could be quickly confirmed by questioning her about the occupa-
tions falling outside the sextype, prestige, and effort boundaries she
seems to have set. The biggest question is whether E truly is inter-
ested in law and other Enterprising activities (on the SDS, she was
higher on E than S) or whether law is a fairly superficial interest
developed from living among lawyers. Being surrounded by the law,
so to speak, could have artificially boosted her score on the Enter-
prising scale, because there is nothing else in her profile suggesting
that she likes to lead, persuade, or manipulate people (Enterprising)
rather than serve and help them (Social). Although some types of
lawyering can satisfy Social interests, practicing law tends to be a
very high-pressure way of indulging them. It is a highly prestigious
occupation, however, whereas Social occupations tend to be lower
in prestige and more stereotypically feminine. Indeed, the gender
equity movement has often targeted the legal profession as key to
women’s advancement. It is therefore worth exploring whether
concerns over occupational prestige (is it high enough?) and sex-
type (is it too traditional?) are inclining E toward law and away
from occupations that would seem to offer activities more in keep-
ing with her stated interests (writing and teaching).
E could test her interests in Social versus Enterprising occupa-
tions by taking a course that is characteristic of each or by shadow-
ing women in Social and Enterprising occupations that she and the
counselor might together identify as potential options. She should
shadow women workers, because any career will have to comport
with her goals as a wife and mother.
Returning to Figure 4.8, the strategy with both K and E is to assess
their progress from birth niche to adult niche by having them try to
distinguish their internal from their external compasses. Probing the
basis for their zone of acceptable alternatives is one means of doing
so: Why do they or their families find some options acceptable but
others not? K and E can also develop greater self-insight by reviewing
their “selves in context,” that is, how well they resonate with differ-
ent environments. Besides reflecting on past experiences, they must
also fashion new ones, because only through experience do people
GOTTFREDSON’S THEORY OF CIRCUMSCRIPTION, COMPROMISE, AND SELF-CREATION 143