Holland’s Self-Directed Search (short version)

Instructions:
Read the descriptions of Holland’s six personality types. Take the time to think about the patterns that fit you best.
Remember that most people do not fall neatly into one category but have characteristics from several types. When
you come across a phrase that describes you, put a check mark in the space provided. Then look again at the six
personality types and select the three types (in rank order) that best describe the way you see yourself.

Realistic Types
___ value nature, common sense, honesty, practicality
___ are attracted to outdoor, mechanical, and physical activities, hobbies and occupations
___ like to work with things, objects, and animals rather than with ideas, data, and people
___ tend to have mechanical and athletic abilities
___ like to construct, shape, and restructure and repair things around them
___ like to use equipment and machinery and to see tangible results
___ are persistent and industrious builders but seldom creative and original, preferring familiar methods and
established patterns
___ tend to think in terms of absolutes, dislike ambiguity, and prefer not to deal with abstract, theoretical, and
philosophical issues
___ are materialistic, traditional, and conservative
___ do not have strong interpersonal and verbal skills and are often uncomfortable in situations in which attention is
centered on them
___ tend to find it difficult to express their feelings and may be regarded as shy

Investigative Types
___ value inventiveness, accuracy, achievement, independence
___ are naturally curious, inquisitive, precise, analytical, reserved
___ need to understand, explain, and predict what goes on around them
___ are scholarly and scientific and tend to be pessimistic and critical about nonscientific, simplistic, or supernatural
explanations
___ tend to become engrossed in whatever they are doing and may appear to be oblivious to everything else
___ are independent and like to work alone
___ prefer neither to supervise others nor to be supervised
___ are theoretical and analytic in outlook and find abstract and ambiguous problems and situations challenging
___ are original and creative and often find it difficult to accept traditional attitudes and values
___ avoid highly structured situations with externally imposed rules but are themselves internally well-disciplined,
precise, and systematic
___ have confidence in their intellectual abilities but often feel inadequate in social situations
___ tend to lack leadership and persuasive skills
___ tend to be reserved and formal in interpersonal relationships
___ are not typically expressive emotionally and may not be considered friendly

Artistic Types
___ value beauty, self-expression, imagination, creativity
___ are creative, expressive, original, intuitive, unconventional, individualistic
___ like to be different and strive to stand out from the crowd
___ like to express their personalities by creating new and different things with words, music, materials, and physical
expression like acting and dancing
___ want attention and praise but are sensitive to criticism
___ tend to be uninhibited and nonconforming in dress, speech, and action
___ prefer to work without supervision
___ are impulsive in outlook
___ place great value on beauty and esthetic qualities
___ tend to be emotional and complicated
___ prefer abstract tasks and unstructured situations
___ find it difficult to function well in highly ordered and systematic situations

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 Holland’s Self-Directed Search (short version)
___ seek acceptance and approval from others but often find close interpersonal relationships so stressful that they
avoid them
___ compensate for their resulting feelings of estrangement or alienation by relating to others primarily indirectly
through art
___ tend to be introspective
___ enjoy creative work in music, writing, performance, sculpture

Social Types
___ value service to others, fairness, understanding, empathy
___ are friendly, warm, trusting, generous, enthusiastic, outgoing, cooperative
___ enjoy the company of other people
___ like helping and facilitating roles like teacher, mediator, adviser, or counselor
___ express themselves well and are persuasive in interpersonal relationships
___ like attention and enjoy being at or near the center of the group
___ are idealistic, sensitive, and conscientious about life and in dealings with others
___ like to deal with philosophical issues such as the nature and purpose of life, religion, and morality
___ dislike working with machines or data or at highly organized, routine, and repetitive tasks
___ get along well with others and find it natural to express their emotions
___ are tactful in relating to others and are considered to be kind, supportive, and caring
___ enjoy working with others and tend to prefer team approaches

Enterprising Types
___ value success, status, power, responsibility, initiative
___ are outgoing, self-confident, assertive, persuasive, adventurous, ambitious, optimistic
___ like to organize, direct, manage, and control the activities of groups toward personal or organizational goals.
___ like to feel in control and responsible for making things happen
___ are energetic and enthusiastic in initiating and supervising activities
___ like to influence others
___ enjoys social gatherings and like to associate with well-known and influential people
___ like to travel and explore and often have exciting and expensive hobbies
___ see themselves as popular
___ tend to dislike activities requiring scientific abilities and systematic and theoretical thinking
___ avoid activities that require attention to detail and a set routine
___ enjoy leading, selling, motivating, persuading others, producing a great deal of work

Conventional Types
___ value accuracy, honesty, persistence, order
___ are well-organized and practical
___ enjoy clerical and computational activities that follow set procedures
___ are dependable, efficient, and conscientious
___ enjoy the security of belonging to groups and organizations and make good team members
___ are status-conscious but usually do not aspire to high positions of leadership
___ are most comfortable when they know what is expected of them
___ tend to be conservative and traditional
___ usually conform to expected standards and follow the lead of those in positions of authority, with whom they
identify
___ like to work indoors in pleasant surroundings and place value on material comforts and possessions
___ are self-controlled and low-key in expressing their feelings
___ avoid intense personal relationships in favor of more casual ones
___ are most comfortable among people they know well
___ like for things to go as planned and prefer not to change routines

Adopted from:
Corey, G., & Corey, M. S. (2010). I never knew I had a choice: Explorations in personal growth (9th ed.). Belmont,
California: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning

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