What Is a Career Genogram
A career genogram is a visual tool that maps your family’s jobs and educational backgrounds across generations. It is a type of genogram that helps you spot patterns—like recurring professions or shifts in career paths—that may influence your own choices. By understanding these trends, you can make more informed decisions and gain clarity on how your family’s experiences shape your career path.
How to Create a Career Genogram
Creating a career genogram is a valuable way to visualize your family’s occupational history, helping you uncover patterns and influences that may inform your own career decisions.
Step 1. Gather family career information
Start by collecting details about your family members’ professions and educational backgrounds. Include parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and even cousins. Note their job titles, industries, levels of education, and any significant career changes or achievements. This information can often be obtained through conversations with relatives or by reviewing family records.
Step 2. Choose a genogram format
Decide how you’d like to create your genogram. You can draw it by hand or use digital tools and templates available online. An online geogram tool offers easy-to-use templates that you can customize to suit your needs.
Step 3. Use standard symbols
In genogram symbols, males are typically represented by squares and females by circles. Connect family members with lines to denote relationships:
- A solid line between a square and a circle represents a marriage.
- A vertical line descending from a couple connects to their children.
These standardized symbols help in clearly visualizing family structures.
Step 4. Populate the genogram
Begin with the oldest generation at the top and work downward. For each family member, place their symbol in the appropriate position and label it with their name, occupation, and education level. If space allows, you might also include details like years of experience or notable career accomplishments.
Step 5. Analyze for patterns and influences
Once your genogram is complete, take a step back and look for recurring themes. Do certain professions appear frequently? Is there a trend toward specific industries or educational pursuits? Understanding these patterns can provide insight into familial influences on career choices and may guide your own professional path.
Step 6. Reflect on your career path
Consider how the observed family career patterns align with your interests and aspirations. Are you inclined to follow a similar trajectory, or do you feel drawn to forge a different path? Reflecting on these questions can help clarify your career goals and the factors that influence them.
10 Career Genogram Examples for Understanding Career Patterns
Explore these career genogram examples to see how family career paths can reveal patterns, influences, and opportunities. These career genogram examples offer a unique look at how personal and generational experiences shape career decisions.
1. Basic career genogram example
A simple genogram showing family members’ names, occupations, and education levels. It provides a foundational view of career patterns within a family.
2. Family career genogram example
Focuses on how family traditions and values influence career choices. It highlights whether professions are passed down or vary across generations.
3. Healthcare professionals career genogram example
Shows multiple generations in medicine, such as doctors and nurses. It reflects a strong influence toward healthcare careers and related fields.
4. Career genogram example for a family of educators
Includes teachers, professors, and school administrators. It highlights a passion for education and knowledge-sharing across generations.
5. Career genogram example for a family with entrepreneurial roots
Maps a family tradition of business ownership. It reflects values of independence, risk-taking, and innovation.
6. Generational career genogram
Displays diverse occupations within a family, showing no clear career trend. It suggests flexibility and encouragement of individual career choices.
7. Government and public service career genogram example
Highlights multiple generations in public service roles, such as law enforcement and politics. It reflects a strong commitment to civic duty.
8. Career genogram example for creative and artistic professions
Shows a family history of musicians, writers, or designers. It indicates a generational passion for creativity and self-expression.
9. Technology-driven career genogram example
Features careers in software, data analysis, and IT. It reflects a shift toward tech professions influenced by digital advancements.
10. Different career paths genogram
Illustrates individuals choosing careers different from family norms. It highlights personal choice and evolving professional interests.
How Career Genograms Help in Career Planning
Career genograms uncover patterns in your family’s work and education history, offering valuable insights to guide your own career planning.
1. Recognizing family career patterns
By examining your family’s occupational history, you can identify recurring professions or industries. This awareness can shed light on inherited interests or skills that might influence your career decisions.
2. Understanding influences and expectations
A career genogram reveals how family expectations and values have impacted career choices. Recognizing these influences can help you assess whether you’re pursuing a path aligned with your own aspirations or one shaped by external pressures.
3. Exploring new career possibilities
Identifying gaps or diversities in your family’s career history can inspire you to explore professions outside your family’s traditional paths, broadening your horizons and encouraging innovative career choices.
4. Enhancing self-awareness
Reflecting on your family’s career trajectories fosters a deeper understanding of your own motivations, strengths, and values, which is crucial for making informed and fulfilling career decisions.
References
Storlie, C.A., Lara Hilton, T.M., McKinney, R. and Unger, D. (2018). Family Career Genograms: Beginning Life Design With Exploratory Students. The Family Journal, 27(1), pp.84–91. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480718819866.
Bakshi, A.J. and Satish, V. (2015). Qualitative Career Assessment Using a Genogram. Career Assessment, pp.69–80. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6300-034-5_8.
Gibson, D.M. (2005). The Use of Genograms in Career Counseling With Elementary, Middle, and High School Students. The Career Development Quarterly, 53(4), pp.353–362. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-0045.2005.tb00666.x.
FAQs About Career Genogram Examples
Why should I look at career genogram examples?
Who can benefit from using a career genogram?
Do career genogram examples follow a specific format?
Can I create a career genogram if I don’t know much about my extended family?
How is a career genogram different from a traditional family genogram?
