Chapter 4: Gottfredson’s Theory: Application of Circumscription and Compromise to Career Counseling

Career choice is an incredibly complex process to navigate—just ask a college student, career changer, or displaced worker. Harder still is to apply the scientific method (describe, explain, predict, control) to the process of career decisionmaking that has both broad application and personal, individual relevance. In this chapter, we describe a model of career choice that accommodates a broad number of factors and, in addition, interfaces nicely with other career models to increase its application. First, we give a broad overview of Linda Gottfredson’s theory of Circumscription and Compromise (1981, 2005) and then highlight the characteristics that distinguish her model from others. Next, we briefly discuss a few career theories that relate to Circumscription and Compromise, followed by practical application of the model. We use a case study to further elucidate the process of applying the theory, and finally, highlight some of the limitations of the theory and its potential for practical use in a clinical setting.