Career Choice Theories

• According to J. Santrock in his book, Adolescence 12th Edition published in 2008, three main theories describe the manner in which adolescents make choices about career development: Career choice theories

  such as

  1. Ginzbergs developmental theory
  2. Super's self concept theory
  3. Hollands personality type theory
• Ginzbergs Developmental Theory - this is a developmental career choice theory which see children and adolescents undergo three (3) career choice stages such as fantasy, tentative and realistic.
• Ginzbergs Developmental Theory: argued that until about age 11 to 17, adolescents are in the tentative stage of career development, a transition from the fantasy stage of

  childhood to the realistic decision making of young adulthood using the following periods:

  1. 11 to 12 years of age - evaluating interests
  2. 13 to 14 years of age - evaluating capacities
  3. 15 to 16 years of age - evaluating values
• Supers Self concept Theory – theory by Donald Super where individuals' self-concepts play a central role in his /her career choice. it saids that it is during the adolescence stage that teens first construct a career self-concept.
• Hollands Personality Type Theory - this is a personality type theory by John Holland where efforts should be made to match the individual's career choice and his personality. He argues that individuals will stay longer at work if it suits or is similar with their personality. Holland emphasized six basic personality types for a career.