NAME: OKWOR CECILIA AMARACHI

STUDENT REG. NO. 21J01DCPS008

DEPTMENT: COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY
COURSE TITTLE: CAREER COUNSELLING
COURSE CODE: PSY 407
LECTURER: REV. DR. J. MBUGWA
ASSIGNMENT TWO

Introduction
This paper reviews the use of technology in career counselling including the use of computer
as a source of information, appropriate world wide web sites, and the use of computer
assisted guidance programs and how these guide career counselling. Although, it is warned
that technology cannot replace basic career counselling skills for a number of reason.
Acknowledging the impact of technology on career counselling, internet resources are
provided for use by counselling professionals and clients in conjunction with professionals.

Computer Use in career Counselling

We live in a technological society and advanced technology continues to influence our lives
in the world of work and at home. Computers, the World Wide Web (WWW), the internet,
and electronic mail (e-mail) are discussed on regular basis.

Discussions often revolve around how computers and information networks are going to
make our lives easier, or replace us as productive workers in society. Some people know how
to utilize current technology and promote its use unabashedly. Other people are scared of the
technology for it means change. Consequently, differing views on how this technology and
information focused society will affect the world of work, and thus career counselling, have
been expressed.

The use of technology in career counselling will depend on the focus of career counselling. If
we focus most on assisting individuals to make educational and vocational decisions our
greatest need may be for good data or information to make good decisions. This may include

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self-assessment of one’s interest and values along with information regardless the current
world of work.
Computers can definitely help provide the information needed to make decisions. Complete
and accurate as well as easily accessible data files on occupations can be found via
computers. Thus, computers could provide the information needed to make what Parsons
labelled as true reasoning.

The career counselling profession has seemingly indicated its acceptance of this use of
computer technology within career counselling, as many colleges and universities and
government centers now use career information delivery systems. The use of computers to
store and provide easy access to a multitude of occupational information could be said to
have revolutionized the provision of career counselling.

Internet Use in Career Counselling

The absence of a career counsellor with whom to discuss career decision making is also a
main objection to providing comprehensive career development information on the internet.
The internet and the availability of career counselling resources on the World Wide Web
(WWW) and via e-mail is the second main current controversy regarding the use of
technology in career counselling. The internet is quickly becoming a revolutionary force in
everyday private and business life. The internet has the ability to quickly revolutionize the
provision of career counselling.

The internet can be used as a tool in career counselling to help clients investigate their
interests, career options, employment statistics, and educational as well as occupational
opportunities. The need for career counsellors involvement with clients as they use the
internet as a resource exists for many of the reasons career counsellors advocate their
involvement with clients using the previous described computer systems. The need for career
counsellor involvement may also be increased due to the fear some people have of computers
and the lack of access some may have to computers.

As a matter of fact, career aspect is a lifelong process and is considered as one of the most
important aspects in the lives of every individual being. Since our perceptions of career start
all the way back to primary school years, it is not al all shocking to say that career issues are
most probably what individuals have to often deal with. These career issues include those

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such as career indecision, career planning, career satisfaction and so forth. For this reason,
career counselling services are provided for individuals who are facing one of these issues
where career counsellors are responsible for many things which include clarifying,
identifying and implementing career decisions and assisting these individuals (clients) to
adapt to those decisions .
A different definition to how career counselling works is explained from the six core areas
that are frequently addressed during career counselling (National Career Development
Association, 2009, as cited in Osborn et al., 2014). These six core areas include “learning
about self, obtaining occupational and educational information, enhancing decision-making
and career planning, coping with career challenges and transiting issues, conducting a job
search, and applying for training and further education.

The use of information technology and computer in career counselling is not at all recent and
it dates back to the first use of computer program in counselling services in 1960s. the
emergence of information technology had greatly changes the way we live and the world that
is more fast-paced and unpredictable. The emergence of internet, Information Technology
and social networks such as world wide web is changing the lifestyle, learning modes and
career future of the young generation who are evidently different from the older generation
such as the baby boomers.

Nevertheless, for both young and older generation these days, the internet had gradually
become an integral and important part of everyone’s lives where it is used as a medium of
communication, entertainment and information gathering. Hence, this increasing use and
reliance on internet and technology has created opportunities for career counsellors and
practitioners to enhance and improve their services to all.

Technology-assisted career counselling is provided in many forms and for different purposes.
i. As a career resource such as career sites and online career assessments, it is provided
as a tool for information gathering and job search.
ii. On the other hand, as a different career counselling method from the face-to-face
counselling.
iii. It is provided as a way for individuals to seek for help and guidance from counsellors
in a virtual world, for example, telephone counselling, email counselling, and online
chat.

