When researching career choices, often one of the first things you may stumble upon is the Career Test. Just as there are a variety of career choices out there; there are a variety of career tests as well. Knowing which is suitable for you is an excellent first step in making the right decision. Here are some things to keep in mind when researching your career choices.
All Career Tests Are Not Created Equal
“Career Test” is a generic term for what can be a variety of assessments. Some measure interests, some measure skills or strengths, some measure learning styles, and some may even measure personality traits. The kind of careers test you take will determine the type of career choices you receive.
Following are some commonly used career tests and how they can help you make your career choices.
Strong Interest Inventory
This is a popular assessment tool, which assesses your interests and then compares those interests with people working in different careers. By taking this test you also find out which of the six “Occupational Themes” best align with your interests, such as: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, or Conventional, as well as suggested occupations for each.
How This Test Can Help You Make Career Choices: Taking this test gives you access to suggested occupations in your dominant themes.
Strengths Finder
The code for this online assessment can be found in the book, “Now, Discover Your Strengths” by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton. This assessment is geared towards identifying your personal strengths. The Gallup Group, after interviewing almost 2 million professionals, determined that there are 34 basic strengths, with each individual exemplifying attributes of their “Top 5” themes. How This Career Test Can Help You Make Career Choices: Understanding your unique strengths can help you focus your research on areas you might not previously have considered. Knowing your strengths can also deepen your interview skills.
Learning Styles
There are many online assessments geared towards helping you find your unique learning style. Try http://www.brainboxx.co.uk for a start.How This Can Help You Make Career Choices: Understanding the methods that work best for you can help you make decisions more effectively, as well as gain a greater understanding of the types of work environments that will best suit you.
Myers Briggs Type Indicator
The Myers Briggs Type Indicator test is designed to measure the way you perceive the world as well as make decisions. It has been called, “a personality test” and can provide perspective on how you interpret the world.
How This Career Test Can Help You Make Career Choices: Knowing your “type” can provide great insight into how you process information, as well as how you cope with the world. Suggested careers are listed by “type”.
