Strong Interest Inventory

Hand a client the Strong Interest Inventory (SII) and you are essentially asking, "Which people do you resemble?" It matches a test-taker's likes and dislikes against the interest patterns of people who are satisfied in specific occupations — which is exactly why examiners love it as the classic interest inventory.

The Strong is organized in a tidy top-to-bottom hierarchy. At the broadest level sit the six General Occupational Themes (GOTs) — and here is the tested link: the GOTs are Holland's RIASEC types (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional). Beneath the themes are the 25 Basic Interest Scales (BISs) — narrower clusters like mechanics, science, or sales that show where specific interests concentrate. Below those are the Occupational Scales (OSs), which compare the client's responses to those of satisfied workers in individual careers. Rounding it out are the five Personal Style Scales (work style, learning environment, leadership, risk-taking, team orientation).

Two features earn exam points. First, the Strong measures interests, not abilities — it predicts satisfaction and fit, never how well someone will perform. Second, its Occupational Scales were built by criterion (empirical) keying: item responses were contrasted against a criterion group of satisfied workers, so a high score means "you answer like people happy in this field," not "you are skilled at it."

Appropriate use: the Strong suits adolescents (roughly high-school age) through adults exploring or changing careers, and it requires professional interpretation — it is not self-scored. Interests are relatively stable, but scores should be read as a springboard for exploration, not a verdict.

Clinical Pearl: The Strong's General Occupational Themes are Holland's RIASEC types, and the whole instrument measures interests, not aptitude — high scores predict satisfaction and fit, never competence.