Six Personality Types According to Dr. John Holland

2. In this activity, students
play an interactive game,
called the Holland Party
Game. This game was
developed by Richard
Bolles, author of What
Color is Your Parachute?

3. Students will imagine they
are in a hypothetical college
lunchroom observing other
students who are engaged in
conversations.

4. Based on these conversations,
students are to select their first
choice table to join and the
instructor leads a discussion as
follows.

5. ›Students will demonstrate awareness
of their career Personality Types and
will determine their own unique
career interest Holland Code.
›Students will be able to identify types
of careers that match and do not
match their Holland Code.

6. Proponent: JOHN HOLLAND
He worked as an Army Classification
Interviewer during World War II and later
as a university counselor. He found that as
he interviewed, he could begin to predict
people’s responses based on patterns he
noticed over the years. He identified
these patterns and divided them into six
broad categories.

7. ealistic
nvestigative
rtistic
ocial
nterprising
onventional

8. These patterns are interesting, but they
become more useful when correlated
to occupations. Dr. Holland believed
that people can be described as a
combination of these six types, and
that work environments can also be
described as a combination of the
same six types.

9. If people find a compatible
work environment, they are
more likely to be satisfied
and productive.

12. REALISTIC (R)
People who like nature, or
athletics, or tools and
machinery.
SOCIAL (S)
People who are drawn to
helping, teaching, or serving
others.
INVESTIGATIVE (I)
People who are very curious,
like to investigate or analyze
things.
ENTERPRISING (E)
People who like to start up
projects or organizations,
and/or influence or persuade
people.
ARTISTIC (A)
People who are very artistic,
imaginative, and innovative.
CONVENTIONAL (C)
People who like detailed
work, and like to complete
tasks or projects.

15. SKILLS
 fix electrical things
 solve electrical problems
 pitch a tent
 play a sport
 read a blueprint
 plant a garden
 operate tools and machines

16. INTERESTS
 tinker with machines/vehicles
 work outdoors
 be physically active
 use your hands
 build things
 tend/train animals
 work on electronic equipment

17. PERSONALITY
 masculine
 unsociable
 practical, materialistic
 present oriented
 prefer dealing with concrete rather than
abstract
 prefer to work outdoors with their
hands, tools machines, plants or animals
 avoid intellectual, artistic or social
activities

18. POSSIBLE OCCUPATIONS
 farmer
 firefighter
 civil engineer
 mechanical engineer
 carpenter
 electrician

19. CLOSEST TYPE
Conventional and Investigative
FARTHEST TYPE
Social

20. SKILLS
 think abstractly
 solve math problems
 understand scientific theories
 do complex calculations
 use a microscope or computer
 interpret formulas

21. INTERESTS
 explore a variety of ideas
 work independently
 perform lab experiment
 deal with abstractions
 do research
 be challenged

22. PERSONALITY
 not socially oriented, introvert
 prefer scientific and/or theoretical
tasks
 solve problems through
mathematical and scientific means
 prefer academic and scientific
success
 believe that the intellect is the tool
needed to deal with the world

23. POSSIBLE OCCUPATIONS
 chemist
 physician
 biologist
 physicist
 actuarial scientist
 statistician
 mathematician
 dentist
 veterinarian
 pharmacist

24. CLOSEST TYPE
Realistic and Artistic
FARTHEST TYPE
Enterprising

25. SKILLS
 sketch, draw and paints
 play a musical instrument
 writes stories, poetry and music
 sing, act and dance
 design fashions or interios

26. INTERESTS
 attend concerts, theatre, and
art exhibits
 read fiction, plays and poetry
 work on crafts
 take photography
 express yourself creativity
 deal with ambiguous ideas

27. PERSONALITY
 imaginative, innovative, creative,
original
 nonconforming, unconventional
 avoid structured work settings
 value freedom, independence
 prefer musical, artistic, dramatic
jobs
 dislike masculine activities

28. POSSIBLE OCCUPATIONS
 dancer
 book editor
 art teacher
 composer
 fashion designer
 actor
 disk jockey
 graphic designer

29. CLOSEST TYPE
Investigative and Social
FARTHEST TYPE
Conventional

30. SKILLS
 teach/train others
 express yourself clearly
 lead a group discussion
 mediate disputes
 plan and supervise an activity
 cooperate will with others

31. INTERESTS
 work in groups
 help people with problems
 do volunteer work
 work with young people
 serve others

32. PERSONALITY
 cooperative, supportive
 ethical, responsible
 understanding, friendly
 see self as sociable,
nurturing, cheerful,
responsible, achieving and
self-accepting

33. POSSIBLE OCCUPATIONS
 guidance counselor
 physical therapist
 social worker
 nurse
 occupational therapist
 teacher
 athletic trainer
 librarian

34. CLOSEST TYPE
Artistic and Enterprising
FARTHEST TYPE
Realistic

35. SKILLS
 initiate projects
 convince people to do things
your way
 sell things
 give talks or speeches
 organize activities
 lead a group
 persuade others

36. INTERESTS
 make decisions
 be elected to office
 start your own business
 campaign politically
 meet important people
 have power or status

37. PERSONALITY
 ambitious, extroverted, domineering
 assertive, self-confident
 effective in using words to persuade, influence, and
urge for organizational or economic goals
 value success in political and economic fields
 lack scientific abilities
 persuasive, verbal, extrovert, confident, aggressive
and exhibitionist
 prefer sales and managerial jobs where they can lead
and dominate others
 promotion, power, status, wealth are valued
 express adventurous, dominant, impulsive qualities
 need recognition and power

38. POSSIBLE OCCUPATIONS
 sales person
 travel agent
 account executive
 insurance underwriter
 hotel manager
 judge
 lawyer
 bank president
 school head

39. CLOSEST TYPE
Social and Conventional
FARTHEST TYPE
Investigative

40. SKILLS
 work well within a system
 do a lot of paper work in a short
time
 keep accurate records
 use a computer terminal
 write effective business letters

41. INTERESTS
 follow clearly defined
procedures
 use data processing
equipment
 work with numbers
 type or take shorthand
 be responsible for details
 collect or organize things

42. PERSONALITY
 methodical, practical
 prefer structure
 follow other’s directions
 carry out activities in detail
 lack artistic skills
 value organizations and achievement
in business
 conforming, conscientious,
unimaginative

43. POSSIBLE OCCUPATIONS
 court clerk
 post office clerk
 secretary
 time keeper
 mail carrier
 typist
 book keeper
 bank teller

44. CLOSEST TYPE
Conventional and Investigative
FARTHEST TYPE
Artistic

45. CAREER GUIDANCE PROFILE
Name Grade & Section Date
Holland Personality Type: What your two most prevalent
types?
Number one: Number two:
Description: Description:
Plan after high school: