CAREER INTEREST INVENTORY

 

Today’s Date: ___________________________________________________________

 

Do you already know what job you would like to have when you grow up?

 

q       Yes    What is it? _______________________________

 

q       No    Well, that’s perfectly ok.  You are about to have a chance to discover some of your options.

 

Whether you know what you want to do or not, please take the career interest inventory below.  By answering the next 60 questions, you will be able to either confirm your idea or identify some possible jobs for you based on your interests.

 

What’s your career interest area?

 

For each item listed below, choose the activity you would rather do.  It does not matter if you love them both or hate them both – you still must pick the one you would rather do, then circle it.

 

WOULD YOU RATHER:

           

1.                  B.  study the weather

E.  coach basketball

 

2.                  J.  write a book about something you like

H.  find out why someone is sick and take care of them

 

3.                  G.  keep business records for a company

B.  solve pollution problems

 

4.                  A.  design an office building

C.  work on a farm

 

5.                  D.  fight fires

G.  use a calculator to add up how much a company makes each day

 

6.                  G.  help customers in a bank

A.  assemble or repair a car or the space shuttle

 

7.                  G.  run a telephone switchboard

H.  help people decide where to go on vacation

 

8.                  E.  scout baseball players for a minor league team

G.  deliver and distribute mail

 

9.                  A.  drive a truck/operate a forklift

D.  solve a burglary

 

10.              C.  be in charge of replanting a forest

D.  supervise police officers

 

11.              G.  create letters and spreadsheets for the president of a company

H.  cut and style hair

 

12.              A.  assemble electronic parts for computers

E.   run a tennis camp

 

13.              K.   teach school

           G.   sell TV, radio or newspaper ads

 

14.              E.   be in charge of timers at a track meet

D.     guard prisoners

 

15.              J.   teach drama

B.  conduct chemistry experiments to test the strength of plastics

 

16.              C.  train dogs

D.  be in charge of security for a company

 

17.              A.  operate a bulldozer or other heavy equipment

I.  repair computers

 

18.              F.   help someone unemployed find a job

H.  greet and help hotel guests

 

19.              H.  be the host/hostess in a restaurant

F.  work with people in a mental health clinic

 

20.              I.  write a computer program

E.   keep score for a sporting event

 

21.              C.   manage a cattle ranch

J.    teach art

 

22.              B.   do DNA testing on blood

D.  give traffic tickets to law violators

 

23.              A.   prepare drawings using computer aided drafting (CAD)

G.   show and sell houses and land

 

24.              A.   design mechanical and electrical systems for airplanes

G.   sell cars

 

25.              H.   work as a flight attendant for an airline

K.     hire people for a company

 

26.              J.    design a poster using a computer

D.   guard money in an armored car

 

27.              C.   do surgery to cure a sick animal

B.   do tests on blood in a medical laboratory

 

28.              G.   sell clothes or sporting goods

A.   build a stereo from a blueprint

 

29.       K.   argue cases in front of a judge

I.    develop a web page

 

30.        H.   collect tickets at a movie or play

E.    referee a sporting event

 

31.        A.   weld parts together to build a missile

I.    set up computer systems

 

32.        K.    be a TV newscaster

J.    play a musical instrument

 

33.              B.   fill prescriptions in a pharmacy

F.   help take care of elderly people

 

34.       G.   sell supplies to doctors

            K.     raise money for charity

 

35.              D.   enforce fish and game laws

K.    work to get someone elected

 

36.              F.    take care of children at a day care center

E.    teach aerobics

 

37.              J.     take pictures for a newspaper or magazine

A.   use a machine to make a rocket part

 

38.              B.    determine the age of fossils

A.    test and check products to make sure they were made correctly

 

39.              B.    calculate the time it takes to fly to Mars

            I.    test new computer programs

 

40.              H.    do ladies nails

D.    be someone’s bodyguard

 

41.              F.    help someone with a personal problem

H.   serve meals to customers

             

42.              B.   design medical equipment for a hospital

I.  design computer systems

 

43.              J.   write for a newspaper

K.   buy/sell stocks in the stock market

 

44.              C.  take care of animals

            F.   help the disabled

 

45.              H.  help people loose weight

            F.   be an emergency medical technician (EMT)

 

46.              I.  link computers in an office

            B.  study the planets

 

47.              K.    run a department in a large company

C.     manage a fish hatchery

 

48.              J.   model for an artist or photographer

            E.   teach ice-skating

 

49.              I.  surf the Internet

            J.   design a new product that will be made in a factory

 

50.              K.    coach a high school sports team

E.      teach swimming

 

51.       F.   help feed people in a hospital

            H.  drive a taxi

           

52.       B.   test people to see if they need glasses

C.  do experiments with plants and animals

 

53.       I.    teach computer classes

            K.  be a politician

 

