From Fog to Focus

From Fog to Focus

How the Strong Interest Inventory Helps Students Find Their Path

As a career coach, I meet students in all stages of career exploration, some overflowing with ideas, others lost in uncertainty. And then there’s Lucas, sitting across from me, unsure how to turn his scattered interests into a real direction.

I start simply.

What career paths or study programs have you considered so far?

Lucas sighs. "Honestly? I don’t know. Maybe business? Psychology seems cool, but is it too theoretical? Law? I’m not sure if I want to argue for a living… Journalism? Sounds fun, but also unstable. I like people… and I like creating things. But I have no idea where that leads."

At this point, his ideas feel disconnected, no clear thread, just fragments of interests. Time to bring in a tool that helps make sense of it all.

Strong Interest Inventory: First, the Results… Then, the Interpretation

Lucas takes the Strong Interest Inventory, and his profile reveals an intriguing AES code (Artistic, Enterprising, Social). A mix of creativity, leadership, and interpersonal connection, but now comes the real work: translating this into something actionable.

The Feedback Session: Making Sense of Interests

Before showing him the results, I ask:

Forget career labels for a second. What activities energize you? What do you naturally gravitate toward?

Lucas considers. "I love planning events, thinking up themes, organizing logistics, making it all come together."

In my (coach) mind, this connects to Enterprising, vision, leadership, execution.

Then, he adds: "I write a lot, actually, scripts, speeches, essays. I enjoy crafting something that gets people thinking."

I (coach) recognize a strong Artistic element, expression, storytelling, depth.

But then comes the twist: "At the same time, I also love analysing people. Not just giving advice, but understanding what makes people tick, why they do what they do."

I (coach) link this to Social, but also sense an Investigative dimension, perhaps psychology, strategy, human behaviour?

At first glance, these interests seem disconnected, event planning, writing, human insight. But what if we explored how they might come together?

Bringing It All Together - From Scattered to Strategic

I share Lucas' AES profile with him and start identifying connections:

Artistic: His love for storytelling and creative expression.
Enterprising: His natural leadership and event-planning mindset.
Social: His interest in people and understanding behaviour.

"So… I like writing, I like leading, and I like analysing people. What does that mean?" Lucas asks.

At this stage, I start framing potential career directions while challenging his assumptions:

Business? "You mentioned business earlier, do you enjoy numbers, finance, or strategy?" Lucas shakes his head. "Not really. I think I meant entrepreneurship, coming up with ideas and making them happen."

He’s not drawn to traditional business, but thrives in creative leadership, perhaps media, event management, or brand strategy would fit better.

Journalism? "You like storytelling, but you hesitated about journalism. What interests you most?" "The narrative part, the way good journalism shifts perspectives. But I don’t want to just report facts; I want to craft messages that influence people."

He’s more of a strategist than a reporter. Fields like content creation, media consulting, or even political communications could be stronger matches.

Psychology? "You’re drawn to understanding people. Would you ever see yourself in a psychologist’s role, therapy, diagnostics?" "Maybe… but I don’t love the idea of working in a clinical setting. I’m more interested in behaviour, why people make certain decisions, how to influence them."

His interest in psychology isn’t clinical, it’s about persuasion, leadership, and storytelling. This could open doors to branding, advertising, social research, or even coaching.

The Aha Moment - A Career Path That Aligns

Instead of handing Lucas career titles, we build a roadmap together, a mix of creative strategy, leadership, and behavioural insight. Potential paths start emerging:

• Creative direction (leading projects that blend storytelling + strategy)

• Media branding (helping companies craft narratives)

• Event marketing (combining creativity and leadership)

• Public relations or political communications (shaping stories with influence)

This isn’t about forcing him into a box, it’s about recognizing patterns and aligning them strategically.

"I never saw it like this before," Lucas says. "This actually makes sense!"

This is where career coaching transforms insights into action, helping someone truly see their own path and turn uncertainty into clarity.

Do you want to learn how to guide these Aha Moments?

Helping professionals and students connect the dots between interests and careers is a skill in itself. If you want to develop your expertise in this area, join the upcoming Strong Interest Inventory training in September, organized by Myers-Briggs. I’ll be co-animating as a co-trainer, diving into the best techniques to interpret career assessments effectively,

Details: 9-10 September in Bussum, more details HERE.
Special bonus: 50% discount for first-time participants!

Career coaching is about guiding professionals and students to discover their own patterns and making choices that truly fit.

Let’s make career exploration STRONG, together.