Career decision-making is influenced by many factors. Culture and family influences are the main subjects of this research. Career decisions are made at different stages of an individual’s life. The focus of this research is to explore the role of culture and family influence on the career decision-making experiences of tertiary students. The research specifically focusses on Asian New Zealand tertiary students. I chose this cultural group because, during my years of practice working as a student advisor and course counsellor, this group appeared to be highly influenced by family and culture influences when making career decisions.

This research utilised an interpretivist paradigm, alongside a qualitative methodology to discuss three sub-questions: positive and negative influences of family and culture, feeling empowered or disempowered towards family and culture, and personal interest in making a career decision. A face to face interview was conducted with six Asian tertiary students and voice recorded to gain their perspectives in regards to these questions. The research aims to focus on individual experiences and similarities, and differences amongst participants regarding their experiences of making career decisions. The main findings of this research were culturally respected or preferred career choices, style of communication and its influence and financial security. Some recommendations for career specialists and potential for further research in the area of career development are outlined.