SEXUAL ORIENTATION AS A FACTOR IN CAREER-DEVELOPMENT

As I reviewed the available case information on Allan, the concept of career development shaped my impressions of the client. “Career development is, for most people, a lifelong process of getting ready to choose, choosing, and typically, continuing to make choices from among the many occupations available in our society. Each person undertaking this process is influenced by a great number of factors, including family, personal values and aptitudes, and societal context” (Brown, Brooks, & Associates, 1990, p. xvii). As this statement suggests, career development is a holistic approach to counseling individuals. Each “factor” represents a piece of the puzzle that guides the individual through the process. Life‐style issues (i.e., family, leisure, sexual orientation, personal values, societal context), as well as interests, work values, and skills are tightly interwoven within an individual's major or career choice. 1993 National Career Development Association