• The Strong Interest Inventory® Test is based on robust research and development
• It provides statistically backed results
• It is an industry standard when it comes to identifying career matches based on personal qualities and aptitudes

• Students - high school through graduate level
• Those considering a career change
• Coaches and consultants seeking a data-based tool

How the Strong Interest Inventory® Test Works

The Strong Interest Inventory Test Is Broken Down Into Four Main Sections:

• General Occupational Themes: In this part of the test, participants are sorted into one of six General Occupational Themes: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional.
• Basic Interest Scales: Next, test takers’ specific interest areas are identified within their general occupational theme. This assists in narrowing down their regard for more distinct niches.
• Occupational Scales: This section then compares the interests of the test taker to those who are actively employed in these areas to further clarify occupational compatibility. This section most closely resembles the original scales developed by E. K. Strong Jr.
• Personal Style Scales: Finally, this section aims to measure the test taker’s personal living and working styles to help identify what sort of work culture is most compatible, along with their interest level in management.

The final component of the Strong Interest Inventory is a series of indexes that allow interpreters and individuals to understand more atypical profiles that may not conform directly with the scales of the Strong Interest Inventory.

The information gathered through the various sections of test then comes together to provide a picture of where the test taker’s interests lie. It also includes which professions or areas of study match these interests. Each scale is ranked by the individual’s scores, so you aren’t simply told your highest scores. You see the actual patterns and trends that are identified through the Strong Interest Inventory.

The standard Strong Interest Inventory Profile features information on career paths, interests, risk-taking preferences, leadership styles, learning environments, work styles, and team orientation. If you are interested in college-focused information, we also provide a Strong Interest Inventory College Edition Profile. This profile adds an additional section that lists typical college majors, recommended college courses, further college preparation recommendations, and learning and studying tips.

The History Of The Strong Interest Inventory® Test

The Strong Interest Inventory® Test is a psychological instrument that was developed through the work of E.K. Strong, Jr., published in 1927. The original purpose of the Inventory was to study the occupational interests of men and women. Its use was somewhat limited for the next several decades until the 1980’s.

Through the work of Jo-Ida Hansen, Lenore Harmon, and Fred Borgen, major revisions occurred throughout the 1980s and ’90s that transformed The Strong Interest Inventory® into the test we know today. These revisions included adding new sections to further dive into the test taker’s interests beyond just the workplace. It also create opportunities to update and revise the test to keep it current as trends inevitably change.

The current 2004 Edition represents a revolutionary step forward for the assessment, with updates and revisions to every major section of the instrument. The 2004 edition of the Strong Interest Inventory® Test is considered today to be the most well-investigated and universally used.

In addition to the 2004 overhaul, the Occupational Scales received a more recent revision in 2012. New data gathered with the help of 21st-century digital-age technology has allowed a more accurate representation of the general population’s interests. Changes to the response options on the assessment have also assisted in providing a more accurate and varied representation of results.

Through regular updates to the test based on modern research and changing trends, the Strong Interest Inventory® test remains an industry-standard in occupational and educational placement assessments.

The Strong Interest Inventory® General Occupational Themes

The Strong Interest Inventory® starts with six General Occupational Themes. This section was created to better organize the ever-expanding list of occupations included in the test. The structure of these themes also makes it easy to add other occupations as various updates occur to the Strong Interest Inventory, meaning the test will never lose relevancy.

Some Occupational Themes are more closely related than others. This means that some individuals may score equally on two different scales. For example, the Social and the Enterprising scales are more closely related than Enterprising and Investigative, so it is not uncommon for an individual to score highly in both. On the other hand, it is also possible that an individual will score highly in an Occupational Theme that they may not see a correlation between all interests of that theme. This just goes to show that very rarely are there individuals that are considered “pure” types, meaning that they fulfill all facets of a specific theme.

The Realistic Theme

Typical jobs for Realistic-favoring individuals include:

• • • Automobile Mechanic
    • Carpenter
    • Electrician
    • Engineering Technician
    • Law Enforcement Officer
    • Forester

Realistic individuals enjoy hobbies that include but are not limited to:

• • • Hunting
    • Camping
    • Taking things apart to see how they work, and then putting them back together
    • Repairing cars
    • Repairing machines
    • Skydiving
    • Mountain climbing
    • Reading magazines and books about sports, cars, and the outdoors

Investigative Theme

Typical jobs for Investigative-favoring individuals include:

• • • Chiropractor
    • Computer Scientist
    • Geologist
    • Physician
    • Psychologist
    • University Professor
    • Veterinarian

Investigative individuals enjoy hobbies that include but are not limited to:

• • • Reading
    • Chess
    • Astronomy
    • Scuba diving
    • Reading
    • Sailing
    • Work

We mention work as a hobby because Investigative-focused individuals tend to have their work take the place of their hobbies. It is not uncommon for them to work 12-14 hour days.

