'Should I use a computer-assisted career guidance system?' It depends on where your career decision-making difficulties lie

The present study examined the pattern of career decision-making difficulti es encountered by 417 young adults who used one or more of the computer-ass isted career guidance systems (CACGSs) available at one of the Israeli Vete ran Administration's counselling centres, and assessed the effectiveness of these CACGSs in reducing their career decision-making difficulties. Career decision-making difficulties were found to be highest for individuals who were prior to the pre-screening stage of the career decision-making process and lowest for those who were at the choice stage. The reduction in diffic ulties after using the CACGSs was statistically significant in seven of the 10 difficulty categories examined: an especially marked reduction was foun d for difficulties related to lack of information. No such reduction was ob served for difficulties related to external conflicts. Participants' percep tion of having been assisted through the dialogue with the CACGSs was highe st for individuals who used all three systems, and lowest for those who acc essed only one of the three CACGSs.