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Although both of these forms of career services are important, it seems that full integration of
the technology into the career guidance practices is still far from ready.
Hence, the questions below will provide the objectives of this critique on the main ideas and
context that will be highlighted in this assignment.
i. How does technology and internet currently being applied in career counselling
among different group of individual?
ii. What are some of the main advantages of using technology and internet in career
counselling that are able to influence certain individuals to seek for these services?
iii. What are some of the main challenges of using technology and internet in career
counselling that limits the effectiveness and usefulness of the services provided?

Computer Assisted Guidance Programs such as:

1. Online program
According to Nota, Santilli & Soresi (2016) presented online programs that can be utilized as
alternative to career counselling method or as career intervention programs which are referred
to as the Computer Assisted Career Guidance (CACG). Four of these CACGs that are aimed
for school students, or the youth in general. The program is helps individual to explore their
self-concept in the exploration stage.

2. New Technologies
The Career Service Office (CSO), through its counselling service, demonstrated the
application of new technologies in 2008 with an easy-to-use guide, the CD-ROM guide. This
application is referred to as the Career Counselling @ Career Office of Aristotle University
of Thessaloniki where it “compromises of introduction, self-awareness, information,
decision-making, goal setting, lifelong learning, self-presentation, and job searching.
In terms of developing new technologies for career counselling purposes, in his article, also
considers the possibilities of using the Holographic technology in developing holographic
counselling sessions.

Technological supports may be able to assist with some of the more routine aspects of career
planning or change, while human service providers might then have more time to help with
particular decision difficulties or with more complex career problem scenarios. For example,
depression, relational tensions, job search struggles following job loss.

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 3. Social Media
A different form of technology s also applied for use for career counselling purposes. Osborn
et al. (2014) states the use of social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, blog and virtual
career fairs in job search. In fact, Facebook has been widely used, both formally and
informally, for career counselling especially among the youth and young adolescents who are
the majority of Facebook and other social media users. The group that form in Facebook can
be of the interest group that help student to prepare their career development
Facebook are used for self-disclosure, also for satisfying the need to be belonged and as a
self-presentation and finally for exploring personal and social identities.

Furthermore, the Facebook services as prevalent and benefiting tools for these clients in
pursuit of developing a new positive perspective about themselves and hence not opting for
online career assessments that are evident to be culturally biased towards the cultures in
Western world.

Facebook is one of the effective sources of self-efficacy for career development. The
affordance that provide by Facebook such as virtual people watching and affordance of
garnering social support is the important source for improving self-efficacy of the students. It
helps to gain vicarious experiences and social persuasions.

The use of Facebook also is one of the tools for learning management and social integration.
To successfully help student identify their life-long career, education credentials and social
network is the main key. Facebook is the tool that builds up their social network. It is not
only is a sense of social cohesion and connectedness, it also uses as prepare courses. The
relationship of between the users is the point of increasing essential for long term career
success.

4. Online and Mobile Application

Another form of technology that can be used for career counselling purposes are online
mobile application such as the app “I Thoughts”. Osborn et al. (2014) describes the apps
iThoughts and “Unsetuck” as tools to facilitate and enhance career decision making process
for any individuals. Following this, meditation and mindfulness apps such as the
“Headspace” can also help individuals in combating negative metacognitions, for example,
stress, anxiety and depression that can possibly limit their career decisions. There are also

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apps such as “FlipHead Thought-Stopping” to negative career thoughts and “Day-One
Journaling” to help prepare clients to share their career problems through journaling between
sessions.

5. Audio-visual

One advantage of utilizing technology in career counselling services is its myriad methods in
providing counselling process, especially on its use of audio-visual. Audio-visual method
allows the counselling process to put more attention on important variables such as interest,
idea and skills.

Therefore, utilization of audio-visual instruments, such as slides, video tapes, and cartoons…
help users to concentrate on important variables in career counselling such as unreasonable
ideas and skills. Asides from audio-visual use in online counselling process, other form of
method in providing online services to clients such as online asynchronous or synchronous
text are also proven to be beneficial to clients. In other words, for clients to narrate their
issues into online text, using their own language, provides them with opportunities to revive
authorities to their narratives assists counsellors in understanding client’s new concepts and
self-understanding which are prevalent elements for efficient career counselling.

The use of technology and internet in career counselling

The cyber and online technology have served a great deal of benefits into improving
especially healthcare services such as the counselling field. While many of the applications in
counselling services are mediated and assisted using ICT, questions raised on how the
growing use of technology can enhance and improve the services provided by counsellors for
clients. These benefits and advantages can be seen through the use of technology in either
career assessments, career tools or career counselling sessions that has the possibility to be
effective as the more traditional, face-to-face career counselling services.

