| An Introduction
to the Interview conducted
The interview conducted entailed a 32-year-old
gentleman named Bruce Carrington, a senior marketing
executive for a software-developing firm. And
while Mr. Carrington has been in his current position
for approximately ten months [to the date of the
interview] he has been in the software business
practically since he was out of high school. One
of the prime reasons for this, as it turns out,
happens to be that his elder brother [now deceased]
used to practically be obsessed with computer
hardware as well as software; the influence of
the elder sibling is unsurprising when considering
that he was the only sibling.
Interviewer: Mr. Carrington, why exactly did
you theorize that the software field was the one
meant for you?
Carrington: Well, ever since
I was a kid of around 14 or 15, my brother Dan
would be obsessively immersed in this computer
my dad had gifted to him. Although Dan was 19
at the time, he soon became a whiz at the computer,
and I think it was basically the aura of absolute
control that overcame his countenance when he
was at his computer was what got to me...Furthermore,
I picked up the operations exceptionally fast,
surprising even my brother with my learning dexterity.
Interviewer: I see. And did
you have any doubts, at any given time during
your career, that you had perhaps made the wrong
decision; that you should try going back and trying
another field or industry?
Carrington: I’d be lying
to say that its been like Pleasantville ever since
I’ve gotten into the business but nevertheless,
I’ve never felt like I’ve made a major
mistake in concern to a career choice or anything
like that. And hell, even if I did, it would have
been extinguished now that I’m a senior
executive doing appreciably well. Moreover, of
even more relevance is the fact that my brother
death, at the age of 21, left me yearning to take
up computers for another, more subtle reason;
in remembrance of or in tribute to him.
Interviewer: Right, right. Well that’s
great. It sure seems like you’ve finally
gotten through the proverbial long, narrow and
winding path of the bottom rungs of the career
ladder; seems like you’ve got it all set
from here on.
Carrington: I sure wish that
I felt as confident as you just sounded. While
it would indeed seem that my position is one that
yields numerous progressive possibility, the one
thing I’ve come to learn, especially in
the computer industry, is that the degree of corporate
change, at any given time, could be drastic.
Interviewer: I see. Well, all
the best to you Mr. Carrington, I sure hope you
keep climbing. It’s been a pleasure having
you share some of your professional generalities
with us tonight. Thank you very much.
Carrington: Not a problem at all, it was my pleasure.
Interviewer: That was Mr. Bruce Carrington from
Mouldd Inc. Software, I’m sure you all found
his views quite enlightening; thank you and goodnight.
Integration of career development theory
It is quite apparent, thus speaking and taking
into consideration all that has been disclosed
within the entirety of the interview, it is quite
apparent that Mr. Carrington’s vocational
development was primarily influenced by his familial
environment. It is important to initially consider
the relevance of Parson’s vocational development
theory to Carrington’s choice. Parson’s
theory stresses that effectual career choices
are based upon ‘uniting, so far as may be
possible, the best abilities and enthusiasms of
the developed man with the daily work he has to
do’ (Parsons, 1909). Clearly, this related
to Carrington’s assertion that he picked
up how to operate the computer within an exceptionally
short time; it came through as ability.
However, speaking in terms of the vocational
relevance of Super’s life – span career
theory Carrington’s contemporaneous adherence
to the same career that he had opted for at the
growth stage attains a different light. Take into
consideration, for instance, the fact that Super’s
theory outlines five crucial stages of development:
‘Growth [roughly to age 11], Exploration
[approximately 11-20], Establishment [20 to mid-adulthood],
Maintenance [mid to late adulthood], and Disengagement
[late adulthood]’ (Super, Savickas, &
Super, 1996). |