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Professional interests
Interests can be defined as situations, activities and things that we like and give us pleasure. They usually manifest themselves through the activities we follow, the objects to which we attach value, in what we find entertaining, attractive or challenging. Each of us has some special interests, which can be fixed for several years or change depending on the experiences and stimuli received from his environment.
Of course, knowledge of our interests is another important element that helps us to make good decisions in our personal and professional lives. As regards professional life, interests express a constant tendency to focus attention towards a profession or group of professions, accompanied by specific activities, actions and attitudes towards that profession or group of professions.
The evaluation of professional interests primarily contributes to :
In the development of self-awareness of the individual
In identifying professional alternatives
In the differentiation of professional activities from leisure activities
In identifying causes that cause lack of satisfaction in educational or professional matters
In the search for professional information.
The questionnaire below will help you get to know your personal professional interests and can be a first indication of the professional team that suits you.
Questionnaire Of Professional Interests
The following proposals describe various types of activities. Read each sentence carefully and think to what extent you like to engage in the corresponding activity. Then circle the number according to how much you like the activity that each sentence describes.
| I would like … | I don’t like it at all. | I don’t like it much. | I am not sure, if I like it or not. | I like it a little bit. | I like it a lot. |
| 1. To research the social problems of urban centers. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 2. Prepare income tax refunds for the public. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 3. To inform the world about the effects of food on the human body. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 4. To patrol the forests in summer to prevent fires. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 5. To prepare meals for others. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6. To draw drawings for book illustration. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 7. Use computers to collect and examine data. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 8. To build buildings with bricks or stone. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 9. To organize games for summer camps. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 10. To make decisions based on law. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 11. To drive a train. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 12. To sell sports equipment. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 13. Interview job candidates. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 14. To repair jewelry. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 15. To heat metals in a factory. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 16. Compile reports on human behavior. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 17. Operating a call center. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 18. Use a microscope to examine germs. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 19. To plant and take care of trees. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 20. To carry suitcases for hotel customers. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 21. To write short stories or articles. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 22. To monitor changes in the price of gold or silver. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 23. Laying carpets in houses or buildings. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 24. To do private lessons to children. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 25. To inform people about their legal rights. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 26. To drive an ambulance. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 27. To sell computers. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 28. To run a store. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 29. Repair TVs, radios or videos. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 30. Handling a large saw to cut wood. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 31. To study how people change over time. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 32. Organize files and fill out forms. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 33. To weigh and measure medicines. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 34. To fish professionally. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 35. To cut and comb hair. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 36. To take photos for a newspaper. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 37. To design buildings or houses. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 38. To pave paths or roads with cement. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 39. To teach children with special learning needs. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 40. To check legal contracts. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 41. To work at a gas station. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 42. To sell products over the phone. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 43. To plan the development of a product. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 44. To repair and tune musical instruments. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 45. To repair central heating systems. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 46. Gather information about people’s lifestyles. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 47. To operate a cash register. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 48. Operate a radiological machine. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 49. To take care of gardens with grass or flowers. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 50. To serve food in a restaurant. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 51. To write screenplays for the cinema or television. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 52. Do laboratory research on chemicals. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 53. To cut and install windows. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 54. To teach adults. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 55. Assist lawyers in preparing them for trial. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 56. To drive a bus. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 57. Selling clothes in a store. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 58. To supervise the production of products. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 59. To repair watches. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 60. To install heavy machinery in factories. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Score
Questions 1,16,31,46 constitute the “Social Sciences”, questions 2,17,32,27 constitute the” office workers “factor, questions 3,18,33,48 constitute the” Health Services”, questions 4, 19, 34,49 constitute the” agricultural industry”, questions 5,20,35,50 constitute the” provision of services”, while questions 6,21,36,51 constitute the “Fine Arts”. Respectively, questions 7,22,37,52 constitute the “science”, questions 8,23,38,53 constitute the” construction industry”, questions 9,24,39,54 constitute the” Education “factor, questions 10,25,40,55 constitute the” legal services “and questions 11,26,41,56 constitute the “Transport” factor. Similarly, questions 12,27,42,57 constitute the “trade” factor, questions 13,28,43,58 constitute the “management” factor, questions 14,29,44,59 constitute the “craftsmen” factor and questions 15,30,45,60 constitute the “machine handling” factor.
So add the numbers you have selected for each question, depending on the professional group-factor where they belong and the sum write down in the table below. If, for example, in the 1,16,31,46 questions that make up the “Social Sciences”, you have chosen for Question 1 4, for 16 5, for 31 2 and for 46 3, your interest rating for this professional group will be: 4+5+2+3=14. After completing this process for all professional groups, focus your attention on the highest interest scores, since the professions that your respective professional groups represent most suit you.
| Professional Groups | Interest Score |
| Social Sciences | |
| Office services | |
| Health services | |
| Agricultural branch | |
| Provision of services | |
| Fine arts | |
| Science | |
| Construction industry | |
| Education | |
| Legal services | |
| Transports | |
| Commerce / Trade | |
| Administration / Management | |
| Craftsmanship | |
| Machinery operation |
At this point, we will have to present what each professional team means individually. For this reason, the 15 professional groups are briefly presented.
Social sciences: employees of this field are interested in the social needs of people. Examples of professions include the consultant, social worker, psychologist, sociologist and historian.
Office services: employees in this sector do a variety of things, such as preparing and keeping records and repairing office machinery. Examples of professions include secretary, typist, cashier, librarian, assistant clerk.
Health services: employees of this sector provide a variety of services to the sick, the injured and people of reduced capacity. Examples of professions include nurse, doctor, occupational therapist, veterinarian, surgeon.
Agricultural branch: this sector refers to work with plants and animals. Examples of professions include the farmer, the keeper of the countryside, the gardener, the horse trainer.
Provision of services: employees of this sector perform a variety of tasks, such as guarding and cleaning buildings, preparing and serving food, cutting and doing hair care. Examples of professions include Cook, policeman, stewardess.
Fine arts: workers in this field use their special skills in Creative Arts and entertainment. Examples of professions include writer, artist, publisher, News reporter, musician, singer, photographer.
Science: workers in this field are fond of doing research that often involves observing phenomena and conducting experiments. Examples of professions include the engineer, computer programmer, chemist.
Construction industry: professions in this sector have to do with high-skill work. They include the Carpenter, The Bricklayer, the plumber, the painter, the welder, the roof repairman.
Education: employees of this industry are satisfied with helping people learn. Examples of professions include the teacher, librarian, museum employee, curator (lecturer) of a university.
Legal Services: employees of this field advise people on legal issues. Examples of professions include the legal counsel, the lawyer with the right to practise in a Supreme Court, and the lawyer who deals with illegal cases.
Transports: the majority of workers in this sector repair vehicles, such as trucks, tractors and buses. Examples of professions include ambulance driver, truck driver, body shop assistant.
Commerce / Trade: dealing with trade has to do with purchases and sales of products and services. Examples of professions include the seller, the rentier, the rancher.
Administration / Management: employees of this field create goals, direct business and control activities within an organization. Examples of professions include manager, accountant, banker.
Craftsmanship: workers in this field use tools to make and repair small items. Examples of professions include jewelry craftsman, locksmith, repairman of electrical appliances.
Machinery operation: workers in this sector use and operate machines that have to do with metals, paper or wood. Examples of professions include the press operator, the saw operator, the chimney operator.
