Part II    Psychodynamic Theories100
TABLE 3.3
Qualities of Holland’s Six Career Types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, 
Social, Enterprising, and Conventional
Realistic
•  Likes to work with animals, tools, or machines; generally avoids social activities such as 
teaching, healing, and informing others;
•  Has good skills in working with tools, mechanical or electrical drawings, machines, or 
plants and animals;
•  Values practical things you can see, touch, and use such as plants and animals, tools, 
equipment, or machines; and
•  Sees self as practical, mechanical, and realistic.
Investigative
•  Likes to study and solve math or science problems; generally avoids leading, selling, or 
persuading people;
•  Is good at understanding and solving science and math problems;
•  Values science; and
•  Sees self as precise, scientific, and intellectual.
Artistic
•  Likes to do creative activities such as art, drama, crafts, dance, music, or creative 
writing; generally avoids highly ordered or repetitive activities;
•  Has good artistic abilities—in creative writing, drama, crafts, music, or art;
•  Values the creative arts—such as drama, music, art, or the works of creative writers; and
•  Sees self as expressive, original, and independent.
Social
•  Likes to do things to help people—such as teaching, nursing, or giving first aid, providing 
information; generally avoids using machines, tools, or animals to achieve a goal;
•  Is good at teaching, counseling, nursing, or giving information; 
•  Values helping people and solving social problems; and
•  Sees self as helpful, friendly, and trustworthy.
Enterprising
•  Likes to lead and persuade people, and to sell things and ideas; generally avoids 
activities that require careful observation and scientific, analytical thinking;
•  Is good at leading people and selling things or ideas;
•  Values success in politics, leadership, or business; and
•  Sees self as energetic, ambitious, and sociable.
Conventional
•  Likes to work with numbers, records, or machines in a set, orderly way; generally 
avoids ambiguous, unstructured activities;
•  Is good at working with written records and numbers in a systematic, orderly way;
•  Values success in business; and
•  Sees self as orderly, and good at following a set plan.
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