Genograms and Development

When trying to incorporate into a young child’s life what a career is and continuing that learning process of career development, there are many ways to go about it. There are also activities to which ways you can introduce this strange phenomenon to them, the phenomenon known as “working”.  Between all the different activities and theories, there are ways to continuously educate someone into fully understanding career development and receiving all the necessary tools to find a meaningful career and being successful within that career.

While reading Brown’s chapter on theories (Brown, 2012), I found the most interesting theory is the developmental theory. The theory focuses on the “Biological, psychological, sociological, and cultural factors that influence career choice, adjustments to and changes in careers” (Brown, 2012, p. 41). I feel this directly correlates from the article written by Gibson about the usage of Genograms, (Gibson, 2012).  In this article, Gibson goes over the different activities used at the different levels of schooling by using Genograms.

I feel this is related because of Developmental theories focus on the stages of development. In Gibson’s article, we see the use of the Genogram starting from elementary school all the way to high school. Gibson discusses in each level how the Genogram can be used to help develop the student’s understanding of career development. In each level, the Genogram is expanded upon based on the different developmental levels each grade level is at.  The use of Genograms can be done used at early age such as students who are in elementary school. Genograms in elementary school are described to gain “awareness encompasses the student’s’ awareness of personal characteristics, interests, aptitudes, sills, and diversity of the world of work” (Gibson, 2012, p.354) With starting at such a young age, we are able to develop the knowledge of careers to younger students so as they develop intellectually and understand, they can look at the different overall factors that are needed within choosing one’s career.

Developmental theory allows students to see many different aspects that go into choosing one’s career. While I feel I am one of the lucky ones to have received great career development classes, there are others who do not. By using the Genogram, for instant, students can be able to see different family member’s career choices and as they grow up older, they can try and answer the question of “Why”? “Why did they choose this career?” Then they can dive deeper into seeing the factors behind it. But also, it gives students a tool to see the developmental of one’s own family tree. They can see where their family has worked and see how they have developed to possible jobs in completely different fields.

By combining Developmental Theories of career counseling with Genograms, I feel that students can be given adequate information. This adequate information can be used to help students grow into their future fields but also doing so by first finding their career path. Finding a career path in a meaningful field is what should be the goal for by career counselors. If a career counselor can help direct someone onto a meaningful career path and that person be successful at it, than a career counselor has benefited that person’s career development tremendously.

Resources

Brown, D. (2012). Career information, career counseling, and career development, 10, New York: Pearson.

Gibson, D. (2005). The Use of Genograms in Career Counseling With Elementary Middle, and High School Students, 53, Charleston, SC, The Career Development Quarterly