Developmental Career Counseling and Assessment

"I found a lot to learn from reading the book. . . . After an excellent overview chapter that introduces the main theories of career development and outlines many of the factors that affect career development, chapters 2 and 3 focus on the use of assessment in career counseling. Chapter 2 in particular provides numerous insights into the contribution psychological tests make to career counseling, but not without making it clear that testing has its limitations. It is probably the best short introductory chapter on psychological testing that I have read. In particular, . . . it offers very useful guidelines as to what best practicing in testing involves. . . . The book must have been thoroughly revised, since the great majority of the references mentioned in the text post-date that edition." --Jennifer M. Kidd in British Journal of Guidance and Counselling Providing a comprehensive approach to career counseling, this volume integrates the career counseling process into the life span ranging from early childhood through older adulthood. For each stage, the author explores emotional, physical, and mental development factors. The author also provides suggestions, techniques, and case studies for counseling clients at each of these stages. Two chapters cover the uses and types of various assessment instruments; a critique of the instruments' applicability to the counseling process is also included. Using a life-span framework, the author also discusses years of identification and differentiation, years of growth and searching, years of realism and separation, years of compromise and commitment to a lifestyle, and more. The book closes with a case analysis suitable for class work in career development or related course. Career counselors, guidance counselors and those interested in counseling psychology, educational psychology, and the human services will find Developmental Career Counseling and Assessment to be an invaluable guide to the field. About the first edition: "Career counselors will appreciate the thoroughness of the book, and also the up-to-date research information which focuses on minorities and women's issues. The text, directed mainly towards the professional, would be an excellent resource for any career library." --Career Planning & Adult Development Newsletter "Linda Seligman has written an exceptional book which provides a comprehensive overview of the career counseling process from a developmental perspective. Her treatment of assessment in the counseling process adds significantly to the literature of the field. It is cogently written and balanced and contains a wealth of information. Recognizing that whole books have been written on material Seligman covers in a chapter, she makes each sequence count. If I were to recommend one book on career counseling for both the beginning as well as the more seasoned professional, this would be it." --Career Media