Strong Interest Inventory

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Strong Interest Inventory

• Understanding Your Career Assessment

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Strong Interest Inventory

• The SII will not predict with certainty what
  occupation you should consider
• It can be a useful step towards identifying work
  settings and occupations that may be satisfying
  to you
• It indicates how similar or dissimilar your
  interests are in comparison with people in a wide
  variety of occupations
• It can also be a useful source of information for
  educational planning

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How it works

• The Strong Interest Inventory was developed by
  three vocational psychologists named E. K.
  Strong, Jo-Ida Hansen, and David Campbell and was
  based on the work of John Holland
• By compiling your interests and dislikes and
  comparing them to the interests and dislikes of
  hundreds of people of your gender who report that
  they enjoy their current careers/jobs
• The report is based on the concept that if they
  like their career/jobs, and you share the same
  interests, you'll likely find similar work
  enjoyable

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How it is Structured

• First, a general level based on six occupational
  themes
• Second, basic interest scales comparing your
  interests to those of a broad sample of people
• Third, specific occupational scales that allow
  you to compare your level of interest in any of
  the many listed occupations

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General Occupational Themes

• Holland defined six basic occupational themes
  (called Holland codes) that can be used to
  categorize occupations as well as individuals
• Each assessment will have a 2 or 3 letter codes
  associated with the occupational themes

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Realistic

• An interest in working with objects such as tools
  and machines
• Mechanical creativity and physical dexterity are
  important skills
• Occupations involve operating equipment, using
  tools, building, and repairing
• Individuals prefer dealing with things rather
  than with ideas or people
• Careers include auto mechanic, construction
  worker, plumber, carpenter, and jobs in
  agriculture

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Investigative

• Centers around an interest in science, theories,
  ideas, and data
• Analytical skills are important for this group
• Common work activities are performing lab work,
  solving abstract problems and researching
• Creative, prefer to think through problems, and
  enjoys challenges
• Careers include biologist, audiologist, chemist,
  physicist, meteorologist, psychologist, and
  physician

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Artistic

• Self-expression and art appreciation
• Creativity, talent, and artistic expression
• Composing music, writing, and creating visual art
  
• High scorers have artistically oriented interests
  and a greater need for individual expression
• Generally describe themselves as original,
  expressive and unconventional
• Careers include artist, cartoonist, composer,
  editor, writer, advertising executive, and
  photographer

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Social

• Working with people such as human welfare and
  community service
• People skills such as listening and showing
  understanding are very important for this
  category
• Teaching, helping, and explaining are all
  potential work activities for this category
• Sociable, humanistic and get along well with
  others
• Careers include nurse, physical therapist, social
  worker, teachers, speech therapist, and athletic
  trainer

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Enterprising

• An interest in business and leadership roles can
  be found in this theme
• Communicating with others and an ability to
  motivate and direct others are important skills
• Selling, managing and persuading are all possible
  work activities
• Ambitious and enthusiastic, prefer social
  environments, and leadership
• Careers in this category include human resources
  director, marketing executive, investments
  manager, and store manager

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Conventional

• An interest in organization, data and finance
• Math, data analysis, record keeping and attention
  to detail are all important skills
• Effective when dealing with well-defined tasks
• Prefer to know precisely what is expected of them
  and could be described as orderly and dependable
• Careers in this category include accountant,
  banker, credit manager, secretary, small business
  owner, and paralegal

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Basic Interest Scales

• Each General Occupational Theme has clusters of
  careers or job functions that fall within it
• Your BISs show the things you like to do, as
  opposed to just interest you
• Notice the kind of job categories in which you
  have an elevated score

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Occupational Scales

• 122 jobs associated with the general occupational
  themes are listed with a score of 0-65
• A list of 10 jobs that most closely match your
  interests
• This corresponds with the occupational titles on
  o-net at online.onetcenter.org
• This web site has detail about thousands of jobs
  and the education, career paths, pay scales, and
  work functions associated with them

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Score Meaning

• 40 or above - Share both the likes and dislikes
  of people in that occupation. Would probably
  enjoy the day-to-day work in that occupation
• 30 to 39 - Share some of the likes of people in
  that occupation. May enjoy some of the work done
  in that occupation, but not enjoy all the work
• 29 or below - Have few likes and dislikes in
  common with people in that occupation. Would
  probably not enjoy the work done in that
  occupation

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BISs and OSs

• You may find that your scores on some of the
  Occupational Scales appear to be inconsistent
  with your scores on related Basic Interest Scales
• Although you have a general interest in the
  subject matter of an occupation (as shown by your
  high interest on the Mathematics BIS), you don't
  share many of the specific likes or dislikes of
  people actually working in that occupation

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Personal Style Scales

• Measure how you interact with others, how you
  process information, and your comfort with risk
• These factors are critical in finding a career
  that is a good fit

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Work Style and Learning

• Work Style
• Working alone with ideas and things
• Working with people helping and interacting
• Learning Environment
• Learning by doing, goal or skill oriented
• Knowledge for its own sake, learning through books

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Leadership and Risk Taking

• Leadership
• Lead by example or do a task rather than delegate
• Take charge and direct others
• Risk Taking
• Dislikes risks, enjoys quiet activities
• Likes thrills and quick decisions

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Personal Style Scale

• Team Orientation
• Accomplishing tasks independently
• Enjoys contributing as a member of team

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Additional Resources

• Set up an individual interpretation
• Other career services
• -Resume Writing -Interview Skills
• -Salary Negotiation -Job Search Strategies
• -Cover Letter Consultation
• Schedule an appointment
• career_at_vancouver.wsu.edu
• 360-546-9155