The Chaos Theory of Careers: A New Perspective on Working in the Twenty-First Century

The Chaos Theory of Careers: A New Perspective on Working in the Twenty-First Century


Jim Bright (Author), Robert Pryor (Author)

Paperback

350 pages


2011

9780415806343


The Chaos Theory of Careers outlines the application of chaos theory to the field of career development. It draws together and extends the work that the authors have been doing over the last 8 to 10 years.

This text represents a new perspective on the nature of career development. It emphasizes the dimensions of careers frequently neglected by contemporary accounts of careers such as the challenges and opportunities of uncertainty, the interconnectedness of current life and the potential for information overload, career wisdom as a response to unplanned change, new approaches to vocational assessment based on emergent thinking, the place of spirituality and the search for meaning and purpose in, with and through work, the integration of being and becoming as dimensions of career development.

It will be vital reading for all those working in and studying career development, either at advanced undergraduate or postgraduate level and provides a new and refreshing approach to this fast changing subject.



Key themes include:

Factors such as complexity, change, and contribution

People's aspirations in relation to work and personal fulfilment

Contemporary realities of career choice, career development and the working world


Author

Robert Pryor has worked continuously in the career development field since 1974. For 17 years he was employed with the New South Wales Government as a careers counsellor, researcher, trainer, policy analyst and team manager. He has lectured at the University of Sydney, Macquarie University and the University of New South Wales. He has been a Visiting Senior Research Fellow (University of NSW) and is currently the Adjunct Professor, School of Education, Australian Catholic University. He is the longest ever serving member of the APS Ethics Committee (18 years) and also spent another five years on the Ethical Guidelines Committee. Robert authored over 150 government publications and has published over 80 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters as well as over 30 other professional articles. He has constructed and developed over 20 psychological tests and served on the editorial boards of several national and international journals. Robert’s dominant academic interest at present is the application of chaos theory to psychology and with Professor Jim Bright, has pioneered the Chaos Theory of Careers.

Robert Pryor is Elected Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and Elected Fellow of the Australian Association of Career Counsellors (2007). He is a member of the Editorial Board, Australian Journal of Career Development

Jim Bright is Professorial Fellow in Career Education and Development, Australian Catholic University. He is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and was elected Fellow of the Australian Association of Career Counsellors in 2007. Jim coordinated the Master (Organisational) Psychology Programme in 1998, and then permanently since 2000. Included two successful accreditation visits by the APS, he also developed and implemented the Careers Research and Assessment Service as part of the Masters programme 2002. Jim was elected NSW Chair of the Australian Psychological Society College of Organisational Psychologists (APS – COP) in 1997. Government Recognition: Appointed National Career Development Week (NCDW) Champion for inaugural NCDW 2007, by Career Industry Council of Australia. Invitation from the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training and the Career Industry Council of Australia Incorporated (CICA) to participate in the Australian country delegation at the Third International Symposium On Career Development And Public Policy: Shaping the future: Connecting career development and workforce development Friday 21 April - Monday 24 April 2006, Manly Pacific Hotel, Sydney, Australia Appointed by Department of Education, NSW to train all NSW Schools Careers Advisors in 2006 in the use of a new on-line Career Self-Efficacy Tool in Teaching.

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