The Strong Interest Inventory Artistic Theme

The Artistic theme can be expressed in the following art forms:

• • • Visual Art & Design
    • Performing Arts
    • Culinary Arts
    • Writing and Mass Communication

Although there are varying artistic forms that an individual might be interested in, all of these subcategories involve similar typical work activities and overall interests. For example, the four art forms of the Artistic Theme all involve creating something at the workplace, whether that be writing up an article or sculpting a new piece for an exhibit.

Many individuals also find themselves drawn to activities that involve being in front of an audience, whether they are acting or playing a musical instrument. They possess good linguistic skills and are usually great communicators. These individuals are nonconformists, choosing to be themselves over following societal standards, and are often in touch with their feelings and the beauty of the world around them.

As far as work environments go, those who score high in the Artistic theme of the Strong Interest Inventory prefer flexible schedules and structures. They need the freedom to express themselves as they see fit. They are also associated with occupations that allow them to create their specific form of art, whether that means that they work in an art studio, a museum, a gallery, or a design firm. It is also common for these individuals to teach their art form to others through occupations in universities or art institutes.

Individuals who favor the Artistic theme are also apt to express their Artistic preferences not only in work environments but also in their recreational activities.

Typical jobs for Artistic-favoring individuals include:

• • • Musician
    • Artist
    • Broadcast Journalist
    • Attorney
    • Graphic Designer
    • Librarian
    • Architect
    • Photographer

Their hobbies may overlap with their job preferences and include but are not limited to activities such as:

• • • Painting
    • Photography
    • Attending dance or musical concerts
    • Dancing
    • Playing an instrument
    • Writing poetry or stories
    • Collecting art

The Strong Interest Inventory Social Theme

Typical jobs for Social favoring individuals include:

• • • Elementary School Teacher
    • Minister
    • Registered Nurse
    • Speech Pathologist
    • Social Worker
    • School Counselor
    • Physical Therapist
    • Social Science Teacher

Social individuals enjoy hobbies that include but are not limited to:

• • • Volunteer and community service work
    • Organizing social events like neighborhood parties and excursions
    • Attending conventions
    • Entertaining others

The Strong Interest Inventory Enterprising Theme

Typical jobs for Enterprising-favoring individuals include:

• • • Realtor
    • Sales Manager
    • Investment Manager
    • Marketing Manager
    • Buyer
    • Travel Guide
    • Restaurant Manager

Enterprising individuals enjoy hobbies that include but are not limited to:

• • • Political activities
    • Attending conventions
    • Belonging to clubs and organizations
    • Entertaining and socializing
    • Competitive fun, such as sports

The Strong Interest Inventory Conventional Theme

Typical jobs for Conventional-favoring individuals include:

• • • Accountant
    • Banker
    • Computer Systems Analyst
    • Paralegal
    • Administrative Assistant
    • Bookkeeper
    • Office manager

Conventional individuals enjoy hobbies that include but are not limited to:

• • • Collecting items, such as stamps or coins
    • Games with clear cut rules
    • Home improvement projects
    • Building things with clear instructions

Strong Interest Inventory® Occupational Scales

Examples of Occupational Scales include but are not limited to:

• • • Health Informational Specialist
    • Network Administrator
    • Psychologist
    • Social Science Teacher

Here’s an example to help illustrate this point:

Let’s take the “Mathematician” Occupational Scale as an example. First, the creators of the Strong Interest Inventory test took the results of verified mathematicians and compared them to the results of the rest of the individuals who took the assessment. It’s obvious that a mathematician would “like” items that are directly related to math, so the key point was finding patterns that differentiated the mathematicians from the rest of the general sample.

For example, if a high proportion of mathematicians had answered “like” to “watching sporting events” compared to the general sample of respondents, then that item would be associated with the Mathematician Occupational Scale. This process is repeated until all the questions on the Strong Interest Inventory assessment are covered and a “Mathematician” specific answer key is created.

