The Vocational Card Sort Created & Presented by Rob Straby

Learning Outcomes & Resources Explain the origins of card sorts as career counselling tools. Identify the types of card sorts and the concepts implicit in their use. Describe the steps for implementing card sorts with clients. Evaluate the card sorts processes in relationship to their appropriateness of use with a variety of client groups. Appraise the relationship of card sorts as a process in the "Five Step Model". My Ideal Self Vocational Card Sorts (2 files) The Vocational Card Sort Exercise Career Interest Card Sort Article

Explain the origins of card sorts as career counselling tools.

Identify the types of card sorts and the concepts implicit in their use.

Describe the steps for implementing card sorts with clients.

Evaluate the card sorts processes in relationship to their appropriateness of use with a variety of client groups.

Appraise the relationship of card sorts as a process in the "Five Step Model".

My Ideal Self

Vocational Card Sorts

(2 files)

The Vocational Card Sort Exercise

Career Interest Card Sort Article

ALL9: Comparative Analysis Write a critique about using the “Vocational Card Sort” technique in comparison with Hermeneutical Analysis. Which process did you prefer? What specifically about each process did you like and dislike? With which type of clients would you use or not use each process?

Write a critique about using the “Vocational Card Sort” technique in comparison with Hermeneutical Analysis.

Which process did you prefer?

What specifically about each process did you like and dislike?

With which type of clients would you use or not use each process?

Background to the VCS There are different approaches to assessing interests. Donald Super (1949, as cited in Career Interest Card Sort by J.A. Athanasou & K. Hosking, 1999) described four basic approaches to assessing interests. These were classified as: Inventoried (i.e., standard questionnaires with responses summarised into interest categories such as the Self-Directed Search) Tested (i.e., assessing the level of knowledge about a subject area, as in a word processing test) Manifest (i.e., the activities engaged in by a person as an indicator of how people use their time and as a guide to their interests, such as the Story Telling Model) Expressed (i.e., their stated and direct preference for an occupation in instruments such as Card Sorts)

There are different approaches to assessing interests. Donald Super (1949, as cited in Career Interest Card Sort by J.A. Athanasou & K. Hosking, 1999) described four basic approaches to assessing interests. These were classified as:

Inventoried (i.e., standard questionnaires with responses summarised into interest categories such as the Self-Directed Search)

Tested (i.e., assessing the level of knowledge about a subject area, as in a word processing test)

Manifest (i.e., the activities engaged in by a person as an indicator of how people use their time and as a guide to their interests, such as the Story Telling Model)

Expressed (i.e., their stated and direct preference for an occupation in instruments such as Card Sorts)

Background to the VCS Expressed interests are quite powerful predictors of future occupational choices. They simply involve someone saying what they want to do or what they think they will end up doing, and their long-term accuracy approaches that of inventoried interests. The importance of an expressed interest is that it exploits self-knowledge and the vast amount of information that a person has about his/her own history. Athanasou and Cooksey (1992) reviewed empirical evidence from eleven studies that covered 1,745 high school, college and patient populations and reported a median correlation of 0.77 between self estimates and measured interests. Vocational Card Sorts can also be helpful ways to elicit individual’s personal constructs about work (e.g. to learn what the want and don’t want in a job).

Expressed interests are quite powerful predictors of future occupational choices.

They simply involve someone saying what they want to do or what they think they will end up doing, and their long-term accuracy approaches that of inventoried interests.

The importance of an expressed interest is that it exploits self-knowledge and the vast amount of information that a person has about his/her own history.

Athanasou and Cooksey (1992) reviewed empirical evidence from eleven studies that covered 1,745 high school, college and patient populations and reported a median correlation of 0.77 between self estimates and measured interests.

Vocational Card Sorts can also be helpful ways to elicit individual’s personal constructs about work (e.g. to learn what the want and don’t want in a job).

Understanding Constructs: My Ideal Self Example Empathic ____________________ 1 2 3 4 5 Who Cares? ____________________ Creative Flair ____________________ 1 2 3 4 5 Mechanical ____________________ Intuitive ____________________ 1 2 3 4 5 Detached ____________________ Passionate ____________________ 1 2 3 4 5 Despondent ____________________ My Ideal Self: My Assessment of Where I Am Now: My Non-Ideal Self:

The Vocational Card Sort Exercise This exercise is designed to accomplish four goals: To help you increase your vocational options. To help you understand what you want from your work or career. To help you learn how your past experiences and present vocational goals are related. To help you to clarify your current situation and some next steps.

This exercise is designed to accomplish four goals:

To help you increase your vocational options.

To help you understand what you want from your work or career.

To help you learn how your past experiences and present vocational goals are related.

To help you to clarify your current situation and some next steps.

Step 1 Place the three category cards labelled “Definitely Interested”, “Indifferent”, and “Definitely Not Interested” in a row on the desk or floor. Take the occupational cards and, for each card, decide which category you would place the listed occupation. There are no right or wrong answers. After you decide on the category, place the card in front of the appropriate category card. Occupation cards may be stacked on top of one another in front of the category cards.

