Content Guidelines

We’ve broken down CKD content and requirements into 5 sections:

1.  Wrapper: standard copyright and trademark notices, product description.

2. Assessment: a minimum of 27 multiple choice questions that measures individuals’ resemblance to the Holland six personality types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional (RIASEC);

3. Assessment results: explanation of what the user’s scores mean and Holland’s Theory of Career Choice;

4. Exploration and Match: organize and display careers and education programs that match personality types using CK’s proprietary system; and

5. Decision Making: CKD’s recommended 4 step decision making process, or an acceptable alternative your organization offers.

1. Wrapper 

• Must contain this notice on every CKD page: “Copyright © 1987-[present year] Career Key, Inc.  All rights reserved.”

• In the first place mentioned, Career Key and Career Key Discovery names must appear with the registered trademark symbol like this: Career Key® and Career Key Discovery®. 

2. Assessment

• User sees all test content, including page instructions. (Example: “Compare yourself to others your age.”)

• User cannot retake the test more than once.

• Navigation

  • User must answer all questions before advancing to the next question group.

  • User cannot go back to a previous question group using the browser “back button”

  • List of “Jobs that interest me” can appear in groups of 6 jobs, but the order of jobs in that list cannot be changed. User must select at least 1 job in order to advance.

3.  Assessment Results

User views or has easy access to view all content in this section. The goal is for the user to have sufficient, minimal information to understand their results. Content includes:

• Short headers for personality types

• Subheads and text with tailored advice based on one of four personality pattern scenarios (one top type, two top types, three or more top types, or inconsistent types)

• Snippets summarizing meaning of Holland’s theory and scores

• Numeric scores are returned in the correct order for all 6 Holland personality types, grouped into 2 or 3 personality fit categories: Thriving, Promising, or Challenging

• Holland personality type descriptions for all Thriving and Promising types

• All content on this page: About Holland’s Theory including the hexagon image (Not provided by API; see Content Library)

• All content on this page: About the Scores (Not provided by API; see Content Library)

• All content on this page Inconsistent Personality Combinations for users whose score profile fit this personality pattern scenario. (Not provided by API; see Content Library)

4. Exploration and Match

Users can explore only careers, only education programs (majors), or both. If you show both, you must use Career Key’s mapping between them based on their compatibility.

• Display all matching options according to Career Key’s proprietary matching system of work groups.

• List all personality types in the order received.

• List all work groups in the order received.

• The top two personality types must be emphasized in some way. Example: when shown as a hierarchy, the highest/first two personality types should be “open” to show all work groups. If at all possible, we want users to explore their top two types regardless of scores.

• The first personality type and first work group must be selected for exploration. This helps users learn our organization system for careers and majors.

• Display all options (careers, majors, or both). If you would like a custom set of careers or majors, please contact us.

• Include the personality fit for each option (Thriving, Promising, Challenging)

• Always display the personality fit for each option

5. Decision Making

While we don’t provide this content by API, we require CKD users access some sort of decision making advice (ideally our recommended approach - the four step ACIP decision making process, based on research). We know this is a complex topic but users really need your help in narrowing their options to make a good decision, one they won’t regret. Please see our content library for our recommended decision making content.

Recommendations

• If you would like to use our logos, see our Content Library.

• Include a section like “About Career Key Discovery.” Example:

  • In about ten minutes, our scientifically valid assessment measures how similar you are to Dr. John Holland’s six personality types. It assesses your interests, values, skills and abilities. Career Key’s author is Dr. Lawrence K. Jones.

  • With your Career Key match, you’re more likely to succeed and achieve career well-being. Research shows it. It’s exciting you’re taking steps toward lifelong career satisfaction.”

• Include an introduction to CKD with a brief description. Examples:

  • With questions about what career to choose, you've arrived at the perfect place to learn about yourself and your options.

  • You'll start with a 10 minute personality assessment. Then we'll guide you to learn about yourself and matching careers that likely lead to success and satisfaction.

  • Keys to creating an exciting, meaningful future are waiting. Let's get started!

  • In less than 10 minutes, take the Career Key Discovery assessment to identify [your institution’s] programs that fit your career interests.

Career Key’s Approval

After you’ve completed your CKD implementation, Career Key must review and give you final approval before you can release it to production. If you have any questions during design and testing, don’t hesitate to contact us. We want to make the experience as quick and easy as possible. Please allow 5 business days for us to complete our review.