Journal of Career Assessment

Vocational psychology faces a number of challenges in the next century from the globalization of economies to the changing nature of work and the workforce. Many of the changes facing our profession stem from the explosion in communication technologies during the last 20 years. The Internet is perhaps the most visible of these new technologies. If vocational specialists are to embrace this new technology, they must first arm themselves with the knowledge and skills necessary to utilize it responsibly and efficiently. This article provides both an overview of modern Internet technologies and a discussion of their potential benefits to professionals who wish to engage in Internet-based career assessment.

The availability of career assessment on the Internet has led to many potential benefits for the general public and for career service practitioners. However, many potential problems also exist in terms of the design and use of Internet-based resources and services. This article discusses the ethical issues which may impact the way in which individuals and counselors access and use assessments offered via the Internet. Recommendations are offered for improving the effectiveness of Internet-based career assessment, in terms of needs for research and development, training, standards development and revision, and stable funding for the development of quality assessments. It is hoped that practitioners, test developers, and policy makers will become more aware of the issues involved and what they can do to maximize the potential benefits and minimize the potential problems associated with Internet-based career assessment.

This article examines the impact of the Internet on the provision of career information and describes the development of a career and educational information web site. Three models for linking career assessment to career information are evaluated: Print-based, Computer-Assisted Career Guidance systems, and Internet-based. The design of Career Exploration Links is described in detail as a case study in organizing career and educational information on the Internet and guiding a diverse college student population toward accessing this information in meaningful ways. This case demonstrates a number of advantages that underlie the Internet-based model as a vehicle for linking career assessment with career information.

This article details the steps in planning and delivering a quality, Internet-based career assessment system. Using Careerhub.org as a model, the authors describe the challenges and ethical issues involved in designing a site, developing content, and selecting instruments. Preliminary data on the psychometric qualities of the instruments are presented, along with the results of a pilot study evaluating the site's components.

This article is directed toward career development practitioners. Provided first is an historical perspective on the use of computers in support of career development as well as a brief history of the Internet and the World Wide Web (Web). This is offered to provide the reader with a context for the relevancy of using the Web in career planning and job search assisting. Next is presented an overview of the top uses of the Web and their particular utility for career development practitioners. The remainder of this paper provides a detailed look at specific career-related Web applications, including the practice of Web counseling, online training, and a special focus on assessment. Additionally, the references provided may prove useful to practitioners, their clients, and researchers.

We describe three Internet programs relevant to career counseling that have been developed at Arizona State University. These interactive interventions have evolved from earlier work on simulations and computer-based learning; however, they incorporate recent technological advances and more current psychological research in differential diagnosis and cognitive restructuring. They focus, respectively, on changing the irrational career beliefs and occupational stereotyping common among young women, educating parents on practices affecting the career outcomes of their children, and altering attributions relevant to the academic motivation and performance of at-risk youth.

Research is essential for the development of Internet career assessment, yet little research has been published to date. This paper describes several different data collection approaches suitable for the Internet, including survey research, case studies, and participant observation. Areas of needed research are identified including the evaluation of measures and interventions on the Internet and recruiting sites and the examination of other career-related Internet phenomena, such as chat rooms and message boards. Aspects of Internet career research are described in the context of intervention models and research questions that may differ from those of traditional research. Finally, challenges researchers may encounter are presented, such as the ease and rapidity of site changes and the difficulties associated with funding site research and development.