Secondary Transition Toolkit: Interest Inventories
A student’s Interest Inventory is used to look at their likes and dislikes, favorite activities and personal qualities to match interests to different types of careers and community options. This data assists students to develop self-knowledge and relate interests to the world of work, community and independent living. Interest inventories are often the first step in the development of meaningful postsecondary goals.
We encourage you to use Interest Inventories as well as transition assessments from other sources to gather and organize information about your students in order to prepare them for a seamless transition from school to adult life.
My Next Move: O’Net Interest Profiler
Author: U.S. Department of Labor
The O*NET Interest Profiler is a tool designed to assess an individual’s vocational interests. The web-based version of the tool features 60 items which measure six types of Holland occupational interests: Realistic (R), Investigative (I), Artistic (A), Social (S), Enterprising (E), and Conventional (C), collectively called RIASEC. Students discover the type of work activities and occupations they may find engaging and relate to their interests.
AGE BAND: 14-21 years old
COST: Free
Student Dream Sheet
Source: Cleveland County Schools, NC
The Student Dream Sheet is a questionnaire that asks students 15 basic questions about interests and preferences for future employment, training/education and independent living to assist teams with secondary transition planning.
AGE BAND: 14-21 years old
COST: Free
Career Interest Inventory Pictorial Version
Author: Shasta Twenty-first Century Career Connections
The Career Interest Inventory Pictorial Version helps students relate interests and abilities to career choices. This interest inventory is based on the six types of Holland occupational interests: Realistic (R), Investigative (I), Artistic (A), Social (S), Enterprising (E), and Conventional (C), collectively called RIASEC. The pictures help students identify the career areas they find interesting and might want to explore.
AGE GROUP: All
READING LEVEL: Reading Free
COST: Free
Photo Career Quiz
Author: Truity
The Photo Career Quiz is an online interest inventory that uses photographs of people in realistic environments both at work and leisure to identify career interests. Users are given 30 pairs of pictures and identify the most appealing image in each pair. The primary area of career interest is identified and sample careers in that area are provided.
AGE BAND: High School
COST: Free
RIASEC Inventory
Author: Dr. Mary Askew
The RIASEC Inventory is a 4-page assessment that uses John Holland’s RIASEC coding system of Realistic (R), Investigative (I), Artistic (A), Social (S), Enterprising (E), and Conventional (C) and O*NET job titles to identify career areas of interest. Students read a list of 72 activities and identify whether they like or dislike each. Scores are separated into six interest areas: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional and identify the top areas of interest for the student.
AGE BAND: High School
COST: Paper version cost varies by number purchased. 20+ = $71.99; online RIASEC Inventory = $5/each
Picture Interest Career Survey (3rd Edition)
Author: Robert Brady
The Picture Interest Career Survey (PICS) is a tool for individuals with limited reading ability or special needs to explore their career interests and find a job that fits. This updated 3rd Edition of PICS uses current pictures of people at work rather than text-based items to help individuals identify their occupational interests.
AGE BAND: 14-21 years old
COST: $68.25/pack of 25
RFVII-3: Reading-Free Vocational Interest Inventory, Third Edition
Authors: Katherine O. Synatschk & Ralph L. Becker
The Reading-Free Vocational Interest Inventory is a nonverbal measure of vocational interests of users from Grade 5 through adult. This inventory uses illustrations of individuals engaged in different occupations to measure the vocational likes and dislikes of students who have intellectual disabilities or learning disabilities, are struggling readers, or anyone who prefers a pictorial display. No reading or writing is required. The online scoring feature generates a personalized, in-depth, printable Interpretive report with links to O*NET information about jobs and training by Career Cluster.
AGE BAND: 14-21 years old
COST: $150.00 = Complete kit for 25 users administered on paper or online ; $300.00 = Online License for 100 Users
