Linking Work Values to Occupational Information: Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Occupational Values Inventory (OVI)

We developed the Occupational Values Inventory (OVI), a 30-item measure that expands the content coverage of work values by linking into a broad range of O*NET occupational descriptors, including Work Activities and Work Contexts, along with salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The OVI assesses 11 values—Interpersonal, Outdoor, Physical, Leadership, Salary, Prestige, Variety, Interest, Work Hours, Knowledge Utilization, and Autonomy—providing an updated and refined coverage of values relevant to people and occupations in the modern labor market. Study 1 (N = 768) developed and refined the OVI’s scales using conceptual and psychometric criteria, also reporting initial evidence in support of reliability and validity. Studies 2 and 3 provide further evidence for the reliability and criterion-related validity of the OVI based on longitudinal samples of recent graduates from universities (N = 816) and community colleges (N = 560). OVI scales and profiles were associated with occupational aspirations and choice; profile congruence with O*NET occupations was associated with subjective career outcomes including career choice satisfaction. Overall, the OVI provides a short, reliable, and refined measure of work values relevant to a broad range of workers with a range of potential uses in research and applied settings.