Career

Counseling for
Immigrants
Libby Reed
Marcella Petrini
Facts and Figures
Approx. 34 million asylees
and immigrants (both legal
and undocumented) in US
o Comprises almost 12% of
American population
Highest recorded number of
immigrants: shows increase
of 4.3 mill since 2000
Of the 4.3 mill, 2 mill are
undocumented
Estimated 9 mill total
undocumented
15.7% of labor force (Flores,
Hsieh, & Chiao, 2011)

(Duggan & Jurgens, 2007)


Facts and Figures
Early waves of immigrants European
Recently,
o 1/2 Latin American
o 1/3 Asia
Mexico=largest contributor, followed by China
and Philippines (Flores, Hsieh, & Chiao, 2011)
Historically settle in NY, CA, FL , TX, NJ,
and IL
1990-2000: influx of immigrants in the
Midwest, Southeast, and Rocky Mnt Region
(Duggan & Jurgens, 2007)


Breakdown
(Flores, Hsieh, & Chiao, 2011)
Facts and Figures
Foreign-born population
o older
o <likely to graduate h.s.
o >likely to speak a language other than English at
home
o >likely to live in poverty
Mexican Immigrants (compared to other immigrants)
o > likely: labor, low-skill, low paying, physically
demanding jobs
o younger, women>men, lower education level, more
ppl in household
o >poverty rates
(Flores, Hsieh, & Chiao, 2011)

Status
Nonimmigrant vs Immigrant



Documented vs Undocumented


http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009
/10/16/gutierrez.anxiety.degree.cnn






Given all of this info, what are potential
occupational barriers immigrants face?





Barriers to Career Success
Structural Barriers
Discrimination
o Employment
o Computerized
o Housing Social-Service
o Criminal Justice
Immigration status
Attitudinal Barriers
Occupational Stereotyping
Access to Financial Resources
(Duggan & Jurgens, 2007)









Barriers to Career Success
Individual Barriers
Language Barriers
Adjustment Difficulties
o acculturation vs assimilation
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Insufficient Financial Resources
Physical Health
o dangerous work, injury
Mental Health
o psychological stress, anxiety, acculturative stress,
trauma?
o aggravated by language barrier (Duggan & Jurgens,
2007)













Social Cognitive Career Theory
Can be valuable in understanding the career
development process of recent immigrants.

Emphasizes the role of proximal and distant
factors...serve as facilitators or barriers to career
development.

Looks at role of self efficacy, outcome
expectations, personal factors (gender, race,
etc.), and contextual or background factors
(availability of opportunities)

(Yakushko et al., 2008)
Immigrants and Careers

"Although getting a job that pays will be a
necessity for a vast majority of recent
immigrants, many of them view these early
employment possibilities as temporary work
solutions and desire development of their
own career dreams"




(Yakushko et al., 2008)
Career Counseling Considerations
1. Exploring career and work background

2. Examining contextual factors
"The legality of a person's status and the circumstances of his or her
relocation are undoubtedly among the key contextual factors that
influence the career trajectories of recent immigrants"

3. Dealing with career transitions
(Yakushko, Backhaus, Watson, Ngaruiya, Gonzalez, 2008)
Career Counseling Considerations
4. Building knowledge about career options

5. Discussing how to obtain and maintain a job
"This intervention cannot be underestimated. Immigrants may have come
from environments where jobs were assigned or gained through indirect
means, such as family connections rather than having obtained through
the typical U.S. method of searching and interviewing for the position."

6. Exploring cultural norms about work
(Yakushko et al., 2008)
Career Counseling Considerations
7. Developing work-related intercultural competence

8. Discussing opportunities for work and education

9. Balancing work and family life
"Typical immigrant family includes far greater number of children than
typical U.S.-born family"
10. Attending to individual and systemic facilitators
and barriers of work and career goals.
(Yakushko et al., 2008)
Resources Available?
What are some local, regional, state, or
national resources you are aware of that
could help immigrants in their career
development?
Resources
LivingAmerican.com

Goodwill
http://www.goodwill.org/goodwill-for-you/specialized-
services/immigrants/

Life 360: The Immigrant Experience
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/learnmore_immigr
ation.html

Hispanic League of Winston Salem

New American Centers

References
Duggan, M. H., Jurgens,J. C. (2007). Career interventions and techniques: A complete guide for human
service professionals. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon
Flores, L. Y., Hsieh, C., & Chiao, H. (2011). Vocational Psychology and Assessment with Immigrants in the
United States: Future Directions for Training, Research, and Practice. Journal Of Career Assessment, 19(3), 323-332.
Yakushko, O., Backhaus, A., Watson, M., Ngaruiya, K., & Gonzalez, J. (2008). Career development concerns
of recent immigrants and refugees. Journal Of Career Development, 34(4), 362-396.