Chapter 1

A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR

CULTURALLY COMPETENT CAREER
COUNSELING PRACTICE
by Courtland C. Lee
Abstract
Among the contemporary issues facing career counseling professional
addressing the career development and choice issues of the growing
number of clients from culturally diverse backgrounds is, perhaps, the
most challenging. Contemporary career counseling theory and practice
has been greatly impacted by changing demographics and social dynamics that characterize the 2P' century. For example, projections of the
United States population indicate that by the year 2050, the non-Hispanic
White population will decrease to 46 per cent of the total population,
while 30 per cent of the population will be Hispanic; 13 per cent Black;
1 per cent American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut; and eight per cent Asian
and Pacific Islander (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2008).
Cultural diversity, therefore, has become widely recognized as a major
factor deserving increased understanding on the part of career counseling professionals. Within this context, career counselors must provide
services that help people to make career decisions in the midst of sweeping demographic and sociological change. The past two decades have
seen a growing realization that career counseling services often do not
have broad applicability across the range of cultural backgrounds represented by clients (Bowman, 1993; Fouad & Bingham, 1995; Fouad
& Byars-Winston, 2005; Leong, 1995; Pope, 2003; Walsh, Bingham,
Brown & Ward, 2001). With this awareness has come fmstration that in
attempting to promote career development, the values inherent in career
counseling and those of culturally diverse clients often come into conflict
in the career exploration and choice process (Fouad & Bingham, Leong).
In order to resolve this conflict and the fmstration which often accompanies it, cultural differences must be effectively addressed in the provision
of career counseling services. It is evident that career counselors need a
conceptual framework from which to operate if they are going to insure
that clients from culturally diverse backgrounds have access to competent career services.
This article provides such a conceptual framework. It explores the
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acquisition of multicultural career counseling competence from a developmental perspective. The conceptual framework examines the foundational aspects as well as the aspects of culture that must form the basis of
multicultural career counseling competency. It is based on the knowledge
and skills considered essential in relating to diverse populations that
impact the career counseling and development process that are outlined
in the National Career Development Association's Career Counseling
Competencies (1997).
The Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework focuses on the development of culturally
competent career counselors who apply their practice in a diverse society.
The framework is comprised of eight themes organized into three areas:
foundational dimensions, multicultural dimensions, and multicultural
competency.
Foundational Dimension. The foundational dimension consists of four
themes. While these themes are the foundation of multicultural career
counseling competency they can also be considered the essence of competent counseling in general.
Self-Awareness
The basis for culturally competent career counseling practice is counselor self-awareness. It is important that counselors fully experience
themselves as cultural beings. An individual who expects to work
cross-culturally must first be anchored in his or her own cultural realities.
This process should start with explorations of how one's own cultural
background has influenced his or her career development. It is of critical importance that a person considers the role that cultural heritage and
customs play in shaping his or her personality characteristics. It is also
cmcial that a person assess his or her own process of cultural identity development .The significant questions that one must ask in this regard are
"How do I experience myself as a member of Cultural Group X?" "How
do I experience others members of Cultural Group X?" and "How do I
experience people of other cultural backgrounds?"
As part of this self-exploration process, it is also important that a counselor evaluate the influences that have shaped the development of his
or her attitudes and beliefs about people from different cultural backgrounds. It is important to evaluate the explicit, as well as the often
subtle messages one has received throughout his or her life about people
who are culturally "different." A career counselor must evaluate how his
or her personal attitudes and beliefs about people from different cultural
groups may facilitate or hamper counseling effectiveness.

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Multicultural competency begins with an exploration of personal issues

