FAQs for: Birkman Questionnaire (Interests section) Update

Question	Answer
What is changing?	Short Answer: The Interests section of The Birkman Method Questionnaire will be updated with approximately 35% new job title options.   Long Answer: At Birkman, we have a 75-year legacy of continuous innovation and improvement. We are pleased to share that one of our top initiatives of 2025 is to enhance the career (Interests) section of the Birkman questionnaire by adding emerging job titles. The outdated job titles in the Interests section of the Questionnaire create an overarching brand issue for Birkman and must be updated to keep pace with the modern workforce. Our goal is to ensure the job titles are relevant and relatable for people of all ages.
When are these changes occurring?	The updates to the Interests section of the Questionnaire will occur in Q1 2026.
Why are we updating the Birkman Questionnaire?	We’ve received feedback indicating that several job titles in the Interests section of the Questionnaire are outdated, unclear, or no longer reflect today’s workforce. To improve the respondent experience, many job title options in the Interests section are being updated. This revision will make the job titles more relevant to younger generations in the workplace and result in a smoother overall experience completing the Questionnaire.
What is changing on the Questionnaire?	Outdated job titles in the Interests section of the Questionnaire will be replaced with job titles that resonate with a multigenerational audience. Birkman reviewed all job titles in the Interests section and identified several that were outdated and are therefore being replaced. This will result in an approximate 35% change in job titles in the Interests section. Nothing else on the Questionnaire changes. Here are some of the outdated job titles that will be replaced: Secretary Law Clerk File Clerk General Office Clerk Telephone Repairer Toolmaker Here are some of the new job titles that will replace the outdated job titles: Social Media Influencer Robotics Technician Web Developer Career Counselor Forest and Conservation Technician Trial Lawyer
Will the Interests section changes be made to all language versions of the Birkman Questionnaire?	Yes, the Questionnaire is available in 24 languages. All language versions will be updated with the new Interests items.
Will the Interests section changes affect the Job Families and Job Titles listed in Birkman’s career reporting?	No.
Will any of my or my clients’ existing scores change?	No. This update focuses on improving the clarity of job titles within the Questionnaire and does not affect or change existing respondents’ scores.
Has the length of the Interests section changed?	No, the length of the Interests section is not changing. Repeated job titles have been reduced, and more job titles are included in the scoring without adding extra questions. This provides a richer, more accurate representation of an individual’s Interests while keeping the Questionnaire the same length.
I’m noticing more possible scores on the Interests scales now. Why is that?	With the update, the scales now provide greater precision in measuring an individual’s vocational interests. The updated methodology uses refined statistical techniques to examine responses for a more in-depth evaluation, enabling smaller increments and more detailed distinctions between scores. With the previous scoring system, individuals with slightly different response patterns appeared to have identical results. With the new scoring system, we will be better able to distinguish between subtle variations in Interests. Due to this increased precision, there are now more possible score values beyond the ones seen before. This improvement provides a more nuanced and accurate picture of an individual’s Interests.