Career Counselling:

Please give a feedback on my paper using the rubric below: Background History

My interviewee has a background in journalism, and worked as a journalist after graduation. When she was a journalist, her favorite part of being an interviewer was interviewing people and learning about what they think and what their view is, and they got the, you know, the why behind the phenomenon that you see. Then, she moved to the consulting industry, doing marketing communications and populations consultant for around 8 years and then she migrated to Canada to do her MBA. Growing up, she was influenced by how her parents respect education and knowledge. Her parents never stop learning and taking new courses, even after they own a company, which is something she appreciates and admires. She then pursued an MBA at University of Toronto, Canada, where she started doing research as an RA with professors in business, school and marketing department. So she returned to her previous position for a year and started working in a consumer behavior project. However, after a while, when she met her partner in her 30s as a consultant in the consulting firm, her responsibilities became more administrative and client-centered. She felt like her interest has shifted a little bit because what her interest is not about the purchase decision. Because of her role as a marketing communication consultant working for consumer goods, it has reminded her how she is interested in how consumers were thinking about their cognition and behavior. Eventually, she decided to retire early from the job and left the industry and went back to school and to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology with a social psychology specialty at The University of British Columbia.. However, when she was trying to apply for Masters, she realized that she needed a background in either psychology, biology or etc. So, she did a psychology undergrad degree again to just get into the field and have the training that will help her to do psychological research. Now, she was just admitted into the masters program in the Psychology Department at the Social Cognition and Emotion lab. Her responsibilities consist of her working on a sociability project, reading literature review, attending meetings and required classes.

Social Learning Theory

According to the Social Learning Theory, it reveals that their career development is intricately linked to their capacity to learn and adapt. This theory allows us to explore how cognitive processes, task approach skills, and self-beliefs play vital roles in their career choices.

We can apply Social Learning Theory to the interviewee's career story to help us understand how their environment, observational learning, learning experiences, and cognitive processes influences their career development and decisions. The interviewee's career transitions and choices reflect elements of observational learning. The interviewee's parents served as role models for valuing education and continuous learning. Their parents' emphasis on education influenced the interviewee's decision to return to academia and pursue a Ph.D. in psychology. The interviewee's experiences in the consulting industry may have involved observing colleagues' behaviors and strategies for success. The reinforcement of hard work and attention to detail in their early career contributed to their rapid promotion. In addition, observational learning is evident in their decision to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology, likely influenced by observing successful individuals in the field. For example, during her role as a consultant, she encountered one article written by Dr. Elizabeth Dunn telling me everything she did in her previous career was wrong. That's the time when I started to feel like she was so interested in the well-being of people when making the decisions and that leads to my interest in pro social behaviors. She realized how you can be happier by purchasing the experience rather than material goods. So, that's when she started paying attention to the human connections and relationships and pro social behavior in helping others how you spend your money to help others in need. That leads to her collaboration with a researcher in organizational behavior, where his main focus is on morality, like how to promote ethical behavior in the workplace.

We can also apply this theory to how her previous experiences in various research and academic roles within social psychology has shaped her subsequent career decisions. She started in Business School, doing research as an RA with professors in the business, school and marketing department. Because of her role as a marketing communication consultant working for consumer goods. It has reminded her how she is interested in how consumers were thinking about their cognition, their behavior. So she started working in a consumer behavior project but after a while, she felt like her interest had shifted a little bit because what her interest was not about the purchase decision.

Additionally, her task approach skills are observed as she has demonstrated strong goal-setting skills throughout her career. From starting as a journalist to moving into consulting and eventually pursuing a PhD in psychology, she set clear career goals for herself. Her decision to transition to academia reflects her ability to define and pursue long-term objectives. Secondly, her values played a significant role in shaping her career choices. Her desire to have a career with a purpose, focused on understanding human behavior and well-being, aligns with her values which guided her transition into social psychology research. Moreover, when she realized that her consulting career was no longer aligned with her interests and values, she explored alternative paths, such as returning to school to study psychology. Additionally, her ability to predict future events is reflected in her proactive approach to career planning. She anticipated the need for further education and made the decision to pursue another bachelor degree to achieve her research goals. Finally, she learned from her experiences in journalism, consulting, and academia, gaining insights into different industries and roles that helped her make informed career decisions.

