Holland Code types · R of RIASEC
Realistic — The Doer
Realistic people like working with their hands, tools, machines, plants and animals. They prefer concrete, practical tasks with visible results over abstract ideas or lots of talking. They are often described as practical, steady, physically capable and down-to-earth.
What Realistic people enjoy
- Building, fixing and operating things
- Working outdoors or on the move
- Using tools, machines or vehicles
- Seeing a finished, tangible result
Work environments that fit
Workplaces with real objects and clear tasks — workshops, sites, labs, farms, kitchens, plants and the outdoors — rather than offices full of meetings.
Careers that often fit Realistic types
- Civil Engineers
- Petroleum Engineers
- Electronics Engineering Technicians
- Chemical Technicians
- Farmers and Ranchers
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Nuclear Equipment Operation Technicians
- Construction Carpenters
- Welders
- Mechanical Engineers
- Commercial Pilots
- Electricians
Few people are a single type. Most Holland Codes combine two or three types — for example, a Realistic first letter with Social second describes someone who wants to do this kind of work with and for people. Your own code comes from your pattern across all 48 activities in the test.
The other five types
- Investigative — The Thinker
- Artistic — The Creator
- Social — The Helper
- Enterprising — The Persuader
- Conventional — The Organizer
Please note: interest types describe preferences, not ability or destiny. Educational resource only — see our method page.