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Peterson, Nadene & Cortéz González, Roberto.
(2000). The Role of Work In People’s Lives: Applied
Career Counseling And Vocational Psychology. Belmont, CA:
Brooks/Cole.
Pp. 620
$73.95
ISBN 0-534-34688-X
Reviewed by Jennifer M. Whitney
The Ohio State University
November 15, 2004
The Role of Work in People’s Lives:
Applied Career Counseling and Vocational Psychology is a
master’s level career counseling textbook which provides a
comprehensive and practical understanding of career counseling.
The authors’ approach career counseling and vocational
psychology from both a multicultural and global perspective and
delve into exploration of complex sociological issues such as
ethnicity, values, and socioeconomics. In the preface of their
book, Nadene Peterson and Roberto Cortéz González state
that The Role of Work in People’s Lives was an
intentional collaborative effort between “two people of
different ages, cultural backgrounds, and genders” (p. ix).
Throughout the book, it is clear that such a deliberate approach
brought a diverse, multicultural set of lenses to view the role
of work in society and our clients’ lives. As opposed to
limiting such topics to a small chapter toward the end of the
book, the authors infuse issues of multiculturalism and diversity
throughout the text. Additionally, while many books limit such
discussion to those ethnic and special populations considered to
necessitate discussion due to population size, Peterson and
Cortéz González approach such exploration inclusively.
White, African-American/Black, Latino, and Asian groups are
considered, as are Native American, Eskimo/Aleut, and Pacific
Islanders. Peterson and Cortéz González also give
credence to the differences among these groups and explore
subgroups such as Hmongs, the most recent group of Asian American
immigrants. Such issues are addressed from both an historical
perspective, as well as from that of present day concerns.
In addition to the multicultural approach, the
emphasis of this textbook is on real-world, practical application
coupled with an historical and theoretical perspective. Peterson
and Cortéz González have extensive experiences as
practitioners and have taught career counseling and developmental
courses at the master’s level. Along with presenting
comprehensive research, Peterson and Cortéz González
address current trends in the career patterns and the world of
work, as well as career counseling given the ever-changing nature
of such issues. Thus, Peterson and Cortéz González
present the career counselor or vocational practitioner as a
“facilitator, counselor, advisor, and therapist” (p.
x). The authors comprehensively address the social aspects of
work as the world of work does not occur in a vacuum. Throughout
the volume, Peterson and Cortez Gonzalez provide asides entitled,
“Practical Applications.” Such practical applications
provide real world connections in which the reader is asked to
engage in the material and bring his or her own experiences to
the reading, making it both personal and hopefully meaningful. In
addition to making such connections, these sections serve as a
means of teaching practitioners to be self-reflective. For
example, in the first “Practical Applications”
section in chapter one, the authors ask the reader to reflect on
the following: “How [his or her] own race, sexual
orientation, educational training, and class privilege contribute
to the way they view the role of work in people’s lives,
and how such views affect their interventions with clients’
workplace issues” (p. 7). Again, the multicultural
perspective is infused throughout the contents of the book, as
opposed to being delegated to one chapter or section of the
text.
Chapter one is titled “Current Perspectives
on Work.” The chapter addresses the changing face of the
work world in the twenty-first century. A global perspective of
the economy is provided, as well as current trends in the U.S.
market. Issues such as takeovers, mergers, and the corporate
climate are at the forefront of discussion. The authors purport
there must be a change in the role of the career counselor in
order to match such profound shifts in the work world. In line
with the sociological perspectives addressed in the text, the
authors discuss the interdependence of social, political, and
economic systems as forces of change, as well as how these
systems relate to role of work in people’s lives.
Chapter two continues with an exploration of
perspectives on work, more specifically on the historical and
present day implications of societal and personal values, ethics,
and meaning in the work place. The authors begin by exploring
general values and ethics from the perspective of cultural
relativism, both historically and currently. Specifically, a
discussion of work values and work ethics follows. Again, such
exploration is done with an historical lens, looking at the
cultural ethics and movements that shaped the role of work in the
United States. The protestant work ethic, the puritan work ethic,
the industrial revolution, and the importance or myth of
self-reliance, individualism, and resilience within each of these
ethics are explored. Additionally, minority work ethics, such as
the Confucian work ethic, are addressed as a means of exploring
the ever-changing fabric of American culture. In doing so, the
chapter turns its focus to work ethics in the twenty-first
century. Finally, the concepts of work/job satisfaction and
leisure/avocational activities are explored. Within this chapter,
the “Practical Applications” sections focus on
exploring the reader’s own values and ethics and how they
inform future practice. Additionally, chapter two introduces two
case examples and personal reflection exercises, a feature that
is present throughout the book.
