Running head: CAREER COUNSELING OPTIONS 1

Career Counseling Options Leiteshia Carter Walden University

ETHICAL STANDARDS Career Counseling Options

This paper will describe sources of information the writer would use with John to discuss various career options. The writer will select two important ethical standards to consider when administering, scoring, and interpreting the Self-Directed Search (SDS) with John and explain their importance. Additionally the writer will explain steps to continue working with John after the completion of the SDS and select an assessment strategy or instrument to use and explain its significance. The writer would use sources like the United States Department of Labor website to share relevant job information, such as occupational outlook, the fast growing occupations, or newly created jobs. In addition, the writer would encourage John to review the Occupational Outlook Handbook, which profiles and describes hundreds of occupations. Furthermore, the writer would utilize the local employment commission and the state labor office to provide details about different occupations regionally. Ethical Standards Two ethical standards for consideration, the National Career Development Association (NCDA) A.1.b, Differentiation Between Types of Services Provided and standard E.2.b., Appropriate Use. Standard A.1.b, states that professionals provide only the services that are within the scope of their professional competence and qualifications as it relates to career planning or career counseling services (NCDA, 2007). Standard E.2.b., states that professionals are responsible for the appropriate application, scoring, interpretation, and use of assessment instruments relevant to the needs of the client, whether they score and interpret such assessments themselves or use technology or other services (NCDA, 2007, p. 22). Standard A.1.b is important because counselors are expected to have knowledge of the assessments they use while

ETHICAL STANDARDS operating in the role of a career planner or delivering career services. Likewise, E.2.b is important because assessments are only as helpful as the information they provide (Whiston, 2013); therefore the selection of the instrument is critical because it should be relevant to the needs of the client. After Completion of SDS Upon reviewing Johns grades and the results of the SDS, the writer would schedule an aptitude or achievement test, with the students permission. The need for an aptitude or achievement test is evidenced by the ED codes of 5, which imply the need for a college education or an advanced degree (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2012). Based on the evidenced presented John appears to be student headed to college. Therefore, the writer believes scheduling an appointment to discuss John taking aptitude test is appropriate and it would further clarify his ability. Furthermore Capuzzi & Stauffer (2012) notes measures of aptitude and ability are the cornerstones in career counseling assessment practices, often high school students take one or more assessments prior to ending their high school career to guide their vocational direction. Assessment Instrument An appropriate assessment instrument to use with John is the Strong Interest Inventory (SII), which is appropriate to use with high school students. This assessment

evaluates an individuals interest and preference. It can be used in conjunction with the SDS that John has already completed. According to Cappuzzi and Stauffer (2012) results yield information about a persons preferences in occupational themes based on Hollands realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising or conventional classification. Furthermore, the SII is designed to assist the

ETHICAL STANDARDS counselor in coupling Johns preferences with his occupational interest (Whiston, 2013).

References Capuzzi , D. & Stauffer, M. D. (2012). Career Counseling: Theorectical Perspectives (Custom ed). Career counseling: Foundations, perspectives, and applications. New York: Routledge. National Career Development Association (NCDA), (2007), Code of Ethics. Retrieved from: http://associationdatabase.com/aws/NCDA/asset_manager/get_file/3395 Whiston, S. C. (2013). Principles and applications of assessment in counseling (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.