Career Counselors have utilized career counseling models to govern how a resume should be written (Kivligan and Savickas, 1990). What text goes into a resume can differ due to the varied needs of a given client. The following counseling theories have been used to aid counselors in helping a client to create a resume: Astin, Super, Krumboltz, Holland and Healy. A brief overview of each theoretical framework will be provided followed by a discussion of how these theories effect resume writing.
Astin
Astin’s model includes four constructs. The first construct is motivation which describes the individual’s needs and includes survival, contribution and pleasure. The second construct is sex-role socialization which includes elements in the family, work, school and play. The third construct is the opportunity structure which includes elements such as technological advances, economic forces, and other factors which increase or inhibit one’s access to an occupation. The fourth construct is expectations which are the precursors to an individual’s career choice (Astin, 1973).
Astin’s model places an emphasis on the sociological perspective. In so doing, she provides the assumption that the motivations for men and women are the same. Thus, the psychological variables remain relatively constant. The sociological variables of sex-role socialization and opportunity are the shapers of expectations which directly leads to career choice (Astin, 1984).
The third construct which includes technological advances is certainly a factor a counselor should consider for a client’s resume. For instance, if our client is interested in business fields such as consulting, investment banking or marketing, it is most likely that this client will need to have computer skills. Computers are a technological advancement that has hit the business world in almost every field. It would be necessary to find out which computer programs and computer skills are necessary for a given job and list them in a special skills section. Also, it would be wise to find out any new business skills such as research or marketing techniques that a given job requires and list these skills on the resume as well if the client is capable of these skills.
Super
Super’s theory is a segmental theory. His theory consists of a unification of theories which takes into account differential, developmental, social, personality and phenomenological theories. These various theories are unified through experiential learning, social learning and interactive learning (Brown and Brooks, 1991).
Super’s theory describes the life-span and the developmental process of making career decisions. Super uses an archway model to display the interaction of psychological and sociological variables which are supported by a biographical and geographical base. The interaction of these variables leads to the individual’s development of a self-concept. Super discusses role-self concepts. That is, an individual can have a different self-concept depending upon the role s/he possesses (Super, 1981a; 1981b).
Super’s life career rainbow displays various roles which an individual can acquire. These include: child, student, leisurite, citizen, worker and homemaker. Within each of these roles the individual progresses through growth exploration, establishment, maintenance and decline or disengagement. This theory is developmental, and as a result, it describes that as individuals we go through various mini-cycles which make up a maxi-cycle. The individual is the socialized organizer or the agent of change who directs his/her engagements for career choice. The individual creates a self-concept and from that implements an occupational self-concept (Super, 1982a).
The first dimension within Super’s career rainbow is career maturity. For adults, career maturity is expressed as career adaptability. Career maturity consists of an individual’s location along the developmental process. Super uses six dimensions to describe the career maturity process. They are: orientation toward career choice, information and planning, consistency of career preference, characterization of traits, independence of career choice and wisdom of career choice (Super, 1982a).
Given this, a counselor could use Super’s career maturity model to determine which resume a client should use. Clients in the student or less mature phases should often use a functional resume whereas clients in more mature phases should most likely consider chronological or combination resumes. For instance, if a client is in the student stage and has little experience, then a functional resume could be in order. If a client is in a more mature phase, then a chronological resume might be in order. Of course, a client could be in the work phase and decide to switch careers. For example, a man who is a Lawyer with plenty of law experience may decide to become a consultant. Therefore, a combination resume may be in order. Given this, Super’s model can be used as a general guideline for resumes.