Chapter three is titled, “Perspectives on
the Vocational Practitioner’s Role” and discusses the
need for standards of competency, as well as accountability in
the profession. Vocational practitioners is the term the
authors utilize throughout the book to describe career
counselors. Again, such a term is designed to focus on the
practical application of the material provided. The authors begin
the chapter by stating that the role of the career counselor is
often misunderstood as merely finding clients jobs or careers.
However, Peterson and Cortéz González assert that
career counseling cannot be divorced from personal and emotional
mental health counseling. Chapter three is divided into three
sections: competencies of professional practice and vocational
counseling, counselor and program evaluation of efficacy, and the
role of assessment in career counseling. Career counselor
competencies, ethics, and training are all enumerated. As
supplements to this chapter, Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 are
comprised of the Code of Fair Testing Practices in
Education and the National Career Development Association
Ethical Standards. Appendix 3 includes a list of career
assessments and their publishers.
Chapter four explores career assessments and tests
and presents theories which rely strongly on assessments. The
four approaches included are as follows: Trait-Factor Theory,
Holland’s Typology, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and
the Theory of Work Adjustment. As with all other chapters,
practical applications are provided, with the focus on utilizing
these assessments in one’s practice. Trait-Factor Theory,
Holland’s Typology, and the Theory of Work Adjustment are
all evaluated based on their relevance to multicultural and
diverse populations, although the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is
not. The chapter concludes with a captivating historical overview
of influences on vocational psychology, dating back to ancient
Greece, Egypt, China, classical Islam, and Medieval Spain.
Chapters five through eight describe several other
theories as applied to career counseling. Chapter five focuses on
traditional counseling theories as applied to career counseling.
Those theories discussed include psychodynamic theory,
person-centered, existential, reality, cognitive behavioral and
postmodern (social constructionism and constructivism). Practical
applications for each theory are proposed and a case example for
utilizing existential theory in relation to gender in the
workplace is included. Developmental theories are detailed in
chapter six. The work of Erikson, Ginzburg and Super is explored,
and work of other career developmental theorists is heeded.
Chapter seven includes social learning and decision-making
approaches including that of Bandura, Krumboltz, and Social
Cognitive Career Theory. Finally, family and systemic influences
on occupational choice are included in chapter eight. The authors
begin by writing about the theoretical models of both Adler and
Roe and progress to traditional family systems approaches to
occupational development. As with every chapter, practical
application is emphasized and techniques such as genograms are
explained. After the portion regarding theories, chapter eight
explores the oftentimes conflictual relationship between work and
family. Implications of dual career families and single-parent
families on both the work role and the familial role are
explored. In addition to practical application, the authors
discuss the multicultural relevance of the aforementioned
theories as they relate to career counseling.
Peterson and Cortéz González use the
next three chapters of The Role of Work in People’s
Lives contain information regarding career counseling in the
schools and beyond. Chapter nine addresses career counseling in
the schools. The authors begin by examining the National
Career Development Guidelines and the National
Occupational Information Coordinating Committee’s
competencies for elementary, middle, and high school students.
The emphasis is on competencies, accountability, and the role of
career counselors in the school setting. Ever mindful of
practical application, the authors present programs, including
parental involvement, techniques, assessments, and resources for
career counseling K-12.
Chapters ten and eleven address career counseling
with the adult population. Chapter ten looks at adult stages of
those who choose to enter postsecondary education and training,
while chapter eleven concentrates on career decisions and
transitions throughout adulthood. With regard to career
counseling for postsecondary education and training, Peterson and
Cortéz González have divided the chapter into five
sections: vocational/technical schools, community colleges,
colleges and universities, career counseling in these venues, and
finally a model for a course on career exploration for a
postsecondary setting. The following chapter (chapter eleven)
relates and explores workplace issues such as gender, sexual
harassment, ageism, and other concerns relevant to jobsites.
Generational transition issues are discussed as well as job
burnout and job related stress. Finally, issues related to the
aging and retiring population are addressed. Given the scope of
the topic, this chapter provides a very comprehensive overview of
the issues relevant to this population. Nine practical
applications and four case examples are included.