So, in order to score high on the “Mathematician” scale, you would have to like and dislike similar things that working Mathematicians like and dislike. This allows individuals to see if they like or dislike similar things to people in a specific career field. It is entirely possible, and common, for you to score high on certain scales based off of your General Occupational themes and Basic Interest Scales, while also scoring low on a related Occupational Scale. This generally means that you have an interest in a field, but your likes and dislikes don’t necessarily match those of others in that field. This does not mean that you can’t be successful in said field, but it’s something to keep under consideration while exploring career options. (Donnay, D et al. CPP, 2005)

Strong Interest Inventory® Basic Interest Scales

Here is another illustrative example:

The Protective Services Basic Interest Scale is related to the Realistic General Occupational Themes. In addition, the Protective Services scale includes professions that have their own, more specific Occupational Scales, such as Military Enlisted and Law Enforcement Officer. Scaling from broadest to most narrow focus, we would have a Realistic Theme, then Protective Services Basic Interest Scale, and finally Law Enforcement Officer as the narrowest and most specific scale.

This sort of narrowing down of the scale is especially important in those Occupational Themes that encompass such a wide variety of Basic Interest skills. This can be seen well with the Artistic Occupational Theme, which is broken down into Visual Arts & Design, Performing Arts, Culinary Arts, and Writing and Mass Communications. These Basic Interests, although related all under the umbrella of “art,” are incredibly different. The chances are someone who prefers the performing arts is not necessarily going to be adept at design.

Strong Interest Inventory® Personal Style Scales

These scales are applicable to individual working styles and atmospheres. It takes into account the way in which you best take in and process information, both outside of the workplace and during your career. The broad impact of these scales makes them applicable to the individual in all areas of life. This means that learning about them is that much more important. Similarly, these scales can help people understand how their way of working may differ from their coworkers, and how each person can adjust to make the most of their productivity and adjust their work settings accordingly.

These scales are built similarly to the General Occupational Themes and Basic Interest Scales, but they do have one important unique feature. Unlike the other scales, the Personal Style Scales are created as bipolar scales with a unique middle range. Therefore, you can have three distinct results per scale. These scores range from a low score dictating one preference, a higher score dictating a second polarizing preference, or a mid-range score that denotes a flexible use of both preferences that changes depending on the situation at hand.

The Work Style Scale

The first Personal Styles Scale is the Work Style Scale. It separates individuals that prefer to work with people from those that prefer to work with ideas, data, and things. The mid-range represents individuals who can be comfortable with people under certain circumstances, but are also comfortable working alone with data when appropriate. It’s important not to read into this scale as a measure of introversion and extraversion. The different poles of this scale merely refer to how much these individuals enjoy interaction with others in a work setting.

Individuals that prefer to work with people can be found taking jobs like but not limited to:

• • • Human Resources Manager
    • Community Service Director
    • School Counselor
    • Special Education Teacher
    • Speech Pathologist
    • Sales Manager

These individuals will often lean toward college majors and/or occupations in the realms of education, journalism, business, and social sciences. They enjoy working with people not only in the sense of helping others but also just in the atmosphere—these individuals may enjoy event planning or something of that nature that doesn’t necessarily involve the aiding of others. Generally, more women score highly in the “works with people” pole than do men.

Individuals that are more interested in working with data and ideas are more likely to take a job like but not limited to:

• • • Computer Scientist
    • Physicist
    • Mathematician

These individuals are often interested in scientific, technical, and mechanical ideas and processes, and usually lean toward college majors and/or careers in areas such as the physical sciences, engineering, biological sciences, computer and information sciences, and mathematics.

Even though certain occupations are more inclined toward different poles of the Work Style scale, individuals should not use the scale solely as a way to choose an occupation—rather, the scale should act as guidance for the types of occupations that would mesh well with one’s working style in conjunction with other information obtained from the Strong Interest Inventory.

The Learning Environment Scale

The second scale is called the Learning Environment Scale. This scale separates people who prefer to learn in a practical environment from those who prefer a more academic environment. Individuals who prefer a practical environment are more comfortable with trade or technical schools, as well as positions with on-the-job training that lasts a limited duration.

Individuals who favor an academic learning environment are more likely to spend more time in a traditional research-based university environment. These same individuals are also more likely to pursue teaching positions or advanced schooling at the Masters and PhD level, as well as hold interests in various cultural, verbal, and research areas. The mid-range represents a balanced approach to learning. Individuals in the mid-range will prefer to learn certain skill sets in a practical setting while utilizing the academic approach when it best suits their needs.

