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The RIASEC Model

Realistic (Doers)

These are people that prefer to work with things or do things physically. Their problem solving approach is often linear and concrete, staying in the realm of practicality where they are most comfortable and avoiding abstraction. They prefer to go and do, rather than sit and think. Some possible careers:

  • Agriculture
  • Architect (with Artistic and Enterprising)
  • Athletics
  • Carpenter (with Conventional and Investigative)
  • Culinary arts/Chef (with Artistic and Enterprising)
  • Chemistry/Chemist (with Investigative and Conventional)
  • Computer engineering/Computer science/Information technology/Computer programmer (with Investigative and Conventional)
  • Dentist (with Investigative and Social)
  • Engineer (with Investigative and Conventional)
  • Fashion design (with Artistic and Enterprising)
  • Firefighter (with Social and Enterprising)
  • Graphic designer (with Artistic and Enterprising)
  • Model (people) (with Artistic and Enterprising)
  • Musician (with Artistic and Enterprising)
  • Nurse (with Social, Conventional, and Investigative)
  • Outdoor recreation
  • Park Naturalist (with Social and Artistic)
  • Personal trainer (with Enterprising and Social)
  • Photographer (with Artistic and Enterprising)
  • Physical therapy (with Social and Investigative)
  • Driver
  • Sports medicine/Wilderness medicine (with Social and Investigative)
  • Surgeon (with Investigative and Social)
  • Veterinarian (with Investigative and Social)
  • Web developer (with Conventional, Artistic, and Investigative)
  • Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (with Investigative)

Investigative (Thinkers)

These are the most cerebral of the types and prefer to play with ideas and logic rather than go into action. May also be prone to independent work. Career paths include:

  • Actuary (with Conventional and Enterprising)
  • Archivist/Librarian (with Social and Conventional)
  • Biostatistics/Masters in Public Health (with Conventional)
  • Carpenter (with Conventional and Realistic)
  • CPA (Certified Public Accountant) (with Conventional and Enterprising)
  • Chemistry/Chemist (with Realistic and Conventional)
  • Community Health Workers/Masters in Public Health (with Social and Enterprising)
  • Computer engineering/Computer science/Information technology/Computer programmer (with Realistic and Conventional)
  • Counselor (with Social and Artistic)
  • Dentist (with Realistic and Social)
  • Dietitian/Nutritionist (with Social and Enterprising)
  • Doctor (Medical school/Medical research) (with Social)
  • Economics major (with Conventional and Social)
  • Engineer (with Realistic and Conventional)
  • Financial analyst (with Conventional and Enterprising)
  • Epidemiology/Masters in Public Health (with Social)
  • Lawyer (with Enterprising and Social)
  • Nurse (with Realistic, Conventional, and Social)
  • Paralegal (with Conventional and Enterprising)
  • Pharmacist (with Social and Conventional),
  • Physical therapy (with Social and Realistic)
  • Physics
  • Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers (with Artistic)
  • Professor/Research – PhD
  • Psychology/Psychologist (with Social and Artistic); Art therapist/Dance therapy/Drama therapy/Music therapy/Narrative therapy/Culinary therapy
  • Social Work (with Social)
  • Speech-language pathology/Myofunctional therapist (With Social and Artistic)
  • Sports medicine/Wilderness medicine (with Social and Realistic)
  • Surgeon (with Realistic and Social)
  • Technical writer, Proofreader, Copy Editor (with Artistic and Conventional)
  • Tutor (with Social)
  • Veterinarian (with Realistic and Social)
  • Web developer (with Conventional, Realistic, and Artistic)
  • Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (with Realistic)

Artistic (Creators)

Drawn to ideas and things. They are creative, open-minded, intelligent, and rebellious against rules but have high sociability and physical ability. They are more emotional than most.

  • Architect (with Realistic and Enterprising)
  • Broadcast journalism (with Enterprising)
  • Clergy (with Social and Enterprising)
  • Counselors (various)/Advisers (with Investigative, Enterprising, Conventional, and Social)
  • Guidance/School Counselors, Academic Advisors, Career Counselors, and Educational
  • consultants/IEC (see also: List of psychotherapies)
  • Culinary arts (with Realistic and Enterprising)
  • Entrepreneur (with Social and Enterprising)
  • Fashion design (with Realistic and Enterprising)
  • Graphic designer (with Enterprising and Realistic)
  • Model (people) (with Realistic and Enterprising)
  • Musician (with Enterprising and Realistic)
  • Park Naturalist (with Social and Realistic)
  • Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers (with Investigative)
  • Psychology/Psychologist (with Social and Investigative); Art therapist/Dance therapy/Drama therapy/Music therapy/Narrative therapy/Culinary therapy
  • Public relations (with Enterprising)
  • Photographer (with Realistic and Enterprising)
  • Speech-language pathology/Myofunctional therapist (With Social and Investigative)
  • Teacher (Early childhood education, Primary school, Secondary school, Teaching English as a second language, Special Ed, and Substitute teaching) (with Social)
  • Technical writer, Proofreader, Copy Editor (with Investigative and Conventional)
  • Trainer (business) (with Social and Conventional)
  • Translator (with Social)
  • Web developer (with Conventional, Realistic, and Investigative)

Social (Helpers)

Drawn towards people and the ability to connect with others. May seem like social workers or teachers who love the process of exchanging that involves a relationship. Not as interested in intellectualism or physicality.

