Career Theory: John Holland’s Interest in Typology

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Application with a Specific Population
Theory Critique
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The paper examines John Holland’s interest in typology theory, as well as its application and criticism. It is commonly assumed that a child who enjoys arguing or is convincing will grow to be a governor or an attorney. John Holland’s interest typology contends that a person develops interests and abilities across their lifespan as they mature and that this progression is thought to impact career opportunities (Hicks, 2020). Specific vocations, such as law enforcement officers and firefighters, may inspire someone with a strong sense of community and a willingness to guide others in times of crisis. Hicks (2020) states that these people may even enjoy the rush of adrenaline of saving people’s lives. According to Holland’s typology, these individuals would have “a high social (S) score on the RIASEC” (Hicks, 2020, p. 25). John Holland’s theory of occupational personality compatibility is frequently mentioned in peer-reviewed literature and is still utilized today due to its simplicity of evaluation and implementation.

Holland’s typologies are divided into six modal personal styles or orientations and corresponding professional surroundings. Hicks (2020) informs that they are realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional, abbreviated RIASEC. The first orientation, realistic (R), characterizes someone who enjoys working with animals, tools, or machinery avoids social activities such as teaching, and places a premium on pragmatism. The next type is the investigative (I) person, who enjoys researching and analyzing math or science issues rather than leading people or working in sales or persuasion. The artistic (A) personality type embraces creative pursuits such as art, theatre, and handicrafts and typically dislikes monotonous or highly organized occupations. A social (S) individual possesses the to serve others by working as a teacher, nurse, officer, or in any field that includes instructing people. The enterprising (E) personality type adores leading and persuading others. This person’s job description would involve selling goods and concepts. Finally, the conventional (C) personality type prefers to operate in a systematic, organized manner with records, computers, or numbers.

Application with a Specific Population

In the subject of career counseling, John Holland’s typological theory of people and settings is often recognized as the most prominent. Due to its significance and relevance, the theory serves as the foundation for numerous interest inventories, including the Strong’s Interest Inventory (SII), which evaluates your three-letter Holland code (Hicks, 2020). The selected population is women that experienced domestic abuse, trauma, or relationship problems. Holland’s theory will aid in evaluating personality and assisting women in achieving their objectives and finding an appropriate job path. ‘Self-Directed Search Form-R’ and ‘My Vocation Situation’ are the assessments to use. According to Hicks (2020), the Self-Directed Search Form-R takes from twenty-five to thirty-five minutes to administer and can be performed individually or in a group format. ‘My Vocation Situation’ measures obstacles in making vocational decisions. Special consideration includes evaluating women’s cultural backgrounds before applying the theory.

Theory Critique

Despite Holland’s theory’s application and significance in the field of career counseling, it has been questioned. According to Hicks (2020), Arnold R. Spokane criticized the approach and claimed that evidence does not support the degree of satisfaction Holland says a correct match should provide. A profession in computer programming, for instance, may appeal to someone with a high RIASEC score in the investigative or conventional categories. Still, the person may need to engage in social activities to assist others with computer difficulties. This condition would indicate a lack of coherence, such as a mismatch between an individual’s personality and workplace culture, which would result in intolerable levels of job stress. As a result, the individual may look for new chances in other departments or professions.

Socio-cultural and cultural circumstances influence career goals and culture may have an impact on the structure underpinning professional interests. Various scholars have looked at the influence of culture on Holland’s RIASEC model of vocational interests and questioned the relevance to minorities and non-US citizens (Hicks, 2020). Atitsogbe et al. (2018) acknowledge that the circular structure of the RIASEC model was shown to be more suited for Asian- and Caucasian-American samples but less acceptable for African- and Hispanic-Americans. Thus, the data imply that Holland’s RIASEC model of vocational interests does not adapt well between cultures and appears to be more applicable to North American or Western people.

Conclusion

Essentially, I believe that interests and professional choices are connected. Atitsogbe et al. (2018) claim that various research on high school and college students were conducted where interest consistency was a predictor in the professional decision-making process. I think that Holland’s theory is crucial in determining a career path. For instance, I am a social (S) individual, based on the RIASEC model, and always wanted to serve others. My career development plan is to start a private practice specializing in women’s issues such as domestic violence, trauma, eating disorders, mental health, relationships, and postpartum care. Individual and group therapy will be part of my practice; I will continue to work in mental health, specifically in the Crisis unit, as a leader. My objective is to reform how community agencies meet the mental health needs of community members.

References

Atitsogbe, K. A., Moumoula, I. A., Rochat, S., Antonietti, J.-P., & Rossier, J. (2018). Vocational interests and career indecision in Switzerland and Burkina Faso: Cross-cultural similarities and differences.Journal of Vocational Behavior, 107, 126–140. Web.

Hicks, J. (2020). Career counseling. Cognella, Inc. Web.

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Career Theory: John Holland’s Interest in Typology

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