Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS)

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 CISS instrument focuses on careers that require post-secondary education and is most appropriate for use with individuals who are university bound or tertiary qualified.

How to Use This Instrument

Counsellors, psychologists, and human resource professionals in mental health, business, and educational settings can use the CISS survey to help: 

• Explore new avenues in career development
• Pinpoint areas of academic study that can build skills and, as a result, increase career options
• Support personal counselling by identifying occupations or vocations that help meet the individual’s needs
• Advise displaced and transitioning employees in outplacement programs

Key Features

The use of both traditional interest scales and parallel skill scales helps individuals gain a more thorough understanding of suitable career options.

The CISS instrument uses easily understood contemporary items.

Test items reflect a respect for individuals of different gender, race, religion, and national origin.

Combined gender scales allow for the broadest interpretation of survey results.

Scales

Orientation Scales
The seven Orientation Scales, 25 Basic Scales are based on Dr. Campbell’s model for occupational orientations. These orientations generally correspond to the familiar RIASEC themes.

Basic Scales
The 25 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
• Organising: Supervision, Financial Services, Office Practices
• Helping: Adult Development, Counselling, Child Development, Religious Activities, Medical Practice
• Creating: Art/Design, Performing Arts, Writing, International Activities, Fashion, Culinary Arts
• Analysing: Mathematics, Science
• Producing: Mechanical Crafts, Woodworking, Farming/Forestry, Plants/Gardens, Animal Care
• Adventuring: Athletics/Physical Fitness, Military/Law Enforcement, Risks/Adventure

Norms

The CISS instrument was standardised using a reference sample of 5,225 employed men and women representing a wide array of occupations and ethnic backgrounds.

Report Option

Individual Profile Report
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.

Q Local Software

Q Local is a flexible, powerful scoring and reporting software tool that allows the clinician to administer and score the CISS as well as more than 30 other Pearson assessments. More about Q Local

 NOTE: This software is not Mac OS compatible.