Career Exploration: Development of Dimensions and Some Preliminary Findings

The behaviors of career exploration of 42 students are investigated at two points in time across four dimensions: intended-systematic, environment-oriented, self-oriented, and degree of focus. The results suggest that (1) a theory of career exploration can be operationalized, (2) exploratory behaviors can be reliably measured, and (3) exploratory behavior varies as a function of the closeness in time to the point at which a career decision must be made. Several correlates of exploratory behavior reported in the literature were investigated. Women explored their environment somewhat less systematically than, men; individuals who felt constrained by avocational interests explored their environment more systematically than those without such constraints. Personality variables of self-esteem, need for power, and locus of control were weakly related to exploratory behaviors. Career expectations regarding intrinsic aspects of work, social relationships, and life-style related moderately to self-oriented exploration and degree of focus.