title: Career practitioners' conceptions of social media in career services.
abstract: This article reports the outcomes of a study, undertaken from a phenomenographic perspective, of career practitioners' conceptions of social media usage in career services. Fifteen Finnish career practitioners - representing comprehensive, secondary and higher education as well as public employment services - were interviewed in focus groups. The analysis of the interview data revealed five distinct descriptive categories reflecting the career practitioners' conceptions of social media's use in career services. Social media in career services was conceived as (1) unnecessary, (2) dispensable, (3) a possibility, (4) desirable and (5) indispensable. The results indicated associations between career practitioners' conceptions and their practice. Moreover, the critical aspects identified in this study can be used to support the career practitioners' understanding of new technologies in career services.
authors.affiliation: Finnish Institute for Educational Research, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kettunen
authors.forename: Raimo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vuorinen
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sampson
keywords: career practitioners; career services; conception; phenomenography; social media