Interests are often considered a key element in vocational choices and are often used in both structured and free forms of career assessment. This master level thesis seeks to view the interest inventory Self-Directed Search as a process of learning and competence development. Four psychologists at the Swedish Public Employment Service were interviewed in an open fashion about how they integrate interest inventories in the career counselling and assessment process. The collected data were then analysed according to thematic analysis in relation tocompetence. Systems theory was used to understand relations between parts and whole in aprocess of mutual meaning and sense-making between psychologist and client. Interest inventories can in this way show characteristics of competence development when conducted ina process over time and being facilitated by a psychologist. Some elements of competence were represented to a greater extent than others. The study raises questions about how interest inventories can be developed and used in career intervention in order to manifest different aspects of competence and facilitate competence development.