  • Archivist/Librarian (with Conventional and Investigative)
  • CFP (Certified Financial Planner)/Personal Financial Planner (with Conventional and Enterprising)
  • Clergy (with Artistic and Enterprising)
  • Community Organizer
  • Community Health Workers/Masters in Public Health (with Investigative and Enterprising)
  • Counselors (various)/Advisers (with Investigative, Enterprising, Conventional, and Artistic)
  • Guidance/School Counselors, Academic Advisors, Career Counselors, and Educational
  • consultants/IEC (see also: List of psychotherapies)
  • Customer service (with Conventional and Enterprising)
  • Dentist (with Investigative and Realistic)
  • Dietitian/Nutritionist (with Investigative and Enterprising)
  • Doctor (Medical school/Medical research) (with Investigative)
  • Economics major (with Conventional and Social)
  • Educational administration (with Enterprising and Conventional)
  • Entrepreneur (with Enterprising and Artistic)
  • Epidemiology/Masters in Public Health (with Investigative)
  • Personal Financial Planner/Certified Financial Planner (with Enterprising and Conventional)
  • Firefighter (with Realistic and Enterprising)
  • Fitness Trainer and Aerobics Teacher (with Enterprising and Realistic)
  • Foreign Service/Diplomacy (with Enterprising and Artistic)
  • Human Resources (with Conventional and Enterprising)
  • Lawyer (with Investigative and Enterprising)
  • Nurse (with Realistic, Conventional, and Investigative)
  • Park Naturalist (with Realistic and Artistic)
  • Pharmacist (with Investigative and Conventional)
  • Physical therapy (with Realistic and Investigative)
  • Psychology/Psychologist (with Artistic and Investigative); Art therapist/Dance therapy/Drama therapy/Music therapy/Narrative therapy/Culinary therapy
  • Social Advocate
  • Sociology
  • Social Work
  • Speech-language pathology/Myofunctional therapist (With Investigative and Artistic)
  • Surgeon (with Realistic and Investigative)
  • Teacher (Early childhood education, Primary school, Secondary school, Teaching English as a second language, Special Ed, and Substitute teaching) (with Artistic)
  • Sports medicine/Wilderness medicine (with Investigative and Realistic)
  • Trainer (business) (with Artistic and Conventional)
  • Translator (with Artistic)
  • Tutor (with Investigative)
  • Veterinarian (with Investigative and Realistic)

Enterprising (Persuaders)

Drawn towards people and data. They make full use of data in order to influence people as well as use the fruits of their influence as data. Charismatic. Concerned with kinetics and what drives people.

  • Actuary (with Investigative and Conventional)
  • Architect (with Artistic and Realistic)
  • Business (with Social and Conventional)
  • Broker or Agent (ie. Automobile broker, Real Estate broker etc.)
  • Buyer
  • CPA (Certified Public Accountant) (with Investigative and Conventional)
  • CFP (Certified Financial Planner)/Personal Financial Planner (with Social and Conventional)
  • Community Health Workers/Masters in Public Health (with Investigative and Social)
  • Culinary arts (with Artistic and Realistic)
  • Clergy (with Artistic and Social)
  • Customer service (with Conventional and Social)
  • Dietitian/Nutritionist (with Social and Investigative)
  • Educational administration (with Social and Conventional)
  • Entrepreneur (with Social and Artistic)
  • Fashion design (with Artistic and Realistic)
  • Financial analyst (with Investigative and Conventional)
  • Foreign Service/Diplomacy (with Social and Artistic)
  • Firefighter (with Social and Realistic)
  • Fitness Trainer and Aerobics Teacher (with Realistic and Social)
  • Fundraising
  • Graphic designer (with Artistic and Realistic)
  • Human Resources (with Conventional and Social)
  • Broadcast journalism (with Artistic)
  • Lawyer (with Investigative and Social)
  • Management/Management Consultant
  • Market Research Analyst (with Investigative)
  • Model (people) (with Artistic and Realistic)
  • Musician (with Artistic and Realistic)
  • Paralegal (with Conventional and Investigative)
  • Photographer (with Artistic and Realistic)
  • Public Health Educator/Masters in Public Health (with Social)
  • Property manager/Community association manager (with Conventional)
  • Public relations/Publicity/Advertising/Marketing (with Artistic)
  • Sales (with Conventional and Social)

Conventional (Organizers)

People who prefer to work with data. These kinds of people work well with organizing, structure, order, and control and can utilize data in order to reap effective outcomes.

  • Actuary (with Investigative and Enterprising)
  • Archivist/Librarian (with Social and Investigative)
  • Biostatistics/Masters in Public Health (with Investigative)
  • Carpenter (with Realistic and Investigative)
  • Chemistry/Chemist (with Investigative and Realistic)
  • CFP (Certified Financial Planner)/Personal Financial Planner (with Social and Enterprising)
  • CPA (Certified Public Accountant) (with Investigative and Enterprising)
  • Computer engineering/Computer science/Information technology/Computer programmer (with Investigative and Realistic)
  • Customer service (with Enterprising and Social)
  • Economics major (with Investigative and Social)
  • Educational administration (with Social and Enterprising)
  • Engineer (with Investigative and Realistic)
  • Financial analyst (with Investigative and Enterprising)
  • Personal Financial Planner/Certified Financial Planner (with Social and Enterprising)
  • Human Resources (HR) (with Enterprising and Social)
  • Math teacher (with Social)
  • Nurse (with Realistic, Social, and Investigative)
  • Office administration (with Enterprising)
  • Paralegal (with Enterprising and Investigative)
  • Pharmacist (with Social and Investigative),
  • Property manager/Community association manager (with Enterprising)
  • Real Estate Agent (with Enterprising)
  • Statistician (with Realistic and Investigative)
  • Technical writer, Proofreader, Copy Editor (with Artistic and Investigative)
  • Trainer (business) (with Social and Artistic)
  • Web developer (with Artistic, Realistic, and Investigative)
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