit margins, workers are confronted with threats to their identities based on real or anticipated job loss. Article focuses on features of job insecurity that affect these workers, those who remain, and the organizations in which they work. Gives recommendations for assisting job-insecure employees using…

Counseling practices to improve self-efficacy expectations for career decision making include helping clients change beliefs by experiencing success and exposing them to successful models. Attention to personal-emotional barriers may be more effective than information-oriented approaches. (SK)

Underpinning the practice of career counsellors is a range of various theories and perspectives. The concept of self-esteem is a term frequently used by those in the helping professions and often with little regard for its limitations. This article argues that careers counsellors need to keep up-to-date with evolving theories that inform their…

The role of counselor trainees' self-efficacy is related to the career counseling process and outcomes with actual clients in a natural setting. Twenty-four counselor trainees saw 55 clients in three to 12 sessions. Positive results, obtained on several measures of process and outcome, show a complex relationship to self-efficacy. (EMK)

In the typical career appraisal, the structure of client and counselor roles and the focus of the assessments and interpretation obstruct its intended purpose in four major ways: casting clients as subordinates, discounting self-assessment by favoring counselor assessments, de-emphasizing the influence of context, and focusing on a single choice.…