1.

0 Introduction
Referring to (Hansen,1976) career development is a continuous lifelong process of
developmental experiences that focuses on seeking, obtaining and processing information
about self, occupational and educational alternatives, life styles and role options. This
means that it is continuous process to understand the roles, responsibilities and so on to
upgrade and develop ones career. Therefore, there are few theories that are widely have
been used in the career development. These theories explain about which career fits one
person the best. However, each theory is a set of assumptions that only explain relate more
on environment or phenomena. In other words, all those theories are not exactly accurate or
true. Here, the writer will explain explicitly about a few theories that have been us widely in
supporting career development.
1.1 History of career development
1.1.1 Supers Developmental Self-Concept Theory
Referring to (Super's theory, 2015), Super developed the concept of vocational
maturity, which may or may not correspond to chronological age: people cycle through
each of these stages when they go through career transitions. This theory was develop
by Donald Super in 1953. This life span developmental theory include five major stages
which are growth, exploration, establishment, maintenance and decline. Basically, during
the growth stage which occurs from birth to ages 13 to 14, the self-concepts formed
within family. While during the exploration stage which is around 15 until 24, selfexamination occurs where exploration of occupation took place. Then, the establishment
stage which is at the ages of 25 until 43, it becomes the productive years where they
already established and more focused on one particular occupation. At the maintenance
stage, within at the ages of 45 to 65, work on how to pertain the status that they hold
currently. Last but least, the last stage which is decline, which occurs around at the age
of 60 and above, the workload started to reduce where their retirement age nearly
arrived. They are more concerned to delegate their workloads to other individuals. This
theory has been viewed as realistic and stable as it is appropriate in the 21st century
workplace that replicates the real world.
1.1.2 Holland Theory of Vocational Types
John L. Holland who developed the theory of vocational choice is one of the theory that
widely applied and implemented on career development by many companies. This theory

provides a simple and user-friendly typology framework on career interest and environment
which guides on career choices. Holland theory is basically based on the personality traits that
assessing individuals from two or three highest frequency of personality types that complement
with environmental aspects of potential career that is suitable to their personality traits.
According to (Hollands Theory of Vocational Choice, n.d.), this theory predicts that the higher
the degree of congruence between individual and occupational characteristics, the better the
potential for positive career-related outcomes, including satisfaction, persistence, and
achievement. It means that the closest the result to the occupational characteristics, the better
the one can have on the decision on the career choice that contributes to satisfactory and great
achievement in respective career. John Hollands theory tells that people and work
environments can be roughly classified into six different groups which are R-Realistic, IInvestigative, A-Artistic, S-Social, E-Enterprising and C-Conventional.

John Hollands Hexagon Models

The concept of consistency is used as a measure of the internal harmony or coherence
of an individuals type scores (Spokane & Cruza-Guet, 2005, p.24). The personality types that
are adjacent to each other in the hexagon model, have the highest frequency of similarity of
personality characteristics and vocational orientations, while types are opposite have the least
frequency of similarity and type that are separated the similarity is average. Therefore, the place
of types in the hexagon models did play role on ones career choice.
1.2 Comparison between two theories ( Donald Super theory and John L. Holland
theory)
There is a lot of difference between Supers theory and Hollands theory. Holland
theory comprises of six different categories which are Realistic, Investigative, Artistic,
Social, Enterprising and Conventional (RIASEC). While Supers theory is based on the

five

major

stages

of

developmental

stages

which

are

Growth,

Exploration,

Establishment, Maintenance and Decline.

Supers theory basically about the self-concept on how ones understand
themselves. The environment of where the people work and live affect the self-concept
that continuously change over time and experience. He assumed that human are active
which change constantly over time and experience. This theory explains that as people
encounter their different stages if life, their roles of progress gradually change. Supers
theory is basically about ones life span that is totally differ from Hollands theory. Super
tells people that they can play multiple roles during their whole life span. The people
understanding and belief on his career development will change across the time.
John Holland's theory states that personalities go into six different categories
which are Realistic, Investigate, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Convectional. People
who have undergone the SDC test are suggested to reflect the score and use them as a
guideline on their career and environment choices. The level of satisfaction on the
career will increase if the similarity of persons personality and work environment are
higher. According to Niles & Harris-Bowlesbey (2008), people are in a congruent work
environment when their personality type matches the occupational environment.
Though these two theories are distinct between each other, both theories have
their own influence on ones career choice and development. Generally, Supers theory
is based on the process of self-concept while Hollands theory is on ones personality
types that are access through inventory implemented. However, as cited in (Leading
Theories and Practices, 2015) that referring to Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey (2008) there is
no one theory that sufficiently addresses all possible factors of career development and
the people career concerns.

2.0 John Hollands Theory Career Development

2.1 The Self-Directed Search (SDS)
The self-directed search (SDS) is widely used to know deeply about what career that fit
one person well. This inventory is user-friendly where it is easy to use, administered that really
helpful to individuals that wanted to do career planning.

