Identifying areas of interest- those pursuits and activities that fascinate or preoccupy us, the Strong Interest Inventory assessment guides us to a career path that is engaging and stimulating. Delving deeper into self-reported interests, the Strong Interest Inventory® assessment delivers insight into career interests rather than an evaluation of aptitude or IQ but takes cognizance of diverse factors, including, for example, the importance of hobbies.

Conceptualized in 1927 by psychologist Edward Kellog Strong, Jr.- to help people exiting the military find suitable jobs, it evolved through the 1950s through the work of American psychologist John L. Holland. By 2004, the revised test emerged in its modern form- through the work of Jo-Ida Hansen and David P. Campbell, but retained the double entendre, Strong Interest Inventory®, and was rooted in the Holland Code.

What is the Strong Interest Inventory®?

This write-up will provide you with in-depth knowledge regarding what the Strong Interest Inventory is.

In helping to discover your dream career- sooner rather than later, The Strong Interest Inventory® (SII) covers six overarching career themes and personal attributes established in the Holland Code. Based on the basic premise that one’s inherent character would find expression in career preferences, these Holland Code themes refer to specific theme codes known as “RIASEC”:

• Realistic Theme (R)
Building and fixing- physical activities, agriculture and farming, and handling emergencies are pursuits that Realistic Theme prefers to partake in. Some Realistic related careers include civil engineers, police patrol officers, veterinarians, bakers, and airline pilots.

• Investigative Theme (I)
Enjoying the field of science, mathematics, and research, those who fall into the Investigative Category tend to like to work in unstructured environments and prefer working independently. Some common careers under the Investigative Theme include chemist, intelligence analyst, critical nurse, and political scientist.

• Artistic Theme (A)
Being in Artistic Theme means being inclined to create ideas or art forms, and interests that are part of this theme include writing, dancing, photography, and music. Finding jobs as interior designers, singers, drama teachers, landscape architects, and other creative outlets is where those in the Artistic Theme find the most satisfaction.

• Social Theme (S)
Embracing their better selves, those who fall into the Social Theme Code Category generally show a high interest in helping and caring for others. Enjoying socializing, teamwork, and collaboration, they function best in a friendly environment. By following careers that include customer service representative, mental health counselor, social worker, and chiropractor, some Social Themes find their niche.

• Enterprising Theme (E)
Being competitive, ambitious risk-takers, individual who belongs to Enterprising Theme enjoy selling, persuading, and leading others. Tackling careers as lawyers, real estate brokers, sales managers, telemarketers, and flight attendants is typical for those who score high in the Enterprising Theme Code.

• Conventional Theme (C)
Displaying a high interest in working with data and numbers, Conventional Individuals are organized, precise, and efficient, preferring a work environment that is structured and stable. Accountants, cashiers, statisticians, immigration and customs inspectors, and data administrators often belong to the Conventional Theme Code.

Supplementing Myers-Briggs personality tests, the SII is a career assessment- as opposed to a personality assessment. Exploring RIASEC Theme Codes then also levels up as the assessment sifts through and scores:

• Six General Occupational Themes (GOT): This shows the main areas of interest. The GOT basically serves as the individual’s birds-eye view of their interest.
• 30 Basic Interest Scales (BIS): Covering personally motivating and rewarding activities such as. art, science, public speaking, and other areas.
• 130 Occupational Scales: Indicating similarities between the test taker’s interests and the interests of people engaged in 130 different occupations, the scales are gender specific. 130 male-specific and 130 female-specific occupations are assimilated into the score.
• Five Personal Style Scales: Referring to the natural styles of people in working, learning leadership, taking risks, and team orientation.
• The Administrative Indexes: Similar to medical placebos, these scales are used to identify test errors or unusual profiles, providing a lower margin of error.

Undertaking the Strong Interest Inventory® takes about 35–40 minutes to complete, and- on completion, is then scored through definitively developed software and interpreted by The Career Assessment Site Certified Interpreters. With relatively straightforward questions, there are no wrong or right responses, and gut feeling usually conveys the most accurate answer.

Consisting of 291 multiple-choice items with the five possible responses: Strongly Like, Like, Indifferent, Dislike, Strongly Dislike, it is thought-provoking but simple- with the ultimate goal of obtaining answers to the career conundrum the test taker is facing. A highly regulated psychometric assessment, the SII is written at a ninth-grade reading level.

Interpretation Of The Strong Interest Inventory®

Tying up the data into meaningful information, a Strong Interest Inventory Interpretation® assesses the scores in each of the six General Occupational Themes (GOTs) or interest areas, including RIASEC (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional) scores. Extracting the highest scoring areas, the interpreter profiles the test taker and identifies patterns that emerge.

Assimilating the data could reveal anomalies that don’t fit into the scales, and this adds value to understanding atypical profiles and enables the interpreter to deliver highly individualized guidance.

Rendering useful information at different life junctures, whether starting out post-school or college- or thinking of changing careers late in the game, the SII assessment provides perceptive input on an ideal occupational path. Considering specialized assessments- such as the Strong Interest Inventory® College Edition Profile narrows the scope and delivers tailored findings, with additional sections that list typical college majors, recommended college courses, and further college preparation recommendations, as well as learning and studying tips.

Helping individuals identify their work environment types the Strong Interest Inventory® Assessment is a fit-for-purpose tool that guides users to occupations that fit them best. Backed by evidence -for both the validity and reliability of each set of scales, the SII is impressive and yields strong support for a variety of populations across most demographics. Used to the fullest extent, it is an incomparable method to leverage the best results from informed career, academic, and life decisions.