RIASEC Holland Model

There is a question that everyone debates. A choice that everyone makes within academia; and that is: what do I pursue? Should it be the hard sciences, maths, social sciences, or the arts?

The RIASEC model developed by John Holland is a personality assessment designed to help individuals identify their dominant interests. The theory is that if an individual personality matches their jobs environment, that person will report higher career satisfaction.

It categorises individuals into 6 types; Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional.

Realistic individuals prefer to deal with things, they are frank, practical, determined and mechanical. Their strengths include being able to manipulate tools and possess mechanical, manual or athletic ability. Realistic individuals thrive in jobs such as engineering, mechanics and construction.

Investigative individuals work with abstract ideas and intellectual problems. They tend to be analytical, reserved, independent, scholarly and judgemental. Investigative individuals thrive in jobs such as science, research, and IT.

The artistic personality type works with ideas and people. They use imagination and feelings in creative expression. Such individuals may often be impulsive and enjoy unstructured activities. Individuals with the A personality type are recommended to work with design, music and writing.

Social individuals also prefer to deal with people. They inhabit characteristics of empathy, helping, informing, inspiring, counselling and serving. Such individuals are common in fields such as teaching, counselling, healthcare and other fields concerned with the welfare of people.

Enterprising individuals also prefer to deal with people and data. Yet the difference lies in the fact that E- personalities prefer to lead, manage and organize. They are highly persuasive, energetic, sociable, adventurous, and tend to have a high level of risk taking. Enterprising individuals thrive business, sales, and management.

Conventional individuals are the organizers. They have a high attention to detail and are careful, conservative, self-controlled, structured and often conforming.  Individuals with the conventional personality type work best in accounting, administration and data entry.

The RIASEC model was crucial to the development of Interest Inventories within psychology, helping individuals explore their personal strengths and interests and apply them into career paths, leading to increased satisfaction and motivation.