Frank Parsons

Born in 1854, Frank Parsons was an American educator, lawyer, and social reformer who became one of the key early thinkers behind vocational guidance. He studied engineering at Cornell, later practiced law in Massachusetts, and also taught at institutions including Boston University.

Parsons is best remembered for his work helping young people and workers make practical, informed career choices. In Boston, he became closely associated with efforts to guide people into suitable occupations, and his approach emphasized understanding personal traits, learning about different kinds of work, and making careful decisions rather than leaving employment to chance.

He died in 1908, but his influence lasted well beyond his lifetime. His writing and reform work helped lay the foundation for modern career counseling, and he is often described as a founding figure in the vocational guidance movement.