Career Counseling: A Holistic Approach [with MindTap 1-Term Access Code]

by Vernon G. Zunker

Providing the most current, comprehensive coverage available, CAREER COUNSELING: A HOLISTIC APPROACH, 9th Edition equips readers with a solid understanding of the theoretical models of career counseling as well as practical techniques on how to effectively counsel clients. The text's innovative holistic or "whole person" approach demonstrates how to consider a client's values, temperament, talents, and passions when trying to determine his or her best career fit. Thoroughly revised and updated, the ninth edition includes chapters on integrating career and personal counseling, job loss and transitions, adult career development, and career-related programs in middle schools. In addition, diversity issues are integrated throughout, while relevant case studies bring chapter concepts to life.

Genres: Counselling, Textbooks, Grad School, Psychology, Nonfiction, School

497 pages, Unbound

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[MK · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this is certainly essential information to know as a future counselor, the delivery couldn't have been more convoluted or unnecessarily academic. There's something to be said for readability and a good flow in a textbook, and unfortunately this particular one lacked it entirely.

[Sherri · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible even for a college textbook. The author sounds like he was being paid by the ward, and repeats himself constantly with the same phrases over and over again. This includes when he's talking about different theories. Few of the theories in the first section are actually backed by any evidence at all and all seemed aimed at getting rich, spoiled Millenial types who don't actually NEED a job to fork you over a paycheck while you help them figure out what they want to be when they grown up. Not making enough money off of that? The author suggests keeping them in counseling because someday they may discover that this job doesn't completely fulfill them emotionally and then you can help them quit that job and find something better. Because apparently no one should have to hold a job that doesn't completely fulfill them. The author has absolutely no idea how 90% of the human race lives - paycheck to paycheck and in need of ANY job - and if he is actually feeding this junk to kids, they will be on unemployment most of their lives. I dropped the class rather than have to read more of this garbage.

[Nathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is the worst text book I have ever read. It was dry and boring. If my professor wasn't amazing the class would have been intolerable because this book sucks so badly. I looked up some of the primary sources in order to complete some of the class assignments because I felt his explanations and presentation of the material was so week. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the primary sources. He really sucks the life out of the material the text covers..

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This textbook is very hard to follow. Overall, does a poor job in explaining career theories and interventions.

[Joel Hacker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Among the worst textbooks I have read for any undergraduate or graduate course (and I am working on a second master’s degree). The writing is clunky, clumsy, unengaging, and quite ultimately not very informative as it very frequently (much too frequently) refers the reader to outside sources (primarily websites) for more complete information. This also makes it feel as if the writer only had a passing familiarity with the subject matter, or perhaps was even working directly from freshly sourced material that they had only skimmed. The book, on the whole, reads as if it was written either by an undergrad or perhaps a technical writer from another field entirely who was being payed by the word, as there is a great deal of repitition of information (sometimes almost verbatim) both within and between sections.
My understanding is that it is widely used in graduate school counseling departments for courses dealing with school counseling, I would assume because Pearson makes a wide range of premade quizzes and other materials available. However, I would discourage prospective professors from adopting or continuing to use this text. It can hardly be said to be definitive in its coverage of the subject matter, can barely said to be readable, is quite expensive, and can most certainly not said to be useful (only a small fraction of the book is even devoted to issues of school counseling, most is geared toward adult career counseling). As an interesting data point, almost everyone who rated this above 3 stars is outside the US, has an average rating for everything they’ve read of 4 stars and up, and/or is a duplicate profile rating it more than once to drive up the average.

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll admit it, I skimmed the last 2 chapters. But I read a good 430 of the 500 pages of this book, it's being marked as read.

This book...I feel that it could have been so much more for me. Maybe if I were taking this class on a normal timeline (not a week and a half), I would have felt a greater ability to dive in and really digest this book. As is, I don't feel that there was a lot of time for that.

Once again, here is a counseling book that devotes a few chapters to being culturally competent. There was exactly ONE chapter of ethic minorities, all Asian Americans, African Americans, Native Americans and Latinos crammed into one 30 page chapter--don't I feel culturally competent now? Maybe if it had had more information than was given in my multicultural counseling class (the text from that class was cited extensively in this chapter). Sigh.

Overall, I feel that I was exposed to several different models (several per chapter) on career counseling, but I never saw an in-depth analysis of these models. Are they all accepted? Normed for different groups? What are the pros and cons? As this is the ONLY career counseling course my program offers, I feel it should be more in-depth. Help me to find the model that is right for me. Don't just tell me 1,248 models, and hope I remember them all.

I simply want more than what this book/class could offer.

[Tara Pede · Rating 2 out of 5]

i wish i didn’t read this whole thing, by far the worst psych class i’ve ever taken :| but at least i know not to be a vocational counselor lol

[Kendra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't think this textbook is written very well.

[Luke · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute worst writing that I've had to deal with in my master's program. As you read, you realize that all the words you're reading are so vague and surface-level that they are almost completely deprived of any real meaning or reference to reality. Every single sentence is a platitude of meaninglessness, vaguery in its most diabolical form.

[Melanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is so boring. It is unorganized and repetitive. I was really excited because the author is from my alma mater, Texas State(SWT), but I was very let down. Even for a textbook this book is dull.

[Patty Wood · Rating 2 out of 5]

My preference is to read my textbooks cover to cover but I am learning to surrender to making books "reference only" when they're just not working for me. This will be skimmed and used as a reference. It gets two stars for its valuable and reputable information.

[Neene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read it for my career counseling course. Arthur is dry

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a thorough manual in career counseling from kindergarten through retirement.

[Noah Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terribly written textbook. Professors that assign this book are supporting some sort of racket. I can't believe empty garbage like this is mass-produced and then thrown at grad students.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite redundant at times, but still useful.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK I had to add this book because I am just finishing up the class... as much as I tend to dislike textbooks- this one wasnt so bad. It is realitvely easy to read and comprehend and I can actually say I learned a thing or 2 from it. Thanks Mr.Zunker.

[Joan Friedrich · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a number of reasons, I do not recommend this book. If you'd like to read another book on the same topic, I recommend the following: Career Theory and Practice: Learning Through Case Studies (3rd ed.), by J. L. Swanson & N. A. Fouad.

[Myni ~ myniturnspages · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very informative. It's just a little dull. Career counseling is very interesting though to say the least. I learned some things that I can apply to my everyday life. I also took away information to use with future clients, as well as students in the field of Education.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually didn't enjoy the book, but that is simply because I'm not jazzed about career counseling. It was a well-organized book and would be a great resource for anyone who is in fact jazzed about career counseling.