1. Self Directed Search Training

2. SDS Training Overview and Impact of the RIASEC theory History of SDS
Description of Components
Interpretation
Development
Reliability and Validity
Administration/Scoring Options

3. Overview
Self-administered, self-scored, and self-interpreted career counseling tool
Originally developed by John Holland, based on his RIASEC person-environment typology:
Realistic
Investigative
Artistic
Social
Enterprising
Conventional

5. Hexagonal Model

6. Impact of Holland’s Theory
Holland’s theory has been described as the most comprehensively studied career theory (Brown & Lent, 2013; Nauta, 2010; pokane & Cruza-Guet, 2005)
Holland’s RIASEC typology is the most widely used model for organizing career interest assessment instruments (Gottfredson & Holland, 1996)
It is used in approximately 50 different career information delivery systems (McDaniel & Snell, 1999; Savikas, 1999)
“Arguably no theory of career development has had a greater influence on the practice of career counseling and education than Holland’s” (Rayman and Atanasoff, 1999)
Holland’s theory has come to dominate the design of most interest inventories (Savikas, 1999)

7. Journal Citations
(Nauta, 2010)

8. Holland Bibliography (1953-2011)
(Foutch, McHugh, Bertoch, & Reardon, 2013)

9. Historical Overview
1971
First Edition
Several changes to scoring
1977
Major revision to scoring
50 jobs added to OF
1985
reduce item overlap
Omit items with extreme endorsement
↑ applicability to larger age range
Update the instructions
OF increased from 501 to 1,156
1994
67 items revised
+ fast-growing jobs
- declining jobs
+ jobs ↑GED levels
- of ↓GED levels
Substitution of job titles
Inclusion of all 3-letter Holland codes
Better instructions
Reminders to explore all permutations of code
2010
Revision of OF to include O*NET codes
2013
Release of 5th Edition of the SDS Form R

10. Educational Opportunities Finder Leisure Activities Finder
Assessment Booklet
Summary Code
Educational Opportunities Finder
Leisure Activities Finder
You and Your Career
Occupation Finder

11. The activity is structured around questions such as:
It is more than a test or an inventory-it is a simulated career decision-making activity with sections that cover activities that might typically occur during a career counseling or advising session.
The activity is structured around questions such as:
What occupations have you thought about in the past?
Tell me about the things you like to do.
What things can you do well or competently?
What occupations do or do not appeal to you?
How would you rate your abilities and skills compared to others your age?
The SDS captures the responses to these questions and links them to other tools for educational and career planning.

12. 1. Occupational Daydreams
Measure of expressed interests
Studies indicate that aspirations can be as predictive of future occupational entry as formal, standardized interest inventory results (e.g., Schoon, 2001)
Practitioners can examine not only the occupation(s) listed but also the RIASEC code(s) associated with the expressed daydreams
Practitioner can suggest using the code listed for the first daydream occupation to search for more possibilities in occupations or fields of study with that same code
Aspirations Summary Code
The process of recalling an occupational history, the user is bringing into current memory some occupations that may have been forgotten

13. 2. Activities Section
Mimics a counseling session where a practitioner might ask a person to report on hobbies, activities, and leisure interests, as well as the activities that he or she doesn’t enjoy
Includes 6 RIASEC scales of 14 items
Like or Dislike
It is possible that there is an important story behind many of the items marked “like” or “dislike” by the user in this section

14. 3. Competencies Section
Practitioners would typically ask clients to describe their skills (things they had learned to do in the past; things that the client had never done before)
Should not ignore history of skills, education, and work-related accomplishments
Includes 6 RIASEC scales of 14 items each
Yes or No format
People often develop skills in things that are important or interesting to them

15. 4. Occupations Section
Provides the practitioner with some information about the feelings/attitudes the user has toward a set of occupations
Based on Holland’s Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI)
Includes 6 RIASEC scales of 14 items each
Yes or No format
The number and type of occupations they endorse provides a wealth of information

16. 5. Self-Estimates Section
Self-efficacy, or beliefs that a person can actually do particular tasks
Help address situations when a person has a high ability score (e.g., math) but reports low self-ratings (e.g., math/science). Interest in creative arts, but no perceived abilities in this area.
6 RIASEC scales are rated twice (from 1 to 7) with respect to ability/skills
Users are asked to rate themselves on each of the traits, as compared with other persons their own age

17. 5. Self-Estimates Section
Mechanical ability
Scientific ability
Artistic ability
Teaching ability
Sales ability
Clerical skills
Manual skills
Math ability
Musical ability
Understanding of Others
Managerial skills
Office skills

18. Summary Score
Provides a way to move from a simulation to an assessed measure of interests
Summary Code = a measure of a users’ vocational personality

19. Assessment Booklet What Your Summary Code Means Some Next Steps
Brief description and suggestions
Some Next Steps
Activities that can help further explore
Resources
Websites that provide additional information

20. You and Your Career Understanding Careers
Description of RIASEC type/occupational types
Making Career Decisions
Resources

