Study the job titles that you highlighted in each category and begin to think about the following points. Don't worry if you can't make any definitive decisions right now. You are still in the process of gathering information. As you take all of the tests in this book and add the results to your chart on pages 178–179, you will develop a more comprehensive picture of the career or careers that best suit you and your circumstances.

Brainstorm More Ideas

Get together with a friend or group of friends and pick their brains for more ideas about each job. In this case, two heads (or three or four) are better than one for expanding your thinking. For example, if you highlighted flight attendant as one of your job choices, ask your friends to help you list all of the qualities of that job you can think of, such as they listen, help people, provide service, are trained in emergency procedures, get to travel the world, are friendly and comfortable talking in front of people, and so forth. In this way, you'll find other jobs that could share similar qualities, such as travel agent, therapist, or teacher.

Look for Patterns

You might be surprised to notice that all of the job titles you picked, regardless of their RIASEC category, share some common characteristics. For example, if the idea of a career as a dance therapist (A and S), newspaper editor (A), or salesperson (E) appeals to you, you can see that each of these careers involves creativity, problem-solving, and good people skills. It tells you that you would prefer a job that deals with people and ideas, whether teaching, interpreting, or selling those ideas to others.

Similarly, if the ideas you want to work with include science and history, you prefer working alone or with professional peers, and you like antiquities, you can narrow your focus to careers in archaeology or museum objects conservation.

Think of Different Ways to Work in a Field

No matter if you are scientifically minded, creative, or sociable; if food is your passion you could be a pastry chef, food chemist, diner cook, wait-person, dietician, cooking instructor, nutritionist, food stylist, food historian, home economics instructor, restaurant reviewer, caterer, television cooking show host, or writer. Novelist Diana Mott Davidson writes murder mysteries that feature a sleuthing caterer and include recipes as part of the story.

If you can't narrow down your choices to a few, it may be too early to decide definitively on a career as a police officer or copy editor. Focus instead on broader fields, such as law enforcement or publishing, rather than job titles.

Do Your Research

Write down any questions you may have, from pay scale to work environment, and then look for the answers. You may find that an intriguing job requires moving to another region or country or will take many years of preparation, training, or specialized education. Depending on your age and your current level of education or training, these factors can have a huge impact on your future choices. To suddenly decide on medical school in midlife bears close consideration for its many implications, from financial to familial, not the least of which is that it could be many years before you are happily earning a salary in that career. That's not to say you shouldn't do it, if that is your interest, but go into the experience knowing all the facts. The Internet and the library are good places to start. The appendices have lots of resources to help you in your search.

Interview some people who hold the jobs that interest you. Statistics in a book can't begin to compare with firsthand information from those employed in the field. Perhaps a friend, relative, or friend of a friend can help you. Even if you contact a stranger, most people will be happy to talk about their work to someone who is genuinely interested and asks pertinent questions.

Eliminate Some Choices

As a child you may have dreamed of becoming a circus performer, but now you understand that computer graphics — not swinging from a trapeze — is your forte. One of the most valuable aspects of an interests test is that it can help you focus your choices, which will save you time, energy, and money in the long run.