Method evaluation
Choosing a career is the central preoccupation of people who seek counselling, and the
identification of useful intervention for this purpose is not always an easy task. Card
sorting technique offers an alternative to classical career exploration interventions. It
focuses on the person’s individuality, generated by the client, not dependent on any
computerized processing, and it offers intuitive results to clients.
Advantages:
Holistic approach to career exploration
Card sorting technique allows a complex evaluation in career counselling on at least three
levels:
- understanding one’s personality traits;
- preference for basic work sectors (activities);
- preference for various occupations.
As it has already been shown, in the first stage of card sorting the clients order the
Holland personality types. This stage usually enhances the better understanding of one’s
vocational personality. It may be a genuine revelation for some clients who thus get to
understand why certain occupations appeal to them and others not, why certain courses
appear interesting and others are not.
A second stage of card sorting, level two of evaluation, involves clients’ interests in two
large activity categories (what they like and dislike doing?). These interests may be
related to the Holland personality types.
The third evaluation level is related to specific occupations. While clients select
occupations that are of interest to them and group them by logical similarity, the matching
with the Holland personality types and preferred activities is highlighted. By examining
occupations and grouping them, clients begin to understand some attitudes they have
towards occupations and the personal values underlying their own choices.
Card sorting leads one towards integrating important information related to career choice
(personality traits, preferences for occupations, personal values). By handling and
evaluating occupational cards, people develop a more complex image of themselves and
of the career choice process.