The Holland Occupational Themes

Are you drawn towards social environments, where you can influence and help others?  Or are you more at home working with things and data, in a solitary atmosphere?  Research shows that knowing your Holland Type, and the environments that fit it, can help predict satisfaction in the workplace.
 

One of the tests utilized at the Career Counseling and Assessment Clinic is the Strong Interest Inventory.  The Strong Interest Inventory measures a person’s interests by presenting a series of activities that the test taker rates by interest.

Each activity listed within the inventory is relative to one of six occupational themes developed by John L. Holland.  The themes are often depicted on a hexagon as shown here:

These themes are often referred to as “The Six Interest Types,” or when shown on in a diagram, a “Holland Hexagon.”  The themes that are located closer to one another on the hexagon are theoretically more similar. 

Different combinations of scores on the Strong Interest Inventory will result in a different order of these themes.  For example, a person may score RIEASC.

The themes on the Holland Hexagon are associated with types of environments and vocational interests. Therefore, based on a person’s score, several interest areas are presented.  While these themes investigate interest, certain professions are also associated with each of the interest types.  For example, an occupation in the military or agriculture would fall into the realistic theme.  Similarly, a psychology-related occupation would fall into the investigative theme.  Some occupations can be defined within more than one theme.   

It is important to note that these themes should be looked at together, as we’re complex people and no one theme is able to capture all aspects of us entirely.  Furthermore, these themes are used as references and guiding points, not as definitive explanations.

A bit of knowledge about the inner-workings of an assessment can help a person have a better understanding about the scores and how they are relative.

Onetonline.org is an online database of different types of jobs.  This website can be used to locate careers that compliment a person’s Holland type. 

Self-Efficacy, It Matters

What traits do you think are most important for career success?

A widely investigated field of occupational research involves measures of potentially predictive traits for career success.  Within this realm, researchers have explored the concept of self-efficacy to determine how an individual’s beliefs impact their career outcomes.

Self-efficacy is a person’s belief in their capacity to succeed when faced with a task.  If that person believes in their ability to perform the task, s/he is said to have a high level of self-efficacy.  Persons with high levels of self-efficacy are often more persistent and put in more effort when working towards a goal.

Researchers have found a positive relationship between one’s level of occupational self-efficacy and their vocational success as measured by several factors including feelings, salary, and opportunity for advancement.  Abele and Spurk (2009), adapted and created several questionnaires to look specifically at these measures as well as one’s level of self-efficacy.

These questionnaires were distributed to recent graduates of college, and then repeatedly sent over a period of seven years in order to chart changes in measures among participants.

Based on the gathered data, the researchers found that those with higher levels of self-efficacy are more likely to set goals working toward higher vocational positions.  Furthermore, the data indicated that one’s self efficacy has a positive influence on salary, ability to advance job position, and overall career satisfaction when measured by one’s feelings. 

A higher level of self-efficacy can be remarkably beneficial in the workplace.  It can lead to better occupational outcomes, and more motivation. 

According to Bandura (1977), there are several categories of methods one can employ to increase their level of self-efficacy:

• ·         Simply put: do things.  Get out and try something using your own methods.  This will help you know yourself, as well as how to improve upon your current methods.

• ·         Learn from others who have self-efficacy.  What are they doing? By observing others, you can increase methods to utilize in situations more specific to yourself.

• ·         Take a breath.  Anxiety can be a source of decreased self-efficacy.  By reducing anxiety, you’ll be able to think more clearly about the tasks at hand.

Abele, A. E., & Spurk, D. (2009). The longitudinal impact of self-efficacy and career goals on      objective and subjective career success. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 74(1), 53-62.

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change.Psychological   review, 84(2), 191.

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