Your Scores for the Holland types  The Career Key test is based on John Holland's theory of vocational choice. At its simplest, it is based on the idea that "Birds of the same feather floc together." In other words, people like to be around others who have similar personalities. In choosing a career, it means that people choose jobs and businesses where they can be around other people who are like them.  And, when they do this they are most likely to be satisfied and successful. It is the best known and most widely researched theory on this topic, and is used by many career counselors. Understanding it will help you make sense of your Career Key scores and how they are related to your career choice. Plus, you will have the confidence in knowing that the Career Key is a valid test, one of the few on the Internet.  Studies show that it measures Holland's personality types and not something else.  Many professional counselors know how important this is.  In fact, it is unethical for them to use career measures that do not have this research support.  Invalid tests can be harmful. Holland's theory can be summarized in six statements: In our culture, most people are one of six personality types:Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. People of the same personality tend to "flock together." For example, Artistic people are attracted to making friends and working with Artistic people. 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. There are six basic types of work environments: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. People who choose to work in an environment similar to their personality type are more likely to be successful and satisfied. A dancing school, for example, will be "dominated" by Artistic type people, where creative abilities and expression are highly valued. 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 a business 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 business environment is Realistic. This would suggest that you choose from businesses that are in the Realistic group. Or, you might choose from those that fall in the Investigative or Conventional category. Compatible Work Environments Your Personality Type Most Compatible Compatible Realistic Realistic Investigative & Conventional Investigative Investigative Realistic & Artistic Artistic Artistic Investigative & Social Social Social Artistic & Enterprising Enterprising Enterprising Social & Conventional Conventional Conventional Enterprising & Realistic Most people, in reality, are a combination of types -- like Realistic-Investigative, or Artistic-Social. Therefore, you will probably want to consider occupations in more than one category. If your two strongest personality types are Realistic and Social, Investigative and Enterprising, or Artistic and Conventional -- read the following.  In summary, you are most likely to choose a satisfying business if you choose one that fits your personality type. Before you leave this page, be sure to download the special PDF copy. Just click the download link at the top.

Back to What Your Test Scores Mean