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09/01/2023
Expanding Secondary Student Career Options Through Career Constellations
By Jennifer R. Curry and Dawn Mann
Donald Super (1953) wrote that adolescence is a time of career exploration with the outcome of a career goal, a process Super termed crystallization. Making a career decision, and establishing such a goal, includes evaluating information related to one’s interests, aptitudes, values, and post-secondary options. Students transitioning from middle to high school are often asked to construct a career goal and choose a secondary pathway that will align to post-secondary education and training. One way to help students ascertain a career goal during the middle-to-high school transition is to begin with their career interests (Holland, 1973).
Assessing Student Interests
To assess students’ career interests, some schools and districts have purchased specific assessments which may be included in management systems for student career development and academic alignment (e.g., Naviance, Xello). However, when funds are not available, there are also free assessments that may be used to aid students in understanding their career interests. One such assessment is the O*NET Interest Profiler (O*NET, 2023b) which produces a Holland-type profile (i.e., RIASEC code) and allows students to choose a job zone (indicating preferred years of education or training tolerance). After students complete the assessment, lists of potential careers for exploration that align to their RIASEC codes and job zones are generated.
Another free interest-based assessment is the Career Cluster Interest survey. There are many inventories available including Education Planner, CareerWise at Minnesota State, and North Carolina’s Career Cluster Survey (see Table 1 for a list of Cluster Surveys). These surveys provide a rank-ordered list of an individual’s career interests. Once the list is generated, students can review Career Clusters on O*NET in their rank order. For example, if a student’s top three Career Clusters are: (1) Architecture & Construction, (2) Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources, and (3) Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics, the student would search careers of interest in the first career cluster, and then create a short list of careers to investigate on Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) or O*NET (2023a).
Constellations Instead of Lines
After assessing students’ interests, it is important to assist them in connecting interests to occupational options. To do this, counselors can assist students in viewing careers as constellations rather than a linear process. Although students are often placed on a pathway for high school that aligns to post-secondary educational options, counselors still want students to see a myriad of opportunities that align with their secondary pathways. For example, consider a student who chooses a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) CTE pathway in high school. The student might be advised to pursue postsecondary education aligned to this high school track that includes becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or a Registered Nurse (RN). This is not misinformation, but it is linear, as seen in Figure 1.
Figure 1
Linear Process from CNA to LPN to RN
The linear pathways allowed for limited options. Comparatively, a career constellation would assist the same student in broader and deeper career exploration by allowing the student to review careers within the same career cluster to identify similar careers and expand career options. Figure 2 demonstrates a career constellation for a student exploring a career as a CNA. From the secondary CNA track, the associate degree-level post-secondary options (within the same cluster) are included that aligned to the student’s interest profile, while also comparing the payoff (information from OOH, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). For contrast, the careers listed in the career constellation in Figure 2 present a range of payoffs comparative to the linear approach in Figure 1 where only one career track is explored. Students on a CNA track are eligible to explore and pursue any of the careers and might find they are interested in many of the careers in this constellation.
Figure 2
CNA Career Constellation
Another example contrasting the linear and constellation approaches is given in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 provides an example of a student interested in law. One common linear advisement pattern is to suggest the student progress from a secondary pre-law track, to complete a four-year political science degree, and then a three-year law school professional degree. However, some students may be interested in earning income through working while attending law school. In this instance, options presented in a career constellation may offer an attractive alternative progression plan (see Figure 4). In other words, as the student considers pathways of progression to a career as a lawyer, rather than attending seven years of college, the student may choose to obtain a two-year degree, for example as a paralegal, and earn an income while continuing to pursue a four-year university degree and then the subsequent professional degree in law. By examining these options, the student can see opportunities beyond the traditional linear pathway. These optional pathways may be particularly attractive to students concerned with paying for college and law school or wishing to gain real-world experience while pursuing their degrees.
Figure 3
Linear Process from High School to Law School
Figure 4
Lawyer Career Constellation
Comparing Careers
Students need the opportunity to explore interests within the context of career development prior to establishing a career goal. Rather than developing a singular career goal, via a linear career path, students can research a constellation of careers within their interest range. In doing so, students will have multiple post-secondary options to consider. Career constellations can be created in classroom settings, small groups, or within individual planning environments and give students the opportunities to visually compare multiple careers within the same interest cluster. Students might choose to compare careers by median salary, education and training required, or projected growth. Career constellations provide one more technique for school and career counselors to use to meet the changing needs of students.
