The Working Lives of Women From Lower Socioeconomic Backgrounds: Assessing Prospects, Enabling Success

In this article, the authors attempt to provide a context and suggestions for assisting with the occupational concerns of women from low socioeconomic backgrounds who have erratic, if not nonexistent, work histories. Other purposes of the article include raising professionals' consciousness with respect to this population and focusing on counseling and assessment strategies that are meaningful to these women and realistic with respect to their current and potential opportunities. Using data from actual case studies as exemplars, this article provides suggestions for working with these clients, including building on traditional assessment and counseling strategies, developing and maintaining strong working alliances, and encouraging clients to think about their futures from a possible selves perspective.