Based on RIASEC career interests
How You Work Best
The kinds of work and environments where you naturally do your best.
Overview
The Holland Career Test uses the RIASEC model — six interest types that describe the kinds of work and environments where you are most likely to thrive: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Developed by psychologist John Holland, this model is the foundation of modern career counseling and is used by the U.S. Department of Labor in the O*NET system.
Why we chose this perspective
The Holland model has strong empirical support and is one of the most widely used career assessment frameworks in the world. It is the basis for the O*NET Interest Profiler, a public-domain tool maintained by the U.S. Department of Labor. Decades of research support its validity for predicting career satisfaction and fit. We use the O*NET Interest Profiler format, which is freely available and extensively validated.
What you will learn
Your top three RIASEC codes (your “Holland Code”) and how you rate across all six interest types. This helps identify work environments and career paths that align with your natural interests.
The six interest types
Realistic
Hands-on, practical work with tools, machines, and physical activities.
Investigative
Analytical, scientific work involving research and problem-solving.
Artistic
Creative, expressive work in design, writing, music, and visual arts.
Social
Collaborative work involving teaching, counseling, and helping people.
Enterprising
Leadership work involving selling, managing, and influencing others.
Conventional
Structured work with data, systems, and organized processes.
How it works
This assessment follows the O*NET Interest Profiler format. You rate activities, skills, and work environments on a 3-point scale (Dislike / Unsure / Like). Items are mapped to the six RIASEC types, and your top three scores form your Holland Code. The O*NET Interest Profiler is a public-domain instrument developed by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Scientific validity
The Holland RIASEC model has strong scientific support with decades of validation research. It demonstrates good test-retest reliability and predictive validity for career satisfaction and job fit. The O*NET Interest Profiler is maintained as a public-domain resource by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Source
Based on the O*NET Interest Profiler (U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET Resource Center). Public domain.
https://www.onetcenter.org/IP.htmlReferences
- 1.Holland, J. L. (1997). Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Vocational Personalities and Work Environments (3rd ed.). Psychological Assessment Resources.
- 2.U.S. Department of Labor. (2020). O*NET Interest Profiler. National Center for O*NET Development.
- 3.Nauta, M. M. (2010). The development, evolution, and status of Holland’s theory of vocational personalities. Career Development Quarterly, 58(3), 240–248.