The study shows how career interests translate into important life choices over decades

Career interest tests can be very helpful for teens and young adults deciding what careers to pursue. New research from Michigan State University challenges the assumption that career interests only matter in early career decision making. Instead, they remain relevant into adulthood.

The study, published in Journal of Personality and Social Psychologyis the first to examine whether interests predict work, relationship, and community outcomes in midlife and later adulthood.

The study followed more than 8,000 adults over the age of 11 and found that career interests predict important life outcomes into adulthood. Participants first completed a vocational interest assessment in 2011–2012 to measure six dimensions, including Realistic, Research, Artistic, Social, Entrepreneurial, and Conventional. More than a decade later, the important effects of work life, relationships, and community life were examined.

“Most people think that interest assessments are something you take in high school to figure out what career to pursue and then never think about it again. This study challenges that assumption,” said Lena Roemer, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral researcher in MSU’s Department of Psychology.

Career interests continue to shape important life decisions during adulthood, such as whether to marry, get a promotion, or volunteer in the community. while at the same time, depending on the stage of life, interests translate differently into life choices’.

Lena Roemer, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University

The study found that entrepreneurial interests, such as an interest in leadership, business, and influencing others, were the most broadly predictive category of interest, showing positive links to most work and community outcomes. Other interests showed more specific relationships. For example, social interests predicted relationship outcomes and artistic interests predicted cultural participation.

Relationship outcomes were better predicted than interests in early adulthood, and the prediction of work outcomes peaked in middle age. Many other predictors remained stable across adulthood, especially for outcomes less tied to life stage norms.

The researchers observed that the predictive power of interests was comparable to, and sometimes exceeded, that of the Big Five personality traits.

“Vocational interests are an underappreciated area of ​​the construct in personality psychology,” said Kevin Hoff, study co-author and assistant professor in MSU’s Department of Psychology. “We hope that these findings highlight their broad relevance across multiple life stages and domains, and that researchers and practitioners will make greater use of interest assessments to help people of all ages navigate career and life choices.”

The study was also co-authored by Christopher Nye, associate professor in MSU’s Department of Psychology, and Rong Su, associate professor at the University of Iowa.

Michigan State University has advanced the common good with extraordinary will for more than 170 years. Among the world’s top 100 universities and a leading US public research institution, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and innovation to advance the state of Michigan and the nation and create a better, safer and healthier world for all. The university provides life-changing educational opportunities through an inclusive academic community with more than 400 degree programs and is the largest producer of talent for Michigan, educating more undergraduate students than any other university in the state.