Although this scale measures an individual’s comfortableness in a specific setting (whether academic or practical), it does not mean that they will necessarily be successful in one or the other. Unlike the Work Style scale, the Learning Environment scale does not see one gender leaning toward a certain pole.

The standings in this pole are applicable at various stages of an individual’s career. For example, learning about one’s placement on this scale while you’re already in a comfortable occupation can help them decide whether or not to continue the education in their particular field, and how they should go about doing that (whether academically or practically).

Those who prefer practical learning are more likely to choose a job like but not limited to:

• • • Emergency Medical Technician
    • Production Worker
    • Automobile Mechanic
    • Farmer/Rancher
    • Optician
    • Military Enlisted

The individuals who find themselves on the academic pole of this scale are often involved in college majors in the areas of accounting or finance, business, engineering or computer technology. Those leaning toward this pole are often associated with careers that involve practical training, such as hands-on workshops.

Individuals that prefer academic learning are more likely to pick a job like but not limited to:

• • • Attorney
    • Psychologist
    • Editor
    • ESL Instructor
    • Sociologist
    • Public Administrator

Those who score more highly toward the academic pole of the Learning Style scale are usually those who enjoy the study of subjects such as culture, art, linguistics, research, language, literature, history, journalism, physical sciences, and social sciences. Usually, these individuals go into occupations that require them to have a substantial amount of academic preparation or experience, whether that includes an advanced degree or several different courses of study.

The Leadership Style Scale

The third scale is called the Leadership Style Scale. This scale focuses on a person’s preference related to directing and persuading people, as well as meeting and acting as an authority figure.

On one end, you have individuals who like taking leadership roles and thrive in environments where they can influence others, focusing more on the interpersonal dynamics between people in the workplace and how to use them to the highest advantage. The other end of the spectrum has individuals who prefer to “lead by example” and do not feel comfortable taking charge of others. They would much prefer doing tasks by themselves rather than have to teach someone else how to do it for them. People in the mid-range will step into leadership roles when they feel it’s necessary, but if there is a natural leader present, they will have no problem stepping back and focusing on their own tasks.

This style scale is beneficial not only in directing individuals towards what type of occupations they may enjoy but also helps them to understand what part of the workplace hierarchy they would perform best in, allowing them to jump into potential leadership roles or choose to stay away from these jobs.

People who prefer to “lead by example” are more likely to pick a job like but not limited to:

• • • Radiologic Technologist
    • Production Worker
    • Mechanic
    • Mathematician
    • Horticulturist
    • Forester

Those who score highly on this Personal Style Scale are also more interested in making their own contributions to their project or occupation rather than collaborate with others or try to act as a mentor to their peers. They usually score highly on the Realistic and Investigative Basic Interests Scales, in areas such as Mechanics & Construction, Science, Computer Hardware & Electronics, and Mathematics—scales that usually include jobs that value solitary analytical thinking over collaboration and group work. This could include fields such as physical sciences, applied art & design, and biological sciences as well.

Individuals that prefer to put themselves into a more directive role are more likely to enjoy a job like but not limited to:

• • • Operations Manager
    • Corporate Trainer
    • Public Administrator
    • Realtor
    • School Administrator
    • Elected Public Official

These individuals will often find themselves scoring highly in certain Enterprising Basic Interest Scales, including Politics & Public Speaking, Marketing & Advertising, and Management, but that does not mean that all individuals who score highly in this Personal Style Scale will work well in occupations that align with these Basic Interest Scales. They are also likely to work in areas such as journalism, social sciences, law, and marketing.

The Risk Taking Scale

The fourth scale is the Risk Taking Scale. At its most basic, the scale separates those who like to take risks from those who like to play it safe. Often, risk-taking involves various different attributes, such as a willingness to actually take the risks themselves, be spontaneous and act in the spur of the moment, and act recklessly.

This scale accounts for both physical risk taking as well as financial and social risk taking. Physical risk taking may include risks like skydiving, bungee jumping, rock climbing, and auto racing. Financial risk taking examples include individuals that would prefer a commission-paying job over salary or those that like to heavily invest in the stock market. Social risk taking is associated with one’s willingness to step out and meet new people and be generally spontaneous, and has been associated with acting independent or rebellious. It’s also interesting to note that as we get older, we tend to adapt and move more toward the “play it safe” pole of this scale regardless of what the inclination is in our youth.

Individuals score in the mid zone for one of two reasons. Some individuals might be risk takers in one area, but not another.

A good example would be a stockbroker who doesn’t like any physically risky behavior or a professional race car driver who is very conservative with his finances. The other situation is when an individual who has always been a risk taker starts to move toward the “play it safe” pole in their later years, ending up in the mid zone.

