The vocational guidance movement helped set the stage for the establishment of which profession in the early 20th century?

• A. Counseling
• B. Psychology
• C. Social work
• D. Education

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that helping people make informed career choices became recognized as a distinct professional service. Frank Parsons, early in the 20th century, pushed a systematic approach to guiding individuals—using assessment, information about occupations, and guided conversation—to match people’s interests and abilities with suitable work. This created the blueprint for a dedicated field: counseling. The movement showed that skilled, trained practitioners were needed to support personal decision-making and development, especially in schools and employment settings, which helped establish counseling as a formal profession. While psychology, social work, and education were evolving at the time, the vocational guidance emphasis on ongoing, individualized client guidance specifically points to counseling as the profession that emerged from this movement.