Place the three category cards labelled “Definitely Interested”, “Indifferent”, and “Definitely Not Interested” in a row on the desk or floor.

Take the occupational cards and, for each card, decide which category you would place the listed occupation.

There are no right or wrong answers.

After you decide on the category, place the card in front of the appropriate category card.

Occupation cards may be stacked on top of one another in front of the category cards.

Step 1

Step 2 You will first work with the “Definitely Not Interested” pile. Spread out all of the cards in this category so that you can see them easily. You have identified these as occupations that you would not choose, now group them according to the reasons you think you would not choose them (e.g., involves working with people, requires selling, etc.). List below the reasons for not choosing each subgroup of “Definitely Not Interested” occupations. Use one space for each subgroup that you formed.

You will first work with the “Definitely Not Interested” pile. Spread out all of the cards in this category so that you can see them easily.

You have identified these as occupations that you would not choose, now group them according to the reasons you think you would not choose them (e.g., involves working with people, requires selling, etc.).

List below the reasons for not choosing each subgroup of “Definitely Not Interested” occupations. Use one space for each subgroup that you formed.

Step 2

Step 2 Group Examples Mechanical trades (e.g. electrician): no skill Computer software systems & programming (e.g. Unix administrator): way too technical & involves math Selling, promoting (e.g. life insurance sales): pushing others Numerical detail (e.g. accountant): not a detail person, too much math

Mechanical trades (e.g. electrician): no skill

Computer software systems & programming (e.g. Unix administrator): way too technical & involves math

Selling, promoting (e.g. life insurance sales): pushing others

Numerical detail (e.g. accountant): not a detail person, too much math

Step 3 Now turn your attention exclusively to the “Definitely Interested” pile. Spread out in front of you all the occupation cards in the “Definitely Interested” pile so you can see them easily. You have identified these as occupations that you might choose; now group them according to the reasons you think you might choose them. List below the reasons for choosing each subgroup of “Definitely Interested” occupations.

Now turn your attention exclusively to the “Definitely Interested” pile. Spread out in front of you all the occupation cards in the “Definitely Interested” pile so you can see them easily.

You have identified these as occupations that you might choose; now group them according to the reasons you think you might choose them.

List below the reasons for choosing each subgroup of “Definitely Interested” occupations.

Step 3

Step 3 Group Examples Counselling & teaching (e.g. vocational counsellor): helping people directly, therapeutic context Community leadership (e.g. Community Service Director): leadership & influence Health & wellness (e.g. Athletic Trainer): healing people, helping them lead healthier lives Natural sciences (e.g. Biologist): studying the natural world Creativity (e.g. Musician): creative design

Counselling & teaching (e.g. vocational counsellor): helping people directly, therapeutic context

Community leadership (e.g. Community Service Director): leadership & influence

Health & wellness (e.g. Athletic Trainer): healing people, helping them lead healthier lives

Natural sciences (e.g. Biologist): studying the natural world

Creativity (e.g. Musician): creative design

Step 4 Examine the cards in the “Definitely Interested” pile and select the 10 occupations that you most prefer. Write the occupation you most prefer on the first line, the one you next prefer on the second line, and so on.

Examine the cards in the “Definitely Interested” pile and select the 10 occupations that you most prefer. Write the occupation you most prefer on the first line, the one you next prefer on the second line, and so on.

Step 4 Examples Vocational counsellor Athletic trainer Project Consultant Musician Marriage counsellor High school teacher Psychologist Cartoonist Musician Horticultural worker

Vocational counsellor

Athletic trainer

Project Consultant

Musician

Marriage counsellor

High school teacher

Psychologist

Cartoonist

Musician

Horticultural worker

Step 5 List any occupations or areas of interests, other than those selected in Step 4, that you have thought or daydreamed about and that you might be “Definitely Interested” in. Examples: Adult educator, eLearning designer, etc. For Step 6 , note how they are similar or different from the Step 4 results Examples: Helping, creative, influencing

List any occupations or areas of interests, other than those selected in Step 4, that you have thought or daydreamed about and that you might be “Definitely Interested” in.

Examples: Adult educator, eLearning designer, etc.

For Step 6 , note how they are similar or different from the Step 4 results

Examples: Helping, creative, influencing

Step 7 What talents, personal needs, or hopes might the occupations in Steps 4 and 5 allow you to use, satisfy, or fulfil? Example: Increasing quality of life for Canadians, being creatively engage in my work, fulfilling my mission, etc.

What talents, personal needs, or hopes might the occupations in Steps 4 and 5 allow you to use, satisfy, or fulfil?

Example: Increasing quality of life for Canadians, being creatively engage in my work, fulfilling my mission, etc.

Step 8 What next steps would you like to take in your exploration? What kind of information do I need? Whom should I see? How do I go about contacting the right people?

What next steps would you like to take in your exploration?

What kind of information do I need?

Whom should I see?

How do I go about contacting the right people?

Do you have any questions?