What Color Are Your Feathers?

Hollands Theory and Your Career Choice

Lawrence K. Jones, Ph.D., NCC The Career KeyTM w .w .w .c a r e e r k e y .o r g

Copyright 2010. Lawrence K. Jones, All rights reserved. Not to be copied in any form without written permission of the author. www.careerkey.org

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The author and publisher have taken care in the preparation of this book, but make no expressed or implied warranty of any kind and assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the use of the information or programs contained herein. Since there are links to websites and the addresses change, some of them may become broken over time. Copyright 2010 by Lawrence K. Jones All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, Career Key, Inc., www.careerkey.org, 1517 Lincoln St., Hood River, OR 97031. Questions? Please contact [email protected] or [email protected]. If you have permission to make multiple copies of this document by agreeing to the Career Key license agreement, please complete the following: School or organization for which this publication is licensed: Name: ____________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Number of copies your license permits: ________________ Date your license expires (12 months after purchase): ________________

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Your Feathers = your values, abilities, interests, and personality . . .

What do these have to do with the career you choose? Your job satisfaction and success? Thanks to a theory created by John Holland, and the hundreds of research studies that support it, we have a much clearer answer to these questions. His theory is widely used by career counselors. Understanding it will help you make sense of your Career Key test scores and how to proceed in making a good career choice. At its simplest, you could say that according to this theory "Birds of the same feather flock together." In other words, people like to be around others who have similar personalities. In choosing a career, it means that people choose jobs where they can be around other people who are like them. They are more likely to be happy in their jobs and successful if they are with people who have similar values, abilities, and interests. Hollands theory is discussed in four parts: First, you will get an overall picture of his theory, a summary of it; Second, you will learn about six personality types -- Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional; Third, you will learn about the six environment types by the same name; Finally, we will discuss how you can use these ideas in your life -- making career choices, choosing an educational direction, and understanding what affects job satisfaction.

Summary of Holland's Theory

Holland's theory can be summarized in six statements: 1. In our culture, most people are one of six personality types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. See Hollands Six Personality Types on page 5 for a description of each type. 2. People of the same personality tend to "flock together." For example, Artistic people are attracted to making friends and working with Artistic people. 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, and Conventional. See Hollands Six Environment Types, starting on page 6, for a description of each. 5. People who choose to work in an environment similar to their personality type are more likely to be satisfied and successful:
Copyright 2010. Lawrence K. Jones, All rights reserved. Not to be copied in any form without written permission of the author. www.careerkey.org










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For example, Artistic people are more likely to be successful and satised 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? It means that you probably should choose an occupation whose type is the same as, or similar to, your personality type. For example, imagine that your highest score on the Career Key is for the Realistic type. Looking at the table below, you can see that the most compatible job environment is Realistic. This would suggest that you choose from the jobs that are in the Realistic group. Or, you might choose from the jobs that fall in the Investigative or Conventional category.

Compatible Work Environments

Your Personality Type Realistic Investigative Artistic Social Enterprising Conventional Most Compatible Realistic Investigative Artistic Social Enterprising Conventional Compatible Investigative & Conventional Realistic & Artistic Investigative & Social Artistic & Enterprising Social & Conventional Enterprising & Realistic

Most people, in reality, are a combination of types -- like Realistic-Investigative, or ArtisticSocial. Therefore, you will probably want to consider occupations in more than one category. In summary, then, you are more likely to choose a satisfying job if you choose one that ts your personality type.
Copyright 2010. Lawrence K. Jones, All rights reserved. Not to be copied in any form without written permission of the author. www.careerkey.org










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Hollands Six Personality Types

Realistic Social
Likes to do things to help people - like teaching, counseling, nursing, or giving information; generally avoids using machines, tools, or animals to achieve a goal; Is good at teaching, counseling, nursing, or giving information; Values helping people and solving social problems; Sees self as helpful, friendly, and trustworthy. Social Environment Likes to work with animals, tools, or machines; generally avoids social activities like teaching, healing and informing others; Has good skills in working with tools, mechanical or electrical drawings, machines, or plants and animals; Values practical things you can see, touch, and use like plants and animals, tools, equipment, or machines; Sees self as practical, mechanical, and realistic. Realistic Environment

