The site, called The Career Key, allows anyone from middle school students to adults to get help identifying their career interests. The service is usually only available through a school or a professional career counselor. In a 1993 Gallup survey, more than 70 percent of the adult workers interviewed said they would have gotten more information about their career options if they had a chance to start over. More than half said that high schools don't give enough attention to helping students choose careers and develop job skills. The paper version of Jones' measure of career interests is being tried now by schools across the state.
Interest is already broad.
Counselors in Spain, Ghana and South Africa have told Jones they are interested in creating a similar World Wide Web site of their own. After learning that, people are directed to a list of jobs likely to fit their personalities. They can then call up information about these jobs. Someone who scored high in the artistic category, for example, might learn about being a singer, dancer, composer or graphics designer. The Internet site, which Jones continues to expand, includes a variety of supportive material, such as a segment about how to make wise career decisions.