Why Take a Career Test
When you first start out searching for a career the choices seem endless. While each person has varying degrees of skill and education, the world is pretty much yours for the taking if you are willing to put in the work. Whether you’re a first time job seeker, a career changer, or re-entering the job market after an absence, using a career test – sometimes called a career path test – may help you narrow down your choices.
What a Career Test Does
A career test takes a mental snapshot of you based upon how you answer each of the carefully selected questions and, in a short period of time, matches certain job types to your skill level and personality. This can save you a considerable amount of time while narrowing down your career choices to a manageable level.
Career assessments can uncover certain personality traits that gel with career paths that you may not even have considered. Often simply having the skills to complete a job doesn’t necessarily mean that a career is right for you. While we may think we’re our own worst critics, the truth is that often we are short sighted when it comes to our own strengths and weaknesses. Using a career test to find strong points you may have never even known you possessed can open new doors to careers you might not even have considered.
Where Career Path Tests are Available
Career assessments are offered in various places. You can check with your local library, often they have a career and college search center. Another option would be your college, or local university if you’re not currently a student. If you are using a recruiter in your job search, they will often ask you take a career test. If all else fails, you can find online career tests on the web. They may not be as comprehensive as the tests you would find elsewhere, but it’s a start.
How to Make the Best of a Career Test
In order to achieve the best results on your test, there are a few basic guidelines. Unlike other tests, there are no right or wrong answers on a career test. When you consider your answers, choose the answer that best suits you and your personality. Don’t over think the questions or the answers; often our first instinct is our best one on these types of tests. Answer honestly, even if you think your answer may not reflect well on your personality. In order to get accurate results, it’s important to be as honest as possible. Take your time and make sure you answer every question, so that you can be sure that the test is offering the best career path advice for you.
No matter where you take your career assessments, be sure to ask for a full copy of your results. Take time to read over them and you may be surprised to learn some new things about yourself. Use your results to consider new and exciting prospects, and to help build your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. Self-knowledge will only help as you decide the path of your career.
