Career Development and Planning: A Comprehensive Approach

Career Development and Planning includes theoretical work in cognitive psychology and relevant knowledge from the applied behavioral sciences:

• Part I focuses on the theory base in cognitive information processing, with detailed, practical examples of the application of the theory in typical career situations, including self-knowledge, occupational knowledge, and decision making.
• Part II provides a multidisciplinary overlay of issues that affect career decisions, such as economic trends, organizational culture, new work styles, and dual careers.
• Part III focuses on concrete steps for executing a strategic career plan and seeking employment, including an examination of familiar topics such as interviewing, resume writing, negotiating, and work adjustment, from a cognitive and multidisciplinary perspective.

In addition to meeting general education requirements, this text fulfills five criteria cited by the American Psychological Association. The text embraces and builds upon the following APA professional development guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major:

"Apply psychological content and skills to career goals" (APA 2016)

• The text focuses on the topic of self-knowledge and helps students apply this information to career decision-making. Students assess and evaluate their Values, Interests, and Skills, providing them with vital information for career planning. Utilizing cognitive information processing theory and Holland's RIASEC theory, students learn about self-knowledge for educational and career planning.

"Exhibit self-efficacy and self-regulation" (APA 2016)

• The text provides valuable information from cognitive psychology to aid students in making proactive, self-directed decisions about their futures. It presents a five-phase career decision-making model and explains how one's metacognitions can be changed to enhance decision-making effectiveness.

"Refine project-management skills" (APA 2016)

• The text guides students through concrete, measureable steps for meeting their career goals, providing them with an understanding of how to break down complex tasks into smaller, manageable actions. It features a conceptual framework based on theory and research, the CASVE Cycle, which empowers students with a schema for executing educational, occupational, or employment plans.

"Enhance teamwork capacity" (APA 2016)

• The text explains how individual careers may unfold in the context of organizational behavior; the global economy; new ways of working; and the relationships among supervisors, co-workers, and family members. The text prompts readers to network in their communities and draw upon the knowledge of others as mentors and advisors.

"Develop meaningful professional direction for life after graduation" (APA 2016)

• All aspects of the text are written to help students develop professional goals and maximize opportunities for discovering and executing post-graduation plans. Through the presentation of resources and strategies that help students explore their interests and options, the text gives them the tools to pursue meaningful careers in further education, employment, or community engagement.