and questions, no matter how uncomfortable, in an attempt to discem
how one's own cultural heritage, values and biases might impact upon
the career counseling process. Self-exploration leads to self-awareness,
which is crucial in developing a set of personal attitudes and beliefs to
guide culturally competent career counseling practice. Culturally competent career counselors are sensitive to cultural group differences because
they are aware of their own identity as cultural beings.
Global Literacy
Global literacy refers to the knowledge base that every culturally competent individual should possess in the contemporary interconnected world.
It is a reflection of one's exposure to and knowledge of the contemporary
world. Global literacy is the breadth of information that extends over the
major domains of human diversity. In modem society a globally literate person, for example, would be one who has a knowledge of ethnic
variations in history, has travel experience, and is knowledgeable about
current world events (Lee, In Press).
Foundational Knowledge of Traditional Career Development/Counseling Theory
The concept of multicultural career counseling competency must also
rest on an understanding of traditional counseling theory. Although there
have been criticisms of the Eurocentric nature of traditional career counseling theories (Fouad & Bingham, 1995; Leong, 1995), each has important aspects that contribute to best practice in career counseling. Therefore, it is important that the foundation of career counseling practice laid
down by pioneering thinkers such as Anne Roe, Donald Super and John
Holland are incorporated into culturally diverse concepts and approaches
to career counseling.
Ethical Knowledge and Aspirations
Another cmcial foundational aspect of multicultural career counseling
competency is knowledge of ethical standards. Indeed, the integrity of
the entire counseling profession rests on ethical practice. Importantly, the
ethical standards of the American Counseling Association call on counselors to actively attempt to understand the diverse cultural backgrounds
of the clients they serve (ACA, 2005). Best practice in career counseling,
therefore, is putting ethics in the forefront of all professional activity. It is
safe to assume then that career counselors who are culturally competent
aspire to high ethical standards.
Multicultural Dimension..The multicultural dimension of the conceptual framework consists of three themes. These themes reflect the theory
and practice multicultural counseling.
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Multicultural Counseling Theoretical Knowledge

In addition to knowledge of traditional career counseling theory, it is imperative that counselors have a knowledge base which includes culturally
diverse ideas on the nature of career development from which to plan,
implement and evaluate services in a cross-cultural context. Significantly, Sue, Ivey, and Petersen (1996), proposed a theory of multicultural
counseling that forms the basis for understanding career development
and counseling from culturally diverse perspectives. The basic assumption of this theory is that it is a metatheory of counseling that recognizes
that both counselor and client identities are embedded in multiple levels
of experience and context. It posits that cultural identity development
is a major determinant of both counselor and client attitudes, which are
also influenced by the dominant and subordinate relationships among
groups. Cultural identity refers to an individual's sense of belonging to a
cultural group and the part of one's personality that is attributable to cultural group membership. Multicultural theoretical knowledge must also
include an understanding that career counseling is most likely enhanced
when modalities and goals are consistent with the life experiences and
cultural values of the client.
Another crucial aspect of multicultural knowledge is an understanding of
how social systems operate with respect to their treatment of culturally
diverse groups of people (Lee, 2007; Ratts,Toporek, & Lewis, 2010).
Culturally competent career counselors must have an understanding of
the impact that systemic forces such as racism and classism can have on
career development and career choice.
Cross Cultural Encounters
Multicultural career counseling competency must be predicated on one's
ability to acquire working knowledge and information about specific
groups of people. This should include information about the histories,
experiences, customs, and values of culturally diverse groups. However,
the acquisition of such knowledge must not be limited to books, classes,
and workshops. A crucial way to acquire such knowledge is through ongoing professional, and perhaps more importantly, personal encounters
with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Such encounters may
entail getting outside of the familiarity of one's own cultural realities and
experiencing diversity first hand. An important component of any cross
cultural encounter is the ability to get beyond stereotypes and ensure that
one sees people as individuals within a cultural context.
Cross Cultural Career Counseling Skill Development
It is imperative that career counselors enter a cross cultural helping relationship with a repertoire of skills. They should develop career counseling strategies and techniques that are consistent with the life experiences
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and cultural values of their clients. Such skill development should be

