Introduction This special section...

Introduction

This special section was stimulated through recent publications that have highlighted the importance of connection in understanding career choice and growth (e.g., Hernandez & Morales, 1999; Leong & Hartung, 1997; O'Brien, Dukstein, Jackson, Tomlinson, & Kamatuka, 1999; Richardson, 1993; Vondracek & Kawasaki, 1995) As Borgen (1995) noted, vocational psychology is "brimming with diversity and vitality" (p 432) and as Rayman (1999) pointed revealed in the context of the academy, career services in the nearest millennium must meet the evolving be in want ofs of diverse clients. The articles in this special section focus specifically onward how career services delivery may be improved with greater attention to contextual factors.

Career services delivery implies a more comprehensive focus than merely a person's initial occupational choice or no other than university-based counseling services; the authors of these three articles address issues of adjustment and change and also choice and career services delivered by means of government and industry as well as by the and of an educational system. Similarly, contextual factors in career services delivery may be interpreted surpassingly broadly, but the present focus is onward the following factors: socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and sociopolitical words immediately preceding [i]or[/i] following These particular factors have been addressed relatively infrequently in the past on the other hand have become increasingly important foci of vocational theory, research, and practice in new years.

More specifically, Ellen B Lent discusses the important issues that are raised when career services professionals from higher socioeconomic status backgrounds contribute to clients from lower socioeconomic status backgrounds. She then propounds a person-centered perspective on for what cause potential "cross-class" problems in program design and delivery may be addressed. nearest Y. Barry Chung introduces a standard to illuminate the many facets of work discrimination based upon sexual orientation. He also outlines a number of practical strategies for coping with like discrimination that counselors may find useful to discuss and implement with clients regardless of career unfolding stage. Finally, Eduardo J. R Santos, Joaquim Armando Ferreira, and Anna Chaves discuss the implications of sociopolitical words immediately preceding [i]or[/i] following for career services delivery. Their article uses examples from Portuguese society to illustrate to what extent political context, the structure of an educational method outmoded perspectives on employment, and bureaucratic power structur e directly affect career services delivery, unless in each case one can easily generalize the issues raised to other political or societal systems

In gross amount the present special section is an innovative collection of cutting-edge thinking regarding career services delivery. It is meant to gather together a certain quantity of of the best current thinking onward how each of the current factors affects career services delivery and also to stimulate consideration about how these factors may intersect. In addition, this special section is meant to further the two research and practice in vocational counseling by the agency of its attention to what is known and what privations to be known to better besufficient for the vocational needs of individuals.

Linda Mezydlo Subich

visitor Editor

References

Borgen, F (1995) Leading rims of vocational psychology: Diversity and vitality. In WB Walsh & s H. Osipow (Eds.), Handbook of vocational psychology: Theory, research and practice (2nd ed pp. 427-441). Mahwah, NJ: Eribaum.

Hernandez, T J & Morales, N E (1999) Career, agriculture and compromise: Career development experiences of Latinas working in higher education. The Career progressive growth Quarterly, 48, 45-58.

Leong F T L & Hartung, P (1997) Career assessment with culturally different clients: Proposing an integrative-sequential conceptual framework for cross-cultural career counseling research and practice. Journal of Career Assessment, 5 183-202

O'Brien, K M Dukstein, R D Jackson, s L., Tomlinson, M. J., & Kamatuka, N A. (1999) Broadening career horizons for observers in at-risk environments. The Career progressive growth Quarterly, 47, 215-229.

Rayman, J R (1999) Career services imperatives for the nearest millennium. The Career Development Quarterly, 48 175-184

Richardson, M s (1993). Work in people's lives: A location for counseling psychologists. Journal of Counseling Psychology 40 425-433

Vondracek, F W & Kawasaki, T (1995) Toward a comprehensive framework for adult career increase theory and intervention. In W B Walsh & s H. Osipow (Eds.), Handbook of vocational psychology: Theory, research and practice (2nd ed pp. 111-141). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

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