Have you ever undergone a career test? It may seem unnecessary to you, and you may believe that you are fully capable of deciding what the best choice is for you career-wise. But if you're like many other people - me included, and you can't discard taking online personality quizzes or reading horoscopes just to see what they say, it might be interesting. But what can such tests really tell you that you didn't already know?



The kind of career tests we are talking about here were originally developed by John Holland. Holland says that our work choice is an accurate reflection of our personalities. Furthermore, when a person choose a particular job or profession, he or she choose it because it suits them and they want to be around others who are like they are. Holland's approach has been taken by many job and career counselors and coaches.

Personality And Professional Preferences

Holland identifies six personality types which represent clues to choosing our professions. These are:

- The Investigative Type,

- The Conventional Type,

- The Realistic Type,

- The Artistic Type,

- The Social Type and

- The Enterprising Type

Birds of a feather swarm together, according to Holland. It really makes sense, doesn't it? For example, those who have a flair for entrepreneurship naturally attach themselves to other entrepreneurs, don't they? And, we all know that artist types always end up hanging out together.

When people who have analogous personalities work together, they create new personality for their work environment. Because of this, Holland also identifies six kinds of job environments that match the six kinds of personalities: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and conventional.

For example, take a look at the artistic personalities: artistic people enjoy to play ideas off each other. When they work together in the same work place, they create an environment where new ideas and 'thinking outside of the box' are welcome. Such artistic environments rewards creative thinking.

What Makes Certain People Successful In Certain Jobs?

Next, Holland says, that a key to a person's success is to work in an environment that fits their personality. When they work among people who think like they do, everyone achieve better results. For example, those who choose an investigative environment, like a research institution or a police force, like to be around others who understand and appreciate the ability to carefully examine things and weigh probabilities. Naturally, and investigative-type person will bloom in this environment, where they are rewarded for finding things and thinking critically.

Holland's theory has a pretty high generic level and states that you can not underestimate the influence of a person's work environment on their professional or career related success.

How Does This Theory Affects Me?

Now, you may ask; what does all of this mean for you and me? What it means is that it is essential that you find an occupation that harmonizes with your personality. The path you opt for, and the environment where you spend your professional life, has a direct bearing on how successful you will be.

This is a theory - no more no less - but look closely at yourself and your friends and check it out. A theory is nothing more than an idea, but take a close look and see if this one doesn't bear a bit of truth.