Graduate students’ perceptions of the career construction interview

ABSTRACT

Counsellor Education programmes provide opportunities for students to engage in approaches grounded in theory and research, utilise appropriate interventions, and conceptualise career concerns using both objective and subjective methods. This phenomenological study examined 25 students’ perceptions of learning and conducting the Career Construction Interview. Analysis of the 25 interviews revealed four major themes: (a) Skills and Knowledge, (b) Client Experience, (c) Perspectives on Theory, and (d) Counsellor Views of Intervention. Findings of this study have the potential to inform counsellor education pedagogy regarding career counselling training and career theory development.

KEYWORDS:

• Career theory
• counselling theory
• career counselling
• career construction interview
• counsellors-in-training

Data availability statement

Due to the nature of this research, participants of this study did not agree for their data to be shared publicly, so supporting data is not available.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Natalya A. Lindo

Natalya A. Lindo is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Counseling and Higher Education, University of North Texas. Her research and teaching interests are Career Development and Play Therapy. She is the developer of the Child and Adolescent Career Construction Intervention.

Dan Li

Dan Li is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Higher Education, University of North Texas. She is an interdisciplinary scholar who adopts a variety of research methods to study counselling and supervision related phenomena. Her research includes clinical supervision; international counselling students and faculty; and online/remote teaching and learning.

Citlali E. Molina

Citlali E. Molina is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Counseling, University of Texas at Tyler. Dr. Molina spent 10 years with the Grand Prairie Independent School District Public Schools where she was a High School Teacher, District Administrator, High School Counselor and College and Career Counselor. She has vast experience in creating and implementing K-12 curricula for College and Career Readiness.

Marianna Branch

Marianna Branch is contributing faculty in the School of Counseling at Walden University. Her research interests are counsellor education, cross-cultural mentorship, and multicultural l issues in counselling.

Charmaine Conner

Charmaine Conner is an Assistant Professor and Chair of Counselor Education at Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL. She has extensive experience providing mental health services to children, adolescents and adults in a variety of settings: residential, private practice, and non-profit agencies.

Hannah Robinson

Hannah Robinson is an Adjunct Faculty Member in the Department of Counseling and Higher Education, University of North Texas. Her interests include school-based interventions and play therapy.

Rebecca Werts

Rebecca Werts is a doctoral student in the Department of Counseling and Higher Education, University of North Texas. Her research interests include multicultural issues in counselling and women’s emotional health.