6.3: Magnussen’s Emergent Decision-Making Model

In my years of career practice with individuals, I have found that the decision-making process happens gradually over time. As the client learns more about themselves and the opportunities in the world of work, their decision emerges slowly. In Tiedeman’s and O’Hara’s terms, the client’s decision followed once crystallization occurred.

Magnussen (1992) talks about “emergent decisions,” which is the process where people make sense of their career choices over time. This decision-making happens whether someone uses logical thinking or goes with their gut feeling. At first, a person’s career decision is just a vague idea, something hard to define. We’ll call this vague idea a “template.” As people get new information, they compare it to this template and see if it helps clarify their career picture. If the information doesn’t help, they either ignore it or save it for later because it doesn’t fit what they have in mind.

When people start thinking about careers, some might have a few of these templates and gather new information for each one. Others might focus on just one template, ignoring other options. As they explore, people pick and choose information that fits their idea of what they want. This growing picture feels right to them, and it’s hard to change once they have it set.

We met Robin when they were uncertain about their career choices. They had several options in their mind. Through a process of exploration, Robin found a way to integrate these options, and a unique career path crystallized and emerged for them.

Magnussen maintains that the idea of emergent decisions has important implications for a career intervention.

First, if clients interpret new information using a specific framework, it’s crucial to understand what they find meaningful at the start of the career guidance process. This meaning system is their framework. By being mindful of this system, clients can better navigate the influx of information and experiences, refining their career path as they go. By the same token, by focusing on this system, career professionals can better assist clients in making sense of their options and identifying meaningful career paths. Career professionals also need to ensure that the career planning process itself is meaningful. This way, they can help clients find more options and make sense of new information.

The second key point is that the most effort should be put in at the beginning of the process, focusing on the client’s meaning system. This requires creativity from the career professional. They need to identify the client’s meaning system and find ways to respond to it. Using storytelling and self-portraits can help discover these meaning systems. Focusing on their meaning system with challenging clients, like inmates or homeless youth, helps start the career discovery process. Once engaged, clients usually adapt their strategies to meet their needs and social expectations. For mainstream clients, this process is easier but still effective.

Third, the process should be seen as a flexible sequence of steps. Initiation, exploration, and other aspects may happen simultaneously, varying in intensity and focus. It’s common to shift focus between them, such as moving from initiation to setting goals.

Lastly, it’s important to distinguish between undecided and indecisive clients. Undecided clients may just need more information and support with decision-making. Indecisive clients, however, struggle to make decisions no matter how much information they have and often need formal counselling or therapy. In these cases, referring them to a mental health professional is best.