Mr

Lifestyle and Career Counseling

Coun 5700

Spring II 2005

Isaac Bull Yonly

Webster University

May 20, 2005

Abstract

This paper covers many areas including Career counseling theories learnt in class. These theories are used in application to my life stories as contributory to the beginnings, present and future analysis of my career sojourn. As you read further, you will understand some of the good and bad things that led to who I am today. The use of personification in telling my stories is highlighted in what career choices and success affects my today's

and future career goals.

In concluding, the steps taken to achieve the goals that are enumerated are critically reviewed.

Career development is a continuous process due to the changes in society and environment. Super's concept includes economic factors influencing career development and relates them to society and labor market. The economic influence is manifested in family life and status. One's financial background affects career background.

Financial security is a partial factor and can act as one less obstacle towards reaching career goals. Although financial aid is readily available, family background and wealth may result in higher expectations. From the analysis above, it is very eminent from my background. Having the requisite educational attainment is a panacea to success for every person who wants to succeed in life. Success in life at the time, even in some culture today means status, material wealth and all other things that follow.

Touching on Super's theory of economic factors, my case was very different as compared to the other friends I grew up with. My father at the time was in a good position to finance my educational sojourn. It was a competition: getting the best results in school and remaining academically superior amongst one peer. I was very fortunate though but with extra input of having sleepless nights and sacrificing social activities.

I began my education in a tiny village in the southeastern part of Liberia, Africa. At the time my father was the local government commissioner who hired some teachers from a neighboring country. He did so with a great interest and also the desire to help his local municipality in achieving some development earmarked in that district plans for the fiscal year.

When I was growing up, my idea on career was not paramount as there were other things: maintaining high academic standards and finishing elementary school were the main focus at the time. It was difficult for other families to see their kids through school because of tuitions and other supportive cost associated with education in that part of the world.

. Family traditions and values must be considered as a contributing attribute. Family expectations and traditions apply a certain amount of pressure on its members' decision making. Values most likely stemmed from family influence. As we grow up and constantly change, our values may be the most resilient to outside influence. Those values are mostly instilled throughout the developmental years. Ginsberg, Ginsburg, Axelrad and Herma bases their theory on the concept of developmental standpoint. Our family life relating to ethics, religion or lack of it, parents or guardians' values, has a great impact on the maturation of our values. Most everything revolves around one's values. Career choice is adhere to a certain extent otherwise conflict arises within the person or between the person and the source of conflict. Family lifestyle is also an element in ultimate career choice. One's family class and accommodations sets and guides one's motivation to achieve a comfort level accustomed to. The higher class can motivate higher achievements in order to continue or resume the lifestyle acquainted with. It also seems that higher income or status may also be related to one's intellectual abilities. My situation as regard to the above Ginsberg, Ginsburg, Axelrad and Herman relates very well. Starting with ethics, my father instilled certain values when we were growing up. One is; becoming someone that is; maintain the status quo of his family and achieving what he has done or past what he did. In the family I was in the right direction as my grades were always used as a measurement for the other brothers and sisters to follow. I also had this pressure on me psychologically that, I have to or must succeed academically no matter's what. Education was the panacea and the deciding factor for career choice. Our Career in the family is based on leadership which is the derivative of good education, mastery of certain subjects and caring for and loving your people. This up-bringing has an impact on my development and career choice as a person. Even though I want to be a servant to the people but at the same time want to be a leader but not a follower. Literally, one has to be a follower before becoming a leader.

Higher class can motivate higher achievements. in order to continue or resume the lifestyle acquainted with. It also seems that higher income or status may also be related to one's intellectual abilities. Goltfredson's discusses intellectual level and its relation to career choice and level of accomplishment. Environment is inescapable as a major influence and that would include family style, society, economics, culture and many other factors. Heredity may also be a factor in one's choice of career to a certain extent and from some point of view. Some behaviors are believed to be hereditary such as alcoholism, tolerance level, and many others. Intelligence is also believed to be somewhat hereditary. Therefore, some people may be more fortunate than others in that aspect or less fortunate, because ultimately, intelligence is a major aspect of the level of achievement. After discussing certain factors of career development which caught my attention and were somewhat more relative to my experiences than other theories, I would like to relate some of those elements to my life. Society's role in my career choice manifested itself in many different and nontraditional ways. Born in Liberia, I moved to the Developed World at the age of twenty five, this had to do with my father new assignment in the diplomatic service. I had absorbed a good amount of the African culture by that age. That aspect