based on the following premises. First, cultural diversity is real and
should not be ignored in career counseling interactions. Second, cultural
differences are just that - differences. They are not necessarily deficiencies or pathological deviations. This suggests having the ability to meet
clients where they are, despite obvious cultural gaps between helper and
helpee. Third, when working with clients from culturally diverse groups,
it is important to avoid stereotypes and a monolithic perspective. It is
cmcial that career counselors consider clients as individuals within a
cultural context.
In developing culturally competent career counseling skills, a number of
theoretical approaches should be included in a helping repertoire. It is
important that one's counseling approach be eclectic enough that he or
she can use a variety of helping interventions. Any counseling approach
should incorporate diverse world views and practices.
Upon actually encountering a client from a different cultural context, a
career counselor's skill set must proceed from important answers to the
following questions, "What 'buttons,' if any, does this client push in me
as a result of the obvious cultural difference between us?" "What are
some cultural bhnd spots I may have with respect to this client?" "As a
result of my cultural realities, what strengths do I bring to this counseling
relationship?" "As a result of my cultural realities, what limitations do I
bring to this counseling relationship?"
Multicultural Career Counseling Competency.
The apex of this conceptual framework is multicultural career counseling competency. This is based on a constmct that has received significant
attention in the cross cultural literature - multicultural counseling competency (Arredondo, Toporek, Brown, Jones, Locke, Sanchez, & Stadler,
1996; Roy sircar. Arredondo, Fuertes, Ponterotto, & Toporek, 2003; Sue,
Arredondo & McDavis, 1992). Multicultural counseling competency
defines a set of attitudes and behaviors indicative of the ability to establish, maintain, and successfully conclude a counseling relationship with
clients from diverse cultural backgrounds. Given this therefore, multicultural career counseling competency can be conceptualized as a set of
attitudes and behaviors indicative of the ability to establish, maintain and
successfully conclude a career counseling relationship with clients from
diverse cultural backgrounds in a global marketplace. In essence, career
counselors who are culturally competent have heightened awareness, an
expanded knowledge base, and use helping skills in a culturally responsive manner.
In the developmental process that has been described in this conceptual framework, three important questions summarize the evolution of
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multicultural career counseling competency. First, those counselors who

demonstrate multicultural career counseling competency possess selfawareness that is grounded in an exploration of the question, "Who am I
as a cultural being?" Second, in addition to knowledge of traditional career counseling theory and ethical principles, multiculturally competent
career counselors consider the question, "What do I know about cultural
dynamics?" Third, the counseling practice of career counselors who
exhibit multicultural competency is predicated on the question, "How do
I promote career development and facilitate the career choice process in a
culturally competent manner?"
Conclusion
American society in the 21st century is characterized by ever-increasing
cultural pluralism. This phenomenon has had a profound effect on
career counseling. No longer can career counseling theory or practice be
considered exclusively within the confines of one cultural perspective.
Instead, important aspects of cultural diversity, such as race/ethnicity
must be factored into effective career counseling practice. Therefore,
if career counselors are to have an impact on the career development of
increasingly diverse client groups, then their practice must be grounded
in multicultural competency. The development of such competency must
be an integral part of the personal and professional growth process of all
career counselors. This process involves acquiring not only the awareness and knowledge, but also the skills for effective multicultural career
intervention.
References
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VA: Author.
Arredondo, P., Toporek, M.S., Brown, S., Jones, J., Locke, D. C , Sanchez, J. and Stadler, H. (1996) Operationalization of the Multicultural
Counseling Competencies. AMCD: Alexandria, VA
Bowman, S.L. (1993). Career intervention strategies for ethnic minorities. The Career Development Quarterly, 42,14-25.
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Lee, c e . (In Press). Global literacy: The foundation of culturally competent counseling. In C.C. Lee (Ed). Multicultural issues in counseling:
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R. L. (2003). Multicultural counseling competencies 2003: Association
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About the author
Courtland C. Lee is Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Maryland, College Park. He eamed the PhD at Michigan State
University. He is the author, editor, or co-editor of five books on multicultural counseling and two books on counseling and social justice. He
is also the author of three books on counseling African American males.
In addition, he has published numerous book chapters and articles on
counseling across cultures. He is the former editor of the Journal of
Multicultural Counseling and Development and the Journal of African
American Men. He has also served on the editorial board of the International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling and was a Senior
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Associate Editor of the Journal of Counseling and Development. He is

the President of the International Association for Counselling. He is
also a Eellow and Past President of the American Counseling Association
and a past President of the Association for Multicultural Counseling
and Development. He is also a Eellow of the British Association for
Counselling and Psychotherapy, the first and only American to receive
this honor. Contact him as follows;
Courtland C. Lee, PhD, Professor, Counselor Education Program
Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education
College of Education, University of Maryland
Benjamin Building, M 3214
College Park, MD 20742
(301) 405-8904
e-mail: <clee5@umd.edu>

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