Reference no: EM133264210

John Holland's Theory: Matches individuals with careers based on their personalities

Janna, a 36-year-old African American female, was a successful attorney who recently became a partner in a medium-sized firm in Denver. Without warning, she tendered her resignation. She sought counseling for depression; she told her therapist she had quit because she was no longer enjoying her work. She was resentful of the other partners' long hours and demands. Her therapist suggested she also seek career counseling.

Janna finished her baccalaureate degree in psychology at a small Midwestern liberal arts college. She chose psychology based on her interest in working with people, particularly children, and her close friends told her she was a good listener. Janna said she really enjoyed her classes in psychology so much she decided to volunteer at a crisis line during her senior year. She was also a resident advisor during her junior and senior years. Janna did well in college and her college advisor suggested she apply to graduate programs.

Janna decided to become an attorney because that is what her fiancé was studying and she believed it would be a good way for them to remain in the same physical location. Although she had only minimal interest in the law, Janna believed combining law and psychology would be enjoyable. She attended the same law school as her fiancé and excelled. Janna was particularly interested in litigation, while her fiancé was interested in corporate law. She passed the bar exam on the first try, and her fiancé failed three times, ultimately choosing another career. Their relationship ended. Janna was quite depressed by the ending of her engagement but chose to move to another city to work and, hopefully, to meet a new man.

Janna joined a law firm right after law school. She impressed the attorneys with her diligence and willingness to work extra hours. She soon became the associate that partners vied to have assigned to them. Janna worked hard and enjoyed some of the work assigned, although she also found some of it boring. The partners voted to make her a partner a year earlier than she had expected. Once Janna became a partner, she began to question her activities and values and, in general, became depressed, again. Although she had dated occasionally, she did not really have any time to devote to a relationship. She also did not have much time to make friends outside the law firm, and she felt that her life was too focused.

How you would explain Janna's behavior from the perspective of Holland's Theory? What specific hypotheses would you develop about Janna from Holland's theoretical perspective? How does using Holland's theory help you understand Janna? How might it help Janna understand herself?