_____ Overview of Personality and Career
section, and he called them Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and
Conventional. (! e acronym RIASEC is a convenient way to remember them.)! e following table shows how these labels apply to both people and work:Personality
Type How It Applies to People How It Applies to Work
Realistic Realistic personalities like work activities Realistic occupations frequently involve
that include practical, hands-on problems work activities that include practical,
and solutions. They enjoy dealing with hands-on problems and solutions. They
plants, animals, and real-world materials often deal with plants; animals; and real-
like wood, tools, and machinery. They enjoy world materials like wood, tools, and
outside work. Often they do not like occu- machinery. Many of the occupations
pations that mainly involve doing paperwork require working outside and do not involve
or working closely with others. a lot of paperwork or working closely with
others.
Investigative Investigative personalities like work activities Investigative occupations frequently involve
that have to do with ideas and thinking more working with ideas and require an
than with physical activity. They like to search extensive amount of thinking. These
for facts and! gure out problems mentally rather occupations can involve searching for facts
than to persuade or lead people. and! guring out problems mentally.
Artistic Artistic personalities like work activities that deal Artistic occupations frequently involve
with the artistic side of things, such as forms, working with forms, designs, and patterns.
designs, and patterns. They like self-expression They often require self-expression, and the
in their work. They prefer settings where work work can be done without following a clear
can be done without following a clear set of rules. set of rules.
Social Social personalities like work activities that assist Social occupations frequently involve work-
others and promote learning and personal ing with, communicating with, and teaching
development. They prefer to communicate more people. These occupations often involve
than to work with objects, machines, or data. helping or providing service to others.
They like to teach, to give advice, to help, or
otherwise to be of service to people.
Enterprising Enterprising personalities like work activities Enterprising occupations frequently involve
having to do with starting up and carrying out starting up and carrying out projects.
projects, especially business ventures. They like These occupations can involve leading
persuading and leading people and making people and making many decisions. They
decisions. They like taking risks for pro! t. These sometimes require risk taking and often
personalities prefer action rather than thought. deal with business.
Conventional Conventional personalities like work activities Conventional occupations frequently
that follow set procedures and routines. They involve following set procedures and
prefer working with data and details rather than routines. These occupations can include
with ideas. They prefer work in which there are working with data and details more than
precise standards rather than work in which you with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of
have to judge things by yourself. These person- authority to follow.
alities like working where the lines of authority
are clear.