Career Counseling with Minority Groups

1. Career Counseling with Minority Groups

2. Culture and Values • Culture consists of a set of attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviors shared by a group of people • Every culture has its own unique value system • Influences of cultural values • Human nature • Person-nature relationship • Time orientation • Activity • Self control • Social relationships

3. Culture and Values • Work Values • Hoftede (1984) work value differences: • Power distance • Uncertainty avoidance • Individualism/Collectivism • Masculinity

4. Culture and Work Values • Brown et. al (2002) Addressing values in the workplace with minority clients • Learn work place values • Identify value clashes or conflicts • Develop a “bi-cultural” identity • Become workplace advocates

5. African Americans • Demographics • Jackson’s 4 stages of identity development • 1. Passive acceptance • 2. Active resistance • 3. Redirection • 4. Internalization • Career Counseling Strategies • 1. Develop self concept • 2. Learning to be more internally directed • 3. Learning about job opportunities • 4. Clarifying motivational aspirations • 5. Learning to cope with White society

6. Asian Americans • Demographics • Concerns to Address in Counseling • Career Counseling strategies: behavioral techniques • 1. Learning self assertion • 2. Learning to understand organizational structure • 3. Improving communication skills • 4. Improving interpersonal skills • 5. Learning to understand the work environment • 6. Using parents as role models

7. Hispanic Americans • Demographics • Fouad (1995) Career Intervention Strategies for Hispanics • 1. Determine value system • 2. Be flexible • 3. Choose appropriate assessment instruments • 4. Address school retention (when applicable) • 5. Develop self efficacy • 6. Provide a variety of occupational choices • General Counseling Strategies • 3 steps: goal setting, parents, finances

8. Native Americans • Demographics • Development • 1. Tradition , 2. Transitional, 3. Marginal, • 4 Assimilated, 5 Bi-cultural • Martin (1995) Career Counseling Strategies • 1. Gather tribal information • 2. Establish communication style • 3. Be flexible • 4. Assess English ability • 5. Increase knowledge • 6. Include hands on learning interventions

9. World Views • Individuals’ perception and understanding of the world • Aspects of world views • Variance in world views • Multicultural competent counselor

10. Culturally Competent Counselors • Possess the ability to recognize self values, assumptions, and biases • Understand own level of identity development (Janet Helms White Racial Identity Model) • Understand and use culturally sensitive counseling theories • Understand the impact of sociopolitical forces on identity development and career development • Are sensitive to worldview differences • Use counseling strategies effective for ethnic minorities

11. Multicultural Career Counseling • Working with Immigrants • Come from a variety of cultures • Specific things to address when working with immigrants • Legal Status…can they actually work? • Examine acculturation and assimilation • Examine transferable work skills • Examine language ability • Examine level of education • Suggestions for interviewing multicultural groups (pg 302)

12. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual • General Counseling Issues • Stereotyping • Homophobia • Internalized homophobia • Heterosexist assumptions • Consequences of discrimination in the workplace • Physical violence • Hidden discrimination • The “lavender ceiling”

13. Sexual Minorities: Assessing Identity • Cass (1979) model of sexual identity development • Stage 1. Identity Confusion- not knowing or understanding much about his or her own sexual minority orientation • Stage 2. Identity Comparison- the individual acknowledges the possibility of being attracted to the same sex • Stage 3. Identity Tolerance- the individual tolerates rather than accepts and identification of an individual whose sexual orientation is different

14. Sexual Minorities • Stage 4. Identity Acceptance- this stage is characterized by continued contacts with other l/g/b persons to validate a new identity and a new way of life • Stage 5. Identity Pride- the individual takes pride in disclosing an identity as l/g/b • Stage 6. Identity Synthesis- when one accepts his or her sexuality

15. Views of Homosexuality. What is the influence on career development? • Asian Americans • More accepted in the majority culture than in Asian culture • Yin-Yang emphasis; Gender role emphasis; Tradition • Increased levels of intra-cultural discrimination • African Americans • Less accepting of LGBT persons than majority culture • Spirituality, multiple identities • Increased levels of intra-cultural discrimination; little support

16. Views of Homosexuality. What is the influence on career development? • Hispanic • Not as accepted as in the majority culture • Fear rejection from the community • Little tolerance for Homosexuality • Native American • More accepting than other ethnic minority groups • “Two-Spirited” • Gender roles are not as rigid

17. Gelberg & Chojnacki (1996) • 1. Pre-counseling preparation • 2. Establish an affirmative trusting relationship • 3. Assess client identity stage and related issues • 4. Identity variables that may limit career choice • 5. Complete a tailored assessment • 6. Complete job search strategies while being conscious of the client’s sexual orientation and stage of identity development

18. Elliott (1993) • Forbidden career for LGB persons • Military • Food service • Teaching or childcare • Doctors • APA guidelines for working with sexual minorities • 1. Be aware of own issues • 2. Be comfortable w/ sexual minorities • 3. Know when to transfer

19. Elliott (1993) • How to work in the LGB community • Market yourself as an LGB career counselor • Word of mouth • Display paraphernalia that is LGB sensitive • Rainbow • Books and magazines • Host workshops in the LGB community on career development etc.