Target population
The flexibility of card sorting allows its application on a wide variety of clients. The
technique has proved suitable both for adolescents and adults, less educated people and
people with higher education, men and women, and in addition for the disabled (e.g.
dyslexic). When applying card sorting to people who have no clear vocational identity or
have not had any opportunity to explore the world of work, such as pupils and
undergraduates, counsellors facilitate understanding of their own vocational identity and
the uniqueness of their personality features configuration, as well as mediate the
understanding of the relationship between their interests, abilities and personality features
on the one hand and occupational selection on the other. Card sorting technique allows a
productive intervention both for clients and counsellors and moreover, offers the
counsellor the possibility of an interactive intervention.
In case of adults, the technique is based on an already complex image of their own person
and the world of work. Card sorting may however help adult clients to flexibly
understand the career-oriented decision-making process and consider alternatives in a
realistic manner. Actually, the technique allows adjustments of the occupation list by
adding some of interest for the client, not mentioned on cards. The individual nature of
the technique allows its application to the majority of adult clients irrespective of their
social, economic, and cultural background.
Many women limit their career opportunities to occupations that are by stereotype female
occupations. Studies indicate differences in terms of age in selection of the traditionally
feminine occupations: women over 40 and married women tend to prefer traditionally
gender-biased occupations (Mackinnon-Slaney, 1986; Mackinnon-Slaney, Barber,
Slaney, 1988). They may be unintentionally embarrassed by traditional career exploration
values and occupational stereotypes existing in their culture. Since occupational cards are
not stereotype, counsellors may actively monitor the selection process and intervene if
observe a tendency to limit the options, and clients may freely explore occupations
according to how well they match their potential and interests. This way, choosing a
career could be rational and less influenced by gender stereotypes. Comparing the
efficiency of two career exploration modalities in reducing the influence of gender
stereotypes over occupational choice (card sorting and SCII), it has been noticed that
choosing non-stereotype occupations was favoured by card-sorting (Slaney and Slaney,
1981).
People who need to be in control of their own decisions may thus benefit from card
sorting. Since the technique lead from knowing one’s self to choosing an occupation,
clients integrate the knowledge of themselves and of occupations logically and
independently in their decision-making process. The physical handling of the cards also
satisfies the clients’ need to be in control.