Investigative
Likes to study and solve math or science problems; generally avoids leading, selling, or persuading people; Is good at understanding and solving science and math problems; Values science; Sees self as precise, scientific, and intellectual. Investigative Environment

Enterprising
Likes to lead and persuade people, and to sell things and ideas; generally avoids activities that require careful observation and scientific, analytical thinking; Is good at leading people and selling things or ideas; Values success in politics, leadership, or business; Sees self as energetic, ambitious, and sociable. Enterprising Environment

Artistic
Likes to do creative activities like art, drama, crafts, dance, music, or creative writing; generally avoids highly ordered or repetitive activities; Has good artistic abilities - in creative writing, drama, crafts, music, or art; Values the creative arts - like drama, music, art, or the works of creative writers; Sees self as expressive, original, and independent. Artistic Environment

Conventional
Likes to work with numbers, records, or machines in a set, orderly way; generally avoids ambiguous, unstructured activities; Is good at working with written records and numbers in a systematic, orderly way; Values success in business; Sees self as orderly, and good at following a set plan. Conventional Environment
On the next three pages you will read about the six environment types.

Copyright 2010. Lawrence K. Jones, All rights reserved. Not to be copied in any form without written permission of the author. www.careerkey.org

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Hollands 6 Environment Types

Realistic
Persons having a Realistic personality type "dominate" this environment. There are more of them than there are people of other personality types. For example, at a construction site there will be more people having a "Realistic" personality than there will be people who have a Social or Artistic type. "Realistic" people create a "Realistic" environment. For example, they particularly value people who are practical and mechanical -- who are good at working with tools, mechanical or electrical drawings, machines, or animals. Examples of occupations with a Realistic environment are: Farmer Forester Police Detective Engineering Technician Carpenter Electrician Locomotive Engineer Truck Driver You can see more occupations at The Career Key website. The two work environments that are closest to the Realistic type are Conventional and Investigative. The farthest away is the Social type.

Fire Fighter Aircraft Pilot Diesel Mechanic Dental Laboratory Technician

Investigative
Persons having an Investigative personality type "dominate" this environment. There are more of them than there are people of other personality types. For example, in a scientific laboratory there will be more persons having an "Investigative" personality than there will be people who have an Enterprising type. "Investigative" people create a "Investigative" environment. For example, they particularly value people who are precise, scientific, and intellectual -- who are good at understanding and solving science and math problems. Examples of occupations with an Investigative environment are: Chemist Mathematician Environmental Scientist Biologist Dentist Physician Veterinarian Pharmacist Medical Laboratory Technologist Computer Programmer Economist Civil Engineer You can see more occupations at The Career Key website. The two work environments that are closest to the Investigative type are Realistic and Artistic. The farthest away is the Enterprising type.

Copyright 2010. Lawrence K. Jones, All rights reserved. Not to be copied in any form without written permission of the author. www.careerkey.org

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Artistic
Persons having an Artistic personality type "dominate" this environment. There are more of them than there are people of other personality types. For example, among a group of professional musicians there will be more persons of an "Artistic" personality than there will be people who have a Conventional type. "Artistic" people create an "Artistic" environment. For example, they particularly value people who are expressive, original, and independent -- who have good artistic abilities in creative writing, drama, crafts, music, or art. Examples of occupations with an Artistic environment are: Dancer Book Editor Fashion Designer Graphic Designer Actor Disc Jockey Composer Musician You can see more occupations at The Career Key website. The two work environments that are closest to the Artistic type are Investigative and Social. The farthest away is the Conventional type.

Talent Director Multi-Media Artist Comedian Architect

Social
Persons having a Social personality type "dominate" this environment. There are more of them than there are people of other personality types. For example, in a hospital, school, or counseling service there will be more persons having a "Social" personality than there will be people who have a Realistic type. "Social" people create an "Social" environment. For example, they particularly value people who are helpful, friendly, and trustworthy -- who are good at good at teaching, counseling, nursing, giving information, and solving social problems. Examples of occupations with a Social environment are: Counselor Probation Officer Dental Assistant Nurse Teacher Librarian You can see more occupations at The Career Key website. The two work environments that are closest to the Social type are Artistic and Enterprising. The farthest away is the Realistic type.

