Identifying interests

Written by Sripad Nemi Maharaja

his test is taken from Build Your Own Rainbow, by Barrie Hopson and Mike Scally, who adapted it from the work of John Holland.

According to the Vedic concept, everyone has a tendency for a particular type of work, and everybody should work according to their tendency. Modern psychologists have confirmed this. In general, we will be most enthusiastic and effective when we perform tasks for which we have the necessary skills interest and talents. So it makes sense to find out what kind of people we are, and what our interests, skills and talents are. Here is a simple test to help you to identify what your work interests are. It is worth emphasizing that there are no right or wrong work interests, and none is better than the other. In fact, if Vaishnavas are acting to serve guru and Krishna, they are all on the same transcendental platform.

There is an almost unlimited variety of activities, but these can be roughly classified in six broad categories:

Practical activities with a focus on things, for example working with tools, objects or machines.
Investigative activities with a focus on ideas, for example studying or working in the fields of maths or biology, or the physical sciences.
Artistic activities with a focus on ideas and people, for example developing skills and language or music and drama.
Social activities with a focus on people, for example training, teaching, understanding and helping others.
Enterprising activities with a focus on people and data, for example leading and influencing people, organizing and managing.
Organizational/administrative activities with a focus on data and thinking, for example organizing information, and operating computers and word processors.

Generally, people have their own individual mix of interests. However, most people have an emphasis on one or another. The following set of questions will enable you to identify your particular work interests. It is useful to note your top three groups of interests. If your scores are very close, though, you may find that the test does not put them in the right order.

Your interests represent your preferences for doing some activities instead of others. Some people like driving cars, others like exploring caves, some like keeping financial records, while others like drawing diagrams.

This exercise is based on the work of John Holland who discovered that people's interests incline them to particular types of occupation. He also found that people in the same occupation, although they may have different values, will have similar skills and interests.

• On the next page are 6 sets of statements. For each of them, show how much you agree or disagree with the statement.

1 = Highly disagree

5 = Highly agree

Circle the number that represents your level of agreement.

Rank order the letters P, I, A, S, E, and O/A according to which interest group has the highest and the lowest scores for you.

Take your top 3 scores. These represent your 3 major interest types.

My top group is ………………

My second highest group is………………

My third highest group is …………………………..

GROUP P (Practical)

I like fixing and repairing things 1 2 3 4 5

I like to be very fit 1 2 3 4 5

I like making things with my hands 1 2 3 4 5

I like doing things outdoors 1 2 3 4 5

I like hard, physical work 1 2 3 4 5

I feel comfortable working with tools and machines 1 2 3 4 5

TOTAL FOR P =

GROUP I (Ideas)

I like to understand things thoroughly 1 2 3 4 5

I like exploring new ideas 1 2 3 4 5

I enjoy working on problems 1 2 3 4 5

I like asking questions 1 2 3 4 5

I like learning about new things 1 2 3 4 5

I like to work out my own answers 1 2 3 4 5

to problems

TOTAL FOR I =

GROUP A (Artistic)

I like seeing art shows, plays 1 2 3 4 5

and good films

I like to be different 1 2 3 4 5

I like to forget about everything else 1 2 3 4 5

when I'm being creative

It is vital to have beautiful and unusual 1 2 3 4 5

things around me

I like to use my imagination 1 2 3 4 5

I like expressing myself on paper, through 1 2 3 4 5
painting, music, or by building things

TOTAL FOR A =

GROUP S (Social)

I enjoy being with people 1 2 3 4 5

I like to talk things through with people 1 2 3 4 5

I like to pay attention to what people want 1 2 3 4 5

I like helping people 1 2 3 4 5

I like helping people to develop 1 2 3 4 5
and learn things

Who I'm with is more important 1 2 3 4 5
than where I am

TOTAL FOR S =

GROUP E (Enterprising)

I enjoy trying to persuade 1 2 3 4 5

and influence people

I enjoy using a great deal 1 2 3 4 5
of energy and resilience

I like people to do what I ask of them 1 2 3 4 5

I like taking risks 1 2 3 4 5

I like making decisions 1 2 3 4 5

I enjoy getting people organised 1 2 3 4 5
and excited about a task

TOTAL FOR E =

GROUP O/A

I like to be given clear directions 1 2 3 4 5

I enjoy getting the details right 1 2 3 4 5
in my work

I like a clear structure and 1 2 3 4 5
a regular routine

I can be relied upon to do what 1 2 3 4 5
I'm expected to do

I enjoy working with figures 1 2 3 4 5

I like organising projects, ideas 1 2 3 4 5
and people down to the last detail

TOTAL FOR O/A =

Here is an interpretation for each interest group.

Interest Types

PRACTICAL: THINGS FOCUS
These people like to work with tools, objects, machines or animals. They like to develop manual, mechanical, agricultural and electronic skills. They like jobs which involve building and repairing things. They like using their hands. They use their bodies skillfully rather than words, thoughts or feelings. They admire physical co-ordination, strength, agility and logic. They like being outdoors and dealing with concrete problems. They tend to be down to earth and matter of fact. They solve problems by DOING.

INVESTIGATIVE: IDEAS FOCUS
These people enjoy using their minds. They tend to be curious, studious, independent, intellectual, sometimes unconventional, and introspective. They like to develop skills in maths, biology and the physical sciences. They like scientific and medical jobs. They like thinking through problems, trusting their own minds more than other people and things. They admire logic, use insight, enjoy intellectual challenges. They solve problems by THINKING.

ARTISTIC: IDEAS AND PEOPLE FOCUS

These people like to feel free from routine. They like to develop skills in language, art, music, drama and writing. They trust their minds, bodies and feelings, being more suspicious of things. They enjoy beauty, unstructured activity, variety, interesting and unusual sounds, sights, textures and people. They tend to be creative, talented and freewheeling, often non-conformist, sensitive, independent, introspective, expressive. They like jobs where they can use their creative skills. They solve problems by being CREATIVE.

SOCIAL: PEOPLE FOCUS

These people live through their feelings. Relying on gut reactions, they like activities that involve informing, training teaching, understanding and helping others. They develop skills for working with people. They tend to be helpful friendly, concerned leaders, sensitive, supportive responsible, perceptive, genuine, tactful, empathetic. They enjoy being close to people, sharing problems, being in charge, unstructured activities. They like jobs such as teaching, nursing, and counselling. They solve problems by using their FEELINGS.

ENTERPRISING: PEOPLE AND DATA FOCUS

These people love projects. They like leading and influencing people, are often ambitious, outgoing, energetic, self-confident, independent, enthusiastic, sensitive and logical. They develop skills to lead, motivate and persuade people. They enjoy organising, managing, variety, status, power and money. They solve problems, by RISKING themselves and others.

ORGANISATIONAL/ADMINISTRATIVE: DATA AND THINK FOCUS
These people enjoy orderliness and clear routines. They like activities that encourage organising information in a clear and logical way. They tend to be responsible, dependable, careful, logical, and accurate. They have an eye for detail They enjoy order, security and certainty, identifying with power and status. They develop office and arithmetical skills. They like jobs involving systems, operating computers and word processors. They often like working in large organisations. They solve problems by following ROUTINES.