Chapter twelve is titled, “Developing an
Occupational Counseling and Information Center.” Given the
importance and value of technology, a large portion of the
chapter is devoted to computer-assisted career guidance systems
and manners of infusing a career center with such methods. Such
systems are introduced and explored, issues of selection are
addressed, and the power of the Internet and online services is
discussed. Establishing a career counseling system is navigated
and implementation within different settings and with various
populations is explained.
Although multicultural and diversity issues are
incorporated into every chapter in The Role of Work in
People’s Lives, chapter thirteen is dedicated solely to
such issues. In incorporating such a chapter, the authors are
able to provide a more in-depth look at multicultural and
diversity issues. Ethnicity, acculturation and assimilation, and
affirmative action are discussed. The chapter also includes
exploration regarding the role of work and relevance of career
counseling for African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and
Native Americans. Research and recent literature regarding the
role of work in the lives of gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons,
as well as persons with disabilities is also examined. As opposed
to mere paragraphs addressing these different populations,
Peterson and Cortéz González provide a thorough
overview of issues relevant to each particular group. For
example, in discussing the role of work for African Americans,
the authors examine social and economic realities, specific needs
of the college bound and college educated African Americans,
issues of racism and sexism for African American women, and the
psychology of Black success. Latinos are addressed not as a
uniform whole but according to ancestry, heritage, and origin.
The additional populations are addressed in a similarly
comprehensive manner.
The final chapter revisits several formerly
addressed topics with an eye for the future. An overview of what
the authors believe lies ahead in the twenty-first century is
provided, including issues of increasing cultural diversity, the
increasingly global economy, and postmodernism as it relates to
the world of work. Changes and restructuring of jobs and work,
influenced by downsizing, technology, and the movement toward
outsourcing, is discussed. In this discussion, Peterson and
Cortéz González propose the rethinking of the role of
work in US culture. The authors assert that the role of work in
people’s lives must take a more balanced approach between
work and leisure. Finally, the manner in which these changes
affect the role of the vocational practitioner are discussed.
The Role of Work in People’s Lives
exceeded expectations in the arena of career counseling
textbooks. It is easily accessible and comprehensible, yet not
elementary in its discussion and exploration of career
counseling. Multicultural and diversity issues, along with
practical application are interwoven throughout each chapter. As
a companion to their textbook, Peterson and Cortéz
González edited Career Counseling Models for Diverse
Populations: Hands-On Applications by Practitioners. It is
described as a casebook complete with models for counseling a
diverse range of populations, filled with practical information
and techniques.
Other pertinent features of the text include
introspective tools such as the “Practical
Applications,” explained previously, and case examples
which are provided throughout the text. Additionally, the text is
aesthetically pleasing which must not be undervalued when
attempting to capture and maintain a reader’s interest.
Graphs, charts, and tables, as well as photos and pictures
provide pictorial representations of many concepts covered. Aside
from aesthetics, illustrative representations are an additionally
modality of teaching and learning which provides readers with
another method of comprehending the information presented.
Although my experience with this book was on the
whole positive, there are areas I identified for improvement. As
aforementioned, The Role of Work in People’s Lives
provides a comprehensive review of issues relating to career
counseling; however, given the scope of the topic, the
information provided is not exhaustive. As such, supplemental
materials, such as other texts and articles may be used to
provide a more in depth analysis of a particular topic. Also,
while special populations are given particular consideration
throughout the text, including issues of gender, a chapter
dedicated solely to the career development of women is advisable.
Given the special needs of this population, a specific chapter
addressing the nuanced issues of career counseling for girls and
women would be considerably additive to this text. Additionally,
using the Internet as a tool in career counseling is discussed;
however, in this conversation, online counseling is neglected.
Given that this is a fast growing medium for counseling in
general and specifically career counseling, information and
discussion regarding on-line counseling is imperative, especially
in a master’s level course for career counseling. Finally,
counseling skills are not specifically addressed. While such
skills are certainly addressed elsewhere in a master’s
counseling program, reinforcing such skills and applying them to
career counseling is beneficial. As such, supplementing said
material when using The Role of Work in People’s
Lives as a course textbook is suggested.
About the Reviewer
Jennifer M. Whitney is a PhD student in Counselor Education
at The Ohio State University.
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