How was our interest inventory developed?

General Overview

  • 30 Likert-scale statements.
  • Grounded in the RIASEC model with six core vocational interests: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. 
  • Takes less than 5 minutes to complete. 

Test Format

The Interest Inventory is designed to assess candidate preferences for tangible work activities. It consists of 30 Likert-scale statements focused on specific work tasks, for which the candidates need to indicate how much they would enjoy doing them. There is no set time limit but candidates usually take less than 5 minutes to complete the test.

Test Development

The test was developed by our team of organizational psychologists and psychometricians, strictly adhering to industry best practices to maximize reliability, validity, and fairness. A draft version of the test was piloted with a sample of representative job candidates from diverse backgrounds, after which the collected data was rigorously analyzed to produce group norms that aid in interpreting individual scores. Our test has been carefully crafted to ensure that it assesses candidates' likes and dislikes in an objective manner. 

Our test is inspired by Holland’s RIASEC model which is the most popular and widely accepted theory in the vocational interests area of academic study and research. The model includes six core vocational interests (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional) and offers a unique profile about each candidate’s preferences for specific work activities. As the database of responses grows, the test is periodically analyzed to ensure that results are meaningful and not disrupted by irrelevant bias or insensitivity. 


Scoring

Candidate results are provided through the platform, represented by a percentile for each dimension that illustrates how a candidate’s interests relate to a comparable sample of test-takers. This provides an objective benchmark for candidate comparison across the talent pool. To maximize the test’s ability to predict candidate success, it is advised to focus on the combination of activities required in the job being filled, and evaluate how those align with candidates’ interest profiles. 


Implementation Guidance

Understanding candidates’ individual preferences for work activities and environments is relevant for a wide variety of jobs. We highly recommend using the interest inventory in combination with other role-relevant tests, in accordance with the whole-person approach to assessment. Using comparative data from multiple tests allows clients to make evidence-based personnel selection decisions. 


Key Pilot Statistics

  • Data was collected from 264 job seekers.
  • Sample demographics were as follows:
    • Average age was 33.7 years;
    • Genders included male (50.2%), female (47.7%) and  other (1.3%);
    • Ethnicities included Asian (34.9%), White (31%), Black or African American (22.5%), Other Ethnicity (6.8%), and Mixed or Multiple Ethnicities (4.8%);
    • Countries included India (17.9%), Great Britain (10.9%), Nigeria (8.5%), United States (6.2%), Australia (4.6%), Canada (4.6%) and 18 others.