In addition, using the principle of card sorting and integrating other current career
theories, such as the intelligent career theory (Arthur, Claman and DeFillippi, 1995) card
sorting techniques have been created with other contents than occupational, for instance
Intelligent Career Card Sorting (ICCS – Parker, 2002).
Theoretical background
Career counselling is currently developing in a volatile environment where “the only
constant element is change”. Economic, social and cultural changes make their mark and
in order to help clients in the process of career search it is essential that counsellors and
psychologists develop new evaluation and intervention models that should respond to
these needs (Peavy, 1997; Savickas, 2000, 2001).
Evaluation and testing represent important components of the career counselling process.
The main beneficiaries of their results are the help seekers (clients) who, on exploring
themselves, developing decision-making and problem solving abilities, become capable
of taking control of their career evolution. In a permanently changing social and
economic context, the purpose of evaluation in career counselling is focused on exploring
from a personal perspective one’s career and its relationship with the other segments of
life. This dimension of career is known by the name of subjective career (Gattiker and
Larwood, 1986) and includes personal perceptions, emotions and values related to career
and influencing the evaluation both of current performance and of subsequent career-
related expectations (Collins and Young, 1986).
A series of evaluation methods have been developed with a view to identifying the
individual meaning of career (subjective career). Among these: narration, controlled /
directed imagery exercises, graphic career representations, metaphors, card sorting. The
conclusions of card sorting technique studies suggest that any combination of the two
types of methods (card sorting technique – as a means of identifying expressed interests –
and interest inventory – as a way of identification of the mapped interests) do not
significantly add to the efficiency of career exploration interventions (Talbot and Birk,
1979; Takai and Holland, 1979).
Goldman (1983), one of the pioneers of the technique, wrote: “ The distinctive value of the
technique is given by the fact that it allows / requires clients to project themselves into a
number of occupational titles, classifying occupations idiosyncratically, according to the
values, aims, interests, abilities or other aspects they wish to focus upon when sorting
...What results is usually a richer image of the person in relation to occupations,
compared to the one obtained through standardized inventories that come up with
predefined categories where answers are placed ... Similar to a projective test, card
sorting technique allows an observation of the approach to the task – slow or fast,
determined or hesitant, specific or vague, clear or unclear, simple or complex, informed
or uninformed.”