The Challenge and Promise of Cognitive Career Assessment

Abstract

Abilities are as important as interests in career choice and development. Reviving cognitive assessment in career counseling promises to help counselees better understand their career options and how to enhance their competitiveness for the ones they prefer. Nearly a century of research on human cognitive abilities and jobs' aptitude demands in the U.S. economy reveals that the two domains are structured in essentially the same way. The author describes that common structure and how it can be used in assessing person-job match in terms of general ability level and ability profile. She also suggests ways of resolving various technical and professional questions, such as which cognitive abilities to assess, how to assess them, what the most useful aptitude-based occupational classification would be, and how to use cognitive assessments in a broader “reality-based exploration” process intended to expand people's career opportunities.

Spatial ability: A neglected dimension in talent searches for intellectually precocious youth.

“…E. Snow et al, 1996;Tyler, 1974;Williamson, 1965). Although the latter clearly influence the educational-vocational niches that people self-select into (approach), the niches that people select out of (avoid) are influenced by the former (Gottfredson, 2003;Lubinski, 2004;Scarr, 1996;Scarr & McCartney, 1983). When overall profile similarity was evaluated, by sex, using math-science graduate students as a criterion reference, female adolescents with high spatial ability were more congruent with their same-sex graduate student counterparts than were female adolescents with relatively low levels of spatial ability, which solidify the above conclusions for females.…”

Adolescent Occupational Aspirations: Test of Gottfredson's Theory of Circumscription and Compromise

“…(pp. i-ii) Gottfredson (2003) reviewed literature on measures of ability as related to career success and concluded that (a) general ability factor, g, was the best predictor of career achievement, and (b) specific types of ability were not necessary to predict career success for most occupations. Therefore, we decided not to use the Mechanical Comprehension, Auto and Shop, or Electronics Information scales in our study because they assess specific knowledge rather than general ability.…”

“…In addition, Strenze identified the importance of ability as a predictor of earnings later in life. Gottfredson (2003) reviewed a large number of studies of the relationship between cognitive ability and career accomplishments and concluded that general cognitive ability, g, was the strongest predictor of career success in many occupations. Another important implication of empirical studies on predictors of career success is the relationship between socioeconomic background and ability.…”

Holland’s Theory and Implications for Academic Advising and Career Counseling

“…Advisors and counselors are sometimes reluctant to broach this matter with students (L. S. Gottfredson, 2003). However, Holland's theory provides some tools to help in this undertaking, and these can be useful in improving advising and counseling services.…”