Why, When, and How to Take Into Account the Uncertainty Involved in Career Decisions

Career decisions under uncertainty, when the career decision maker has to rank a number of options, rather than choose the best one, were analyzed theoretically. The analysis revealed that the way such decisions are framed affects the ranking of the options and hence the quality of the decision. Specifically, in certain cases the ranking of career options according to their expected utility does not lead to an optimal decision. In the correct framing the choice is between rankings, in which each ranking is defined as a particular rank order of the options. In this framing the ranking that maximizes the expected utility is chosen. The analysis shows that the rank order of options in the optimal ranking always coincides with the rank order of the options by their utility. The implications for career counselors who help counselees deal with the uncertainties involved in most career decisions are discussed.