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The Holland Code and Future Careers

Contents

Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………… 2
The Holland Code ……………………………………………………………………………….. 2
Instrument ………………………………………………………………………………………... 2
Results and Discussion …………………………………………………………………………... 3
Suitable Job Roles ……………………………………………………………………………….. 4
Future Challenges ………………………………………………………………………………... 5
Preparation for the Challenges ……………………………………………………………………6
Time Management ……………………………………………………………………………….. 7
Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 9
Appendix ………………………………………………………………………………………...10
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Introduction

In career guidance, personality tests are often used as assessment tools. This is in

consideration of the expected job roles that they wish to take in the future. These tests aim to

summarize and highlight a person’s preferences, ideals, and goals. Leung (2008) explains that

career development is not only limited to work-related roles but also encompasses how people

will deal with life problems.1 Although personality tests cannot fully describe a person, these

tests are reliable in observing and predicting human behavior. Career assessment tools are

important for self-awareness, especially for personal development.

The Holland Code

The Holland Code Test was designed by a psychologist, John Holland, Ph.D. His theory

suggests that there are six personality types and the test can recommend jobs that model or are

similar to the person’s interests. These personality types are Realistic (R), Investigative (I),

Artistic (A), Social (S), Enterprising (E), and Conventional (C), or RIASEC.2 After answering 18

questions for each category, the assessment can then be interpreted with two or three-letter

codes, the RIASEC, also known as the Holland code.

Instrument

In this report, an online Holland Code Quiz will be used as the self-assessment tool of

students.3

1 Leung, S. A. (2008). The big 5 career theories. International Handbook of Career Guidance, 115-132.
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4020-6230-8_6.
2 “Holland’s Occupational Personality Types.” (2022). John Hopkins University.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/fac_development/_documents/lisa_heiser_faculty_development_handout.pdf.
3 “Pharmacist.” (n.d.). Monster. https://hiring.monster.com/resources/job-descriptions/healthcare/pharmacist/.
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Results and Discussion

Table 1. Holland Code Quiz Results

Student Realistic Investigative Artistic Social Enterprising Conventional

Student 1 6 8 5 7 6 8

Student 2 5 8 3 4 6 9

The code of Student 1 is ICS. The work environment recommended is investigative. This

means that his job role is a career that works with theory and information, analytical, intellectual,

and scientific. Meanwhile, the code of Student 2 is CIE. Accordingly, the recommended work

environment is conventional which means having a job that requires precision, perfect attention

to detail, order, organized, and status.

Both students have high interests in investigative and conventional. On the other hand,

their artistic personalities have the lowest score. People that are investigative are invested into

ideas. They are often referred to as thinkers because they like to observe, analyze and learn,

especially science and mathematics. The second top score, conventional, are people who like to

work with numbers and data.4

Their differences are “social” and “enterprising.” Student 1 is more comfortable in social

situations than Student 2. This makes it easier for Student 1 to work in teams. This also means

that he may be more caring and empathic to other people. In contrast, Student 2 has a low social

score. However, this is replaced by a high enterprising score. This illustrates that he is a person

who is willing to take risks and work hard to become successful.

4 Segal, T. (2022). Becoming a financial analyst. Investopedia.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/financialcareers/06/financialanalyst.asp.
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Suitable Job Roles

The most suitable job for Student 1 (ICS), would be a pharmacist. A pharmacist is

responsible for preparing and dispensing medications, and giving the necessary information to

the health care team. The daily activities involved are dispensing, controlling and monitoring

medications. A pharmacist should also be able to answer questions regarding controlled

substances and laws mandated by the government.5 Being insightful of future situations are

important in prescribing medications. An investigative student will also find the job interesting

because it requires scientific competencies. His interests in reading academic and scientific

journals will be useful. A conventional individual will also have the perseverance in doing daily

activities such as organizing his work area. Lastly, being social is important for a pharmacist

because he needs to communicate well to help and counsel others.

For Student 2 (CIE), a financial analyst would be the most suitable job role. A financial

analyst is responsible for identifying risks and opportunities of a business. Some of the daily

activities of a financial analyst are gathering data, maintaining spreadsheets, and modeling

financial activities of a business.6 His interests in being conventional can be dedicated to carrying

out daily tasks at the office. The structured workplace and strict plans will also not bore him

because this makes him feel secure. Organizations also value an investigative individual because

being aware and mindful in the organization are important. These are necessary when

understanding the threats or risks of a business. Finally, his enterprising personality can be put to

use if he needs to be assertive in decision-making scenarios such as investments or buying and

selling stocks.

5 Drenth, A.J. (n.d.). Holland Code (RIASEC) Career interests & Myers-Briggs Types. Personality Junkie.
https://personalityjunkie.com/holland-code-riasec-career-interests-myers-briggs-types/.
6Kos, B. (2020). The Pareto principle (the 80:20 rule) in time management. SPICA.
https://www.spica.com/blog/the-pareto-principle-in-time-management.
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Future Challenges

Fatigue and high pressure work are some challenges that Student 1 (ICS) may face. A

pharmacist job demands physically and mentally strong people. Pharmacists need to stay sharp

and be able to respond to any situation. But mental fatigue can then lead to longer time spent in

completing tasks, difficulty in problem-solving, and forgetting tasks. Pharmacists are also

exposed to a high-pressure workplace. Focus on details is mandatory. If fatigue and burnout are

not addressed, this leads to error in judgment. An error in judgment may result in giving wrong

medication or dosage to patients. This would then immediately cause harm to the patients, and

negatively impact the job.

