Strong Interest Inventory®: Types and Retirement

This issue we'll take a different turn.  Usually, we think of the Strong in relation to jobs, work environments, and careers.  However, it's no surprise that how a person works his or her whole life will likewise affect how he or she approaches retirement.

Two key factors that play large roles in how well retirement goes are having enough money and other resources to pursue one's interests, and the second is having a compatible environment in which to pursue those activities.  If the resources or environment is missing, retirement is likely to be a frustrating experience. Health is another issue that can be important.

It seems Artistic and Investigative types are best able to cope with retirement since they have comparatively open and independent dispositions, and can frequently continue their favorite activities into old age.  On the other hand, Realistic and Conventional types are more dependent upon their environments, have more rigid dispositions, and struggle more with the ambiguities of creating and maintaining an independent life outside of work.  Social and Enterprising types fall in the middle, with Social types having the advantage of having more relevant experience and skills for social activities in retirement.  Enterprising types often have a greater need for power and fewer social skills than Social types, so they are likely to have more difficulty.

Social types are the most likely, Realistic types the least likely, to adapt to life in a nursing home.  When retirees volunteer, they tend to do so in areas similar to their previous paid employment.