Personal Interest Inventory

Discover Careers That Fit You 

A career is an enjoyable job that challenges you.  To find careers that fit you, you need to know what you like to do, what you’re good at and what you want to achieve.  Once you know your interests, abilities and goals, you can match them with career possibilities.

Identify Your Career Interests (Part I)

Below, list up to three careers that you have thought about pursuing.  Next to each career, provide a brief description about why you are considering this career.  (Example:  Nursing – because I want to help people.)

  1. __________________________________________________________________

  1. __________________________________________________________________

 

  1. __________________________________________________________________

Identify Your Career Interests (Part II)

Dr. John Holland created a system of placing people’s work interests into six interest areas.  He believed every person’s interests fit into at least one area and most fit into two or three groups.  Your personal combination of Holland groups is referred to as your “Holland Code.”  Your code indicates your interests, not your skills, abilities or achievements.  The Holland system is based on the theory that people will find the highest job satisfaction when they perform work that interests them. 

To begin discovering careers that match your interests, find your Holland Code by completing the attached Career Interest Checklist.

Using your Holland Code, you can explore a variety of work options.  Look at the lists of careers that match your Holland Code groups.  Circle careers that interest you.

Know Your Abilities 

As you explore careers, consider your abilities as well as your interests.  You want to choose a career you will enjoy and excel in.  You have already learned many skills, and you will learn more for your career:

·        Self-management skills – personal qualities such as getting along with others and managing your time.

·        Transferable skills – the ability to write well, speak clearly, process information, analyze problems, follow directions, prioritize tasks, etc.

·        Specialized skills – ability to complete tasks directly related to a career (for example, architects learn to draw plans to building specifications.

Think about your hobbies, jobs, school activities and volunteer experiences.  Identify the abilities you used and/or gained from these experiences by listing your activities below.  Next to each activity, write all of the skills you learned and used.  (Example:  volunteering at an elementary school – patience, listening skills, following directions, giving directions, organizing activities)

HOBBIES/JOBS/SCHOOL ACTIVITIES/VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES

ABILITIES USED AND OR GAINED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAREER INTEREST CHECKLIST

Check mark any of the activities that might be enjoyable or interesting to you.  In general, marking more activities provides more useful results.

  1. _____   Filing letters and reports
  2. _____  Talking to people at a party
  3. _____  Going to concerts or listening to music
  4. _____  Wildlife biology
  5. _____  Creating a project for a science fair
  6. _____  Studying people in other lands

 

  1. _____  Keeping detailed records
  2. _____  Working on a sales campaign
  3. _____  Designing clothes
  4. _____  Decorating rooms
  5. _____  Doing puzzles or playing word games
  6. _____  Going to church

 

  1. _____  Working with a budget and preparing financial reports
  2. _____  Selling insurance
  3. _____  Playing music
  4. _____  Putting together model kits or craft projects
  5. _____  Working in a lab
  6. _____  Helping people solve personal problems

 

  1.  _____ Working “nine to five”
  2.  _____  Being elected class president
  3.  _____  Learning foreign languages
  4.  _____  Cooking
  5.  _____  Physics
  6.  _____  Attending sports events

  1. _____  Preparing “Word” documents
  2. _____  Talking to salespeople
  3. _____  Acting in or helping to put on a play
  4. _____  Working with animals
  5. _____  Advanced math
  6. _____  Helping the elderly

   

  1. _____ Using a cash register
  2. _____ Talking to groups of people
  3. _____ Drawing or painting
  4. _____ Fixing cars
  5. _____ Astronomy
  6. _____ Belonging to a club

 

  1. _____ Typing reports or entering data in a spreadsheet
  2. _____ Leading group activities
  3. _____ Reading art and/or music magazines
  4. _____ Carpentry and other building projects
  5. _____ Using a chemistry set
  6. _____ Making new friends

 

  1. _____ Using office equipment (FAX machine, copier)
  2. _____ Buying clothes for a store
  3. _____ Writing stories or poetry
  4. _____ Fixing electrical appliances or repairing household items
  5. _____ Flying airplanes or learning about aircraft
  6. _____ Teaching children

Add up your interests to find your Holland Code

  Count all the number 1’s you’ve checked; put the total on the line in the circle marked

“1s = C”.  Repeat this for numbers 2 through 6.  Notice, each number corresponds with a letter.

