Helpers are one of six career types in the system developed by psychologist Dr. John Holland. Holland's theory of occupational choice uses your interests to classify you as one of six types. Each type has their own values, motivations, and preferred career fields.
A person is classified as a Helper when he or she is mostly interested in jobs that help or serve other people (what Holland called the Social interest). Helpers are typically compassionate, caring people who like to see the impact of their work on others' lives.
Helpers often choose careers in health care, social service, counseling, human resources and personal care.
Top Job Tasks for Helpers
- Counseling
- Assisting
- Advising
- Teaching
- Providing Service
Key Values for Helpers
- Cooperation
- Service
- Altruism
- Connection
- Empathy
Personality Traits of Helpers
- Compassionate
- Patient
- Helpful
- Friendly
- Generous
How Do I Know if I'm a Helper?
If you are a Helper, you will probably like working closely with others in a way that allows you to make a positive impact on their lives. You likely enjoy teaching, counseling, and caring for other people. Choosing work that allows you to live out your personal values is very important to you.
Most Helpers dislike working alone. They place a high value on their relationships and want to work in cooperation and harmony with others.
If you are not sure if you are a Helper, you can take a career test to measure your interests. The Career Personality Profiler will test your interest level in all six of the Holland Code career areas and match you with appropriate careers for your personality profile.
Sample Careers for Helpers
- Dental Hygienist
- Emergency Management Director
- Registered Nurse
- Chiropractor
- Orthotist or Prosthetist
- Instructional Coordinator
- Arbitrator, Mediator, or Conciliator
- Respiratory Therapist
How Do I Find the Right Helping Career?
The most popular careers have been classified according to their interest area, so once you know you're a Helper, you can match yourself with Helping careers.
If you take a good quality career interests inventory, then careers will be suggested to you based on your personal interest profile. Or, you can also do a search for careers that match the Helping interest area.
Remember that not all Helping careers will be right for you. Most careers combine one, two, or even three interest areas, so it is important that your interests match all aspects of a job. You will need to have an idea of your interest level in all 6 interest areas to make the best choice.
More Interest Areas to Explore
There are 6 total interest areas, some of which will appeal to you, and some of which will not. If you haven't yet read about the other five interest areas, you'll want to do so now to get a complete picture of your interest profile. Or, you can take the Career Personality Profiler test to measure your interests in all 6 areas.