Theory of Work Adjustment

Theory of Work Adjustment focuses on the match between an individual's skills and needs and the demands and rewards of their work environment. TWA places a strong emphasis on the value of work satisfaction and satisfactoriness, which may impact someone's motivation and sense of general well-being.

Reflecting on my own learning and experience in the process of conducting this interview, the interviewee has been helpful in providing a detailed account of her experiences and thought processes. This made it easier to understand her career transition from journalism to the consulting industry and later to academia and the factors that influenced her decisions using TWA. One of the most significant takeaways is the importance of flexibility and adaptability in one's career journey. The interviewee's ability to transition across different industries and roles highlights how being open to change and embracing new opportunities can lead to a more fulfilling career path. The interviewee's choice to obtain a PhD and change professional paths is in line with her own preferences and beliefs. This switch demonstrates her flexibility to adapt to different work environments and skill sets. She was willing to explore various career paths, even when she had to take a detour, for example, she could have been applying for a PhD position in Business School like a long time ago. However, applying to work in social psychology, it required her to have another two years in the undergrad degree. She could have studied for a PhD two years earlier, which took her longer, but she somehow made it work. Additionally, pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology requires a long-term commitment to research and academia. Her decision to embark on this path shows her perseverance in pursuing her passion for understanding human behavior and cognition. Moreover, after achieving success in consulting and meeting her partner, she still decided to leave her career and return to school. This decision required perseverance as it involved a significant change and the pursuit of higher education.

Secondly, the interviewee's decision to shift her career from consulting to academia reminds me how crucial it is to match one's values, interests, and general wellbeing with their professional choices. The interviewee's decision to leave a demanding consulting position in favor of social psychology research shows a desire for employment that is in line with personal values and promotes well-being. The choice made by the interviewee to choose a job that more closely matches with personal beliefs and interests demonstrates TWA's emphasis on balancing values with employment. According to TWA, people should try to balance their wants with the requirements of their workplace. For example, The interviewee's motivation for doing social psychology study stems from a desire to comprehend human behavior and advance wellbeing. This drive is consistent with both the quest of greater needs-satisfying employment and the TWA definition of fulfillment. She wants employment that is both personally fulfilling and beneficial to society. The interviewee's path exemplifies the flexibility and drive people may show in pursuing careers that provide them both fulfillment and happiness in their life. The interviewee expressed satisfaction with their career progression and success in consulting but also indicated a desire for a more purposeful career aligned with their interests in psychology and research. It serves as a reminder that job satisfaction stems from work that resonates with one's beliefs and interests, as it leads to greater motivation and fulfillment in one's career. I could relate to some personal and environmental barriers that made career planning more challenging for the interviewee. Immigrating and adapting to a new country's job market, culture can have a profound impact on career planning and development. As an international student, I had to adapt to the job market demands, new culture and workplace environment in order to perform well and find satisfaction in one's career. Moreover, a personal barrier that made career planning more challenging for the interviewee is pursuing a PhD and transitioning to academia at a later stage in her career. She adjusted with the challenge of being a graduate student at her age, having to work alongside younger peers while continuing to pursue PhD. However, the interviewee's perseverance her to overcome this barrier.

Career Interview

Criteria

Ratings

Pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeBackground HistorySummarizes key information expressed in the interview.

6 to >5.4 pts Excellent

5.4 to >4.5 pts Good

4.5 to >3.6 pts Adequate

3.6 to >0 pts No Marks

6 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeCase ConceptualizationIdentifies/describes one relevant career development theory/model. Explains how selection extends understanding of interviewee.

10 to >8.99 pts Excellent

8.99 to >7.59 pts Good

7.59 to >5.99 pts Adequate

5.99 to >0 pts No Marks

10 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePersonal ReflectionsReflects on experience of completing the interview / case conceptualization.

6 to >5.39 pts Excellent

5.39 to >4.6 pts Good

4.6 to >3.6 pts Adequate

3.6 to >0 pts No Marks

6 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeWriting Style, Formatting, and ReferencesAdheres to APA's Style Guide 7th edition including spelling, grammar, formatting, and references.

3 to >2.7 pts Excellent

2.7 to >2.28 pts Good