The O*NET Interest Profiler is a valuable tool designed to help individuals explore their career interests. It identifies six core types of occupational interests, providing a foundation for career exploration and planning. These interests are categorized as:
- Realistic
- Investigative
- Artistic
- Social
- Enterprising
- Conventional
Understanding these interest areas can significantly assist in guiding career paths and aligning personal interests with potential occupations.
O*NET Interest Profiler Formats: Choose the Right One for You
The O*NET Interest Profiler offers flexibility with different formats to suit various needs and contexts. Here’s a comparison of the available formats:
| Features | O*NET IP Short Form (60 questions) | O*NET Mini-IP (30 questions) |
|---|---|---|
| Web-based version | Yes – English, Spanish | No |
| Paper-and-pencil version | Yes – English | No |
| Designed for mobile apps | No | Yes |
| Customizable versions | Yes | Yes |
Key Features of the O*NET Interest Profiler
The O*NET Interest Profiler is built upon a robust framework and offers several key features that make it a trusted and effective career exploration tool:
- Based on Holland’s RIASEC Theory: It is compatible with John Holland’s RIASEC model (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional), a widely respected and researched framework in career counseling. This ensures a strong theoretical foundation and alignment with established career development principles.
- Broad Occupational Representation: The interest items within the profiler represent a diverse range of occupations across different complexity levels. This comprehensive approach ensures relevance for a wide spectrum of users, regardless of their educational background or career aspirations.
- Rigorous Development Process: The O*NET Interest Profiler has undergone extensive and thorough development, incorporating input from clients at every stage. This rigorous process ensures construct validity and reliability, making it a dependable tool for assessing vocational interests.
- User-Friendly and Accessible: The profiler is designed to be self-administered and self-interpreted, making it accessible for individual use without requiring professional guidance. It is also well-received by users due to its ease of use and clear presentation of results.
- Versatile Application: It can be used independently or in conjunction with other O*NET Career Exploration Tools or even privately developed instruments. This versatility allows for seamless integration into existing career exploration programs or personalized approaches.
- Direct Link to O*NET Occupations: Results from the Interest Profiler can be directly linked to over 900 occupations detailed in O*NET OnLine, My Next Move, My Next Move for Veterans, and Mi Próximo Paso. This direct connection facilitates practical career exploration by linking interest profiles to concrete career options available on resources like Online Onetcenter.
- Efficient Completion Time: Depending on the chosen format, the profiler takes approximately 10-30 minutes to complete. This efficient timeframe makes it practical for use in various settings, including workshops, counseling sessions, and self-directed exploration.
- Comprehensive Manual Available: For a deeper understanding of its development and usage, the O*NET® Interest Profiler Manual provides a detailed overview.
The O*NET Interest Profiler is licensed under Creative Commons, allowing for redistribution and adaptation under various licensing options. For more details, refer to the Career Exploration Tools License page.
For information regarding previous formats of the O*NET Interest Profiler, consult: Reports and Documents — Career Exploration Tools — Interests.
Web-Based O*NET Interest Profiler Short Form
The web-based version of the O*NET Interest Profiler Short Form is readily available at no cost through My Next Move. This online tool offers users a reliable and accurate vocational interest profile, enabling them to:
- Identify Work-Related Interests: Gain clarity on their specific interests related to the world of work.
- Focus Career Exploration: Streamline their career search by concentrating on fields that align with their interests.
- Connect Interests to O*NET Occupations: Directly link their vocational interests to detailed O*NET-SOC occupations available online and through resources connected to online onetcenter.
Take the Web-based Interest Profiler now
For further information about the Interest Profiler Short Form, see the detailed reports.
Paper-and-Pencil O*NET Interest Profiler Short Form
A paper-and-pencil version of the O*NET Interest Profiler Short Form is also available without charge. You can download the instrument and related materials as accessible PDF files, providing an offline option for administration.
Register your use to help O*NET better understand user needs and improve their services.
The O*NET Interest Profiler can be shared and adapted for other assessments under different licenses. More information can be found on the Career Exploration Tools License page.
