What is a Holland Code?

A Holland Code is the three interest themes you scored highest on, written as three letters — for example IAS for Investigative, Artistic, Social. Occupations in the O*NET database carry their own codes, so comparing yours against theirs is a structured way to find work whose day-to-day activities are likely to hold your interest.

Does this test measure whether I would be good at a job?

No. RIASEC measures interest, not ability, aptitude, or qualification. Interest predicts how engaging you are likely to find the work and how long you are likely to stay in it. Whether you would perform well depends on skills, training, and circumstances the questionnaire does not touch.

Why sixty questions about activities instead of jobs?

Asking about concrete work activities avoids the problem that people rate job titles by prestige, salary, and stereotype rather than by what the work actually involves. Rating activities like 'build kitchen cabinets' or 'develop a new medicine' gets closer to what you would be doing all day.

Is the O*NET Interest Profiler free to use?

Yes. It is developed by the National Center for O*NET Development for the U.S. Department of Labor and published under the O*NET Career Exploration Tools Content License, which permits both verbatim reproduction and adapted versions provided the source is credited. That is why the full item set can be published openly and administered here at no cost.

Free Career Interest Test — Holland Code (RIASEC)

The six RIASEC interest types

The Holland Codes, or RIASEC model, sort career interests into six themes: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. This test administers the sixty-item O*NET Interest Profiler Short Form, published by the U.S. Department of Labor, and reports your three highest themes as a three-letter Holland Code.

Psychologist John Holland found that both people and work environments can be described by six interest themes. Your top three — your "Holland Code" — point toward the work you're most likely to find satisfying.

Realistic

· The Doers

You like hands-on, practical work with tools, machines, plants, or animals — real things and tangible results, often outdoors or with your hands.

Investigative

· The Thinkers

You like ideas, analysis, and solving complex problems — observing, researching, and understanding how and why things work.

Artistic

· The Creators

You like self-expression, originality, and creativity — work that is unstructured and lets you make something new with words, images, sound, or performance.

Social

· The Helpers

You like working with and for people — teaching, advising, healing, and helping others grow and feel supported.

Enterprising

· The Persuaders

You like leading, persuading, and starting things — selling ideas, managing people, taking risks, and driving toward goals.

Conventional

· The Organizers

You like order, accuracy, and clear procedures — organizing data, keeping records, and working systematically with numbers and details.

RIASEC themes and the work they point to

The six Holland interest themes and representative occupations for each. Your Holland Code is the three themes you score highest on, which is also how occupations are coded in the O*NET database.

Theme	Also called	Drawn to	Representative occupations
R · Realistic	The Doers	You like hands-on, practical work with tools, machines, plants, or animals	Electrician, Mechanical engineer, Carpenter, Pilot
I · Investigative	The Thinkers	You like ideas, analysis, and solving complex problems	Data scientist, Physician, Research scientist, Software developer
A · Artistic	The Creators	You like self-expression, originality, and creativity	Graphic designer, Writer, Art director, Musician
S · Social	The Helpers	You like working with and for people	Teacher, Counselor, Nurse, Social worker
E · Enterprising	The Persuaders	You like leading, persuading, and starting things	Entrepreneur, Sales manager, Marketing manager, Lawyer
C · Conventional	The Organizers	You like order, accuracy, and clear procedures	Accountant, Financial analyst, Operations analyst, Auditor

About this test

This is the O*NET® Interest Profiler Short Form (60 items), built by the National Center for O*NET Development for the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration and published under the O*NET Career Exploration Tools Content License. It implements Holland's RIASEC model and links your results to O*NET's database of 900+ occupations, so you can move from "what interests me" straight to "what could I do."

Free Career Interest Test