The pattern identification exercise is based on the assumption that a careful examination of experience will reveal signicant life patterns. These patterns are unique and are embedded within the lived experience of each person. To illustrate, consider how people involve themselves in a sport such as tennis. Several people may indicate an interest in the sport, but it is only when you examine the particular experiences that you see the differences. For one person, playing tennis may be a social activity, one in which they have the opportu nity to be with others in a friendly and congenial atmosphere. As they describe positive and negative experiences, they will undoubtedly emphasize some of the good times socializing both on and off the court. For another person, the experience may be very different. The competition might be the signicant factor. And for someone else the physical exercise may be of paramount importance. While drawn together by the common bond of tennis, each person brings to the situation very different needs and perspectives. Understanding these perspectives and needs can facilitate personal insights that have direct application to career choice, job search, and job satisfaction.

In using this method any number of different types of experience can be analyzed. I have found it helpful to begin with some of the domains that people are less likely to associate with traditional career exploration. Leisure experiences are often a good starting point. People are usually willing to talk quite candidly about their leisure experiences. It is an easy way to initiate a discussion and the conversation flows smoothly. Of course, not all life patterns are contained within one set of leisure experiences. For a more comprehensive analysis it can be helpful to sample experiences from a number of different domains, i.e. working life, education, spiritual experiences, family life, etc.

The steps of inquiry associated with the pattern identi?cation exercise are listed below (Amundson, 1995b):

1. Ask the client to think about a particular activity; this activity can come from a number of different domains. Once the activity has been defined, ask the person to think about a specific time when it was very enjoyable and a time when it was less so.

2. Have the client describe in detail the positive and negative experiences. Some questions can be asked at this point to facilitate a full description of events. Ask about the people involved, feelings, thoughts, challenges, successes and motivations. What are the particular dynamics that differentiate the positive and negative dynamics? Depending on the situation, it may be helpful to extend the questioning to some of the contextual issues. Ask about how their interest developed over time and what they project for the future. As the story is told, it is helpful for the counsellor to write down what is being said, either on a flip chart or a large piece of paper clearly visible to the client. This information will serve as the foundation for the analysis; and, thus, it is important to get down on paper everything that is said. (Generally I am not in favour of note taking during a session, and it can be helpful to discuss this beforehand if it might be an issue.) Whatever is being written down should be in clear view f or the client as well as the counsellor.

3. After a full discussion, have the client consider what types of patterns are suggested by the information that has been generated. Give the client every opportunity to make connections and provide ongoing support and encouragement. Ask how each specific piece of information suggests something about the client, i.e. goals, values, aptitudes, personal style, interests (from the Wheel). During this period, you can provide some input. The statements you make should be tentative and be positively linked with client comments. While this can be an excellent opportunity for reframing, it is important not to lose sight of the contribution made by the client.

4.  Following the identification of themes, you move to application issues. As above, the client speaks first and then you follow with your comments. The question here is how personal information relates to career choice and action planning.

To illustrate the PIE method, consider the case of a young man who was working as a car salesman but was having difficulty making sales. He seemed to like his job but wasn’t having much success with it. The leisure experience that he described involved tennis. He referred to a positive incident where he was playing a good player and was “at the top of his game.” His strokes were crisp, both on the forehand and the backhand. When he described the negative experience, he referred to another time when he was playing very poorly. He was overhitting the ball and having a dif?cult time keeping the ball in the court. As we looked at this situation, what became apparent was the focus on technical pro?ciency versus actually winning a point or the game. In many ways this was similar to his experience in sales–he enjoyed meeting people and making the sales pitch but had difficulty actually closing the sale. He was so focused on getting the information out to the customer that he never got to the next step. This case brings up an interesting question, “Is it possible for him to change?” While it is extremely difficult to alter a pattern, it is not impossible. In this case the young man had to practise the ?nal stage of salesmanship. This worked for awhile, but his heart was really in a different place and he ended up going back to school to pursue an Education degree. Even within education, however, it was important to learn how to get a commitment, to “close the sale”; and he continued striving toward that goal.

There are several advantages to using the PIE approach for career exploration. The most obvious advantage is the fact that rather than initiating separate inquiries with respect to interests, values and so on, it is possible to utilize one procedure. The inquiry that is conducted has credibility since it is based on life experiences with interpretation that is client validated. Clients through this approach are engaged in an activity which not only provides insights but also teaches a procedure for ongoing analysis. Positive reports have been obtained from a wide range of clients. Comments often refer to the surprisingly potent nature of the activity. For further study of this procedure, review some of the case examples illustrated on the accompanying DVDs. 

One limitation of the PIE method is its reliance on description and analysis by clients. The effectiveness of the procedure is somewhat dependent on the cognitive abilities of both the client and the counsellor. 

Used by Permission. An Excerpt from Active Engagement: Enhancing the Career Counselling Process, by Norm Amundson. Published by Ergon Communications - www.ergon-communications.com

Norm's "PIE method" should not be confused with the same phrase taught for 25 years by Daniel Porot of Geneva Switzerland, who wrote a book entitled "The PIE Method" (1995). In Porot's book,  "PIE" refers to three types of interviews: Practice, Information, and Employment.