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The Pros and Cons of Using Career Interest Inventories with Students

Nicole Darling, MSDistrict Career Awareness Coordinator

Dallas School District, Dallas, PA

The Holland Self‐Directed Search and Myers‐Briggs Type Indicator

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Personality is what we see & Vocations are who we are!

Educators Preparing Children For Who They Will Become

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Preparing for future career goals:  

1. ASSESSING your skills, interests and values

2. EXPLORING your career options & academic majors

3. BUILDING your job-search skills

4. EXPERIMENTING by gaining related experience

5. IMPLEMENTING your plan

6. PRACTICING life-long career management

Six Steps to Career Success

The BIG Three

• Skills

• Interests

• Values

All Change with Age

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Each one of us has a unique blueprint that for the most part stays with us throughout life.

That Blue Printis our

~Personality~

Personality is how we naturallysee the world and make decisions.

It is a set of basic drives and motivations that remain relatively constant throughout a person's life.

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The Pros and Cons ofusing Career Assessmentslie within the understanding the use of these tools.

What are we assessing?

1

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Is the instrument valid and reliable.

2

Do we understand the language of these tools in order to properly administer them?

3

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Measures of Personality

Interviews– Unstructured: “Tell me about yourself…”

– Structured:  Set list of questions

Observation: Psychologists learn about personality by observing the person

Projective tests: subjects reveal aspects of their personality when they talk about ambiguous stimuli

Objective tests: self‐inventories that involve paper and pencil tests or are administered online

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The Value of Assessments• Value to the Individual (face validity)

• Self‐insight• Points of discussion• Norms provide comparison info

• Value to Research (construct validity)• Study relationships of personality with other variables• Study changes over time

• Value for Counseling• Marital therapy• Career counseling centers

• Value for Personnel Management • Screening• Prediction of success• Placement & counseling

Disadvantage of Objective Assessments

• Social Desirability

• Faking “Good”

• Faking “Bad”

• Random Responding

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John HollandSelf-Directed Search

Carl Jung Isabel Briggs‐Myers  & Katherine Briggs

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

A Look At The Holland Codes and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

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Holland’s Typology• John Holland, a psychologist who was drafted by

the army in WW2

• Developed a classification system for jobs in the military based upon his theory describing six work environments and six vocational personalities.

Holland believed that career choice is an extension of a person's personality.

People express themselves, their interests and values through their work choices and experience.

The SDS was developed by Dr. John Holland, an American Psychologist.

The Self Directed Search (SDS) 

has been used by over 22 million people worldwide. 

Form R: Standard Form Generates a 3 letter code

Form E: Designed for limited reading skills and generates a 2 letter code

Form CE Career Explorer:  Designed for middle & high school students to help introduce vocational options          and generates a 2 letter code

Holland CreatedThe Self Directed Search (SDS) 

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Holland’s Working Assumptions:

Most individuals can be described in terms of their resemblance to six personality types

Each personality type has a characteristic set of attitudes and skills to use in response to problems encountered in the environment, and...

Each encompasses preferences for vocational and leisure activities, life goals and values, beliefs about oneself, and problem‐solving style.

Holland’s Working Assumptions:

Environments can be categorized as one of six model types. 

The environment’s type is determined by the dominant type of the individuals who compose that environment.

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Holland’s Working Assumptions:

People search for environments that will let them exercise their skills and abilities, express their attitudes and values, 

and take on agreeable problems and roles.

The Holland Hexagon

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Realistic

• frank• genuine• honest• thrifty• persistent• modest• practical• shy• natural• sensible

People who have athletic ability, prefer to work with objects, machines, tools, plants or animals, or to be outdoors.

Described as:

Focus is on Things

Investigative

• analytical

• cautious

• complex

• critical 

• curious

• pessimistic

• precise

• rational

• quiet

• logical

People who like to observe, learn, investigate, analyze, evaluate, or solve problems.

Described as:

Focus is on Ideas & Things

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Artistic

People who have artistic, innovative, or intuitional abilities, and like to work in unstructured situations, using their imagination or creativity.

• complicated 

• emotional

• idealist

• imaginative

• nonconforming

• original

• expressive

• disorderly

• impulsive

• creative

• open

Described as:

Focus is on People & Ideas

Social

People who like to work with people ‐to inform, enlighten, help, train, develop or cure them or are skilled with words.