The need for continuous education and the struggle in finding purpose are some of the

challenges that Student 2 (CIE) may face. If he decides to pursue financial analyst as a career, he

must be prepared to take further education. The global market is continuously changing therefore

it is necessary to take other courses besides finance. There are also many certification exams to

take depending on the job position one wishes to take. Another challenge would be the struggle

of finding a purpose. Unlike doctors that change lives, being an office worker and just facing the

computer every day can be frustrating. The work demands analyzing data in a company every

day however its impacts are not visible. An analyst may even lose track of the project he’s been

working on if it is passed on to another team in the organization. Losing purpose leads to losing

motivation at work.
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Preparation for the Challenges

Student 1 (ICS) can prepare for future challenges by engaging in fatigue-management

plans and eliminating variables with routines. Fatigue management plans include avoiding

overtime, examining workflow, removing unnecessary tasks, and working on the physical well-

being of hospital staff. The plan can also include making sure that tasks are delegated properly

and the responsibilities of staff are clearly understood. Building on soft skills like self-confidence

and communication skills can also help in decreasing fatigue. For instance, having to adapt and

discuss with patients about their medications will become easier at work. Secondly, having

routines can reduce the impacts of pressure. This means having back-up plans for situations. For

instance, if a computer crashes, a pharmacist can be prepared for it by having hard copies of

important documents or having the contact technician at hand. Being prepared lessens the fear of

worse things that can happen. Higher self-confidence will also help one’s effectiveness in work.

Student 2 (CIE) can prepare to face these future challenges by being open to challenges

and finding a purpose for the work. First, be confident and be open to challenges. Studying for a

new course or for certification should not be seen as a burden but as an opportunity for personal

development. Besides, life is all about learning. Opportunities may come with risks but staying

in the comfort zone will not help anyone grow. A student needs to trust and believe in himself

that he can overcome these changes in life. The second challenge can be somewhat resolved if a

student will take his time in finding his purpose at work. To accomplish this, the student must

simply keep learning and exploring new ideas. Eventually, this will help the student in his

discovery of his passion. Meanwhile, there is no higher satisfaction in life than helping others.

The student must recognize that every task he makes contributes towards the greater good.
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Time Management

Finally, students can prepare for future challenges by mastering time management. Two

methods of time management are the Pareto principle and the Pomodoro technique.

The Pareto principle is also known as the 80-20 rule. It was formulated by Vilfredo

Pareto that is mostly applied in businesses and in management theory. The principle says that

80% of outcomes are the results of 20% of our actions. It aims to illustrate how small activities

tend to distract people from completing tasks that are actually important. For instance,

brainstorming for an activity is easier than immediately starting the project. Completing the

urgent tasks may feel productive even though these do not have a great impact on the overall

progress. Therefore, the Pareto principle requires a person to practice his decision-making skills

in setting priorities.7 The basic steps of the analysis are (1) identifying the problems, (2) listing

the root causes of the problems, (3) assigning scores for each problem, noting that higher number

means higher priority, (4) grouping the problems according to their causes, (5) adding the scores

of each group, and finally, (6) developing an action plan and take action. The highest score

means that the issue requires the top priority.

The Pomodoro technique was introduced by Francesco Cirillo. The technique is simple, it

works by reminding a person that time is limited. However, it also shows how to control time

more efficiently. The story of its invention was when Cirillo himself was struggling to finish his

assignments during his university years. He found a timer that looked like a tomato, which is

pomodoro in Italian, and he challenged himself to focus on his work until the timer rings. His

first try was successful so he did it again while adjusting time. After some tries, he concluded

that 25 minutes followed by a 2 to 5 minutes break is the ideal work time.8 More importantly, the
7 “The Pomodoro Technique.” (2022). Francesco Cirillo. https://francescocirillo.com/products/the-pomodoro-
technique.
8 “Holland Code Quiz.” (2022). Rogue Community College.
https://www.roguecc.edu/Counseling/HollandCodes/about.asp.
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technique does not only rely on the timer but also in addressing the distractions during work. For

instance, people are easily tempted to take a break, to get food, or to work on another task. The

Pomodoro technique solves this by breaking down tasks into smaller and actionable tasks. The

timer helps in self-control and retrain the brain to resist interruptions when working on

something.
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Conclusion

Job satisfaction is one of the many factors that affect happiness in life. This is because

people will most likely spend their time in their jobs. And with work life comes experience,

concerns, and feelings. However, it should be noted that students are free to choose the courses

they want. The assessment tools are merely guides. Afterall, we are all unique individuals that

are capable of working hard towards their dreams.

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Appendix
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Student 1
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Student 2
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