HELP OF PSYCHOLOGY IN THE CHOICE OF A CAREER 489 
of physique, accuracy or patience so necessary for successful nursing, or 
of her inability to preserve discipline which will make her future life in a 
school one of almost intolerable strain and even torture. Endowed with 
some literary talent, a boy may embark, with similar failure, on journalism, 
because he has disregarded his lack of pushfulness and of speedy writing 
which are so essential for success in this occupation. Or again, a physical 
weakling may compensate for his disabilities by day dreams or phantasies 
of flying ; he aims therefore at being an aviator. Other choices may be 
dictated by fashion, imitation or hero-worship. 
The school teacher is hardly a better guide to a career than the parents 
or the young person himself. He may or he may not know his pupil well : 
if he knows him well, he may know him only from one particular stand- 
point—the relation of pupil to master or mistress. Moreover, the teacher 
cannot be expected to know the various requirements of different occupations, 
of the abilities and qualities of temperament needed for success in each, 
and of the kind, length and cost of training and of the future prospects of 
each. It is, therefore, not surprising to receive from one headmaster the 
following observation : ‘ Realising that my knowledge of the boy is imperfect 
and one-sided, and my knowledge of occupational requirements grossly 
inadequate, I always feel more or less of a charlatan when called upon to 
advise. My only consolation is that my advice is so rarely followed that 
there is no real cause for my distress ! ’ 
Of late years, in certain secondary and in most public schools, a single 
teacher has been appointed to give special attention during part of his time 
to vocational guidance. He has received the name of ‘ careers-master,’ but 
no training whatever in this part of his duties. He may even apply tests 
and other psychological methods, although often unqualified to do so, thus 
bringing into popular contempt methods which are unquestionably helpful 
when properly used. Many secondary and a few public schools have 
recourse to the voluntary Committees formed under the auspices of the 
Ministry of Labour by the Headmasters and Headmistresses Associations. 
But they would be the first to admit the imperfection of their present methods 
of advice. ‘The Juvenile Employment Officers, for whose work the Ministry 
of Labour is responsible, are mainly concerned, together with the voluntary 
Local Juvenile Advisory Committees appointed for this purpose, in the 
guidance and placement of elementary school children. But they too 
receive no systematic training in their work, and at present there are no 
adequate official prospects, nor, in consequence, is there any permanence, in 
their work. Very often a conference is held terminally in elementary 
schools at which the school-leaver is advised as to his future occupation. 
But the interview of each child and parent is necessarily restricted to an 
inadequately brief interval of time ; and too often the child’s own wishes, 
so often erratic or irrational, tend to receive undue consideration. If the 
data which I now exhibit to you can be regarded as reliable and representa- 
tive, the vocational guidance given at such conferences leaves much to be 
desired. 
We may conclude, then, that help in the choice of a career is not only 
necessary but is also capable of great improvement. And for such help 
and improvement we may naturally look to psychology—the science which 
is concerned with the mind and resulting behaviour. The directions in 
which psychology is actually helping—both by research and by practice— 
lie (i) in occupational analysis, (ii) in the assessment of mental abilities and 
qualities, (iii) in insistence on a very broad attitude and a carefully balanced 
at in guidance, and (iv) in systematic methods of training vocational 
advisers. 
