All three perspectives are critical to understanding action and career. Some theories approach career from one of the perspectives and emphasize behavior, cognition, or social meaning almost exclusively. The action-theoretical approach integrates all perspectives. The construction of career occurs, at least in part, through social discourse between counselor and client. However, the action pertinent to career occurs both outside of and within counseling.
Most counselors recognize that career profoundly involves the emotions of their clients.
For example, long-term plans and goals are intimately related to happiness. Moreover, career is concerned with practical action, that is, balancing between what must be done in the short term and what can be done in one's life. As clients take action regarding these expectations and possibilities, emotions are likely involved. This is in contrast to theories that place the locus of career within the person. Career is not solely a matter of individual action, but heretofore counseling has not had a language to describe persons acting together in the social and dynamic nature of career.