What Is A Career Test?

By

CareerPlanner.com Inc

We have been studying and developing career tests since 1997. We have also been trained and certified in several types of instruments used for career testing including the Strong® and the Myers-Briggs®. So by now we know something about using career tests, especially when it comes to helping people discover better careers for themselves.

Here is what we know...


Career Test or Career Assessment

A "Career Test" is any tool that helps you think about what type of career or what type of work will be a good fit for you.

You will also find that "Career Tests" fall under the term "Career Assessments."

Many psychologists, career counselors, and career coaches prefer to use the term "Career Assessment" because the term "career test" implies there are right or wrong answers. Also, the word "test" can make people nervous. We agree but...

Because the term "career test" is more widely accepted and far more popular than the term "career assessment," we use it at CareerPlanner.

Hopefully we won't offend anyone too much.

Career Tests Come in Many Different Forms

You will find Career tests in several different forms:

  • an online questionnaire
  • a deck of playing cards
  • a party game
  • a paper based quiz
  • a questionnaire in a book

There are Many Different Types of Career Tests

When looking at career tests, look to see what information they are based on:

  • Interest based
  • Personality Type based
  • Skill based
  • Values based
  • Aptitude based

Career Counselors typically give their clients a variety of career tests because you never know which one will provide the best ideas and insights.

At CareerPlanner, we always used both an interest based test and a personality based test with our career counseling clients.

But over the last few years we have added the skills and values based instruments.

Read more about the different types of career tests

 

A Good Career Test Should Reveal Insights About You

A good career test should teach you something about yourself. It should provide insights into your likes and dislikes. Your preferences.

Knowing yourself is one of the keys to success, and career tests are designed to help you become more self aware.

 

A Good Career Test Should Give You Ideas for Careers

A good career test, whether its on paper, in a book, or online, should stimulate ideas for careers that might be a good fit for you.

If you are older, and have already been working for a few years, a good career test should remind you of some of the dreams you had for your future.

Once a career test gives you ideas about careers that may be a good fit, it is up to you to do the research and investigate each possible career choice.

 

A Good Career Test Won't Tell You Exactly What the Absolute Best Career For You Is - No Test Can Do That

There is no career test nor career assessment that we know of that can narrow down your career choices to the absolute top choice for you. Sorry.

Good career tests will help you narrow down your choices to your top 3 or top 5. But then it's up to you to research those choices to discover which is the best fit for you.

 

 

 

 

 


 

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Myers-Briggs, MBTI, Step I, Step II, and the MBTI logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of the MBTI Trust, Inc.,
Strong Interest Inventory, is a registered trademarks of CPP, Inc.
The CPP logo and Strong logos are registered trademarks of CPP, Inc.
CiT is a registered trademark of CareerPlanner.com Inc.
There is no affiliation between the CiT and CPP. CiT is a product that is wholly owned by CareerPlanner.com Inc.