 

1’s = C

 

----------

2’s = E

 

----------

3’s = A

 

   ----------

4’s = R

 

   ----------

5’s = I

 

   ----------

6’s = S

 

   ----------

 

THIS IS YOUR HOLLAND CODE

(The letters representing your three highest numbers)

            __________                __________                __________

Match the letters in your Holland Code to the first letters in the Holland groups listed below.  For example, SAR matches the Social, Artistic, and Realistic groups.  Use your code to find careers that match your interests.

List one career here that you would like to research: ___________________________________

 

 

C = Conventional

 

Conventional people like to work with data, have clerical or numerical ability and are good with details.  They are usually comfortable with following other people’s instructions.

Conventional Careers include:

·          Accountant/Auditor

·          Bank Teller

·          Bookkeeper

·          Broadcast Technician

·          Computer Operator

·          Court Reporter

·          Credit/Loan Officer

·          Dispatcher

·          Electronics Assembler

·          Expeditor/Production Controller

·          General Office Clerk

·          Legal Assistant

·          Library Assistant

·          Medical Records Technician

·          Payroll Clerk

·          Postal Clerk

·          Proofreader

·          Receptionist

·          Secretary

·          Tax Preparer

·          Transcriptionist

  • Underwriter
  • Webmaster

E = Enterprising

 

Enterprising people like to influence and/or persuade others.  They like to lead or manage for organizational goals or economic gain.

 

Enterprising Careers Include:

·          Auto Salesperson

·          Brokerage Clerk

·          Business Executive/Manager

·          Chef

·          Compliance Officer

·          Database Administrator

·          Detective/Investigator

·          Emergency Medical Technician

·          Financial Manager

·          Flight Attendant

·          Funeral Director

·          Hotel/Motel Manager

·          Insurance Agent

·          Interpreter/Translator

·          Lawyer

·          Legislator

·          Marketing/Public Relations Mgr.

·          Park Ranger

·          Real Estate Agent

·          Reporter

·          Restaurant Manager

·          Security Guard

·          Travel Agent

·          Urban Planner

  • Writer or Editor

A = Artistic

 

Artistic people have artistic, innovative or intuitive abilities.  They usually like to work in an unstructured environment, using their imagination or creativity.

 

Artistic Careers Include:

·          Actor

·          Advertising Agent

·          Architect

·          Archivist and Curator

·          Artist

·          Choreographer

·          Commercial Artist

·          Composer

·          Director

·          Fashion Designer

·          Graphic Artist

·          Industrial Designer

·          Landscape Architect

·          Musician

·          Merchandise Displayer

  • Photographer

R = Realistic

 

Realistic people have athletic or mechanical ability.  They prefer to work with objects, machines, tools, plants or animals.  They usually like to work outdoors.

 

Realistic Careers Include:

·          Aircraft Mechanic

·          Appraiser

·          Auto Mechanic

·          Bricklayer/Carpenter/Electrician

·          Building Maintenance

·          Computer Repairer

·          Construction Manager

·          Dental Lab Technician

·          Engineering Technician

·          Farmer or Rancher

·          Firefighter

·          Floral Designer

·          Landscape Architect

·          Heating/Cooling Mechanic

·          Jeweler

·          Machinist

·          Mechanical Engineer

·          Office Machine Repairer

·          Optician

·          Pilot/Flight Engineer

·          Robotics Technician

·          Sound Engineer

·          Truck Driver

·          Welder

·          Zookeeper

I = Investigative

 

Investigative people like to observe, investigate, learn, analyze, evaluate or solve problems. 

 

Investigative Careers Include:

·          Actuary

·          Anthropologist

·          Biological Scientist

·          Chemist

·          Chiropractor

·          Computer Programmer

·          Dentist

·          Drafter

·          Economist

·          Engineer

·          Geologist

·          Market Research Analyst

·          Meteorologist

·          Nurse Practitioner

·          Optometrist

·          Pharmacist

·          Physician

·          Psychologist

·          Speech Pathologist

·          Statistician

·          Surgical Technician

·          Systems Analyst

·          Veterinarian

S = Social

 

Social people like to work with others.  They like to inform, enlighten, help, train, develop or cure people.  They may also be skilled with using language and words.

 

 

Social Careers Include:

·          Air Traffic Controller

·          Athletic Trainer

·          Clergy

·          Cosmetologist

·          Counselor/Social Worker

·          Dental Hygienist

·          Dietician

·           Teacher

·          Health Administrator

·          Historian

·          Home Health Aide

·          Law Enforcement Officer

·          Librarian

·          Bank Loan Officer

·          Mail Carrier

·          Nurse

·          Personnel Manager

·          Physical  or Respiratory Therapist

·          Podiatrist

  • Radio/TV Broadcaster