Mercer | Mettl Professional Orientation Inventory

In today’s competitive job market, organizations face the challenge of attracting and retaining top talent.

For organizations, the loss of talented employees due to non-alignment of interests can result in a loss of institutional knowledge, decreased team morale, and increased recruitment and training costs.

However, for employees, misalignment of their interests and goals with their current job can lead to decreased job satisfaction, limited growth and advancement, reduced job stability, potential income loss, and mental and physical stress. This ultimately leads to a sense of disengagement and job hopping.

Gauging career interests is a multi-faceted process that involves understanding an individual’s interests. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, utilizing career assessments and interest inventories to gather objective data about an individual’s interests is the most popular and efficient way to gauge career interests.

The pioneering work of psychologists such as John Holland and E.K. Strong laid the foundation for understanding the relationship between personality traits and career choices. The early assessments focused on categorizing individuals into specific occupational groups based on their interests and abilities. These assessments often involve a series of questions or statements that individuals respond to, providing insights into their interests.

The Mercer | Mettl Professional Orientation Inventory is a cutting-edge assessment designed to evaluate an individual’s career interests comprehensively to help them grow professionally in the long term.

The tool goes beyond traditional assessments as it can be coupled with and used with Mercer | Mettl’s other personality and ability assessments, thereby providing a holistic understanding of an individual’s career goals and identifying suitable career paths.

The Mercer | Mettl Professional Orientation Inventory utilizes a robust theoretical framework. It is developed through an extensive review of the existing literature and contemporary career interest models, along with a thorough industry analysis. The inventory comprises 86 items categorized into 9 dimensions of career interests, and it can be completed in 14 minutes. The nine career interest dimensions include administration, collaboration, creativity, environment, health research, information technology, leadership, practical work – construction and manufacturing, practical work – services.

Today, organizations recognize the significance of aligning employees’ career interests with their roles and responsibilities. When employees are engaged in work that aligns with their interests, they are more likely to be motivated, productive, and satisfied. This alignment leads to higher retention rates, reduced turnover costs, and increased organizational performance.

Career guidance:

One key aspect of enhancing employee experience is offering clear career guidance and pathways. By providing employees with a roadmap for their professional growth, organizations can foster a sense of purpose, engagement, and satisfaction. The Mercer | Mettl Professional Orientation Inventory is a valuable tool for career guidance, providing individuals with insights into their interests. It helps individuals make informed decisions about their career paths, identify suitable job roles, and explore opportunities for growth. Career counselors can use this tool to guide graduates and help them align their passions with suitable career options.

Internal mobility:

Organizations must prioritize learning and development (L&D) initiatives and internal mobility to ensure their workforce remains agile and adaptable. The inventory supports organizations in ensuring a stronger alignment between employees and their new roles during organizational restructuring or mergers and acquisitions. It helps increase the chances of success and job satisfaction for employees. The inventory enables organizations to tap into their internal talent pool, promoting talent retention and preserving valuable organizational knowledge.

Career coaching:

By understanding the career interests of employees, organizations can design and implement targeted training programs that align with those interests. This ensures that employees receive training in areas that they are genuinely interested in, increasing their engagement and motivation to learn. Mercer | Mettl Professional Orientation Inventory enables organizations to understand the career interests and passions of their employees, thereby optimizing their training programs and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

The Mercer | Mettl Professional Orientation Inventory offers a comprehensive assessment of career interests, enabling individuals to make informed decisions about their professional paths. It is a versatile tool that supports career guidance, internal mobility, and succession planning within organizations. By leveraging the power of the inventory, organizations can empower employees to achieve their career goals and benefit from a motivated and engaged workforce. By aligning employees’ interests with their roles, organizations can foster a motivated and engaged workforce, leading to increased productivity and retention as well as helping candidates by providing insights into potential career paths and growth areas, fostering higher engagement and productivity and increased business outcomes.