Combining the MBTI and the Strong Interest Inventory Written by Justin M. Deonarine I/O Psychologist The MBTI® instrument helps individuals better understand themselves and how they interact with others. It does this by indicating where they tend to focus their attention, how they take in information, how they make decisions, and how they deal with the external world. It offers perspective on many aspects of people’s professional and personal lives, including (but not limited to): Decision making, change management, and stress management. The Strong Interest Inventory® assessment matches an individual’s interests to careers they may find fulfilling by exploring the individuals’ level of interest in six “General Occupational Themes” (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional). Whether they are starting their careers or seeking a change, individuals can use this information to determine occupations that may be of interest to them. A powerful story emerges when we combine the data from these two assessments, and we start to see clients embrace new possibilities. Below, we will explore one way in which you can use the combined data to help your clients successfully navigate their search for a fitting and fulfilling career. The two middle letters of each MBTI type represent: The dominant function, which is the preference that is most natural to people of that type. The auxiliary function, which is the second-most-used preference (providing support to the dominant function). Function pairs provide key insights into the intersection of type and interests. The following chart shows how the function pairs and GOTs interact. Using a client’s function pair and highest GOT, you can reference activities that they will find fulfilling in a career. Strong GOT MBTI® FUNCTION PAIR ST SF Realistic Analyzing data Protecting people from harm Using information to protect others Designing safer freeways for people Building or repairing machinery Increasing personal connections through data Analyzing computer networks Nourishing others through farming Organizing data in spreadsheets Building someone’s home Investigative Devising a formula for a medication Establishing a nutrition plan for a patient Reading a dental X-ray Treating a cancer patient with medication Analyzing a rock’s composition Researching eye care for children Observing animal behaviors Studying the impact of sleep on people Applying technology to science Learning about the human body Artistic Designing a city’s downtown area Finding a specific library book Creating a corporate logo Reporting a human interest story Grading an English essay Editing a public service announcement Writing a finance column Translating instructions for passports Photographing bonsai trees Researching and constructing a legal argument Social Administering IV medication Teaching someone to walk again Writing a high school budget Providing speech therapy Teaching an accounting class Organizing a community potluck dinner Observing and recording symptoms in an ICU Implementing a case management plan Diagnosing a speech disorder Coaching a birthing patient in labor Enterprising Researching employee health benefits Working as a personal shopper Comparing potential fabrics for a chair Talking about constructing a retirement fund Forecasting sales for the quarter Helping a person choose the right computer Leading an operations department Managing janitors at a children’s hospital Writing questions for a focus group Assisting people with rebooking a flight Conventional Gathering research for a case/argument Serving as a medic in the Marines Analyzing software and computer compatibility Organizing an executive’s schedule Constructing an IRA portfolio Producing an independent film Doing a person’s taxes Preparing a meal at a hospital Reconciling a company’s profits and losses Helping people understand their investments Strong GOT MBTI® FUNCTION PAIR NT NF Realistic Directing a boot camp for new recruits Maintaining a natural landscape Designing green space in a city Designing a fitness plan Making a diagnosis based on an X-ray Responding to a 911 call Building a modern piece of furniture Planting beautiful flowers Envisioning a future car design Designing network systems Investigative Understanding the root of social problems Writing about treatment for anxiety Creating a mathematics college course Counseling a person for addiction Developing an iPad app Managing a research project Experimenting with liquid formulas Realigning a person’s spine Researching brain behavior Teaching astronomy and the constellations Artistic Illustrating an anatomy textbook Teaching painting to high schoolers Writing a marketing pitch Delivering a leadership workshop Debating the impact of ESL programs Writing an ad campaign for coffee Designing a modern, green school building Photographing a family holiday portrait Creating a conflict management model Managing a company’s public image Social Teaching a foreign language Writing a special-needs curriculum Prioritizing an educational budget Counseling a problem student Instructing college students in architecture Arranging flowers at a wedding Delivering a sermon about patience Waiting with a patient for surgery Facilitating an addiction recovery group Performing a holiday show with students Enterprising Designing a modern wing in a museum Leading a team of real estate agents Leading a technology company Buying a clothing collection for a store Opening a restaurant Running a nonprofit agency Serving as mayor for a city Creating an eclectic menu Selling life insurance Doing a complete makeover on someone Conventional Experimenting with planting an innovative crop Leading a nursing home sing-along Running a home for blind people Teaching a course on marketing Designing a software system Creating a public health workshop Teaching an economics course Supporting an environmental lawyer Making an accessible-to-all room and ramp Organizing a company-wide retreat