There is also an interesting gender difference that accompanies this scale, with women tending to lean toward the “play it safe” pole and men toward the “takes chances” preference. Because of this, gender should be considered when assessing the information from this pole, as a man leaning toward the “takes chances” pole may mean something completely different than a woman scoring the same.

People who prefer taking chances are more likely to pick a job like but not limited to:

• • • Law Enforcement Officer
    • Realtor
    • Firefighter
    • Airline pilot
    • Auto racer

The physical risk takers in this scale often lean toward occupations such as firefighters and military officers, while the financial risk takers make sufficient realtors and technical sales representatives. In a completely different way, some individuals manifest their risk-taking in the form of trying new things or going to new places without guarantees of success, such as traveling to exotic destinations or putting themselves out there emotionally.

Those that prefer to play it safe are more likely to enjoy a job like but not limited to:

• • • College Instructor
    • Administrative Assistant
    • Musician
    • Speech Pathologist
    • Librarian

Individuals who score on the lower end of this Personal Style Scale often worry most about their personal safety, and do whatever they can to maximize that. They are often uncomfortable with trying new things or activities and prefer to always have a carefully formulated plan. Various activities that these individuals enjoy include reading and listening to music—hobbies that involve very little risk to them.

The Team Orientation Scale

The fifth and final Personal Style Scale is the Team Orientation Scale which was added for the first time in the 2004 iteration of the Strong Interest Inventory. This scale separates those who prefer to accomplish tasks independently from those who prefer to accomplish tasks as a team. Some individuals are confused about the difference between this scale and the Work Style Scale.

This scale, unlike the Work Style Scale, has a focus on whether you prefer to “collaborate” with others on a team goal, or whether you prefer to work on tasks independently. For example, it is possible that you might prefer to work with data as opposed to people directly, but you value collaborating with others on big projects. In a case like this, you might meet as a team to brainstorm ideas, then go and work on your part independently, then meet up to brainstorm new ideas, etc.

Also, unlike the Work Style scale, there are no apparent gender differences between these two poles. Individuals in the mid zone are able to adapt and adjust to the situation depending on what a specific job or situation dictates.

Individuals that prefer to accomplish tasks as a team might enjoy jobs like but not limited to:

• • • Sales Manager
    • Operations Manager
    • Rehabilitation Counselor
    • School Administrator
    • Nursing Home Administrator

High scores on this Personal Style Scale are often associated with high scores in the Social and Enterprising General Occupational Scales and the Enterprising Basic Interest Scales, in areas such as Human Resources & Training, Management, and Marketing & Advertising. They enjoy problem solving with others and sharing success as part of a team.

Individuals that prefer to accomplish tasks independently might fit better in a job like but not limited to:

• • • University Professor
    • Graphic Designer
    • Medical Illustrator
    • Artist
    • Musician
    • Medical Illustrator

These individuals find that they prefer to accomplish tasks on their own and provide independent contributions that do not involve working alongside others for the greater good of the project. They are more likely to score highly in the Realistic, Investigative, and Artistic General Occupational Themes, as well as Basic Interests Scales such as Visual Arts & Design, Nature & Agriculture, and Science. Just because individuals lean toward this pole does not mean that they are ineffective in team settings, however—they just prefer to rely on themselves and their own actions rather than those of others. Therefore, these individuals often lean toward occupations that appreciate their individual accomplishments but allow them to succeed in group settings as well.

Occasionally, there are those individuals who don’t fit perfectly into one pole, scale, or type as defined by the Strong Interest Inventory. For this, the typicality index was created, allowing for a numerical score and explanation for potentially unusual combinations of responses.

The combination of responses is really what formulates the answers of the Strong Interest Inventory, and the typicality index uses a consistency of individual responses to enhance the reliability of the inventory, coupling alike responses and measuring an individual’s consistency in liking similar responses. In order to prove consistency in this way, an individual must answer “like” and “strongly like,” “indifferent,” or “like” to the adjoining (related) responses. This helps the interpreter to understand whether or not the individual is a typical case or an atypical case, requiring further interpretation.