Social Worker Physical Therapist Athletic Trainer

Copyright 2010. Lawrence K. Jones, All rights reserved. Not to be copied in any form without written permission of the author. www.careerkey.org

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Enterprising
Persons having an Enterprising personality type "dominate" this environment. There are more of them than there are people of other personality types. For example, in a business or legal setting there will be more persons having an "Enterprising" personality than there will be people who have a Investigative type. "Enterprising" people create an "Enterprising" environment. For example, they particularly value people who are energetic, ambitious, and sociable -- who are good at politics, leading people and selling things or ideas. Examples of occupations with an Enterprising environment are: Hairstylist Sales Person Engineering Manager Judge City Manager Sales Manager Financial Examiner Customs Inspector Hotel Manager Real Estate Agent You can see more at The Career Key website. The two work environments that are closest to the Enterprising type are Social and Conventional. The farthest away is the Investigative type.

Travel Agent Lawyer Bank President Camp Director School Principal

Conventional
Persons having a Conventional personality type "dominate" this environment. There are more of them than there are people of other personality types. For example, in an office of a bank or real estate company there will be more persons having a "Conventional" personality than there will be people who have a Artistic type. "Conventional" people create an "Conventional" environment. For example, they particularly value people who are orderly, and good at following a set plan -- good at working with written records and numbers in a systematic, orderly way. Examples of occupations with a Conventional environment are: Court Clerk Secretary Bank Teller Post Office Clerk Air Traffic Controller Title Examiner You can see more at The Career Key website. The two work environments that are closest to the Conventional type are Realistic and Enterprising. The farthest away is the Artistic type.
Copyright 2010. Lawrence K. Jones, All rights reserved. Not to be copied in any form without written permission of the author. www.careerkey.org

Bookkeeper Mail Carrier Tax Preparer

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Hollands Theory and You

Hollands theory can be helpful in a number of ways: 1. Most people nd the six personality types a useful way of identifying careers they might choose. Whatever your highest score was in taking The Career Key, you probably identied careers that had not occurred to you. Thats good. In making any decision, it is important to identify all of the most promising options. 2. Hollands theory gives us insight about how groups of people create an environment. It makes sense that if a group of Social types get together they are going to create a Social environment. If you are a Realistic type invited to a party of Social Workers and Counselors (Social types) you will understand why you probably feel a little awkward and out of place. But, even more important, you can get a better idea of what kind of work environment in which you are most likely to experience job satisfaction and success. You know that if you are a Realistic person, you are more likely to have positive experiences in a Realistic environment and, secondarily, in Investigative or Conventional environments. A Social environment is least likely to give you that positive reinforcement. Because Hollands theory simplies personality and work environments, it has limitations that you will want to consider: 1. Within every occupation, you will nd people representing a variety of personality types. For example, while most plumbers are Realistic you will nd people with other personality types. And, even though, according to the theory they do not t, they may be satised and successful. 2. Some people have at personality proles; for example, they may be equally high on the Artistic, Social, and Enterprising scales. Some have at, low proles. Some have contradictory proles, for example, some are high in Realistic and Social. All of these can cause confusion. Regardless of your situation, consider having a professional career counselor help you. 3. Learning Hollands theory is helpful, but there are other, equally valuable, steps you can take. Review the recommended activities at the Career Key website listed under Career Options, Your Decision, and the site map. The Career Key e-book, What job is best for me? is also highly recommended. Another e-book, The Education Key: Choosing the Right Major, Training or Instructional Program, will help you if you are deciding on a major or training program. And, nally, on a lighter note, be sure to read this interview with John Holland on the Internet; youll nd it quite interesting.

Copyright 2010. Lawrence K. Jones, All rights reserved. Not to be copied in any form without written permission of the author. www.careerkey.org

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