One of the theories I actually like, I think it is a real honest and true theory.
As it is a contemporary theory it has borrowed from traditional theories, however, I can’t quite believe it took until 1999 for it to be really formalised into a theory by Mitchell, Levin and Krumboltz.
Happenstance, as a term, refers to when chance events affect an individual’s career path or planning. The theory is held in high regard, partly due to the number of people able to account for when and where chance has played a part in their own career. I myself maybe particularly drawn to this theory, as I fell that it relates to me. I had throughout school and college planned everything around becoming a primary teacher, as I thought this is what I wanted to do. It wasn’t until I took a year out from the course for a variety of reasons (one being my deep dislike for what I had so far spent 3 years doing). It was on this year out that I was offered training at my current work on the Connexions Line; it was from here that I found out about career advisers, and this course. It was sheer luck that I was offered that work and that I liked it so much that I decided to do this Postgraduate course. This is a clear example of how chances lead me to find out what I truly wanted to do.
Where traditionally, vocational confusion would be considered a problem or an issue to be resolved, Happenstance actually embraces it. The theory effectively promotes uncertainty. “Work world shifts challenge career counsellors to adopt a counselling intervention that views unplanned events as both inevitable and desirable.”
However, I am able to see the weakness in this theory; I can see where some might find the concept difficult to digest. It may be that a client has never experienced any of this ‘luck’ that Happenstance bases itself upon, it may also suggest that there is no need for focussing on formal support, planning or guidance when it comes to career choices or accessing the job market. However, I still feel that as a contemporary theory it is going someway to acknowledge the other factors which now affect an individual’s career journey.
(Levin, A., Mitchell, K., Krumboltz, J. (1999) Planned Happenstance - Constructing Unexpected Career Opportunities. Journal of Counselling and Development, 77(02), P. 115 – 125)
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I got the book Happenstance and really enjoyed it. I think there's loads of tips to throw in when we are speaking to people. Its amazing when you ask people about how their career has progressed that happenstance seems to play a large part. e.g. one of the careers team at Napier started off as a cleaner at Napier on the advice of her neighbour, having taken a huge career break to have her family. She very nearly didn't take the job , but when she did, she chatted to all the students whilst she was cleaning, and one showed her how to do bits and pieces on the computers. This led to her covering for someone on reception, to a permanent reception post and onto careers assistant.
ReplyDeleteThe whole idea is very upbeat and maybe hard to convince some people but ultimately very often it is the people who take chances as they present themselves who get on.