A Historical and Conceptual View of the Strong Interest Inventory® Test

The Strong Interest Inventory® is among the most widely used career coaching resources. It can trace its origins to two conceptual frameworks: The General Occupational Themes (GOT) and The Basic Interest Scales (BIS). Together, these frameworks provide valuable insights into the complex interrelationships between individuals’ professional and personal preferences, and the characteristics of specific careers. The first framework, The GOT, divides careers into six categories based on characteristics of the various work environments, daily tasks, typical responsibilities, and other features associated with different careers. The second framework,

The BISs, are instead focused on the individual. The BIS explores one’s level of interest in a broad range of academic subject areas, vocational pursuits, and leisurely pastimes. These two frameworks, one centered on careers and the other on the individual, are integral to understanding the Strong Interest Inventory®. This section first provides a detailed history of the GOTs and BISs in turn. It then examines how these frameworks evolved over time to produce the Strong Interest Inventory® assessment that is so widely utilized today.

General Occupational Themes can trace their origin to the Strong Vocational Interest Blank, which was released in 1927 and intended to assess the degree of similarity between an individual’s interests and those of workers in a given occupation. In other words, one might be able to see how similar their interests were to those of people employed in a broad range of careers, from doctors to engineers, and automobile repair workers to secretaries. They might then use this information to decide which careers may be a good fit for them, based on their own interests. However, at that time, the assessment inventory was disparate, and there was no cohesive strategy for determining exactly which interests could be associated with particular professions. It was not made explicit what interests doctors had, or what interests secretaries had, let alone how they could be similar or different from one another. Instead, individuals were left to their own devices and were expected, with the help of a career coach, to determine the categorizations of these interests themselves.

While this structure was certainly economical, and unintimidating to use, it also lacked cohesion and a broad structure that would enable large numbers of users to apply it in their daily lives effectively and systematically. The entire system could be undermined by individuals or career coaches simply making different judgments and assumptions about the interests and preferences of various professionals.

A generation later, in 1959, renowned psychologist and counselor J. L. Holland proposed six basic categories of occupational interests, building on a long tradition of work within the fields of vocational counseling and occupational theory. These occupational interest categories are: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Collectively, these are sometimes referred to as the RIASEC hexagon. Individuals with a proclivity for different careers may have different combinations of occupational interests.

For instance, those who have interests in the Enterprising Theme Code Category may be fulfilled and successful in careers such as being a judge or a telemarketer, while those who have interests in the Artistic Theme Code category might prefer to become chefs, writers, or actors. Conversely, someone with an interest in both the Investigative and Enterprising Theme Code Categories might become a private investigator, research scientist, or professor.

In 1973, Holland provided four additional tenets that expanded upon his original framework. First, he posited that most individuals feel an affinity for one or more of these Theme Code Categories. Rarely do individuals have an utter lack of interests or motivations. Second, Holland posed that the social and operational norms of various work environments are shaped by the personalities of the individuals who tend to be attracted to those careers. In other words, people shape the environments in which they work. Businesspeople, who tend to be highly social and driven by financial success, tend to value organization, efficiency, and productivity, and shape their work environments to reward these characteristics.

On the other hand, painters or artists, who value flexibility of expression, tend to reject overly structured corporate settings and instead construct work environments that foster creativity. Holland’s (1973) third observation is that people tend to seek out work environments that allow and encourage them to expand their abilities and express their values in ways that they find stimulating and satisfying. At the same time, individuals tend to avoid responsibilities that they find unpleasant. For example, elementary school teachers not only gain a deep-seated satisfaction from molding the minds of the next generation but also are not deterred by the many challenges that come with working with small children.

Holland’s final note is how individuals function and interact in their work environment which is shaped by the relationship between their personality and their work environment. Just as actors respond to their setting and others on stage, so do professionals respond to their environment and their co-workers.

Career coaches and lifestyle professionals utilize the General Occupational Theme scores to support clients in understanding which activities are valued by people with particular characteristics, what kinds of jobs or occupations fit them, what environments are comfortable for them, and what kinds of co-workers would appeal to them. This level of detailed guidance is especially beneficial to young people, who are still discovering their path in life, as well as to those who are still clarifying their general vocational direction. The GOT is particularly widely used because it can help them transform a vague list of interests and preferences into a career that they will find both personally fulfilling and financially sustainable.

The GOT has been shown to be an extraordinarily reliable tool for helping individuals discover careers regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, or even income level. Moreover, and perhaps more surprisingly, the GOT has demonstrated that individuals’ preferences change extraordinarily little throughout their lifetime. If someone was a happy and successful travel agent at the age of 25, it is likely that they will continue to be drawn to social or enterprising careers throughout their lives.

