In my tireless search, I stumbled upon my vocational dreams.
I tend to have a lot of old papers and documents accumulated, from when I was studying at the university. One day, with all the laziness in the world, I started going through these papers with the intention of getting rid of documents I no longer need.
In this trip to the past, I discovered an exercise that the university counselor gave us in one of the orientation classes when I started my first semester of Social Communication. Today, after 12 years, Im going to check it again.
A vocational autobiography
We were a group of young people between 16 and 20 years old. The counselor suggested: “in a relaxed position, we will fantasize about going back to our childhood, walk through early adolescence and then return to the present moment to project ourselves into the future”.
Before starting, the teacher briefly explained the topic of vocation:
From childhood, we are asked: What do you want to be (or do) when you grow up?
First, they ask our parents, then teachers, uncles, and other close friends (ask your parents what they answered if you don't remember right now).
Human Developmental Psychology defines three stages of development: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
Vocation evolves with the person, and stages in vocational development have been delineated. The counselor shared the ideas of Eli Ginzberg (1951), who suggests that it is “a developmental process; it is not a simple decision, it is a series of choices made over the years...”
Ginzberg proposed three stages in vocational development:
1. FANTASY stage... Fantasy choices.🧚♀️
This phase lasts until the age of 11. In those who live this
stage, we observe behaviors such as:
🧚♂️The sense of pleasure predominates; children are inclined towards occupations that bring them joy (such as wanting to be someone who sells ice cream).
🧚♂️They recognize that they will have to work as adults.
🧚♂️ Attraction to occupations that evoke adventure, excitement, or freedom (being apolice officers, pilots, stewardesses, superheroes, astronauts...).
🧚♂️Lack of objectivity in personal appraisals, if you ask them every day What do you want to be when you grow up? Every day they tell you a different profession or occupation.
However, this does not happen with everyone, there are children who from a very young age want to be, for example, doctors, teachers, nurses, lawyers, and then they study and practice it.
🤸🤸♂️2. TENTATIVE Stage... Tentative Choices👬🧑🤝🧑🤼♀️
This phase covers the transition between 11 and 17 years old. The adolescent is still very subjective in assessing his or her possibilities. As he approaches 16 years old , they begins to consider the advantages of pursuing an occupation (helping others, relieving pain, enriching himself, etc.). At 17 years, the subjective yields to the demands of reality, which to a large extent determine his vocational choice. Time becomes becomes an increasing pressure.🕐🕥
3. REALISTIC Stage... More REALISTIC Choices👔👖👠🎓🎓
Extends from age 18 until the individual commits to an occupation. Objectivity becomes predominant. The beginning of this stage is full of conflicts and tensions. The young person supposedly has the capacity to evaluate the multiple factors that accompany they current and future decisions, related to the career he or she will study and the working conditions.
However, this is not always the case, and each person will be able to evaluate his or her own experience....
Upon reflection, many teeneagers realize they haven't prepared themselves, haven't seriously considered their career options, and are surprised to finish high school without having analyzed their possibilities. Often, the pressure of knowing it's time to register at the college planning office leads them to choose the wrong paths, which can lead to frustration and a feeling of wasted time.
But that's not all...
In the career choice process, we must consider the variables that influence each stage, especially the realistic stage, because it's not just about choosing or rejecting a career! It's about comparing that choice with a series of variables that can positively or negatively affect it...
We will continue talking about this at our next meeting.
We invite you to explore our content:
https://hive.blog/hive-124452/@andre3rosal3s/hola-allí-estoy-andrea
@andre3rosal3s/millennials-concerns-about-authority
@andr3rosal3s/how-rice-and-beans-saved