Holland's Theory of Vocational Choice

             I identify with Holland’s Theory of Vocational Choice for several reasons. In high school and college, I used O*Net to help me form ideas about what type of a career I wanted to pursue. My experience of career exploration using Self-Directed Search was positive and made sense to me as a 17- or 18-year-old. Now, as a graduate counseling student, I also find myself think this theory makes a lot of sense. I value the underlying assumptions that Holland’s theory holds to be true. Perhaps the assumption that is most important to me is that personality and vocation are interconnected when examining the best career matches (Brown, 2012, p. 30). 

              Holland’s theory asserts that personality is the most important factor when considering career paths. Therefore, this theory utilizes personality types as a means of categorizing and matching personalities to career choice options (Brown, 2012, p. 31). Simply put, Holland would assert that when the environment of vocational choice is well matched to characteristics of an individual’s personality, then the greatest outcomes of satisfaction and achievement will occur. 

             I work with college students who are in a stage of life that involves a lot of identity exploration. From my perspective, Holland’s theory is helpful for this population because it frames vocation and identity in a way that might allow me to better engage my students in why thoughtfulness in career choice matters. After all, being a doctor who makes a lot of money might not be congruent with your personality, no matter how much your parents want you to be a doctor. I can imagine myself using this theory in session to help increase a client’s desire to have congruency with who they are as a person and the vocation they are pursuing. This generation of college students is familiar with inventories as a means of self-exploration, and I believe that would make using something like The Self-Directed Search a way to open the conversation.

Duane, B. (2012). Career information, career counseling, and career development (10th ed.). Upper 

          

          Saddle Ridge, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.