INTRODUCTION

HOLLAND’S( HOLLAND J.L. 1959)- A THEORY OF OCCUPATIONAL CHOICE, RIASEC TYPES WERE
INITIALLY DEVELOPED BY USING RESTRICTED RANGE OF OCCUPATIONAL TITLES.

HOLLAND’S TYPE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO ENCOMPASS THE FULL RANGE
OF OCCUPATIONS , USING STATISTICAL AND EXPERT RATING METHODS

ALMOST 40 YEARS AGO, HOLLAND(1969) IDENTIFIED THE RIASEC HEXAGON THAT HAS FORMED THE
BASIS FOR HOLLAND’S THEORY OF SIX VOCATIONAL INTEREST TYPES AND PARALLEL WORK
ENVIRONMENTS.

THE HEXAGON, OR CIRCUMPLEX IS A STRUCTURAL MODEL, TO REPRESENT THE INTER-ACTIONS

AMONG SIX TYPES AND WORK ENVIRONMENTS WHICH HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF HOLLAND’S
THEORY AND APPLICATION IN APPLIED SETTING.

OCCUPATIONAL TITLES ARE CENTRAL TO HOLLAND’S DEVELOPMENT OF THE RIASEC TYPOLOGY AND
ITS ASSOCIATED INTEREST MEASURES. THE RATIONALE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RIASEC OR
VOCATIONAL PREFERENCE INVENTORY IS PREFERENCES OF VOCATION IS AN EXPRESSION OF ONE’S
PERSONALITY(HOLLAND 1958, 1997).

HOLLAND(1969) FIRST PROPOSED THAT THE INTER-RELATION AMONG THE SIX RIASEC TYPES CAN BE
REPRESENTED BY A HEXAGON STRUCTURE. THE HEXAGON WAS IDENTIFIED IN AN EXAMINATION OF
THE CORRELATION AMONG THE RIASEC SCALES OF THE VPI.

THE SIX PERSONALITY TYPES ARE

1. REALISTIC
2. INVESTIGATIVE
3. ARTISTIC
4. SOCIAL
5. ENTERPRISING
6. CONVENTIONAL

THE RIASEC TEST ASKS QUESTIONS ABOUT ONE’S ASPIRATIONS, ACTIVITIES, SKILLS,
INTERESTS IN DIFFERENT JOBS, TO HELP ONE DISCOVER CAREERS AND FIELDS OF STUDY
THAT IS LIKELY TO SATISFY A PERSON.

PEOPLE WHO FIND A GOOD CAREER MATCH FOR THEIR PERSONALITY WHO CAN BE MORE
HAPPY AND PRODUCTIVE IN THEIR WORK, SIX PERSONALITY TYPES ARE RIASEC.

JOHN HOLLAND, A PSYCHOLOGIST, IDENTIFIED COLLECTIVELY RIASEC, THE INITIALS STANDING FOR
THE FIRST LETTER, OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING PERSONALITY TYPES;

HOLLAND’S SIX INTEREST AREAS

IF A PERSON IS REALISTIC – HE/SHE IS A DO-ER

IF A PERSON IS INVESTIGATIVE-HE/SHE IS THINKER

IF A PERSON IS ARTISTIC –HE/SHE IS CREATOR

IF A PERSON IS SOCIAL-HE/SHE IS HELPER

IF A PERSON IS ENTERPRISING- HE /SHE IS PERSUADOR

IF A PERSON IS CONVENTIONAL-HE/SHE IS ORGANISER.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE TEST

THE RIASEC IS A SELF-ADMINISTERED TEST; HELPING PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY THEIR MOST DOMINANT
WORK INTERESTS; THIS INFORMATION HELPS THEM TO EXPLORE CAREER OPTIONS.

RIASEC CONSISTS OF 72 ITEMS; REPRESENTING WORK, LEARNING, ANALYZING AND EXPLORING.

THE DOMAINS ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS

1. REALISTIC; PEOPLE WHO ARE REALISTIC PREFER PRACTICAL, HANDS-ON PROBEMS,

SOLUTIONS. THEY CHOOSE OCCUPATIONS THAT MAINLY INVOLVE PAPER WORK, OR
WORKING CLOSELY WITH OTHERS
2. INVESTIGATIVE; PEOPLE WITH INVESTIGATIVE INTERESTS ENJOY THINKING, ANALYZING,
EXPLORING, MORE THAN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. THEY PREFER TO DO RESEARCH, FIGURE OUT
PROBLEMS MENTALLY RATHER THAN PERSUADE OR LEAD PEOPLE.
3. ARTISTIC; PEOPLE WITH ARTISTIC INTERESTS LIKE WORK ACTIVITIES THAT INVOLVE
CREATIVITY WHICH DEAL WITH FORMS, DESIGNS, PATTERNS. THEY APPRECIATE SELF-
EXPRESSION, IN THEIR WORK.THEY PREFER SETTINGS WHERE WORK CAN BE DONE
WITHOUT FOLLOWING A CLEAR SET OF RULES.
4. SOCIAL- PEOPLE WITH SOCIAL INTERESTS WANT TO ASSIST OTHERS AND PROMOTE
LEARNING AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, THEY PREFER TO WORK MORE DIRECTLY WITH
PEOPLE THAN WITH OBJECTS. MACHINES OR DATA.THEY LIKE TO TEACH, TO GIVE ADVICE,
TO HELP, OR TO OTHERWISE BE OF SERVICE.
5. ENTERPRISING; PEOPLE WITH ENTERPRISING INTERESTS, ENJOY STARTING AND CARRYING
OUT PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY BUSINESS VENTURES. THEY LIKE PERSUADING AND LEADING
PEOPLE AND MAKING DECESIONS. THEY ARE COMFORTABLE TAKING RISKS FOR PROFIT.
6. PEOPLE WITH CONVENTIONAL INTERESTS LIKE WORK ACTIVITIES THAT FOLLOW SET
PROCEDURES AND ROUTINES. THEY PREFER WORKING WITH DATA AND DETAIL MORE THAN
WITH IDEAS. THEY LIKE WORK IN WHICH THERE ARE PRECISE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES
TO FOLLOW.

SCORING

1. ADD UP THE NUMBER OF FILLED IN CIRCLES; IN EACH COLOUMN AND ADD THE TWO
COLOUMNS TOGETHER FOR A GRAND TOTAL.
2. USING THE GRAND TOTAL, FROM ABOVE, TRANSFER THE SCORES FOR EACH LETTER INTO
THE APPROPRIATE COLOUMN BELOW.
3. TAKE THE THREE LETTERS WITH THE HIGHEST SCORES AND RECORD THEM UNDER MY
INTEREST CODE.
4. ANALYSE AND INTERPRET .