1. Dr. Janet Wall CEUonestop.com
Connecting Theory and Practice:  Using Interests in Career and Educational Decision Making
Dr. Janet Wall
CEUonestop.com

2. Goals for Today Discuss concept of career development theory
Focus in on one theory – Holland and Interests
Describe the theory and its components
Show applications of the theory

3. Benefits of Career Development Theories
Model or framework to help explain things
Career choice and change
Predict future events
Such as job satisfaction
Can be verified or modified with research and experience
Serve as guidelines for practice, tools, and techniques
Selecting education and training
Identifying career pathways

4. Person Characteristics Environment Characteristics
General Model
Person Characteristics
Environment Characteristics
Dependable Strengths?
Ability Requirements
Interests Satisfied
Values Supported
Work Styles
Barriers
Abilities and Skills
Primary Interests
Values
Styles/Personality
Beliefs

5. Fit Into Compatible Environment
Nice try!

6. Today’s Focus = Interests

7. John Holland – Vocational Personality Theory

8. Basic Tenets of Holland’s Theory
Each individual can be described as a combination of one or more of six “types”
Environments can be described as a combination of one or more of six “types”
Individuals seek environments which have the same or similar type as theirs

9. Kinds of Environments School Subjects/Courses Friends Majors
Career Paths
Education and Training
Hobbies and Other Out-of-School Activities
Decisions
Occupations
Jobs

10. Basic Tenets of Holland’s Theory
Having a match between a person and their environment predicts satisfaction, longevity, and contribution

11. RIASEC Realistic Investigative Artistic Social Enterprising
Conventional
RIASEC

12. Holland’s Six Types - Realistic
Realistic - work with hands, tools, equipment, animals; see tangible results; prefer to work alone

13. Holland’s Six Types - Investigative
Investigative - work with science, math, abstract thinking, ideas; prefer to work alone; problem solvers

14. Holland’s Six Types - Artistic
Artistic - work with art, music, words to express self creatively; like to entertain; don’t like rules

15. Holland’s Six Types - Social
Social - work face-to-face with people to help, teach, counsel; high value on verbal skills

16. Holland’s Six Types - Enterprising
Enterprising - work face-to-face with people to sell, lead, manage; high value on influencing others; take risks to make money; influence people toward goals

17. Holland’s Six Types - Conventional
Conventional - work with data, numbers, records, to keep them orderly; follows rules

18. Career Video Resources
and-cluster-videos.aspx

19. What are Your Interest Areas?

20. Personal Codes
An individual’s Holland code is usually expressed as a two or three-letter code obtained from an interest inventory
Ties are possible

21. Holland’s Hexagon

22. Three Important Concepts
Consistency
Differentiation
Congruence

23. Consistency
Consistency – the relationship of the first two letters of a Holland code as indicated by the hexagon

24. Differentiation
Differentiation – the numerical difference among the six scores of a profile; degree of difference of the results
Most of us have peaks and valleys.
Things were are most and least interested in

25. Differentiated Profile

26. Undifferentiated High Profile

27. Undifferentiated Low Profile

28. Our Job in Education
Give as many opportunities and experiences as we can.
Interests often don’t get solidified until high school and young adult.
One interest inventory is just a snapshot – give every year or two to see if there are changes.

29. Congruence
Congruence – the degree of “fit” between a person’s code and an environment

30. Applications of Holland’s Theory
learn about the interests of individuals
understand why people are satisfied or dissatisfied in their work
assist individuals to choose majors, career pathways, courses of study, school courses, and leisure activities
organize high school curriculum or college majors

31. Applications of Holland’s Theory
organize career information, job shadowing, and career days
provide the structure for career guidance services
help place individuals in course of study
assist individuals to find jobs/careers in which their interests can be used

32. How to Match with Occupations and Jobs

33. Activities to Help Understand Interests Better
Art
English
History
Current Events
Cinema
And More……
Ideas from Wall, J. E. (2005). What Do I Like to Do?: 101 Activities to Identify Interests and Plan
Careers, Austin, TX: ProEd, Inc.

34. Oscar Nominees 2014 American Hustle Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

35. Maryland County Hospital
You are the HR Supervisor of a new hospital that will be opening in 4 months. It is your job to fully staff this hospital with the people needed to operate and serve its patients on opening day.
List 20 occupations needed and the primary interest code for each.
From: Wall, J. E., What Do I Like to Do: 101 Activities to Identify Interests and Plan Careers. Published by ProEd, Inc. Order Number
©ProEdInc, 2005

36. Whole Person View Abilities Experiences Dependable Strengths Interests
Values/
Attitudes
Skills
Personality