ABSTRACT
This chapter briefly introduces readers to the field of career theory and practice. It introduces six career theories that may help readers think about their career choice: career construction theory, social cognitive career theory, John Holland's career theory, systems theory framework of career development, happenstance learning theory, and chaos theory of careers. In the career construction theory a person's career develops along with his or her "work self-concept". As a person develops his or her work self-concept, he or she tries various jobs and job environments to assess the fit with his or her work self-concept. There are numerous metaphors that can describe careers, jobs, and work. The chapter discusses nine career metaphors: inheritance, cycles, action, fit, journey, roles, relationships, resources, and career stories. The career stories contain one's personal beliefs about his/her careers, including how he/she identifies, what his/her career means, and his/her future goals and plans.
