According to Holland, career choice is an expression of one's personality. We choose a career based on the stereotypes we hold about different jobs or careers. Holland believed that people fall into one of six personality types:

1. Realistic
2. Investigative
3. Artistic
4. Social
5. Enterprising
6. Conventional

These are not pure types, thus the person can be categorized via profile (i.e. RIE) There is one type that is prominent with the second and third type representing the individual's coping style.

RIASEC Model:

1. Realistic - aggressive; prefers defined tasks requiring physical manipulation; has poor interpersonal skills. These individuals deal with the concrete (ie. tools, information, and machines) and are good at physical and motor coordination. Examples of compatible jobs:
a. Accountant
b. Agricultural positions
c. Engineer
d. Mechanic
e. Technician

2. Investigative - prefers systematic, creative investigation jobs and activities; tend to have poor persuasive and social skills. This type has no need for power, status or dominance and tries to avoid interpersonal relationships. They live in their heads using their intelligence to solve problems and enjoy the abstract. Examples of compatible jobs:
a. Chemist
b. Computer programmer
c. Mathematician
d. Scientist

3. Artistic - imaginative; prefers self-expression via physical, verbal, or other areas of expression; dislikes systematic and ordered activities. Exhibits a need to express their feelings and imagination rather than focus on boring task that are usually part of any process. They are nonconforming and hard to contain. Examples of compatible jobs:
a. Artist
b. Editor
c. Musician
d. Dramatic arts

4. Social - social; prefers activities that inform, develop, or enlighten others; dislikes activities involving tools or machines. Seek attention and vocations that require relationships. Examples of compatible jobs:
a. Counselor
b. Social worker
c. Teacher

5. Enterprising - extroverted; prefers leadership and persuasive roles; dislikes abstract, cautious activities. Tends to dominate and manipulate individuals. They are driven by power and social status and always "on the edge". Examples of compatible jobs:
a. Manager
b. Politician
c. Sales personnel
d. Self-employed entrepreneur

6. Conventional - practical; prefers ordered, clean, neat and structured activities; dislikes ambiguous and unsystematized tasks. These individuals tend to be subordinate and like to conform to rules and regulations. Examples of compatible jobs:
a. File clerk
b. Cost accountant
c. Clerical

The "RIASEC" model is depicted as a hexagon. With the six types assigned to its angles, related traits run along common lines, and incompatible ones sit at opposite sides (for example, Artistic shares more with Investigative and Social than with Realistic and Enterprising).

Since Holland constructs vocational interest and personality from the same material, researchers like its interpretive possibilities. More than a few assessment models are based on Holland's work, including two of Holland's own assaying devices, Vocational Preference Inventory and Self-Directed Search, along with a three letter code classification system based on RIASEC (Holland's Occupational Classification (HOC) system has corresponding Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) numbers for cross-reference purposes) are popular evaluatory tools.