Which term best describes your working style?

Professor John Holland’s theory devised a clever way of matching peoples’ occupational choices based upon their personality characteristics, known as the Holland Occupational Themes, but better known now as the RIASEC model.

This model predicts that people seek out and find jobs, environments and careers which match their personality types, and that people can be at their happiest when their personality type matches that of their job.

Each letter of RIASEC stands for a distinct and particular personality type: Realistic (Doers), Investigative (Thinkers), Artistic (Creators), Social (Helpers), Enterprising (Persuaders), and Conventional (Organizers).

Which of these personality descriptions sounds most like you?

Realistic (Doers)

Realistic personality types tend to be driven by rules and orders. They tend to be very practical individuals, and are often solution focused.

They prefer to conform and stick to established orders, rather than trying to implement any ground-breaking decisions. As a result they don’t tend to approve of implementing new concepts or abstract ideas, as they are concrete in their way of viewing the world.

They are very much of a ‘this is the way we do things around here’ mentality, as long as those ways continue to succeed and deliver results. Rather than being people-focused, they tend to prefer tools and machines and processes than interactions.

Jobs for realistic people: Engineering, mechanics, driving, construction, nursing and surgery.

Investigative (Thinkers)

Investigative personality types tend to be intellectual free-thinkers, with a natural scholarly curiosity. They tend to be geared towards examining what exists, asking if it can be done in a different and / or better way, and then researching implementations for effectiveness. As a result they are naturally methodical and given to scientific analysis.

They are very much of a ‘although things are done like this, could they be done like that instead?’ mentality.

They are free-thinking and pride themselves on delivering solutions, perhaps even to problems that nobody was aware even existed.

Jobs for investigative people: Economists, lawyers and legal professionals, university lecturers, researchers and computer scientists.

Artistic (Creative)

Artistic personality types tend to be similar to investigative types, but they tend to prefer having set objectives and goals to obtain, rather than asking ‘what if?’

They enjoy the freedom of creative expression and tend to be intuitive, sensitive and highly articulate in their communication as well as possessing strong skills for understanding others too.

They are very much of a ‘that’s how things are done around here but could I could arrange for it to be done in a more beautiful way’ mentality. They can be quite spontaneous and open-minded.

Jobs for artistic people: Creative writing, film-making, languages and linguistics, theatre, fashion, design, decorating and journalism.

Social (Helpers)

Social personality types tend to be helpful individuals who are motivated more by helping and attending to others, rather than by achieving goals and objectives.

They place a high virtue on doing things ethically and correctly, and basing trust in others and the friendships, relationships and bonds that are formed. They are naturally cooperative and caring, and are teamwork oriented.

They are very much of a ‘that’s how things are done around here but is everybody ok with how it works?’ mentality.

Jobs for social people: Community work, charities, medicine, nursing, social care and education.

Enterprising (Persuaders)

Enterprising personality types tend to be adventurous, extroverted, outgoing and enthusiastic people. They often see the upside to situations where others would see the downside, they are basically optimistic opportunists. Sometimes charismatic, they can place importance upon popularity and being supported by others’ opinions.

They are very much of a ‘that’s how things are done around here but let me persuade you to do it this way instead’ mentality.

They can be accomplished debaters and able to secure the opinions of others. Sometimes they take risks, but when those risks don’t pay off they are able to utilise such failure for their own benefit.

Jobs for enterprising people: Fundraising, hospitality, sales, human resources, buyers, recruiters, telemarketing and retail.

Conventional (Organisers)

Conventional personality types tend to be very straightforward, conventional types who are naturally adverse to taking undue risks or breaking from the correct order.

They are logic-driven and can be dispassionate and disinterested in dealing with issues. Enjoying practical tasks, they can be quite reliable and prefer structure rather than free-thinking or busking.

They are very much of a ‘that’s how things are done around here and I can prove that it is for the best’ mentality.

They are drawn to working with precision and dealing with finite quantitative amounts, rather than dealing with unknown quantities and unpredictable outcomes.

Jobs for conventional jobs people: Business, clerks. court services, banking, administration, auditing, pharmacy, receptionists and management.