Insights of Savickas' Article

When reading Savickas’ article, I took myself to my undergraduate career and my battle between decision and indecision. Before I graduated high school I was determined to become a physical therapist; in the dichotomy I would have been labeled decided. I had a certain path I needed keep myself on and I knew that was where I wanted to be. On the continuum I was decided and thought I knew everything I wanted before graduating high school; little did I know I was going to change my career goal three years later. During the spring semester with just a year left in my undergraduate studies, I found myself undecided. Being undecided didn’t mean I was unaccomplished or lazy; I actually was quite the opposite. I had been shadowing many physical therapists and I was focusing on graduate school and keeping my grades up. Through my job shadowing I realized that physical therapy wasn’t giving me the feeling I thought it was going to. I wasn’t happy with my potential career and I wanted to find a way to help others in a deeper way. I was going through a process of finding myself and I was nervous at this point. I wasn’t sure with my change from physical therapy to regular therapy was going to be the right decision and what my next step was going to be. This transformation was an eye opening experience for me. I finally let go of the tight, inflexible path I put myself on for physical therapy and I let myself decide what I truly wanted. The phase of being indecisive was scary at first but became extremely rewarding in the end. I realized how I could truly help those in need and I engulfed myself in the psychology field.

After looking back to my own process of indecisiveness I believe that career decision is a sign of transformation in progress and becoming who you truly are. Career indecision should be seen as an individual making positive progress towards their values; indecision is not a hindrance on career development. Transforming should be seen as a positive experience rather than a negative view. Making transformation towards meaning rather than a goal is what an individual should aim for when finding a career. Finding a career that is meaningful and worthwhile is more of an accomplishment than a goal to just obtain a job. I think some might view career indecision as a lack of motivation or lack of values but I do not think of it as so. They should recognize that the individual who is undecided is actively seeking their morals and life themes to point them in the right direction. We should support those who are undecided rather than putting them to the side. I think career development counseling should be implemented for those who are undecided majors in college; it is not necessary to go back into their childhood. While being indecisive I was able to cope through it on my own without help but I think if I would have received counseling I could have expedited the process.

Savickas, M. (1995). Constructivist counseling for career indecision. The Career Development Quarterly, 43(4), 363-373