The Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS) measures self-reported vocational interests and skills. Similar to traditional interest inventories, the CISS interest scales reflect an individual's attraction for specific occupational areas.
However, the CISS instrument goes beyond traditional inventories by adding parallel skill scales that provide estimates of an individual's confidence in his or her ability to perform various occupational activities. Together, the two types of scales provide more comprehensive, richer data than interest scores alone. The Internet version of the CISS survey, which includes an innovative test management system for counselors and an expanded CISS Career Planner, adds new dimension to this dynamic, popular instrument.
The CISS instrument focuses on careers that require post-secondary education and is most appropriate for use with individuals who are college bound or college educated.
Counselors, psychologists, and human resource professionals in mental health, business, and educational settings can use the CISS survey to help:
| Administer To | Individuals 15 years and older |
| Reading Level | 6th grade |
| Completion Time | 25 minutes (200 interest and 120 skill items; 6-point response scale) |
| Formats | Paper-and-pencil or computer or Internet administration |
| Report Option | Individual Profile |
| Scoring Options | Q™ Local Software
Mail-in Scoring Service
Internet Scoring |
| Scales | 7 orientation scales
29 basic scales
60 occupational scales |
| Norm Groups | 5,225 working adults |
Dr. David Campbell is the H. Smith Richardson Senior Fellow at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). A nonprofit educational institution founded in 1970, CCL develops models of effective managerial practice and applies them as guides for assessment and development. Dr. Campbell was formerly a professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota. He has served as a visiting professor at the University of Utah and Duke University. He has been an honorary research fellow at the University of London and a distinguished visiting professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
A recipient of the E. K. Strong, Jr., Gold Medal for excellence in psychological testing research, Dr. Campbell is also co-author of the well-known Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory. He is currently involved in training and research programs in creativity and leadership. Dr. Campbell has published extensively in professional journals and has written three popular books:
- If You Don't Know Where You're Going, You'll Probably End Up Somewhere Else
- Take the Road to Creativity and Get Off Your Dead End
- If I'm in Charge Here, Why Is Everybody Laughing?
Orientation Scales
The seven Orientation Scales, 29 Basic Scales are based on Dr. Campbell's model for occupational orientations. These orientations generally correspond to the familiar RIASEC themes.
Basic Scales
The 29 Basic Scales, which represent parallel interest and skills scores, divide the Orientation Scales into the following categories:
| Influencing: | Leadership, Law/Politics, Public Speaking, Sales, Advertising/Marketing |
| Organizing: | Supervision, Financial Services, Office Practices |
| Helping: | Adult Development, Counseling, Child Development, Religious Activities, Medical Practice |
| Creating: | Art/Design, Performing Arts, Writing, International Activities, Fashion, Culinary Arts |
| aNalyzing: | Mathematics, Science |
| Producing: | Mechanical Crafts, Woodworking, Farming/Forestry, Plants/Gardens, Animal Care |
| Adventuring: | Athletics/Physical Fitness, Military/Law Enforcement, Risks/Adventure |
The CISS instrument was standardized using a reference sample of 5,225 employed men and women representing a wide array of occupations and ethnic backgrounds.
Individual Profile Report (Product Number 51456)
The CISS results are presented both numerically and graphically and include narrative comments to facilitate easy interpretation by the respondent. In particular, the report recommends vocations that the respondent should pursue (high interest and high skill), avoid (low interest, low skill), explore (high skill, low interest) and develop (low skill, high interest). Also, a worksheet is available to facilitate action planning, and a two-page file summary is included for use by the career counselor.
Sample Reports: Internet version | Paper version
Q™ Local Software - Enables you to score assessments, report results, and store and export data on your computer.
Mail-in Scoring Service - Specially designed answer sheets are mailed to us for processing within 24–48 hours of receipt and returned via regular mail.
- Allows you to score the assessments at your site.
Internet Scoring - Offers flexibility and interactivity.
Counselors can manage all their online CISS administrations at the Pearson Internet Administration Center, www.profiler.com/career/Admin. The Admininstration Center offers the interactive features that are only available online. For example, the CISS online report includes:
- A link to the expanded CISS Career Planner, which contains additional career resources and a section on working with a career counselor
- Links to career-planning exercises and career resources
- Direct link from CISS occupations to the O*NET occupations
- Career Assessment Inventory-Enhanced also available
What is the value of the skills component of the CISS assessment? When making career decisions, people generally weigh several factors, including interests and skills. Self-report skills reflect a level of confidence in the ability to do various activities. Estimates of skill level are typically based on experiences doing similar tasks and learning new things. The basis for the development of the CISS assessment is the belief that interests and skills are closely intertwined. In general, people tend to enjoy things they do well; likewise, they tend to perform well in areas they find interesting.
How does the new Campbell model and its seven orientations relate to the RIASEC model? The CISS orientations and the RIASEC themes correspond as follows:
| RIASEC | Campbell |
| Realistic | Producing AND Adventuring |
| Investigative | Analyzing |
| Artistic | Creating |
| Social | Helping |
| Enterprising | Influencing |
| Conventional | Organizing |
Although many of the CISS orientations have a reasonably close resemblance to their Holland (RIASEC) counterparts, there are some differences. Specifically, the CISS Influencing orientation reflects leadership activities, whereas Holland's RIASEC Enterprising theme tends to reflect sales and public relations activities. The CISS Organizing orientation tends to reflect management and financial service activities, whereas Holland's RIASEC Conventional theme reflects activities related to office and clerical work. The biggest difference is with the Holland Realistic theme. Within the CISS assessment, this theme is represented by the Producing orientation, which reflects mechanical, construction, and farming activities, and the Adventuring orientation, which reflects military, police, and athletic activities.
Can I use the CISS assessment effectively with individuals whose work-related experiences are limited? Because no one has actually performed all of the activities listed in the CISS assessment, all respondents are, in a sense, extrapolating beyond the data. They are estimating their probable level of skill, given sufficient training and opportunity to learn. Younger respondents are also capable of making these estimates, provided they have a basic knowledge of the world of work.
Respondents, regardless of age or work experience, should be encouraged to identify overall themes in their scores rather than putting undue emphasis on the point values of single scores. Underlying themes are more stable and provide a solid base for respondents to extrapolate beyond the data provided by the CISS assessment.
How should flat or deflated profiles be interpreted? Flat or deflated profiles often present the greatest challenge to career counselors. The absence of clear preferences or aversions yields little information about interest. Some initial clues for interpretation may be found in the Procedural Checks section on page 11 of the respondent's profile, especially in the Response Percentage Checks sections for interest and skill items. Comparing the respondent's patterns with the average patterns of the norming sample (Figure 3-1 in the CISS manual) will highlight any differences.
With this general information and some knowledge of the respondent's personality and motivation, the tester may wish to ask the respondent about his or her test-taking strategy:
- "When you answered the CISS items, did you use any particular test-taking strategy?"
- "How did you decide how to answer the questions?"
- "What were your criteria?"
If it seems clear that the respondent misunderstood the directions or used a distorted or highly idiosyncratic approach, you may either readminister the survey or use the results on a very tentative basis only.
Next, you and the respondent can explore some of the possible reasons for the flat profile:
- Respondents with limited life and work experience may be unfamiliar with many occupational activities and therefore uncertain of their interests or abilities. Students who are beginning to explore career options may be at this stage. If only the skill scores are low, the respondent may