1. Super’s Theory: A Life-Span, Life-Space Approach to Careers
CPS 616
Instructor: Emily E. Bullock, Ph.D.

2. Super’s Vocational Theory
History of Super’s work
Career Pattern Study (1985)
Coming of Age in Middletown: Careers in the Making
Unique in espousing a developmental perspective in viewing occupational choice
14 propositions serve as assumptions of the theory

3. Super’s theory
Life Space: The social situation in which an individual lives
Life Span: life stages such as childhood which are linked to career stages
Life Career Rainbow

4. Super’s Career Life Rainbow

5. Super’s Theory Life Span Career Stages Growth: (4-13yrs)
Exploration: (14-24yrs) crystallizing , specifying, and implementing an occupational choice
Establishment (25-44yrs) stabilizing, consolidating, and advancing in a position
Maintenance (45-65yrs) holding on, keeping up, and innovating
Disengagement (over 65 yrs) deceleration, retirement planning, and retirement living

6. Super’s Theory Career maturity and career adaptability
Proponent of adding a measure of values to career batteries
Self-concept system
Criticized for focusing on the majority population

7. Super’s Theory: Practical Applications
Assessment’s 4 Phases: Career Development Assessment and Counseling
Life structure and work role salience
Career development status and resources
Vocational identity
Occupational self–concepts and life themes

8. Super’s Theory: Practical Applications
Integration of data and interpretation of results
The Counseling Process
Interview is the prime means of directly fostering growth and exploratory experiences
Advocates the use of “generic counseling processes” based on the needs of the client
Cyclical Counseling-composed of directive and nondirective approaches

9. Theory of Career Construction
Updates and advances Super’s Theory
Considered more applicable to a multicultural society and a global economy
Based on the idea that we each construct representations of reality
Career development is due to the adaptation to the environment rather than internal maturation
Career development occurs through an active process of meaning making rather than a discovery of preexisting facts

10. Theory of Career Construction
3 Main Components of the Theory
Vocational Personality Type
An individual’s career-related abilities, needs, values, and interests
Seeks to augment P-E fit theories
Career Adaptability
How one constructs a career; individual’s readiness and resources for coping with current and imminent vocational development tasks, occupational transitions, and personal traumas
Life Theme
Why of vocational behavior in a way that is highly unique to each individual
“consists of a problem or a set of problems which a person wishes to solve above everything else and the means that the person finds to achieve a solution”

11. Evaluating Super’s and Career Construction Theory
How might you use these theories with clients?
Does this theory help you to add questions to your repertoire?
How might this theory effect your view and use of assessment?
What do you think of the concept of career maturity?
How do these theories compare with others we have studied?