54.       D.   check buildings for fire hazards

            F.    run a health program

 

55.              C.   operate a lawn care service

            D.   make an arrest

 

56.       E.    teach people to ski

            F.    help patients make injured arms and legs stronger

 

57.              C.    plant and trim trees

      E.    operate a bowling alley

 

58.              K.  line up concerts for the Von Braun Center (VBC)

            I.    troubleshoot computer problems

 

59.              J.    draw and paint signs and billboards

            H.   drive a limousine

           

60.              J.    pick and announce the music for a radio station

            I.   determine what computers a company should buy

 

 

CAREER INTEREST AREAS

 

The Career Interest Areas listed below can help you match your interest with possible careers.  Each Career Interest Area has hundreds of occupations, some of which are listed in more specific categories within the area.  Browse through them and see if anything interests you.  For more information or a complete listing of occupations, refer to an Occupational Outlook Handbook. (See your counselor or librarian.)

 

MECHANICAL/INDUSTRIAL  - Any career involved in the process of inventing and/or creating a product from raw material

 

q       Design/Engineering – AutoCAD, architect, engineering

q       Production – machinist, welder, quality control, shipping/receiving, electronics technician, solderer

q       Automotive – paint & body, technician

q       Construction – carpenter, plumber, electrician, brick mason, concrete finisher, sheetrock installer, heavy equipment operator

 

SCIENTIFIC – Any career which involves the art of proving or solving any natural existence or phenomenon.

           

q       Life – biologist, surgical technician

q       Physical – chemistry, meteorologist, pharmacist, environmental scientist,

 

PLANTS/ANIMALS –  Any career involving caring for animals or working the land

 

q       Plants – botanist, farmer, landscape technician, parks & recreation worker,

q       Animals – veterinarian, fish & game warden, zoo keeper

 

PROTECTIVE – Any career in which you work to prevent/stop crime or guard people from harm, injury or attack

 

q       Law Enforcement – policeman, state trooper, FBI, CIA, ATF

q       Fire – fireman, investigator, dispatcher

 

PHYSICAL/PERFORMING – Any career revolving around the use of a person’s athletic ability

 

q       Physical/Performing – athlete, coach, trainer, scout, referee

 

HUMANITARIAN – Any career in which one cares for another person by assisting them either physically, emotionally or mentally

 

q       Medical – doctor, nurse, emergency medical technician, physical therapy

q       Social Services – counselor, sociologist, day care worker, minister

 

BUSINESS – Those careers that are necessary in all companies to manage money, hire staff, buy supplies, etc.

 

q       Operations – human resources, accounting, purchasing

q       Retail/Wholesale – customer service rep, stocker, visual merchandiser

 

ACCOMMODATING – Any career in which you meet a personal need, provide a service for or are willing to help others

           

q       Food & Lodging – chef, waiter/waitress, host/hostess, concierge, caterer

q       Special Event Planners – travel agent, convention/visitors bureau

q       Personal Services – cosmetologist, manicurist, flight attendant

 

COMPUTER/INFORMATION TECHNOLGY – Any career in which you create or maintain computer hardware or software

 

q       Programmer – software engineer, website developer, graphic artist

q       Network – systems analyst, network administrator

 

ARTISTIC -             Any career involving the use of creative juices to convey a message through picture, song or action

 

q       Art – painting, sculpting, photography

q       Performing Arts – dance, music, acting

q       Computer related – graphic artist, website developer

 

LEADING/INFLUENCING – Any career in which you affect how people vote, learn, spend, invest and live

 

q       Law – lawyer, paralegal, judge

q       Financial – banker, stock broker

q       Government – politician, lobbyist

q       Education – teacher, administrator, counselor

q       Non-Profit agencies – fund raiser, event planner, marketing (Red Cross, United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development)

 

A                       Mechanical/Industrial
B                       Scientific
C                       Plants/Animals
D                       Protective
E                       Physical/Performing
F                       Humanitarian
G                       Business
H                       Accommodating
I                       Computer/Information
J                       Artistic
K                       Leading/Influencing

STEP 1: Did you answer yes on page one (1) that you know what job you would like to have?

 

q       Yes.  Go to Step 2.

q       No.   Go to Step 3.

 

STEP 2: Does your career on page one (1) match your Career Interest Inventory?

 

q       No.   Go to Step 4.

q       Yes.  Go to Step 5.

 

STEP 3: Based on the results chart above, locate your top interest area on page 5 or 6 and check the box that interests you the most.  Go to Step 5 and write in your selection.

 

STEP 4: Based on the results chart above, locate your top interest area on page 5 or 6 and check the box that interests you the most.  What is it? ________________________

What job did you say you wanted on page one (1)? ___________________________  Between the two jobs you just listed, which one would you rather tour/shadow?  Go to Step 5 and write in your selection.

 

STEP 5: What is your career choice? ________________________