This is an ultimate guide to understanding what a Kuder Occupational Interest Survey really is.
In this comprehensive guide you’ll learn:
- What is a Kuder Occupational Interest Survey (KOIS)?
- What was KOIS created?
- What are the methods of development of this survey?
- And lots more…
So let’s dive right in!
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What is Kuder Occupational Interest Survey?
A Kuder Occupational Interest Survey is a self-report vocational test that is used as a source of guidance and counseling for one to best understand his vocational capabilities.
This occupational testing system originated in one of G. Frederic Kuder’s works who first began publishing on the instrument in 1939.
This testing system is often compared to other systems of vocational testing such as the Strong Interest Inventory.
The difference between these two methods of vocational testing’s that while the Strong Interest Inventory is focused on comparing the interests of a person to those of certain groups of people holding certain jobs, the Kuder Occupational Survey focuses on measuring a person’s broad areas of interest.
The advantage that the Kuder Occupational Interest Survey has over the Strong Interest Inventory is that it gives a person’s scores across 10 different occupational interest scales:
- Outdoor
- Mechanical
- Clerical
- Computational
- Scientific
- Literary
- Social Service
- Persuasive
- Artistic
- And Musical
Kuder Occupational survey results are presented as percentile scores, and the report is listed separately for men and women.
The result also compares the examinee’s scores to scores obtained from people already holding certain professions and lists top matches from there.
The survey also reveals the best matches between the examinee’s interests and the interests reported by representative samples of students majoring in some specific academic fields.
Kuder Occupational Interest Survey itself is a pencil-and-paper test that consists of 100 forced-choice triads of activities, whereby for each triad, you mark out the activity you most prefer and least prefer, leaving your intermediate choice(s) blank.
- SRA (mailed in and scan scored)
- Computer (locally stored)
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Why was the Kuder Occupational Interest Survey Created?
This testing system was created to solve the need for a means in which younger people (the junior high or middle school levers in particular) can measure their interests in various occupational fields of study.
And to make things really plane and easy for them, the type of vocabulary used in the survey is written down at a sixth-grade reading level.
The Kuder Occupational Interest Survey creates ratings of:
- Potential occupations
- Vocational interests
- And college majors
The survey consists of 60 questions that take roughly an hour to complete.
Methods of Development of the KOIS
The survey is divided into 10 major interest areas:
Outdoor
This gives more preference to outdoor activities, usually involving plants and birds, foresters, fish and game managers, farmers, naturalists, telephone line installers, etc.
Mechanical
It covers questions related to working with various machines and tools, pairing results with occupations like plumbing, carpentry, mechanics, etc.
Computation
This section covers questions that are focused on working with numbers and basic mathematics, relating the results with occupations similar to that of physicians, chemists, dieticians, etc.
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Scientific
This section covers questions with interest in the understanding of nature and discoveries, and problem-solving, relating the results with occupations similar to that of an engineer, physician, chemist, etc.
Persuasive
This section covers questions with interest in meeting and dealing with people, and trying to convince people of a cause or point of view, relating the results with occupations similar to that of personal managers, sales-reps, buyers, etc.
Artistic
This section covers questions with interest in being creative with the work of one’s hands, relating the results with occupations similar to that of an artist, sculptor, fashion designers, etc.
Literary
This section covers questions with interest in reading and writing, relating the results with occupations similar to that of teachers, poets, editors, etc.
Musical
This section covers questions with interest in singing, dancing, playing of musical instruments, and going to concerts, and relating the results with occupations similar to that of musicians, music critics, instrumentalists, etc.
Social Service
This section covers questions with interest in helping people and relating the results with occupations similar to that of a social worker, etc.
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Clerical
This section covers questions with interest in solving defined and specific tasks, relating the results with occupations similar to that of bookkeepers, accountants, file clerks, etc.