Exploring Your Interests
John Holland, a psychologist at Johns Hopkins University, developed a number of tools and concepts that can help you organize the various dimensions of yourself so that you can identify potential career choices (see Table 15.1). Holland suggests that people are separated into six general categories based on differences in their interests, skills, values, and personality characteristics; in short, their preferred approaches to life. Holland’s system organizes career fields into the same six categories. Career fields are grouped according to what a particular career field requires of a person (the skills and personality characteristics most commonly associated with success in those fields) and what rewards those fields provide (interests and values most commonly associated with satisfaction). As you view Table 15.1, highlight or note characteristics that you believe that you have as well as those that are less closely matched.
| Category | Personality Characteristics | Career Fields |
| Realistic (R) | These people describe themselves as concrete, down-to-earth, and practical doers. They exhibit competitive/assertive behavior and show interest in activities that require motor coordination, skill, and physical strength. They prefer situations involving action solutions rather than tasks involving verbal or interpersonal skills, and they like taking a concrete approach to problem solving rather than relying on abstract theory. They tend to be interested in scientific or mechanical areas rather than the arts. | Environmental engineer, electrical contractor, industrial arts teacher, navy officer, fitness director, package engineer, electronics technician, Web designer |
| Investigative (I) | These people describe themselves as analytical, rational, and logical problem solvers. They value intellectual stimulation and intellectual achievement, and they prefer to think rather than to act and to organize and understand rather than to persuade. They usually have a strong interest in physical, biological, or social sciences. They are less apt to be people oriented. | Urban planner, chemical engineer, bacteriologist, flight engineer, genealogist, laboratory technician, marine scientist, nuclear medical technologist, obstetrician, quality-control technician, computer programmer, environmentalist, physician, college professor |
| Artistic (A) | These people describe themselves as creative, innovative, and independent. They value self-expression and relating with others through artistic expression and are also emotionally expressive. They dislike structure, preferring tasks involving personal or physical skills. They resemble investigative people but are more interested in the cultural or the aesthetic than the scientific. | Architect, film editor/director, actor, cartoonist, interior decorator, fashion model, graphic communications specialist, journalist, editor, orchestra leader, public relations specialist, sculptor, media specialist, librarian, reporter |
| Social (S) | These people describe themselves as kind, caring, helpful, and understanding of others. They value helping and making a contribution. They satisfy their needs in one-to-one or small-group interaction using strong speaking skills to teach, counsel, or advise. They are drawn to close interpersonal relationships and are less apt to engage in intellectual or extensive physical activity. | Nurse, teacher, social worker, genetic counselor, marriage counselor, rehabilitation counselor, school superintendent, geriatric specialist, insurance claims specialist, minister, travel agent, guidance counselor, convention planner |
| Enterprising (E) | These people describe themselves as assertive, risk taking, and persuasive. They value prestige, power, and status and are more inclined than other types to pursue it. They use verbal skills to supervise, lead, direct, and persuade rather than to support or guide. They are interested in people and in achieving organizational goals. | Banker, city manager, FBI agent, health administrator, judge, labor arbitrator, salary and wage administrator, insurance salesperson, sales engineer, lawyer, sales representative, marketing manager |
| Conventional (C) | These people describe themselves as neat, orderly, detail oriented, and persistent. They value order, structure, prestige, and status and possess a high degree of self-control. They are not opposed to rules and regulations. They are skilled in organizing, planning, and scheduling and are interested in data and people. | Accountant, statistician, census enumerator, data processor, hospital administrator, insurance administrator, office manager, underwriter, auditor, personnel specialist, database manager, abstractor/indexer |
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Source: Table 15.1 and Figure 15.1 Reproduced by special permission of the Publisher, Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc. 16204 N. Florida Ave., Lutz, FL 33549. From The Self-Directed Search Professional User’s Guide, by John L. Holland, Ph.D. Copyright © 1985, 1987, 1994, 1997. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission from PAR, Inc. |
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Your career choices ultimately will involve a complex assessment of the factors that are most important to you. To display the relationship between career fields and the potential conflicts people face as they consider them, Holland’s model is commonly presented in a hexagonal shape (Figure 15.1). The closer the types, the closer the relationships among the career fields; the farther apart the types, the more conflict between the career fields. Holland’s model can help you address the questions surrounding career choice in two ways. First, you can begin to identify many career fields that are consistent with what you know about yourself. Once you have identified potential fields, you can use the career center at your college to get more information about those fields, such as daily activities for specific jobs, interests and abilities required, preparation required for entry, working conditions, salary and benefits, and employment outlook. Second, you can begin to identify the harmony or conflicts in your career choices. Doing so will help you analyze the reasons for your career decisions and be more confident as you make choices.
Reproduced by special permission of the Publisher, Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc. 16204 N. Florida Ave., Lutz, FL 33549. From The Self-Directed Search Professional's User's Guide, by John L. Holland, Ph.D. Copyright © 1985, 1987, 1994, 1997. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission from PAR, Inc.
Throughout this book you have been introduced to a variety of self-assessments designed to provide a clearer picture of who you are as an individual. These assessments are designed as tools to assist the career exploration process. Never, ever think that you have to make a decision based on the results of only one assessment. Career choices are complex and involve many factors; furthermore, these decisions are reversible. It is important not only to take time to talk your interests over with a career counselor, but also to shadow individuals in the occupations that interest you. Obtaining a better understanding of what an occupation entails in terms of skills, commitment, and opportunity will help you make informed decisions about your own career choices.