• cooperative

• friendly

• idealistic

• social

• sympathetic

• tactful

• warm/kind 

• understanding

• helpful

• responsible

• patient

Described as:

Focus is on People

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Enterprising

• adventurous

• energetic

• outgoing

• ambitious

• sociable

• self‐confident

• attention‐getting

• optimistic

People who like to work with people ‐ influencing, persuading, performing, leading, or managing for organizational goals or economic gain.

Described as:

Focus is on People & Data

Conventional

People who like to work with data, have clerical or numerical ability, carrying things out in great detail or following through on other’s instructions.

• careful

• conforming

• efficient

• orderly

• practical

• thrifty

• unimaginative

Described as:

Focus is on Things & Data

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About Codes …• Congruency – is the degree agreement between 

a person and an occupation (environment).  

• Consistency – Codes closer to each other on the hexagon are more similar than those farther apart. Consistency has to do with the relationship between the first two letters of a code. Adjacent types are most consistent.  Opposite types are most inconsistent. 

• Commonness – Some combinations of codes are more common while others are more rare 

• Differentiation – Are two or three of the six areas higher (more distinctive) than the other areas? refers to the level of distinctiveness of a personality or occupational profile.  (Differentiated vs. Undifferentiated; High Undifferentiated vs. Low Undifferentiated.)

Levels of Consistency

•Moderate or Medium

level of consistency ‐ the first  2 letters are alternateon the hexagon (e.g. RA)

• Low level of consistency –the first 2 letters are oppositeon the hexagon (e.g. RS)

• High level of consistency –

the first 2 letters are adjacent(e.g. RC)

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Top Example: ASE are highest and fairly differentiated; all scores are low; ASE are all next to each other (consistent); Look at A & S with third being E,C or R.

Don’t rule out other types if they aren’t a part of the two or three letter code.

Bottom Example: ARS are highest (differentiated); Other than A, all scores are low; R and S are opposites. Would look at Artistic occupations. Note: If Artistic had much less interest, it might be helpful to see an advisor. 

Work Interest Examples

Top Example: EC are highest (differentiated); Other than E, all scores are low; ECS are all next to each other (consistent).  Look at Enterprising  occupations with some consideration for Conventional.  

Flat profilesmay mean: too young or inexperienced; well integrated person with multiple talents and interests, or confused and disorganized person

Bottom Example: ASR; A & S next to each other (consistent), R opposite. All areas have strong interest.  Look at Artistic and Social occupations. 

Work Interest Examples

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Holland's Theory• In reality, since everyone is a combination of personality

types, one would probably consider careers from more than one type of work environment. No one is one personality type. Everyone is a combination or mixture of types. Your 3 highest scores indicates your personality type. But as an administrator of the Holland you should investigate the scores of all codes.

• People of the same personality type tend to group together because they find they have many things in common.A person who chooses a work environment that is similar to their personality type will be contented, satisfied and be able to contribute in their chosen vocation.

• SDS codes are approximate, not precise. Like any inventory, the SDS will not work for everyone.

• The first letter of the code is the most important, most descriptive and most reliable.

Myers‐Briggs Type Indicator

Type Theory• Based on the work of Carl Jung

• Researched normal differences between healthy people

• Jung concluded that differences in behavior result from inborn tendencies to use your mind in different ways.

• As we act on these tendencies, we develop patterns of behavior.

Carl Jung

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Myers‐Briggs Type Indicator

• Helps students identify their unique gifts

• Helps students understand themself– Motivations– Natural strengths– Potential areas for growth

• Helps students understand and appreciate people who differ from you

• Helps students make the best of their college experience

• Helps students begin the career exploration process

Type with StudentsMake the best of a student’s experience by helping them understand their type.

• Choosing a Major– People are most attracted to careers that

provide them the opportunity to express their preferences.

• Learning Styles– Identify learning styles consistent with

student preferences.– Each type has a different style that works

best for them.

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Type with Students• Reading, Writing and Studying

– Students of each type have unique ways of approaching the writing process

– Use type to help students understand their preferred style of writing

• Playing– Type helps students understand their preferences

for forming social relationships, getting along with roommates and participating in student groups

• Handling Stress– Type helps students understand how they

typically deal with stress

What Are Preferences?

