Holland's Theory of Career Choice and You

The Career Key S-E is based on John Holland's theory of career choice. The theory explains work-related behavior – such as, Which career choices are likely to lead to job success and satisfaction? It is the best known and most widely researched theory on this topic and is used by most career counselors.

Understanding Holland’s theory will help you make good choices – decisions about which school programs, college majors, or jobs best fit you.

When you take the Career Key test S-E you will receive What Your Test Scores Mean (sample page), a booklet that explains Holland's theory and how your test scores are related to it and career choice.

Holland's theory can be summarized in six statements:

1. In our culture, most person are one of six personality types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional.
   
   
2. People of the same personality type working together in a job create a work environment that fits their type. For example, when Artistic persons are together on a job, they create a work environment that rewards creative thinking and behavior -- an Artistic environment.
   
   
3. People of the same personality type working together in a job create a work environment that fits their type. For example, when Artistic persons are together on a job, they create a work environment that rewards creative thinking and behavior -- an Artistic environment.
   
   
4. There are six basic types of work environments: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional.
   
   
5. People who choose to work in an environment similar to their personality type are more likely to be successful and satisfied.
   
   For example, Artistic persons are more likely to be successful and satisfied if they choose a job that has an Artistic environment, like choosing to be a dance teacher in a dancing school -- an environment "dominated" by Artistic type people where creative abilities and expression are highly valued.
   
   
   
   
6. How you act and feel at work depends to a large extent on your workplace environment. If you are working with people who have a personality type like yours, you will be able to do many of the things they can do, and you will feel most comfortable with them. How is this related to the scores you receive on the Career Key S-E?
   

It means that you probably should choose a business whose type is the same as, or similar to, your personality type. For example, imagine that your highest score on the Career Key S-E is for the Realistic type. Looking at the table below, you can see that the most compatible business environment is Realistic. This would suggest that you choose from businesses that are in the Realistic group. Or, you might choose from those that fall in the Investigative or Conventional category.

Most people, in reality, are a combination of types -- like Realistic-Investigative, or Artistic-Social.  Therefore, you will probably want to consider businesses in more than one category.

If your two strongest personality types are Realistic and Social, Investigative and Enterprising, or Artistic and Conventional -- read the following. 

In summary, you are most likely to choose a satisfying business if you choose one that fits your personality type.

Holland's Hexagon

John Holland created a hexagonal model that shows the relationship between the personality types and environments.

Notice that the personality types closest to each other are more alike than those farther away. You can see this most clearly when you compare the personalities opposite each other, on the hexagon. For example, read the description of the types for Realistic and Social. You will see that they are virtually the opposite of each other. On the other hand, Social and Artistic are not that far apart.

The same holds true for the work environments. Read their descriptions and you will see.

You will learn more about this fascinating and respected theory when you read What Your Test Scores Mean.