ACTIVITY SHEET

The Career Interests Party Game

BACKGROUND. This game is designed to help you learn about your interests and skills, since knowing your personality and the kinds of things you like to do can help you to
find work environments and careers that are good matches for you. A job or work place that may be attractive to one person might be unpleasant for another person. This
exercise is based on Dr. John Holland’s theory that people and work environments can be classified into six general groups: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social,
Enterprising, and Conventional. These groups, represented by the letters R-I-A-S-E-C, are called Holland Codes and are described below. After doing this exercise, you will
have your Holland Codes. You can then review a list of jobs in which employees who had the same codes were satisfied. This can help you to make more informed decisions
about the kind of work that you will find fulfilling.

THE GAME. Imagine that you walk into a party with six groups of people. The descriptions of the type of people in each group are in the boxes below. Chose the group you
are most drawn to - the people you would most like to meet and talk with. After that, find the second group you are most interested in, and then the third group. Think
about why you chose that group. Does the description of that group describe you? Can you give an example? For example, if you chose the Realistic, Enterprising, and
Social groups, your codes would be RES. This means that out of the six types, you most resemble the Realistic type of person, somewhat less the Enterprising type, and
resemble the Social type even less. The types that are not in your code are those you resemble least of all.

List your Holland Codes: Group 1 ________ | Group 2 ________ | Group 3 ________

REALISTIC INVESTIGATIVE ARTISTIC SOCIAL ENTERPRISING CONVENTIONAL

People with athletic or People who like to People who have People who like to work People who like to People who like to work
mechanical ability, who observe, learn, analyze, artistic, innovating or with people to influence, persuade, with data, have clerical
prefer to work with investigate, evaluate or intuitional abilities and enlighten, inform, help, perform, lead, or or numerical ability,
objects, tools, machines, solve problems. Some like to work in train, or cure them, or managing for carry out tasks in detail
plants or animals, or to activities they like: unstructured situations are skilled with words. organizational goals or or follow others’
be outdoors Some  Doing puzzles/word using their imagination Some activities they like: economic gain. Some instructions. Some
activities they like: games and creativity. Some  Making new friends activities they like: activities they like:
 Doing puzzles/word  Studying astronomy activities they like:  Belonging to a club  Leading group  Word processing or
games  Flying a plane  Designing clothes  Teaching children activities entering data
 Decorating rooms  Working in a lab  Helping to put on a  Studying about other  Working on a sales  Keeping detailed
 Working with animals  Creating a project play cultures campaign records
 Cooking  Learning languages  Helping people  Buying clothes for a  Organizing paperwork
 Fixing household  Drawing or painting store  Working with a
items  Writing stories or  Talking to people at a budget
 Doing craft projects poetry party  Preparing reports
 Playing music  Selling insurance

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Here is a sample of jobs that reflect the Holland Codes. Which jobs reflect your personality and interests? Are they jobs that you would like?

REALISTIC INVESTIGATIVE ARTISTIC SOCIAL ENTERPRISING CONVENTIONAL

The “Do-ers” The “Thinkers” The “Creators” The “Helpers” The “Persuaders” The “Organizers”
 Aircraft Mechanic  Anesthesiologist (IRS)  Actor/Actress (AES)  Community Planner  Advertising Sales  Accountant (CSE)
(RIE)  Archeologist (IRE)  Advertising Art (SEA) (ESR)  Accountant (CSR)
 Aquaculturist (REI)  Biologist (ISR) Director (AES)  Counselor/Therapist  Financial Planner  Administrative
 Architectural Drafter  Chemist (IRE)  Architect (AIR) (SAE) (ESR) Assistant (ESC)
(RCI)  Chiropractor (ISR)  Fashion Design (ASR)  Dental Hygienist (SAI)  Financial Manager  Bank Teller (CSE)
 Automotive Engineer  Computer Engineer  Dancer (AES)  Detective (SER) (ESA)  Budge Analyst (CER)
(RIE) (IRC)  Choreographer (AER)  School Teacher (SEC)  Computer Operator  Building Inspector
 Baker/Chef (RSE)  Computer  Drama Teacher (ASE)  Hospital Administrator (ESI) (CSE)
 Carpenter (RCI) Programmer (IRC)  English Teacher (ASE) (SER)  Cook/Chef (ESR)  Computer Operator
 Corrections Officer  Dentist (ISR)  Graphic Designer  Organization  Flight Attendant (ESA) (CSR)
(RES)  Ecologist (IRE) (AES)  Psychologist (SEI)  Health Service  Financial Analyst (CSI)
 Dental Assistant (RES)  Economist (ISA)  Interior Designer  Insurance Examiner Manager (ECR)  Insurance Adjuster
 Electrical Engineer  Horticulturist (IRS) (AES) (SIE)  Industrial Engineer (CSE)
(RIE)  Lab Technologist (IRE)  Journalist/Reporter  Librarian (SAI) (EIR)  Internal Auditor (ICR)
 Electrician (REI)  Marketing Research (ASE)  Minister (SAI)  Insurance Adjuster  Kindergarten Teacher
 Firefighter (RES) (IAS)  Landscape Architect  Nurse/Midwife (SIR) (ESR) (CSE)
 Floral Designer (RAE)  Meteorologist (IRS) (AIR)  Occupational  Interpreter (ESA)  Legal Secretary (CSA)
 Forester (RIS)  Nurse Practitioner  Medical Illustrator Therapist (SRE)  Journalist (EAS)  Library Assistant (CSE)
 Geodetic Surveyor (ISA) (AIE)  Paralegal (SCE)  Lawyer/Attorney  Safety Inspector (RCS)
(RIE)  Pharmacist (IES)  Museum Curator  Personnel Recruiter (ESA)  Tax Consultant (CES
 Jeweler (REC)  Physician (ISE) (AES) (SEC)  Office Manager (ESR)  Safety Inspector (RCS)
 Laboratory Technician  Physician Assistant  Music Teacher (AES)  Physical Therapist (SIE)  Public Relations (EAS)  Tax Consultant (CES
(RIE) (ISA)  Photographer (AES)  Police Office (SER)  Real Estate Agent
 Oceanographer (RIE)  Psychologist (ISA)  Writers/Editors (ASI)  Preschool Worker (ESR)
 Optician (REI)  Research Analyst (SEA)  Sales Manager (ESA)
 Petroleum Engineer (IRC)  Probation Officer (SIE)  Tax Accountant (ECS)
(RIE)  Software Engineer  Health Educator (SEA)  Travel Agent (ECS)
 Practical Nurse (RSE) (IRE)  Social Worker (SEA)  Urban Planner (ESI)
 Property Manager  Technical Writer (IRS)  Speech Pathologist
(RES)  Veterinarian (IRS) (SAI)
 Quality Control (RSE)  Web Site Developer  Counselor (SEC)
 Radiochemist (IRE) (IRE)  X-Ray Technician (SRI)
 Water Quality
Specialist(REI)