3.0 Rationale of the chosen pupils

3.1 Clients background
The two clients that I have chosen was from year 6 pupils of SK Sultan Abdul Aziz, Kg.
Ketior, Kuala Kangsar. The clients consists of a boy and a girl from Year 6 class. The writer
decided to administer the test on a different gender because the writer wants to differentiate
their career interests. In addition, it will be easier for the writer to compare and contrast their
career interest as gender might affect the career selection survey. These two clients were
suggested by their class teacher. The writer believed that the teacher has suggested the good
pupils to be the writers clients. The selected clients contributed a lot to the school and being
active as both of them are school prefect. Hence, the writer believe these two clients are
suitable to take the careers test as they have leadership and can hold the responsibility greatly.
Consequently, they will manage to do the test appropriately.
3.1.1 Client 1
This client is a male who is also 12 years old. He is the youngest children of his
family. He lives in Taman Sri Emas, a residential area which approximately 10 km from the
school. Furthermore, his father is a policeman while his mother is a teacher at my current
practicum school. Based his parents occupation, he came from a good educational family.
Since his mother is a teacher in the same school, his mother can supervise and track him better.
Therefore, he can excel better as his mother is a teacher who knows the educational area
greatly that consequently could help to facilitate his son. Family background factors found to be
associated with career development include parents' socioeconomic status (SES), their
educational level, and biogenetic factors such as physical size, gender, ability, and
temperament" (Penick and Jepsen 1992, p. 208). Besides, he also has a good rapport with all
the teachers since he is very friendly and have high level of self-esteem. More

3.1.2 Client 2
This client is a female who is 12 years old. This client has different background from the
first client as she lives in a village. She is the eldest children of his family. She lives in Kampung
Ketior which is very nearby the school that approximate took about 5 minutes from the school.
Her father works as a Head of the Village while her mother is a housewife. Her educational
background is not that bad where I found that she is only has problem with English subject. The

writer thinks that since the pupils live in the village and her mother is a housewife, this client
might have little exposure on the English language. Apart from that, his father work as the Head
of the Village which is not a professional worker. Therefore, her family might not emphasized on
education well as the client 1. However, she is a pleasant client but quite introvert where she
speaks when needed.

4.0 Data Analysis

Based on the results achieved from the SDS test administered to the writers clients, the
test resulted to ISC for Client 1 and CIA for Client 2.
The high consistency profile occur when the personality types are adjacent to each other. The
furthest the types of the personality, the lower the consistency of the profile. According to
Holland, higher degrees of consistency within personality types can make it easier for
individuals to make their career decisions and maintain career achievement and satisfaction. In
addition, the value of types score whether it is high or low. If there is big different between one
type with another type of the personality types, thus this means that the person has some area
of interest that obviously higher than the others. This thing is good as it will be easier for the
person to identify which occupation they prefer most. Another concept in Hollands theory is
congruence which emphasize on the environment or the area of interest. For instance, if one
person with code ISC get to work with a person of the same code, ISC, they would become
more satisfied and productive as they share the same interest. According to (Leung) a high
degree of match between a persons personality and interest types and the dominant work
environmental types (that is, high degree of congruence) is likely to result in vocational
satisfaction and stability, and a low degree of match (that is, low congruence) is likely to result in
vocational dissatisfaction and instability.

4.1.1 Client 1
This client with Summary code ISC which the scores are 26-14-10 which is low
consistency profile since the location of the types in the Hexagon model are not adjacent to
each other. From this result, the writer can see that the scores complement the client in terms of
the clients personality. In addition, based on the clients biodata, his ambition is to be a scientist.
This result shows the area of interest that the client wanted. The writer sees that the client is an

observant, values science since he told the writer that his favourite subject is Science and he is
also a precise person. In addition, the writer believes that the clients family background also
lead the client to have this kind of result. Since his mother works as a teacher, then the
educational value is viewed as big to him. One of the characteristics of investigative code is
intellectual which represent him well. From these characteristics, the writer believes that this
code represent the client very much. Thus, the client need to focus more on the occupations
that are coded with I, S and C. There are numerous of occupations that represent these area of
interest which are Computer Network Support Specialist, Dialysis Technician, Linguist, Market
Research Analyst, Microbiologist or Physician. These kind of occupations are the suggested in
the theory, however there many more occupations that suitable with clients area of interest
apart from these. Since the clients ambition is to be a scientist, it is not run that far which
means that it is still in Science field. Thus, the clients personality traits is suitable with his
ambition. This clients tables of scores, hexagon and summary code are reflected in figure 2 in
the appendix.
4.1.2 Client 2
This client with summary code CIA which the scores are 25-20-20 respectively which is
medium in consistency profile. The highest which is C which located opposite to the following
codes which are I and A which next door in the hexagons model. This thing tells us that the
result is medium in consistent profile. In writers opinion, the client is quite introvert yet wellbehaved person. The highest code which is C- Conservative really resembles her since the
writer feels that the client suitable to deal with systematic task. In addition, the client seems neat
so this code suits him well. Since the client result are C, I A, there are number of jobs that
combine these three interest areas are secretary, personal manager and bank manager.
However, these choices are undeniably contrast from her ambition. It is really helpful to have
ones to reflect on why particular occupation are or are not congruent with their summary code.
Upon further reflection, she may realise the values of the occupation is more important rather
than the attractiveness of the occupation. The client might get these of result because of she
has lack of exposure on career. Perhaps, she does not know a lot of occupation that actually
existed. The writer thinks that her familys background cause her limited exposure. Since her
father works as a head of village, and her mother is a housewife, the exposure to education is
limited rather than client 1. However, since the writer has the opportunity to administer the test
on her, the writer can explain what kind of occupation that really fit her. Thus, indirectly the writer

gives new and beneficial knowledge to her. This clients tables of scores, hexagon and summary
code are reflected in figure 3 in the appendix.
5.0 Conclusion
Indeed, it is important for the pupils

References

Appendices

Client

Muhammad Nur Syakir

Name

Nur Hanim Binti Omar

Boy

Sex

Girl

Same

Class

Same

Policeman

Fathers Occupation

Head of Village

Teacher

Mothers Occupation

Housewife

Scientist

Ambition

Teacher

Cycling

Hobby

Cooking

Middle class

Social Status

Lower class

Good

Achievement

Moderate

Horizontal Mobility

Social Mobility

Vertical Mobility

Bin Hanik