Gender issues in career counseling

A few short year the career for women just the secondary to their husband or

others family obligations. Currently, career counseling finds that women are

planning for a lifelong career in wide range of occupation has become the highest

priority for many. A career first and marriage maybe or later is the new order of

reference for those who aspire for a career outside the home. The women who

get on this career course will find that many barriers still remain. First, the bias

associated with gender stereotypes in the working world still exists. Second, the

women who gives her career development equal status with her husband’s will

find acceptance of her role personally challenging, with little support from many

men and women.

In the career development have theories that can to relate to women. It is,

from Super have classified into seven categories for women’s career

development patterns is stable homemaking, conventional, stable homemaking,

conventional, stable working, double track, interrupted, unstable, and multiple

trial. And then from Ginzberg, this theory considered three lifestyle dimensions

for women that may be used in career counseling approaches is first traditional,

second is transitional and lastly innovative.

Some factors that influence gender development is from parental influence

on gender development in early childhood and adolescence. Have study of

gender development in childhood and adolescence also have focused on a

number of factors, including influence from parents, siblings, school, teachers,

classmate, other peer group, and media. And then, the study of adult gender

development, however, has focused on the degree to which early influences

have affected an adult’s worldview, personality characteristics, thinking process,

and behavior.

In the workplace still has barriers associated with bias and status level. They

need to face the problem gender stereotypes. Gender stereotypes are belief that

one holds about the characteristics and traits of women and men. In essence,

gender stereotyping promotes the belief that women should be traditionally

feminine and men are to be traditionally masculine. Such as in the corporate

world, women have difficulty achieving leadership role. It appears that women

continue to be viewed as strong in personal and family roles and not meant to

assume leadership role. This so-called glass ceiling is the invisible barrier that

blocks women from high-level position. Counselor should focus on the source of

thinking scripts of gender typing and try to restructure and modify cognitive belief.

In the issue sexual harassment more than 50% of working women will

experience sexual harassment in their job. Factors used to determine when a

behavior is considered offensive are, first it the behavior was judged extreme,

second, if the victim was responsible for what happened, third, if the perpetrator

was a direct supervisor of the victim and lastly, if there was significant frequency

of occurrence. It appears obvious that sexual harassment continue to be a

problem have equal access to employment and career advancement.