Innovating Career Development Through Technology via a Cognitive Information Processing Theory Lens

Abstract

Today’s technologies offer a wide array of venues through which career development can be facilitated. Both traditional technologies such as computerassisted career guidance programs and trendy technologies such as phone apps provide new ways to help with constructing one’s self-knowledge, learning about the world of work, fostering decision making skills, or managing dysfunctional career thinking. Social media has expanded theways in which people learn about themselves and the world of work by actively connecting individuals with shared interests and passions. Opportunities to learn new skills are a video click away, as are free tests to identify one’s personality and “perfect” career options. While the quantity of online information and resources is overwhelming, often the quality of these resources is questionable. When individuals are relying on these sources to inform and ultimately make career/life decisions, career practitioners have an ethical and moral obligation to help them evaluate the robustness of these instruments and information sources. Cognitive Information Processing theory (Sampson et al. in Career counselling and services: a cognitive information processing approach. Brooks/Cole, Pacific Grove, 2004) identifies four essential elements for designing and constructing a satisfying career. In this chapter, we will be using these four elements as an organizational framework for describing how today’s technologies can be used in innovative ways to build competency in each of these areas. In addition, this chapter will address how career practitioners can help their clients navigate and evaluate the quality of online resources.