Advancing career counselling research and practice using a novel quantitative+qualitative approach to elicit clients’ advice from within

• Published in: South African journal of higher education Vol. 32; no. 4; pp. 149 - 170
• Main Author: Maree, J. G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Higher Education South Africa (HESA) 01-09-2018
• Subjects: A quantitative+qualitative approach; Career counselling; Career Interest Profile; Eliciting advice from within; Maree Career Matrix; Subjective and objective methods
• ISSN: 1011-3487; 1753-5913; 1753-5913
• DOI: 10.20853/32-4-2558

This article reports on the results of providing career counselling to a purposefully selected first-year university student experiencing career indecision. An integrative approach based on qualitative and quantitative techniques was used to engage the student (the research participant) in conversations, reflections and meta-reflections on how to find meaning and purpose in his current studies and also in his future career-life. An intrinsic, single-case study involving a purposefully selected participant and the use of two newly developed instruments was undertaken to demonstrate the practical implementation of the novel approach. The intervention helped the participant identify his career-life themes and later choose a field of study that would enable him to fit work into his life, design and live a successful life and make meaningful social contributions. Future research should investigate the longitudinal value of the approach and its use in group contexts.