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Weekly UpdatesThe counselor and Lisa then explored the importance and degree of person--environment correspondence she felt in working at the bank. The counselor invited Lisa to discuss relationships with coworkers and supervisors, company policies, climate of the environment, as well as any other facets of the workplace with which she interacted.
Lisa explained that although she liked her current coworkers and they seemed to like her, they had tried to arrange dates for her with men. Lisa wanted to be honest with her coworkers but was reluctant to disclose that she was a lesbian. She was concerned about discrimination, specifically, lack of job advancement and more subtle issues surrounding her relationships with her coworkers.
The counselor encouraged Lisa to explore her unique needs as a lesbian within a heterosexual paradigm by asking her to discuss how she saw herself within the context of her new job and the ways in which her employers valued her. Lisa was given a list of reinforcement values and asked to rank order them. The counselor and Lisa reviewed her responses, which helped her to understand the meaning of the relative values of the reinforcers she found in her job. This helped her clarify which ones were most necessary for her overall satisfaction with her career.
The counselor encouraged Lisa to talk about the costs and benefits she saw in coming out at her workplace so that she could identify new reinforcers that might lead to enhanced satisfaction. Lisa believed that she would be a role model for other women, which was something that mattered to her. In addition, she expressed the desire to have conversations with coworkers that required no mental editing before she spoke.
Lisa believed that by hiding her identity, she had arrived at a point where she no longer felt comfortable with her coworkers. She could not see this situation changing unless she came out, although she knew there would be some people whose attitudes toward her were likely to change in negative ways.
The counselor encouraged Lisa to begin thinking about how she might handle such incidents so that she might be better prepared and feel less vulnerable. She encouraged Lisa to investigate lesbian professional organizations so that she would have others to talk to regarding some of her concerns. The counselor affirmed the benefits of being connected to organizations such as this, both for professional and relational benefits.
Outcome
In their final session, Lisa was asked to reflect on what she had learned about herself, her new job, and her career. Lisa came to realize that her work as a programmer held the strongest value for her as a reinforcer. Lisa's work allowed her to solve problems, work independently, and take on greater responsibilities. She also believed that security on the job had grown in value for her after her earlier job loss. She valued the financial compensation and the opportunities for advancement at the bank. Finally, Lisa explained that a sense of belonging at her place of employment had a very strong reinforcement value for her and that this was currently missing. For Lisa, being open about her identity was an important factor in her sense of fitting in. Earlier in counseling, she had discussed her satisfaction with her coworkers, the financial rewards, and the job itself. Although these reinforcers were in place, Lisa's sense of satisfaction achievement was precluded. For Lisa, pretending to fit in as a presumed heterosexual diminished her sense of belonging, and thus reduced her sense of person--environment correspondence. Lisa was able to realize how being out on the job might increase her sense of belonging, possibly enhance person--environment correspondence, and ultimately lead to a. greater sense of satisfaction in her career.
Lisa determined that being open about her lesbianism was an important factor in her satisfaction achievement, and in achieving a strong person--environment correspondence. This brought Lisa to a decision to begin coming out to her new coworkers, initially choosing one or two people in whom to confide.
The counselor offered Lisa affirmation for her willingness to honestly evaluate the elements necessary for her optimal career satisfaction and acknowledged her courage in making these new choices. Career counseling had helped Lisa determine essential reinforcers for her career satisfaction and for optimal person--environment correspondence. Lisa was thus able to better integrate her personal identity with her career identity, which she believed would improve her job performance and give her a greater sense of belonging.
Implications for Counselors
It is important for career counselors to understand that lesbians face specific challenges in achieving career satisfaction. Lesbians in the workforce, whether they are closeted, out, or just coming into a new identity, are faced with an array of sometimes daunting tasks (Day & Schoenrade, 1997; Driscoll et al., 1996). Previously congruent relationships and environments may collapse or strengthen if a woman chooses to come out. Career counselors who are working with self-identified lesbian clients should be aware of the barriers that lesbians may face in career development and in the interface with their employment setting (Ellis & Riggle, 1996). Acknowledging the existence of these obstacles, rather than minimizing them, is imperative.
Counselors should have a basic understanding of the process of sexual identity formation to better understand the client and to understand its impact on the client's work, work relationships, reinforcement values, satisfaction, and other important areas of interface with the work environment (Boatwright et al., 1996; Croteau & Hedstrom, 1993; Day & Schoenrade, 1997; Elliott, 1993; Fassinger, 1996; Morgan & Brown, 1991). The counselor should be prepared to assist the client in her quest to weigh the values of disclosure and nondisclosure. A lesbian client level of outness as well as her comfort level should be assessed, and the client should be encouraged to consider the potential benefits as well as the potential costs associated with outness on the job. Achieving career satisfaction as a lesbian goes beyond simply finding "the right job" and includes learning how to manage sexual identity and discrimination within the workplace. Counselors should avoid offering unrealistic reassurances that things will event ually improve with time or effort. Counselors must be aware of the reality that once lesbians reveal their sexual identity, coworkers and employers may permanently alter their opinions of an employee.
Counselors who desire to be competent in working with lesbian clients should familiarize themselves with local lesbian and gay news publications, professional organizations for lesbian and gay employees, local lesbian and gay telephone resource centers, and bookstores with adequate selections of lesbian materials. Successful career counseling would ideally provide lesbian clients with (a) encouragement to explore a variety of potential occupations without regard to gender stereotypes, (b) honest discussion of identity management and discrimination and its relationship to rein-forcers and career satisfaction, and (c) referrals to external resources that may provide ongoing support.
References
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Ellis, A. L., & Riggle, D. B. (1996). The relation of job satisfaction and degree of openness about one's sexual orientation for lesbians and gay men. Journal of Homosexuality, 30(2), 75-85.
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