Career assessment in a culturally diverse society

This paper discusses how a culture-sensitive assessment can be conducted to prepare clients for career counseling. The approach presented is developmental in nature. It considers cognitive and affective variables to arrive at a clear understanding of the client’s cultural and gender identity. It is recommended that this assessment be completed first, before the client’s interests, abilities, and aptitudes are evaluated to outline possible career directions. The changing demographics in our society demand that we attend to culture and gender issues in our services to clients. The United States is going through a major population shift resulting from a third wave of migration, a lowered birth rate among middle-class white populations, and as a result of war and economic crisis in southeast Asia and Central and South America (Ibrahim, 1992a; Kellogg, 1988). The current population projections indicate that at the turn of the century at least 50 % of the labor force will be non-white, female, and possibly immigrant and/or refugee, or a United States ethnic/cultural minority (Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], 1990). Non-Hispanic white males will make up a much smaller share of the labor force. Their number will drop to 74 % by the year 2000. African-American, Spanish-speaking Americans, and Asian-Americans and other racial groups will comprise 33 % of the labor force by the year 2000. The number of women in the labor force will continue to grow. By the year 2000, four out of five women between the ages of 25 and 54 will be in the labor force. Women comprised 41 % of the labor force in 1976. By the year 2000, women will comprise 47 % of the labor force (BLS, 1990). Several researchers and career counselors have proposed differen