21. Occupations Finder Revised to include new and developing occupations
Over 1,200 occupations included
Summary Codes are linked to occupations found in the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database

22. Veteran and Military Occupations Finder
Two Indexes:
The Military Occupations Index lists active Military Occupational Classifications (MOCs) and corresponding two-letter Holland Occupational Codes (HOC).
The Military to Civilian Occupations Crosswalk lists active MOCs along with corresponding civilian occupations and two-letter HOCs.
All Five Branches: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy
Based on a crosswalk between MOC and O*NET Occupations that was created for the My Next Move for Veterans program

23. Educational Opportunities Finder
Revised using the 2010 Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP)
Over 1,000 programs of study
Individuals can use the online O*NET Education Crosswalk to find info about occupations that correspond to programs of study identified in the EOF

24. Leisure Activity Finder
Revised to include new and developing leisure activities
Over 800 leisure activities, over 100 more than 1997 edition

25. Client Report
RIASEC theory, description of the Summary Code and other resources, similar to YYC
Includes specific information about the client: the occupations, programs of study and leisure activities associated with their code

26. Professional Report
In addition to the information contained in the Client Report
Diagnostic Signs Summary Table
Provides specific interpretative text/recommendations based on client’s scores

27. Interpretation
Some view the SDS as a simple tool that falls short of being a sophisticated, complex assessment of career interests
One of the strengths of the SDS is the straightforward way it collects personal information and transforms it into educational, occupational, and leisure options
In addition, it provides useful diagnostic information that informs the career counseling process

28. Theory Based Interpretive Ideas
Basic Interpretive Ideas
Personality – interests, traits, goals and values implied by Summary Code
Congruence – degree of fit between Summary Code and Summary Aspiration Code

29. Theory Based Interpretive Ideas
Qualifying Interpretive Ideas
Coherence - refers to the degree to which the first letters of codes for the first three occupations listed in the user’s Daydreams belong in the same Holland Code category.
Consistency – refers to the personality pattern or interest profile in terms of proximity of the first two letters of the Summary Code on the hexagon.

30. Theory Based Interpretive Ideas
Qualifying Interpretive Ideas (cont.)
Profile Elevation – total number of positive responses across all items
Differentiation – level of distinctness in a profile (lowest score from the highest)
Commonness – frequency with which a code is observed in a comparison sample

31. Item Development Form R and CP items were combined
Experts reviewed suggestions and made recommendations
Panel rated new items on:
Quality of item
Degree to which the item represent the associated RIASEC type
Face validity/relevance of the item
Potential bias or other problems

32. Pilot Sample Sample Size 206 Gender Male 48.1 Female 51.9 Average Age
34.3 (range 11-70)
Race/Ethnicity
84.0% Caucasian
12.1% African American
0.0% Hispanic
3.0% Other
Level of Education (Adults)
20.4% School-age (grade 5-12)
11.2% Less than HS degree
18.4% HS graduate
16.3% Some college
33.7% College graduate
Included 22 items per scale (from 12)

33. Standardization Sample Size 1,739 Gender Male 49.5 Female 50.5
Average Age
34.5 (range 11-70)
Race/Ethnicity
61.6% Caucasian
13.7% African American
17.4% Hispanic
7.0% Other
Level of Education (Adults)
13.6% Less than HS degree
28.1% HS graduate
30.0% Some college
28.3% College graduate
Level of Education
(School Age)
24.6% 5th through 8th grade
67.0% High School
8.4% Some College

34. Reliability and Validity
Internal Consistency
Standard Error of Measurement
Test Re-test
Inter-scorer
Validity
Face Validity
Intercorrelations
Equivalency (Print/Online, 4th/5th Edition)
Convergent Validity
Predictive Validity

37. Inter-Scorer Reliability
Given that the SDS can be self-scored, it is important to examine how common errors occur
3.3% error rate by trained professional (using calculator)
10% error rate by trained professional (not using calculator)

38. Equivalence 4th and 5th Edition n = 60 r = .74 to .95 Print and Online
Consistent with studies on 4th edition

39. Convergent Validity Career Interest Strong O*NET Interest Profiler
Personality
NEO
Career Thoughts
Career Thoughts Inventory

40. Predictive Validity

41. Predictive Validity Employed in position for 1+ years
Unsatisfied = only 21% were found to have a high point code match between their job’s Holland Code and their SDS Summary Code
Satisfied = twice as many people (42%) had a match
Of the 1,739 standardization sample 1,441 reported aspirations
73% had an agreement score of 1 or better with their Summary Code and Aspiration Code

42. Administration and Scoring Options
Payment
Reports
Print
Traditional
Manual Entry from form via iConnect
SDS Website
Group account
Credit Card
PO (CS)
Volume Discount
Individual
Paypal
Password
Client Report only
Report link sent to client (and group account admin.)
iConnect
iAdmins
Client Report
Professional Report
Combo Report