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Matching Interests to Work Options

See which careers are a good match with your interests.

This exercise is a short interest assessment. It will help you see where your interests match careers. Follow each step below to complete the exercise.

  1. Click the Match Your Interests to Occupations (pdf) link to open a PDF document.
  2. Fill in the circles next to the activities you like to do.
  3. Add the columns at the bottom of the sheet. Write down the number of filled circles for each letter.
  4. The letters with the highest numbers are your interest code. Most people have a 2-3 letter interest code. This code is also called a Holland Code.

What Does My Interest Code Mean?

Each letter of your interest code matches an interest group. Read the descriptions to see how well your top three letters match your personality and interests.

R = Realistic people are DOERS. They are often good at mechanical or athletic jobs. They like to work with things like machines, tools, or plants and they like to work with their hands. They are often practical and good at solving problems.

I = Investigative people are THINKERS. They like to watch, learn, and solve problems. They often like to work by themselves, tend to be good at math and science, and enjoy analyzing data.

A = Artistic people are CREATORS. They like to use their creativity and come up with new ideas. They usually want to work with less rules or structure. They enjoy performing (theater or music) and visual arts.

S = Social people are HELPERS. They like to work directly with people rather than things. They enjoy teaching, counseling, or curing others. They are often good public speakers with helpful, kind personalities.

E = Enterprising people are PERSUADERS. They like to work with other people. They often like to influence, persuade, or perform for people. They like to lead. They tend to be assertive and enthusiastic.

C = Conventional people are ORGANIZERS. They are very detail oriented and like to work with data. They are often organized and good with numbers. They are also good at following instructions. They also like working in structured situations.

Matching Interest Types to Career Clusters

Each of the interest types above match different careers. Use the links below to research groups of careers (career clusters) that match your interest type.

R-Realistic

I-Investigative

A-Artistic

S-Social

E-Enterprising

C-Conventional

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