Holland Code: The Six RIASEC Interest Types

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Activities like: build kitchen cabinets; drive a truck to deliver packages to offices and homes; put out forest fires; repair household appliances.

Jobs like: Robotics Technicians; Agricultural Equipment Operators; Carpenters; Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity.

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Activities like: develop a new medicine; develop a way to better predict the weather; study ways to reduce water pollution; work in a biology lab.

Jobs like: Biologists; Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists; Chemists; Sociologists.

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Activities like: compose or arrange music; create special effects for movies; draw pictures; write books or plays.

Jobs like: Craft Artists; Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators; Actors; Musicians and Singers.

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Activities like: give career guidance to people; help people with personal or emotional problems; perform rehabilitation therapy; teach a high school class.

Jobs like: Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors; Child, Family, and School Social Workers; Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education; Registered Nurses.

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Activities like: manage a department within a large company; market a new line of clothing; represent a client in a lawsuit; start your own business.

Jobs like: Advertising and Promotions Managers; Search Marketing Strategists; Lawyers; Retail Salespersons.

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Activities like: develop a spreadsheet using computer software; inventory supplies using a handheld computer; keep shipping and receiving records; load computer software into a large computer network.

Jobs like: Environmental Compliance Inspectors; Financial Examiners; Database Administrators; Office Clerks, General.