Self-Assessment 2 Career Interest

SELF-ASSESSMENT 2: CAREER INTEREST
THE QUICK JOB-HUNTING MAP: THE PARTY

by Richard N. Bolles
Below is an aerial view (from the floor above) of a room in which a party is taking place. At this party, people with
the same or similar interests have (for some reason) all gathered in the same corners of the room. After looking
over the room below, read the three questions at the bottom of the page and place your answers in the appropriate
box.
Aerial View of Room
R I
People who have People who
athletic or mechanical like to observe,
ability, prefer to work learn, investigate,
with object, machines, analyze, evaluate
tools, plants, or animals, or solve problems
or be outdoors
People who like to work People who have artistic,

with data, have clerical innovating, or intuitional abilities,
or numerical ability, prefer to and like to work in unstructured
C carry things out in detail situations using their imaginations
A
or follow through or creativity
on others’ instructions
People who like to work People who like to work

with people---influencing with people---to
persuading, performing, inform, enlighten
leading, or managing help, train, develop
for organizational or cure them
goals or for or are skilled
economic gain with words
E S
1. Which corner of the room would you instinctively be drawn to as the group of people you would
most enjoy being with for the longest time?
(Leave aside any shyness, or whether you would have to talk with them.)
2. After fifteen minutes, everyone in the corner you have chosen leaves for another party across
town except you. Of the groups that still remain now, which corner or group would you be
drawn to the most?
3. After fifteen minutes, this group too leaves for another party, except you. Of the corners and
groups which remain now, which one would you most enjoy being with?
Reference: Richard N. Bolles and the National Career Development Project.
Career Guidance Counseling Training Program for Tech.-Voc. High School ©

SCORING AND INTERPRETATION

Each of the groups of people in “The Party” represents one of the six
personality/interest themes. The first step in interpreting your selections is an
examination of the traits you have ranked one, two, and three, and how they define (at
least in a general fashion) the skills that you most enjoy using.
WORK/OCCUPATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS AND INTERESTS

Psychologist John Holland classified jobs/careers/work environments into six:
Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. There are no
pure classifications, though. A person's job function may combine ESA (Enterprising,
Social and Artistic) or ISC (Investigative, Social and Conventional) or any two or three
other possible combinations.
Holland also classifies personalities or interests into the same six types: Realistic,
Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. Again, there are no pure
interest types. A person may also be ESA (Enterprising-Social-Artistic) or ISC
(Investigative-Social-Conventional) or any two or three possible combinations.
Interests Work/Occupational
Types Environments
Realistic Realistic
Investigative Investigative
Artistic Artistic
Social Social
Enterprising Enterprising
Conventional Conventional

If our interest patterns are ESA (i.e., Enterprising, Social and Artistic) we will be attracted to a job/career in
which the work activities are ESA.
Look at the letters listed with each party group and their corresponding
descriptions below. Think about how much you would or would not enjoy working in the
types of situations discussed and how the characteristics mentioned relate to your own
personality and interests.
As a further note, these themes can be combined to produce several hundred job
personality types, each of which has something different to say about the match between
an individual and an occupation. For example, a person who is primarily “realistic” (R)
might also be “artistic” (A) and “enterprising” (E) and would probably find a job doing
public relations layouts for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
satisfying. Consider your examination of these areas, here, as a good first step in further
career and self-understanding.
R = Realistic. People high on the realistic theme tend to enjoy creating things with their
hands and working with tools and objects rather than working with people and ideas.
Realistic people tend to be rugged and practical, enjoying work outdoors.
Example of occupations that are primarily realistic in nature are: forester,

industrial arts teacher, radio operator, auto engineer, mechanical engineer, mining
engineer, vocational agriculture teacher, civil engineer, industrial engineering technician,
aircraft mechanic, mechanical engineer technician, fish and game warden, surveyor,
dental technician, architectural draftsman, electrician, jeweler, powerhouse repairman,
tool and die maker, machinist, mechanic, stone cutter, locksmith, nuclear reactor
technician, tree surgeon, piano tuner, typesetter, air conditioning engineer, ship pilot,
instrument mechanic, motion picture projectionist, carpenter, tailor, machine repairer.
I = Investigative. Occupations high in investigative characteristics tend to focus on

scientific activities. People high on this theme would often rather work alone than with
other people and are usually seen as idea-oriented and creative in scientific areas such as
research. They are analytical, abstract, intellectual and task-oriented.
Some specific investigative jobs are: economist, internist, physician,

