Many career development theories recognise that the relationship between people and their environment constantly changes through historical and socio-political influences. Such theories emphasise the importance of systematic interpretations and general cultural influences on meaning-making. While such a view of meaning-making is important, we posit that practitioners with knowledge of their clients' cultural influences are better placed to encourage all clients to create their own meanings. This article explores the experiences of a group of immigrant native Japanese-speaking teachers to examine cultural influences on their career paths. It aims to help practitioners work with diverse populations.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
ArthurN. (2006). Infusing culture in constructivist approach to career counselling. In McMahonM.PattonW. (Eds.), Career counselling: Constructivist approaches (pp. 57–68). New York, NY: Routledge.
2.
ArthurN.McMahonM. (2005). Multicultural career counselling: theoretical applications of the systems theory framework. Career Development Quarterly, 53 (3), 208–222.
3.
BarnaL. M. (1989). Stumbling blocks in intercultural communication. In SamovarL. A.PorterR. E. (Eds.), Intercultural communication: A reader (5th ed., pp. 322–330). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
4.
BerryJ. W. (2003). Conceptual approaches to acculturation. In ChunK. M.OrganistaP. B.MartínG. (Eds.), Acculturation: Advances in theory, measurement, and applied research (pp. 17–37). Washington, DC: APA Press.
5.
BerryJ. W.SamD. L. (1997). Acculturation and adaptation. In BerryJ. W.SegallM. H.KagitcibasiC. (Eds.), Handbook of cross-cultural psychology, Vol. 3: Social behaviour and applications (2nd ed., pp. 291–326). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
6.
BogdanR. C.BiklenS. K. (2007). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theories and methods (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.
7.
BurrV. (1995). An introduction to social constructionism. London: Routledge.
8.
HueM. T. (2008). The influence of Confucianism: A narrative study of Hong Kong teachers' understanding and practices of school guidance and counselling. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 36 (3), 303–316.
9.
HuffmanM. L.TorresL. (2001). Job search methods: Consequences for gender-based earnings inequality. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 58 (1), 127–141.
10.
KanferR.WanbergC. R.KantrowitzT. M. (2001). Job search and employment: A personality-motivational analysis and meta-analysis review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86 (5), 837–855.
11.
KrumboltzJ. D. (1994). Improving career development theory from a social learning perspective. In SavickasM. L.LentR. L. (Eds.), Convergence in career development theories (pp. 9–31). Palo Alto, CA: CPP Books.
12.
LentR. W.BrownS. D.HackettG. (1996). Career development from a social cognitive perspective. In BrownD.BrooksL. & Associates (Eds.), Career choice and development (pp. 373–421). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
13.
LeungS. A.IveyD.SuzukiL. (1994). Factors affecting the career aspirations of Asian Americans. Journal of Counseling and Development, 72 (4), 404–410.
14.
LoflandJ.LoflandL. (1995). Analyzing social settings: A guide to qualitative observation and analysis. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
15.
LongL.WatanabeN.TraceyT. J. G. (2006). Structure of interests in Japan: Application of the personal globe inventory occupational scales. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 38 (4), 222–234.
16.
MarsellaA. J. (1993). Counseling and psychotherapy with Japanese Americans: Cross-cultural considerations. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 63 (2), 200–208.
17.
McMahonM.WatsonM. (2007). The systems theory framework of career development: Expanding its research influence. Australian Journal of Career Development, 16 (3), 47–54.
MitchellK. E.LevinA. S.KrumboltzJ. D. (1999). Planned happenstance: Constructing unexpected career opportunities. Journal of Counseling and Development, 77 (2), 115–124.
20.
PattonW.McMahonM. (1999). Career development and systems theory: A new relationship. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.
21.
SaksA. M. (2006). Multiple predictors and criteria of job search success. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68 (3), 400–415.
22.
SavickasM. L. (2003). Advancing the career counseling profession: Objectives and strategies for the next decade. Career Development Quarterly, 52 (1), 87–96.
23.
SharfR. S. (2006). Applying career development theory to counseling. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
24.
SillikerS. A. (1993). The role of social contacts in the successful job search. Journal of Employment Counseling, 30 (1), 25–33.
25.
SoutarG. N.GraingerR.HedgesP. (1999). Australian and Japanese value stereotypes: a two country study. Journal of International Business Studies, 30 (1), 203–216.
26.
SueD. W.SueD. (2003). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (4th ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons.
27.
SuperD. E. (1990). A life-span, life-space approach to career development. In BrownD.BrooksL. (Eds.), Career choice and development: Applying contemporary theories to practice (2nd ed., pp. 197–261). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
28.
TraceyT. J. G.WatanabeN.SchneiderP. (1997). Structural invariance of vocational interests across Japanese and American cultures. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 44 (4), 346–354.
29.
WardC.KennedyA. (1994). Acculturation strategies, psychological adjustment, and socio-cultural competence during cross-cultural transitions. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 18 (3), 329–343.
30.
WatsonM. B. (2006). Career counselling theory, culture and constructivism. In McMahonM.PattonW. (Eds.), Career counselling: Constructivist approaches (pp. 45–56). London: Routledge.