Table 1
Career Cluster Surveys
| WEBSITE | LINK |
| Education Planner | http://www.educationplanner.org/students/career-planning/find-careers/career-clusters.shtml |
| CareerWise at Minnesota State | https://careerwise.minnstate.edu/careers/clusterSurvey |
| North Carolina’s Career Cluster Survey | https://tools.nccareers.org/clustersurvey/#/start |
| Pathway Planit |
https://pathwayplanit.com/InterestSurvey
|
References
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022). Occupational outlook handbook: Certified nurse assistant and similar careers. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
O*NET. (2023a). O*NET online: Browse by career clusters. https://www.onetonline.org/find/career
O*NET. (2023b). O*NET Resource Center: O*NET Interest Profiler. https://www.onetcenter.org/IP.html
Holland, J. L. (1973). Making vocational choices: A theory of careers. Prentice Hall.
Super, D. E. (1953). A theory of vocational development. American Psychologist, 8, 185–190.
Dawn Mann, Ed.D., Director of Professional Development for New Dawn Training Solutions, brings 20+ years of experience in the education field. She received her professional start as a high school counselor and transitioned to the Georgia Department of Education, where her work in the career readiness space blossomed. Currently, she facilitates high-impact professional development for school counselors across the nation. dawn@newdawntraining.com
Jennifer R. Curry, Ph.D., NCC, Vira Franklin and James R. Eagles Endowed Professor in the Lutrill and Pearl Payne School of Education at Louisiana State University. She is the coordinator of the School Counseling Program at LSU and her research specialty is K-12 career and college readiness. She has worked as an elementary, middle, and high school counselor and a consultant for K-12 schools. Dr. Curry is passionate about career development and post-secondary access for all students. jcurry@lsu.edu
11 Comments
Amy Policastro Schroeder on Tuesday 09/05/2023 at 08:28 AM
Great article, structure, and resources! Thank you for sharing! In NC, we have the https://nccareers.org/ site listing the assessments and process used which as well is public and may help others. The NCcareers resources is a project lead by eight NC Gov agencies, with NC Commerce leading it - this is free and available to anyone with the intent of supporting NC citizens K-Gray. Consider reviewing this for your K-12 guidance as well. We presented at NCDA Global 23 Chicago - please reach out with any questions. Thank you again for this article and work!
Libby Berke on Tuesday 09/10/2024 at 11:35 AM
Thank you, Jennifer and Dawn for introducing me to the concept of career constellations! The district I currently work in uses Xello and to be completely honest I have observed students going through the motions, clicking boxes and seeing potential careers but I rarely hear students say that anyone discussed the results with them. I couldn’t agree more that exposure to the alternative options should be a priority when working directly with students who are planning for their future. This article made me realize that Xello should be used in collaboration with a school counselor who can lead an in-depth discussion, rather than a potentially uninformed classroom teacher to be fully effective. I look forward to asking the school counselors in my school if any of them use the constellation method. Thanks again for the information!
Brian Rodrigues on Tuesday 09/10/2024 at 12:37 PM
This was a great article when it comes to helping high school students think of a career path that they want to pursue someday and then also show them the different outcomes. I was looking over the resources that was mentioned throughout the article and they are very wonderful to use! As a future school counselor I know that I will be using some of these resources when it comes to working high school students and helping them pursue a career path that he/she may be very interested in. Thank you Dawn and Jennifer for this wonderful article!
Russ Flanagan on Sunday 09/15/2024 at 04:39 PM
The facilitation of a student's career decision can be a daunting task for both counselor and student. Citing the influence of Donald Super's concept of "crystallization", Curry and Mann promote effective principals and resources which provide prudent guidance for productive student decisions regarding career options. As a counselor in training, I found the mention of of assessments and inventories to be significant starting points when assisting a student. Furthermore, I agree with the concept of visualizing a career path in terms of "constellations" as opposed to the traditional linear model. The constellations principal provides a student with more viable employment options for today's job market. Ms. Curry's and Ms. Mann's article is a valuable information source for counselors and students alike.