Basic Interest Scales are the second major contributor to the Strong Interest Inventory® of today. The Basic Interest Scales (BIS) were introduced in the late 1960s with the goal of improving professionals’ understanding of the General Occupational Themes. Once an individual’s proclivity for a given Occupational Theme or combination of themes was determined, the Basic Interest Scales could be applied to provide a more granular view of the combination of interests that were present. In this way, the Basic Interest Scales provide career coaches with the tools needed to focus on specific aspects of the General Occupational Themes.

Unlike the GOT items, which are broad and general as their name suggests, each of the BIS uses statistically correlated items to provide a detailed understanding of a specific content area. For example, the singular Artistic Theme Code Category is associated with a number of Basic Interests, including interests in visual arts and design, performing arts, culinary arts, and mass communication. All of these interests are Artistic, but they do not necessarily overlap with one another, and, more importantly, the careers with which they are associated can be vastly different from one another. Being a chef is very different from being a singer, which is different from being a news anchor or journalist. As such, the detailed view of the BISs augments the analytical power of the GOTs.

While the BIS’s sheds light on many factors and considerations underlying GOTs, clinicians can apply them in much the same way when providing services to clients. The end purpose of BISs, as with GOTs, is to identify activities, jobs, environments, and types of people for which they have a proclivity. Their primary difference is that BISs provide a more granular, individually-oriented perspective than GOTs.

Since the initial release of Basic Interest Scales in the late 1960s, substantial updates in content have been made to account for changes in the modern workplace. For example, technological innovations have made commonplace career options and workplace environments that would have been impossible to conceive a few decades ago. For instance, the idea that we would have armies of computer programmers, social media marketing specialists, and web developers would have seemed alien when the BIS’s were first released. Similarly, the notion that working remotely full time via a computer the size of a notebook would have been unimaginable. Innovations such as these motivated the release of additional, more recent, versions of the Basic Interest Scales as well as of the Strong Interest Inventory® itself. On the other hand, the General Occupational Themes have remained relatively static since their release, though they have been applied in novel ways.

Evolution and Development of The Strong Interest Inventory

The Strong Interest Inventory® as well as its components, the General Occupational Themes, and the Basic Interest Scales, have been updated periodically for several reasons. One of the most obvious reasons is to account for changes in the modern workplace due to the passage of time and the evolution of technology. These temporal changes involved adding new items, modifying existing items, and removing items that are no longer relevant. For instance, technological innovations have made the modern workplace all but unrecognizable to most professionals of the 1960s. There are even full careers and subject areas that could scarcely have been imagined a few generations ago. On the other hand, some interests are no longer relevant. For instance, few 21st century professions are associated with an interest in “Repairing a Clock.”

An additional reason the Strong Interest Inventory® is updated is to improve the psychometric properties of the inventory. Psychometrics is the branch of psychology that uses statistical methods and big data analysis to delve into human thought and behavior. One example of such a change is the streamlining of response options. While the original survey included three possible responses, the Likert-style “Like,” “Indifferent,” and “Dislike,” the 2004 update included a more granular 5-item response, enabling a more detailed analysis. The final change, though arguably the least significant, is the slight updating of some items in the inventory for reasons such as correcting typographical errors or implementing more inclusive terms. One such example is the textual change from “Air Hostess,” which appeared in the 1997 Strong Interest Inventory® to “Flight Attendant” in 2004.

The impact of these and other changes has been studied in-depth over many years. Such studies typically fall into one of three categories: analyses of unchanged items, analyses of items with minor changes in wording, and the reliability of several measures comprising common items. These analyses generally found that providing five response options rather than three did not significantly alter the underlying distribution of interests and that changes in wording did not significantly affect subjects’ responses, either positively or negatively. However, longitudinal analyses do reveal general shifts and trends toward some interests and away from others. Throughout this process, items and responses that elicited an overwhelmingly positive or overwhelmingly negative response were systematically removed. Because such items cannot effectively distinguish among different groups of respondents, they are rendered useless and therefore eliminated.

In addition to the ongoing changes made to the clinical version of the Strong Interest Inventory®, another update released in 2004 was a version of the Strong Interest Inventory® specifically designed for research. This version is used by colleges, universities, and private research organizations to gain additional insights into career counseling, to continue to assess the validity and reliability of the inventory itself, and to bring to light any additional interests or career subject areas that ought to be added to new updates of the Inventory.