anthropologist, astronomer, pathologist, physicist, chemist, production planner, medical
lab assistant, tv repairer, biologist, osteopath, chiropractor, math teacher, natural science
teacher, optometrist, psychiatrist, psychologist, medical technologist,
bacteriologist, physiologist, research analyst, computer analyst, programmer, pharmacist,
actuary, quality control technician, computer operator, geologist,
mathematician/statistician, surgeon, meteorologist, agronomist, animal scientist, botanist,
zoologist, horticulturist, natural scientist, oceanographer, biochemist, veterinarian,
geographer, x-ray technician, administrator, dentist, tool designer, chemical lab
technician, engineers such as aircraft, chemical, electrical, metallurgical, radio/tv

technician, engineering aide, weather observer.
A = Artistic. People who score high on the artistic theme are artistically inclined, and
usually describe themselves as independent, imaginative, creative, and unconventional.
They enjoy situations that allow them freedom to be original, prefer to work in an
unstructured environment, and are usually dissatisfied if they are forced to follow many
rules and procedures. They enjoy activities related to language, art, music, drama,
writing, etc.
Some primarily artistic jobs include drama coach, language teacher, journalist-
reporter, drama teacher, dancing teacher, foreign language interpreter, philosopher, art
teacher, literature teacher, music teacher, musician, orchestra conductor, advertising
manager, entertainer, public relations person, fashion model, writer, editor, radio program
writer, dramatist, actor/actress, designer, interior decorator, critic, fashion illustrator,
furniture designer, jewelry designer, furrier, garment designer, decorator, architect, artist,
photographer, photograph retoucher, photolithographer (printer), music arranger,
composer.
S = Social. People high on the social theme are usually seen by others as sociable,
popular, and responsible. They prefer social interaction and social presence. They are
often interested in the problems and concerns of others, and like activities that allow them
to teach, inform, train, develop, cure and help others.
Jobs that involve these personality aspects include education, teaching, social
welfare, human development, counseling, health professions (medicine, nursing, etc.),
social service, compensation advising, etc. In addition, dorm director, interviewer,
employment representative, funeral director, chamber of commerce executive, employee
benefits approver, food service manager, claim adjuster, production expediter, health and
welfare coordinator, educational administrator, training director, historian, environmental
health engineer, home service rep., community recreation administrator, business agent,
extension agent, physical education teacher, building superintendent, therapist, political
scientist, sociologist, social and group worker, personnel director, food and drug
inspector, teacher, minister, librarian, foreign service officer, history teacher are in jobs in
this interest area.
E = Enterprising. Occupations that are primarily enterprising in nature usually involve

situations where the person is in a position of leading or convincing others to achieve
team/organizational goals or economic gain. People high on this theme are often seen as
enthusiastic, dominant, impatient.
Some primarily enterprising jobs include those of sales and marketing field,
banker, insurance underwriter, real estate appraiser, florist, industrial engineer, contractor,
warehouse manager, salesperson-technical products, lawyer, judge, attorney, tv/radio

announcer, branch manager, director industrial relations, government official, insurance
manager, managers such as restaurant/office/traffic/human resource/production, etc.,
salary and wage administrator, labor arbitrator, systems analyst, director of compensation
and benefits, securities salesperson, human resource recruiter.
C = Conventional. High conventional people tend to prefer jobs where they are given
firm structure and know exactly what is expected of them. People who rank high on this
theme often describe themselves as conscientious, efficient, and calm. They enjoy
activities that involve the precise, ordered use of data such as keeping and filing records,
organizing data, computing, printing, etc.
They enjoy words and numbers and systematic and structured jobs such as
clerical, administrative, time study analyst, business (commercial) teacher, finance expert,
accountant, credit manager, timekeeper, auto writing machine operator, bookkeeping
machine operator, estimator, foreign trade clerk, office worker, payroll clerk, accounting
machine operator, personnel clerk, sales correspondent, reservations agent, bookkeeper,
cashier, secretary, medical secretary, library assistant, data processing worker, mail clerk,
personnel secretary, proofreader, and the like.

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SELF-ASSESSMENT 2: CAREER INTEREST

THE QUICK JOB-HUNTING MAP: THE PARTY

Aerial View of Room

People who like to work People who have artistic,

People who like to work People who like to work

Reference: Richard N. Bolles and the National Career Development Project.

Career Guidance Counseling Training Program for Tech.-Voc. High School ©

SCORING AND INTERPRETATION

WORK/OCCUPATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS AND INTERESTS

Career Guidance Counseling Training Program for Tech.-Voc. High School ©

Example of occupations that are primarily realistic in nature are: forester,

I = Investigative. Occupations high in investigative characteristics tend to focus on

Some specific investigative jobs are: economist, internist, physician,

technician, engineers such as aircraft, chemical, electrical, metallurgical, radio/tv

E = Enterprising. Occupations that are primarily enterprising in nature usually involve

warehouse manager, salesperson-technical products, lawyer, judge, attorney, tv/radio

Career Guidance Counseling Training Program for Tech.-Voc. High School ©

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