Article 2008

Using accuracy of self-estimated interest type as a sign of career choice readiness in career assessment of secondary students

Journal of Career Assessment
Journal · Vol. 16 · Issue 3 · pp. 310-325
Abstract

A frequent applied method in career assessment to elicit clients' self-concepts is asking them to predict their interest assessment results. Accuracy in estimating one's interest type is commonly taken as a sign of more self-awareness and career choice readiness. The study evaluated the empirical relation of accuracy of self-estimation to career choice readiness within a sample of 350 Swiss secondary students in seventh grade. Overall, accuracy showed only weak relations to career choice readiness. However, accurately estimating one's first interest type in a three-letter RIASEC interests code emerged as a sign of more vocational identity and total career choice readiness. Accuracy also correlated positively with interest profile consistency, differentiation, and congruence to career aspirations. Implications of the results for career counseling and assessment practice are presented. © 2008 Sage Publications.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Career counseling Career choice readiness Interest assessment RIASEC typology Secondary students Self-estimation

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
Universität Zürich, Zurich, ZH, Switzerland, 301 CEDAR Building, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
Universität Zürich, Zurich, ZH, Switzerland
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
References 10 References
1 Assouline, Moti, Meta-analysis of the relationship between congruence and well-being measures, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 31, 3, pp. 319-332, (1987)
2 Zeitschrift Fur Differentielle Und Diagnostische Psychologie, (1993)
3 Allgemeiner Interessen Struktur Test Revidierte Fassung Aist R, (2005)
4 Brown, Steven D., An evaluation of interest congruence indices: Distribution characteristics and measurement properties, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45, 3, pp. 310-327, (1994)
5 Camp, Charissa C., A comparison and evaluation of interest congruence indices, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 41, 2, pp. 162-182, (1992)
6 Creed, Peter A., Predicting two components of career maturity in school based adolescents, Journal of Career Development, 29, 4, pp. 277-290, (2003)
7 Creed, Peter A., Antecedents and consequences of career decisional states in adolescence, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 67, 3, pp. 397-412, (2005)
8 Theory and Research Handbook for the Career Maturity Inventory, (1978)
9 Eggerth, Donald E., Modifying the C index for use with Holland codes of unequal length, Journal of Career Assessment, 14, 2, pp. 267-275, (2006)
10 Gottfredson, Gary D., Interests, aspirations, self-estimates, and the self-directed search, Journal of Career Assessment, 10, 2, pp. 200-208, (2002)
Quick Actions
Full Text via DOI
Citation Metrics
17
Times Cited (Scopus)

References 10
Document Identifiers