Potential Challenges with the Strong Interest Inventory® Test

Several factors can act as challenges for those interpreting the Strong Interest Inventory, but trained interpreters are able to recognize these patterns and pull useful information from the profile. For example, narrow, well-defined interests, little knowledge of the working world, cultural differences, mood, unwillingness to make a commitment, indecisiveness, no desire to actually work, an apathetic “indifferent” or “dislike” style, low self-esteem, undeveloped vocational identity, family pressure, and peer pressure can all shift the answers of an individual, skewing their responses.

Another challenge that can arise is that of the “elevated” profile, which means that an individual scored unusually high in a large number of General Occupational Themes, Basic Interest Scales, and Occupational Scales. This could be due to many reasons, including fear of appearing negative, trying to please everyone, a desire to keep all their options open, a genuine diversity of interests, and multi-potential interests and abilities. Interpreters can study specific strategies to help take away these challenges.

The Validity of The Strong Interest Inventory Test

The Strong Interest Inventory test has had countless studies over its 80 plus-year existence to confirm its concurrent and construct validity. The Strong Interest Inventory assessment has also been updated throughout the years to adapt to the ever-changing work environment. The 2004 edition is the most thorough and up to date version accounting for the major economic and technical changes that occurred starting in the mid to late 1990s. Recent improvements in sample data gathering, thanks to the emergence of the internet, have also greatly increased data sampling sizes for a more accurate representation of the national sample of individuals. (Donnay, D et al. CPP, 2005)

Why The Strong Interest Inventory Test?

The Strong Interest Inventory test has one of the oldest and most trusted pedigrees among current interest inventories. The first iteration of the Strong Interest Inventory assessment was introduced in 1927. It has expanded and evolved over the last 80+ years with the last two major updates occurring in 1994 and more recently 2004. It has been formulated to work effectively across both genders, as well as the full range of ethnicities. The 2004 edition also had its occupational scales adjusted to account for the ever-evolving job market and new technology-driven fields. These factors have helped the Strong earn a reputation as a leader of the premier assessments for those individuals looking to match their interest to promising career and educational options. (Donnay, D et al. CPP, 2005)

How Is The Strong Interest Inventory Test Used?

The main use of the Strong Interest Inventory test is to match people with their best fit career. The Strong Interest Inventory assessment is used in a variety of settings and can help a person pick an educational direction, find a satisfying start to their career, change careers for those in transition, or encourage career development for those stagnant in their current position. Not only is it used in school settings, but it has also been widely used by social service agencies, outplacement consulting firms, corporations, and other large entities such as the military. (Donnay, D et al. CPP, 2005)

Free Versus Paid Assessments

There are many free personality and interest inventory tests and assessments located around the Internet, though one must know that though these tests attempt to mimic The MBTI assessment or Strong Interest Inventory test, at no or sometimes a low cost to you, they are neither valid nor proven to assess you or what you are searching for. The MBTI test has been rewritten for validity and cross culturally tested for over 40 years and cannot be replaced by replicas that attempt to mimic its legitimacy. Being that The MBTI® and Strong Interest Inventory® are quite affordable, there really is no reason to not be administered the genuine assessments.

Why Choose Career Assessment Site?

• Receive online access to tests at the lowest prices on the web.
• Complimentary email support for any assessment-based questions.
• At Career Assessment Site, we provide an assessment interpretation session with a licensed/certified professional by telephone, Zoom Audio, or call-in telephone conferencing for domestic customers and Zoom Audio for international customers. This session is included with every purchase. The MBTI Complete, TKI, and iStartStrong are non-restricted Assessments and do not include nor require a consultation appointment. All other assessments Careerassessmentsite.com provides are psychologically restricted assessments that require this interpretation session as it is a very important part of your experience. For details, please check our FAQ page.

White Glove Customer Service

Here at Career Assessment Site, whether you are a career counselor, a corporate CEO, a college student seeking a career change, or a personality assessment, we provide our unique “white glove” customer service to every customer. We provide complimentary email and telephone support while taking great care in managing your account, whether you have taken a single test, multiple tests, or multiple clients. We track your orders, keeping an organized database of your and/or your clients’ assessments and consultation progress, all of which are electronically filed in a secure, confidential server, which is backed up to a safe electronic environment in case of computer or server failure. Your records will be kept and can be accessed for several years after your purchase as a courtesy from Career Assessment Site with a free reprint service of your assessment(s) at any time if you misplace or lose your or your client’s original report(s) as another free-of-charge courtesy.

References:

Strong Interest Inventory Manual (Donnay, D et al. CPP, 2005)

Strong Interest Inventory Manual Supplement (Thompson, Richard, 2005,  CPP Inc.)