Nancy Arthur & Roberta Borgen 
Practice Principles 
Career Theories and Models at Work

This Practice Principles book provides career development practitioners with theory-informed principles for everyday application. It is a follow up to the popular Career Theories and Models at Work: Ideas for Practice book. The new book fills a gap in the field that addresses foundational career practice principles, ensuring that techniques used by practitioners are underpinned by actual theory.  

Career practitioners need to be equipped and up to date with the latest contemporary theories and models in the field. It is also important for practitioners to make informed choices about the approaches and strategies they use in practice. This book offers: 

• A ‚go-to‘ guide outlining core foundational principles that every career practitioner can apply in their practice 


• A reference practitioners can use to enhance their approaches to career interventions 


• An accessible resource they can add to their toolkit or use as a companion manual to Career Theories and Models at Work: Ideas for Practice 

Published in 2019, the original Career Theories and Models at Work: Ideas for Practice book featured more than 60 authors from nine countries. It has been translated into four languages and has been widely used nationally and internationally. The new Practice Principles book based on an analysis of the practice points in the 43 chapters of Career Theories and Models at Work: Ideas for Practice. The new book helps practitioners to trace practice ideas back to the theories and models from where they were derived.  

Practice Principles is intended for both current practitioners and as well as those just entering the field. It will provide a practical primary resource to gain knowledge about foundational principles for career development. In addition to serving new and seasoned practitioners, the book is anticipated to be used as a supplementary text for undergraduate and graduate courses focused on career counselling.   

This book serves to:   

• Advance the field of career development by identifying practice principles that cut across multiple international theories and models  


• Stimulate career practitioners‘ interest in linking their practices to theoretically derived principles 


• Update career practitioners about practice principles derived from contemporary theories and models of career development and career management. 

The book includes 10 chapters that illuminate connections between foundational practice principles and the theories and models where they originated. The introductory chapter describes the importance of theory-practice connections for contemporary career practice and outlines the methodology used to derive the practice principles. Eight chapters are devoted to detailed descriptions of eight foundational practice principles. Examples of practice points from the 43 chapters of Career Theories and Models at Work: Ideas for Practice are interspersed throughout the eight chapters. The final chapter integrates key discoveries and future considerations for improving theory-practice connections.