Emma Derry on Monday 09/16/2024 at 03:34 PM
I really liked your article on using career constellations instead of just linear pathways for students. The idea of helping students explore more career options within their interests makes so much sense. It’s great how you suggest using tools like O*NET and interest surveys to guide students in finding careers that fit them. The career constellation approach seems more flexible and realistic, especially for students who want to work while continuing their education. It’s a helpful way to show students they have lots of choices and don’t have to stick to just one straight path. Thanks for sharing such practical advice I will definitely be using tools in the future!
Kayleigh Actis on Tuesday 09/17/2024 at 11:35 AM
The career constellations concept provides a much wider variety of information than a simple interest inventory. Seeing a list of careers that is tailored towards the job zone is a great tool for assessing a realistic career path. Just seeing potential years in college to earn a degree without knowing what it can be used for or potential earnings can lead to a career crisis. Students may believe there is only one way, or linear path, for choosing a college and career. Information is key, and understanding the options as presented provides valuable information for students to explore.
Grace Shirley on Tuesday 09/17/2024 at 01:47 PM
Thank you Jennifer and Dawn for this article!
I connected strongly with the "Assessing Student Interests" portion of this article as about two summers ago I was interning at a non profit organization called Access to Independence in Madison, Wisconsin. My role as intern was to assist a staff member in teaching a career readiness class for 2-3 students with disabilities. Our main objective of the course was to connect with each student, learn about their career interests, build resumes, job search and help get them in contact with local organizations who are looking to hire! The career cluster interest survey was one of the main tools we would use to help students explore possible career paths they are passionate about pursuing.
Additionally; I like the idea of viewing careers as a constellation rather than a linear process. I believe this type of mindset may be able to reduce the anxiety in students that feel pressured to have a perfect path to finding a career.
Alexa Morales on Tuesday 09/17/2024 at 04:47 PM
I love the idea of broadening high school student's career options through the use of career constellations. It's essential to assist students in exploring a wide range of career possibilities that resonate with their interests and skills. I think the idea of career constellations could benefit students compared to the typical "what do you want to be when you grow up" or "what are you good at" type of conversations many people tend to have with students. It enables students to think about various pathways and make more informed decisions about their future. I also appreciate the emphasis on offering students diverse post-secondary options and the chance to visually compare and explore different career paths. This approach could truly empower students to make well-informed career choices and be confident in their decisions rather than second-guessing themselves.
Mason Lavache on Tuesday 09/17/2024 at 04:50 PM
What a great article! It really brought me back to thinking about when I was a high school freshmen and I had to do some kind of assessment to connect my interests to a few careers. I think it is great that there are free options for these kinds of assessments for schools. Helping students to understand how the things they are interested in can be apart of their everyday life one day and also how it can help them make a living and allow them to be excited to contribute to their communities is a great way to get them to start thinking of things they could see themselves doing. I really enjoyed reading this article especially learning about crystallization. I think it is interesting how young this process starts in school systems now and I think it is moving in the right direction because it is doing so well with having the kids begin to think about this without making them feel overwhelmed or pressured to “pick” their career before they even know themselves. They are just ideas that could go in many different ways and they don’t need to have an answer so young, there’s still a lot to figure out so having things like this assessment be more about finding similarities between their interests and come up with possible career directions is a great start for them. Thanks for the article!
Mariah Hunt about 23 hours ago
I love this idea of a constellation rather than a single path. This allows students to explore their options and see what works for them best. There is no one correct path or career. It also shows them that our paths are flexible to change. I know I did not feel that way post-graduation and when my linear plan started to change course, I was unprepared and felt discouraged. If I had a constellation rather than a linear plan I feel as though it would have allowed me to take initiative and even could have given me a head start to where I am today.
Olivia Weltin less than 10 seconds ago
This article offers an insightful approach to helping students explore career paths by encouraging them to view careers as constellations rather than linear progressions. I particularly like how this model broadens students' horizons, allowing them to see a range of career options within their areas of interest, which can be especially helpful for those who may feel constrained by traditional pathways. The idea of offering students flexibility, like pursuing a paralegal degree while working towards law school, is a great way to support both financial independence and career development. Excellent Jennifer and Dawn!