The use of Information Technology for career counselling purposes also benefited the society
at large for its longer range of opportunities in reaching out to all individuals. Computer-
aided counselling has the ability to expand its resources and services in reaching out to all
communities especially the undeserved client populations while also transcending geographic
and physical barrier. Social media also has been a fast, efficient and inexpensive tool for
expanding the reach of career services.

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The use of technology in services can reach a wider variety of clients, especially those who
are incapable of seeking such services. Social media also helps to create opportunities for
psychologists to enhance service delivery and to connect with clients outside of the
traditional office setting.
According to research by Hass et al provides greater outreach to all students which enables to
create link between students and campus resources. Hence, it is possible to say that
technology-assisted career counselling and has the ability to expand its services to all
individuals who may not have the privilege to seek for such services through the more
traditional way.

Online counselling intervention were increased the opportunities for the university students.
They are easier and so not have to worry that will not getting seat for the counselling session.
By using online intervention, the student all can access the online counselling system. Online
intervention can be carried out at the time, place and pace most convenient for the individual.

Challenges using technology and internet in career counselling

i. Self-limited thinking: while there are many advantages offered through the use of
technology in career counselling services, there are also challenges that counsellors
and career practitioners have to face when delivering such services to clients. One of
these challenges are:
 the close system way of thinking of certain individuals who perceive Information
technology in competing terms, and resist approaches that are new for fear that they
would replace their systems or themselves. Hence, instead of considering technology-
assisted career counselling, both counsellors and possible clients should be more open to
the possibilities that both services can offer in enhancing counselling services.

The question that practitioners should be asking is not ‘who has control over what or how
much? but it is, how do we get along together. The self-limited thinking of resisting to
changes and uncertainties need to be addressed through counselling in order for the use of
information technology in counselling to be more generally accepted among all.

A key challenge to career counselling services and resources is to find ways to use
technology as a supplement and a tool to extend human potential rather than restricting or
replacing it. People who choose online counselling will be concern about the effectiveness of
the online counselling. The adult and the profession such as principal of the school will
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concern about the effectiveness of online counselling compare to the face-to-face
counselling. They would like to see research first before applying the service and also the
think about the counsellor session.

 Another challenge to online services in career counselling is the lack of awareness and
appeal of such services among especially the younger populations. In a study by Galliott
(2017), he investigated on three factors that may be causing the lack of effectiveness in
improving youth career certainty. Two of these factors are:

a. the insufficient awareness of resources available targeted towards the youth

b. the inability of the resources used. For example, (websites) to reach all students
regardless of their school grade level and socioeconomic background.

There is little awareness on the availability of career web resources among students which
explains their unlikeliness to use such services. In terms of the uneven disperse of career web
resources among all student groups, Galliot (2017) described that such websites have
selective audiences in relation to school-level students’ characteristic whereby the level of
exposure and access that students from each grade are receiving are different.

Also, the nature of presentation of web resources may also influence how it attracts different
groups of young adolescents which explain why a particular group of students from a similar
school year-level (e.g., year 12) is more exposed to and attracted towards the services
provided for them. in addition to this is also the likeliness of students from higher
socioeconomic background, when compared to those from lower socioeconomic background,
to search for help and support through online services.

The young adult facing the problem of career decision-making process and their intention to
eek help from the available sources of support is weak. This is due to the fact they do not
understand how the available sources can help them to make career decisions. This problem
started when they are in high school where does the person does not know the available
sources. Hence, it can be said that online and career web resources need to be improved on
how it can better be presented and exposed to a wider of groups which include individuals of
all ages, status and background.

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Conclusion

Having analysed the use of technology in career counselling using computer as sources of
information, the use of world wide web sites, and computer, we can say that the World Wide
Web Sites, contains a large amount of career related information. One can use search engines
to locate materials, or simply input a known web address to view a site. All one needs to view
WWW pages are internet access and a web browser program, such as Netscape or Explorer.
However, the challenges of the technology in career counselling need to be known and aware
by the career counsellor to avoid unnecessary issues to happen.

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REFERENCES

Bright, J. E. H. (2015). If you go down to the woods today you are in for a big surprise:
Seeing the wood for the trees in online delivery of career guidance. British Journal of
Guidance and Counselling, 43(1), 24-35.

Galliott, N. (2017). Online career guidance: Does knowledge equate to power for high school
students? Journal of psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 27(2), 190-207.

Nota, L., Santilli, S., & Soresi, S. (2016). A life-design-based online career intervention for
early adolescents: Description and initial analysis. Career Development Quarterly, 64(1), 4-
19.

Osborn, D. S., Kronholz, J. F., Finklea, J. T., & Cantonis, A. M. (2014). Technology savvy
career counselling. Canadian Psychology, p.55(4), 258-265.

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