Sign your name as you normally do.

Sign your name again, but this time use your other hand.

Everyone has a natural preference for one of the two opposites on each of the four MBTI dichotomies.

When we use our preferred methods we are at our best and feel most competent.

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Structure of the MBTI

The MBTI instrument uses four dichotomies to identify preferences, which are then combined into one Type

A dichotomy divides items into 2 groups where there is no continuum or value implied

Type Helps Us To Understand…Where you focus your attention and energy?

How you acquire or gather information?

How you make decisions or judgments?

How you relate to the outer world?

1 2 3 4

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One letter from each dichotomy

Sum equals more than the parts

It represents the dynamic

interactions among the

preferences in your type

No hierarchy among the types;

each identifies normal and

valuable personalities

Composite Type

How To Interpret MBTI Results?

• Your type consists of four letters that represent your four preferences.

• The bars on the graph illustrate the clarity of your MBTI preferences.

• The longer bar suggests you are quite sure that you prefer that pole.

• The shorter bar suggests that you are less sure about your preference for that pole.

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EXTRAVERSION                 INTROVERSION• Direct energy outward 

toward people and things

• Orientation – after thinkers

• Work Environment– Action‐oriented

– Prefer to be around others

– Many interests

• Direct energy inward toward ideas and concepts

• Orientation – fore thinkers

• Work Environment– Quiet and concentrated

– Prefer to be alone

– Interests have depth

SENSING                  INTUITION• Focus on five 

senses(experience)

• Details, practicality, reality

• Work Environment– Prefer learned skills

– Pay attention to details

– Make few factual errors

• Focus on the possibilities(sixth sense)

• Patterns and expectations

• Work Environment– Prefer adding new skills

– Looks at the big picture

– Patient with complexity

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• Focus – logic of a situation, truth and principles

• Work Environment 

– brief and businesslike

– intellectual criticism – solutions to problems  

• Focus – human values and needs, people and harmony

• Work Environment 

– friendly and personal

– loyal support, 

– care and concern for others

THINKING FEELING

JUDGING PERCEPTION• Attitude – decisive, 

organized, self‐regimented, purposeful

• Work Environment – focus on completing tasks, makes decisions quickly

• Attitude – curious, spontaneous, flexible, adaptable, tolerant

• Work Environment

– focus on starting tasks, 

postpones decisions

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Occupational Trends by TypeISTJ

ManagementAdministration

Law enforcementAccounting

ISFJEducation

Health careReligious settings

INFJReligion

CounselingTeaching

Arts

INTJScientific or

technical fieldsComputers

Law

ISTPSkilled trades

Technical fieldsAgriculture

Law EnforcementMilitary

ISFPHealth careBusiness

Law enforcement

INFPCounseling

WritingArts

INTPScientific or

technical fields

ESTPMarketing

Skilled tradesBusiness

Law enforcementApplied technology

ESFPHealth careTeachingCoaching

Childcare workerSkilled trades

ENFPCounselingTeachingReligion

Arts

ENTPScience

ManagementTechnology

Arts

ESTJManagement

AdministrationLaw enforcement

ESFJEducation

Health careReligion

ENFJReligion

ArtsTeaching

ENTJManagementLeadership

Source: From Introduction to Type and Careers, A.L. Hammer, 1993, Consulting Psychologists Press

Type and Career• Type summary is designed to help

explore career options

• Focus on the exploration process instead of the selection process

• Consider type in past and future activities

• Consider the strengths and challenges associated with each type

• Consider the relationship between your personality preferences and possible careers

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MBTI GUIDELINES• A person’s psychological type should be regarded as a working 

hypothesis.

• Everyone uses every preference. We favor, however, one preference over the other on each of the four scales.

• MBTI scores should not be over interpreted. High scores do not indicate greater skill, magnitude, or use of a preference. Scores indicate clarity of choice.

• Psychological type can explain some human behavior—not all.

• Type should not be used as an excuse for doing or not doing something. Avoid stereotyping someone on the basis of his or her type.      

Final Word...It’s important for counselors to practice with full

knowledge of the instruments, manuals, and theory.

Nicole Darling, MSDistrict Career Awareness Coordinator

Dallas School DistrictDallas, PA