Match Your Interests to Occupations

Before you choose a career or start a job search, you should know which careers match your personality. Picking the right job increases your chances of future job satisfaction and career success.

Taking an interest assessment can help you understand which careers might be the best fit for you. An interest assessment will give you a broad list of career options that match your interests.

The Match Your Interests to Occupations (pdf) exercise is a short interest assessment. Or you can take the same assessment online.

  • Fill in the circles next to the activities that you like to do.
  • Then, add the columns at the bottom of the exercise. Write down the number of filled circles for each letter.
  • The letters with the most circles are your interest code. Most people have a 2-3 letter interest code, also called a Holland Code. 

Each letter matches an interest group.

  • R = Realistic people are DOERS.
  • I = Investigative people are THINKERS.
  • A = Artistic people are CREATORS.
  • S = Social people are HELPERS.
  • E = Enterprising people are PERSUADERS.
  • C = Conventional people are ORGANIZERS.

