Socioenvironmental Influences on career choices of novice undergraduates Essay Example

develop their career paths and acquire essential skills and opportunities. Making decisions about their careers while still in high school is a crucial aspect of this phase for adolescents.

The decision to go to college or join the workforce is often seen as a crucial step in securing employment, which greatly impacts the career path of young individuals. It both opens and closes opportunities for them. In a study investigating the influence of various factors on the career choices of rural young adults, researchers considered the distinct social and economic contexts of those who choose higher education versus immediate employment (Bluestein, Phillips, Jobin-Davis, Finkelberg, & Roarke, 1997). Recent research suggests that Asian Americans do not strongly connect their vocational interests with their career choices.

According to Qin (2010), Asian Americans often choose their profession based on their family's goals rather than their own interests. This can result in a discrepancy between occupation and personal preferences. Although the term "career" is commonly used, its complex nature and interrelated meanings are frequently disregarded. In everyday language, people typically define this concept as the means, path, or trade through which an individual earns a living within a particular society. Furthermore, many individuals use "jobs" or "occupations" interchangeably with the term "career".

Experts commonly refer to career choice as the process or factors involved in an individual's career path. Another interpretation of "career" is a compilation of all the jobs a person has held throughout their life. Career decision making involves searching for viable career options, comparing them, and ultimately selecting one (Gati & Asher, 2001). These various jobs or occupations that individuals experience over time

usually show upward progression.

This indicates that as someone progresses through different positions, they will experience more pressure, responsibility, competition, and better compensations. When discussing "career choice," factors such as necessary education, training, job prospects, job description, and salary frequently come up (Gati & Asher, 2001). However, it is important to acknowledge that there are additional factors that can influence an individual's career choice (Gati ; Asher, 2001). The PIC had a three-stage model for career decision.

The text examines career decision making and the three stages it involves. These stages encompass pre-screening potential alternatives based on personal preferences, thoroughly exploring promising options, and ultimately selecting from a few viable choices. Presently, there are numerous conversations concerning career decision making as society acknowledges the impact of diverse factors on individuals' career choices.

Brown (1990) suggests that there is a strong need for models that delineate and describe the process of career decision-making. These models indicate that individuals progress through a series of predetermined stages, although there may be variations in the specific steps identified to accommodate diverse processes (Gati, Shenhav, & Givon, 1993; Peterson, Sampson, & Reardon, 1991). This notion is further substantiated by contemporary models of career decision-making.

Out of all the career choice models and questionnaires available, such as the CDDQ, CDSQ, and MBCD, the PIC model stands out. Opting for the PIC model is a definitive choice because it offers individuals superior readiness in making a suitable career decision.

The PIC model, in my opinion, offers a more interactive and responsive approach to assessing an individual's job scope, taking into account social and environmental factors. But before delving

into the specifics of the PIC model, let me first outline the typical steps individuals go through when making career choices.

In order to achieve this goal, I would need to consult the research conducted by Gati, Krausz, and Onispow (1996) on the "Possible focuses of Career-Making Difficulties". According to their findings, many individuals experience a period of "lacking readiness" before embarking on their search for their desired career. This lack of readiness is typically characterized by a lack of motivation, indecisiveness, and dysfunctional beliefs. Conversely, those who are already engaged in finding a suitable career often find themselves torn between the phases of "lacking information" and "inconsistent information".

During the "lacking of information phase," individuals often struggle to make decisions due to insufficient information about CDM (Career Decision Making), themselves, available occupations, and ways of obtaining the necessary information for a suitable career choice. In the "Inconsistent information" phase, many individuals experience unreliable information, internal conflicts (self-related problems), and external conflicts (problems involving outsiders or external factors).

In the Pre-screening stage of the PIC model, candidates must reach a shared objective - to identify a small group of favorable options (ideally 7) that warrant further investigation. This stage follows a sequential elimination approach, which involves four tasks: identifying and ranking relevant factors, clarifying preferences within each factor, eliminating unsuitable alternatives, and reviewing the list of promising options.

The pre-screening stage would result in a list of promising alternatives that deserve further exploration (Gati ; Asher, 2001). The main goal of the in-depth exploration stage is for candidates to find alternatives that are both promising and suitable. During this

stage, candidates focus on the promising alternatives and evaluate their suitability by engaging in self exploration and considering personal preferences.

The candidate would be provided with 3 or 4 suitable career options in the outcome of this stage (Gati ; Asher, 2001). In the Choice stage, candidates would need to select the most preferred and appropriate alternative, and then rank these alternatives in the order that benefits the candidate the most. By this stage, the candidate generally has a clear idea of which career path to pursue (Gati ; Asher, 2001).

The theoretical paper aims to address any doubts regarding the assumption that enrolling in a tertiary education course implies narrowing down career interests and committing to a specific profession. It is important to acknowledge that certain fields of education often result in limited employment opportunities and the potential waste of human talent (Swinhoe, 1967).

Many individuals were realizing that further education was not the ideal option (Swinhoe, 1967). Numerous gaps were found in the journals I have reviewed. I will concentrate on two main gaps that indicate a disregard for gender as a potential factor in career choice in the studies conducted by Abdullah, Rahim ; Mohamed (2009). Their research aimed to ascertain the career interests of university students.

The study involved 238 undergraduate students from three Malaysian public universities. Out of the sample, there were 101 males and 137 females. The researchers discovered a notable distinction in realistic career interest patterns between male and female students. However, no explanation was given for the gender preference or the factors that influenced these outcomes.

According to Mansor ; Tan (2009),

a major gap in research is the failure to identify the variables involved in obtaining results. Additionally, none of the studies have established a clear theory or conclusion regarding the acceptance of career choices by high academic achievers compared to low academic achievers. Mansor ; Tan (2009) explored this relationship among Malaysian undergraduate students and hypothesized that there is no significant connection between academic achievement and career indecision.

Recent research conducted in Malaysia shows that there is no significant correlation between academic achievement and career indecision among undergraduates. However, other studies indicate that both high academic achievement and gender can impact individuals' career choices. A study by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) found that men and women exhibit equal interest in pursuing careers in chemistry but often opt for different paths within the field.

The study reveals that there is a gender imbalance in post-doctoral research within higher education, with a greater representation of men compared to women. Conversely, women are inclined towards alternative career paths outside of higher education, such as analytical chemistry or training and education in the same domain. Additionally, a majority of women exhibit a preference for studying chemistry at the undergraduate level rather than physics or engineering. Nevertheless, chemistry has not been as effective as physics or engineering in attracting women towards pursuing an academic profession. These variations have served as inspiration for formulating my own research inquiries.