About Holland's Theory
Dr. Holland's Basic Idea
You are most likely to be successful and satisfied in a career if your personality is like the personalities of the people working in it.
Similarly, you are more likely to get better grades, stay in your major, and graduate on time if your personality is like the students and professors studying and teaching in your college major.
In other words, whatever choice you make – a career to enter; a course or training program; a college major; a career change, vocation, or retirement focus – you are usually best off choosing one that matches your personality. Major research studies support this idea.
The Holland Hexagon
With this hexagon you will see which of the six personality types are closest to you, and which are further away:
The distance on the hexagon between each type indicates how close they are psychologically. For example, notice that the type at the greatest distance from the Realistic type is Social. When you read the description for these two types at the end of this page, you understand why: their personalities are opposites!
On the other hand, the personality types next to each other on the hexagon, are the closest psychologically–like Social and Enterprising.
Understanding all of this can help you in many ways.
Five More Helpful Ideas from Dr. Holland
These five ideas can help you understand yourself, the people around you, and why it's a good idea to choose an occupation, major or training program that matches your personality.
People of the same personality type tend to "flock together." For example, Artistic people like to make friends and work with Artistic people.
Is this true for you? Are you attracted to people who have a similar personality?People of the same personality type working together create a work environment that fits their type. For example, Artistic people working together create an environment that rewards artistic thinking and behavior–an Artistic environment.
There are six types of environments, and they have the same names as the personality types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional.
Can you think of a Realistic environment, for example, like a class or work setting?
An Investigative environment?People who work in an environment similar to their personality type are more likely to be successful and satisfied.
Artistic people, for example, are more likely to be successful and satisfied if they choose a job that has an Artistic environment, like a dance teacher in a dancing school–an environment "dominated" by Artistic type people where creative abilities and expression are highly valued.Working with people of a similar personality to yours enables you to do many things they do, and to feel more comfortable.
Watch Career Key's videos on Holland's Theory
The Holland Personality Types
Realistic
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
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
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
Social
Likes to do things to help people -- like, teaching, nursing, or giving first aid, providing 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
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
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