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PROCESSING:
1. Was it difficult or easy for you to classify yourself among the six choices? Why?
2. Why do you think it is important to know your personality or interest in choosing a career?
3. If you are to assess yourself, do you think your personality/interest matches your career preference? Why?
4. What do you think might happen if your personality/interest does not match your career preference? What are the things you can do to avoid this
situation?
5. What are your realizations in this activity?

DISCUSSION:
The Holland Codes represents a set of personality types described in a theory of careers and vocational choice formulated by psychologist John L. Holland .
The theory argued that "the choice of a vocation is an expression of personality and that the six factor typology he articulated could be used to describe both
persons and work environments. Holland's theory does not assume that a person is just one type or that there are only six types of people in the world.
Instead, he assumed that any person could be described as having interests associated with each of the six types in a descending order of preference. As the
theory is applied in interest inventories and job classifications, it is usually only the two or three most dominant codes that are used for vocational guidance.
In presenting his theory, Holland graphically represented the six types as arrayed on a hexagon. This graphic representation serves to describe the empirically
determined correlations between the types. The shorter the distance between their corners on the hexagon, the more closely they are related. For example,
artistic is least like conventional, but closer to investigative and social.

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 COMPATIBLE WORK ENVIRONMENTS

REALISTIC INVESTIGATIVE
Personality Work Environments Sample Occupations Personality Work Environments Sample Occupations
 Prefers to work with  Technical/  Mechanics  Analytical  Rewards high  Chemist
things mechanical  Electrical/Mechanical Engineers  Mathematical academic  Biological Scientist
 Present oriented  Production oriented  Pilot  Scientific achievements  Medical Lab Technician
 Structured pattern of  Hands-on tasks  Sportsperson  Originality  Uses technical  Technical Writers
thoughts  Industrial  Chef  Problem solver abilities to complete  Physicians
 Mechanical  Outdoors  Computer Technician tasks  Computer Science
 Athletic  Architect  Creative scrutiny of  Lawyers
 persistent  Physical Therapist physical biological or  Professors
 Information Technology cultural theories  Psychiatrist
 Paramedics  Finance
 Pharmacist  Accountants
 Soldier  Researchers
 Veterinarian
ARTISTIC SOCIAL
Personality Work Environments Sample Occupations Personality Work Environments Sample Occupations
 Rely on feelings and  Unstructured  Designers  Sensitive to needs of  Cooperative  Teachers
emotions  Allow non-conformity  Artistic/Commercial Artist others  Interactive  Clergy
 Expressive  Allows originality  Musical/Movie Directors  Helpful, caring,  Provides services to  Police
 Intuitive  Rewards creativity  Musicians emphatic others  Counselors
 Values asthetics  Writers/Editors  Enjoys interpersonal  Rewards personal  Librarians
 Architects gathering growth in others  Physical Therapist
 Actor  Values educational  Health Aids/Nurses
 Painter and social issues  Costumer Service Officers
 Graphic designer  Secretary
 Social Workers
 Trainers
 Physicians
ENTERPRISING CONVENTIONAL
Personality Work Environments Sample Occupations Personality Work Environments Sample Occupations
 Adventurous  Managerial roles in  Lawyers  Structured  Business-details  Accountants
 Leadership organizations  Sales Representative  Accurate  Data generated  Clerks
 Persuasive  Business driven  Public Relations Specialist  Detail-oriented  Traditional  Bank Tellers
 Value political and  Entrepreneurial  Financial Analyst  Loyal followers   Cashiers
economic matters  Rewards monetary  Travel Agents and dependable  Medical Record Technicians
gains and  Flight Attendants  Secretaries
achievements  Reporters  Bookkeepers
 Politician  Computer operators
 Accountants  Receptionist
 Business owner  Office workers
 Executive or manager  Technical writer
 Marketing/Advertising  Proofreader
 Stockbroker
 Retailer
 Publishing
 Management Consultant
 Journalist
 Communication