Download the paper version and related reports for in-depth information about the Interest Profiler Short Form.
Spanish Language O*NET Interest Profiler Short Form
For Spanish speakers, a Spanish language version of the O*NET Interest Profiler Short Form is accessible for free via Mi Próximo Paso. Similar to the English version, it provides users with an accurate vocational interest profile to:
- Understand Work-Related Interests: Identify their vocational interests in a Spanish language context.
- Target Career Searches: Focus their career exploration efforts based on their Spanish language interest profile.
- Link Interests to O*NET Occupations: Connect their vocational interests to O*NET-SOC occupations through Spanish language resources like Mi Próximo Paso, part of the online onetcenter network.
Take the Spanish language Interest Profiler now
Further reports are available for more information about the Interest Profiler Short Form in Spanish.
O*NET Mini Interest Profiler for Mobile Applications
The O*NET Mini Interest Profiler (Mini-IP) is a mobile-friendly vocational interest assessment designed for developers working on mobile applications or in settings with time constraints. This concise version features 30 questions, each describing a work activity. While the Mini-IP is beneficial for mobile contexts, the Interest Profiler Short Form (60 questions) is recommended when possible for a more comprehensive assessment.
Developers can access the questions and scoring algorithm for the Mini-IP via O*NET Web Services, a crucial resource for integrating O*NET tools into online platforms and applications, and central to the online onetcenter ecosystem. For those interested in developing new assessments based on the Mini-IP, please refer to the Career Exploration Tools License page.
Note: Currently, the National Center for O*NET Development does not offer the Mini-IP directly to career explorers.
Emoji scale used in the O*NET Mini Interest Profiler.
To enhance mobile-friendly applications, O*NET has also created a set of emoji-style images for use with the Mini-IP’s five-point scale. Developers can download these emoji graphics for use as illustrations or buttons when implementing the Interest Profiler in their applications.
More detailed reports are available for those seeking further information about the Mini-IP and the emoji scale.
Developer Summary: Integrating O*NET Interest Profiler
For developers looking to integrate the O*NET Interest Profiler into their platforms, several options are available:
| Integration Options | O*NET IP Short Form (60 questions) | O*NET Mini-IP (30 questions) |
|---|---|---|
| Embeddable widget | Yes – English, Spanish | No |
| Link to free web version | Yes – English, Spanish | No |
| Web service API | Yes – English, Spanish | Yes – English, Spanish |
| Licensing & documentation | Yes | Yes |
Share and Adapt O*NET Career Exploration Tools
The O*NET Career Exploration Tools are available for redistribution and adaptation to develop other assessments under various licenses. For complete details, please visit the Career Exploration Tools License page.
Interest Profiler Integration on the Web
The web-based format of the Interest Profiler Short Form is particularly useful for website and web application developers. O*NET offers three primary methods for integrating the Interest Profiler Short Form:
- Deep Linking to My Next Move: Directly link users to the Interest Profiler hosted on My Next Move.
- IFrame Widget Integration: Embed an IFrame Widget directly into your website for seamless user access.
- Web Service API for Custom Solutions: Utilize the web service API to retrieve scores and career suggestions, enabling the development of customized career exploration applications.
To explore these integration options further, visit O*NET Web Services, your central hub for accessing and implementing O*NET tools online, and a key component of the online onetcenter resources.
Developing a Spanish Language Version for Your Platform
The Spanish-language Interest Profiler from Mi Próximo Paso can also be integrated into your site. An IFrame widget and comprehensive web services API are accessible through O*NET Web Services, allowing you to offer the tool in both English and Spanish, broadening the reach and accessibility for your diverse audience and leveraging the multilingual capabilities available through online onetcenter.
Creating a Mobile-Friendly Career Exploration Experience
Discover more about the mobile-friendly O*NET Mini Interest Profiler within the Mobile section of this document. This section provides details on how to utilize the Mini-IP to create effective career exploration tools optimized for mobile devices, ensuring accessibility for users on the go, and expanding the reach of online onetcenter resources to mobile platforms.
