As part of the registration and assessment process, ReadyMinds clients complete an in-depth questionnaire, the ReadyMinds General Survey. This qualitative assessment tool gives each individual an opportunity to share important background information with their ReadyMinds Career Counselor who can access and review this information prior to the beginning of the counseling process. The General Survey seeks expressed information in the following important areas which relate to career planning:

• current/prior educational and employment experiences
  
• family career history
  
• interests, skill and values which are important to the client
  
• client's motivation and goal setting style
  
• most important accomplishments to date
  
• client's self-report with respect to needs in career planning: assessment, exploration, decision-making, self-marketing
  
• barriers to career success
  
• specific expectations from ReadyMinds career counseling
  
• current resume

After completion of the General Survey, clients complete the SDS® (Self-Directed Search). The SDS, which is the most widely used interest inventory in the world, is a guide to educational and career planning first developed by Dr. John Holland in 1971 and subsequently updated three times. It is based on extensive research about how people choose careers. The SDS Interpretive Report helps you and your counselor learn about yourself and your educational and life/career choices. It is based upon the theory that people can be loosely classified into six different groups: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional (RIASEC).

Can RIASEC letters be used to classify jobs and other things?

Yes. Jobs, occupations, fields of study, and leisure activities can be grouped into RIASEC areas. It is helpful to think of these as environments that are more comfortable, friendly, and beneficial for some Holland types than for others. For example, if you are a Social type, you will probably like a social environment most because social jobs require activities, values, abilities, and self-views that you have or prefer. In general, people who find environments that match their type are likely to be the most satisfied and successful.

Why is it important for your counselor to analyze your report?

Your counselor will be provided with your code and SDS report. The SDS report has taken your code and searched lists of 1,309 occupations, over 750 fields of study, and over 700 leisure activities. This was done to increase awareness of potentially satisfying occupations for you, and to provide you and your counselor with a better understanding of your future career possibilities

By integrating the General Survey with the results of the SDS, the ReadyMinds Career Counselor is able to begin the counseling process from a very informed and personalized point of view.