Aptitude Test For Career Path
Without taking a career test, an individual might be more likely to try several jobs before settling on a career path. While this strategy can work for some, others might find that they would prefer more guidance and insights at the beginning of the process to help them decide. In other words, you don’t need to take a career test, but it could be helpful.
What is a career aptitude test or assessment?
A career test may take the form of a paper or digital quiz that asks you questions to help determine potential careers that might fit your personality, interests, experience, and education. You may take the test at a career counseling center or online.
These tests are often multiple choice and are designed to measure aspects of personality, which means there are typically no "right” or “wrong" answers. After taking the test, a career specialist may discuss your results with you. If you take it online, you might have your career test results emailed to you, and you may choose to discuss them with a counselor or coach after the fact.
What type of career test should I take?
If you go to a career counseling center, you might not have a choice in which type of test you take. Many organizations utilize their own testing materials and scoring criteria. If you take a career quiz through a career counselor or other professional, they might suggest a specific type that they feel could be most helpful to you. A free online career test may allow you to choose which type of test you want, but the results might not be as in-depth or well-matched to you. Some of the career-test types available are listed below, from career aptitude tests to career personality tests and more.
Career aptitude test
Career aptitude tests can measure your skills, interests, professional style, and values. These tests may have sections on math, language, spatial relations, or problem-solving. The raw score of a career aptitude test is often compared to the abilities required for different career paths, and your final results may reflect your best skills and suggest the type of work environment your combination of skills might be suitable for. One example is the Holland Code Career Test, which can be taken for free online.
Career personality test
A career personality test can help determine your personality type and show you what kind of career might match your specific set of strengths. One of the most popular personality tests is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This test reveals your tendencies across four categories—whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, judging or perceiving, intuitive or sensing, and thinking or feeling—which will be quantified in one of sixteen personality types. The explanation for each type comes with a set of careers in which you might find success along with recommendations on what your preferred work environment may be.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test isn’t the only personality test out there, though. Many career counseling centers, universities, and websites have their own form of assessments that measure personality traits and relate them to careers. You might find short-form and long-form career personality tests that target varying personality traits, or you could try more than one career test to get a more comprehensive report and then compare the results to your interests and skills.
Career interests test
In a career interest test, you’ll choose different activities, items, or ideas based on your interests. You may be given choices between two to four different jobs or activities. A career interest test can allow you to compare and see trends within your overall interest.
General career placement test
A general career placement test often combines other types of tests, or elements of them. It will usually have several sections that measure your compatibility with various careers, including your interests, work personality, aptitude, and experience. This type of career test helps you see the bigger picture and will usually give you a list of careers to consider.
Career tests based on age or educational level
Other career tests may be based on your position in life. These might include:
- Career tests for teens
- Career tests for high school students
- Career tests for college students
- Career aptitude tests for adults already in the workforce
If you're in any of these situations, you might ask your school counselor or HR professional if any career tests are available for you to take.
Should I take more than one career test?
Some people choose a general career-finder test and won’t take others unless they feel the results are dissatisfying or inconclusive. Others may take more than one test to get the most accurate results. Taking many tests and getting varying results might make it harder to narrow down your options, but you could miss possibilities if you take only one. Visiting a career counseling center or counselor may help you decide.
Narrowing down your career choices can be overwhelming
Are career tests expensive?
Some career tests are costly. However, you can often find free career tests at a high school counselor's office, a college placement center, or through an online source. Some online tests may be free but require payment for full results. In other cases, the results are free, but you may have to sign up for a newsletter or a free service or be enrolled in a university to take the test. Personality tests and similar, more general assessments are often completely free online.
What should I do after taking the test?
Once you've taken a career or personality test, you may review the results on your own or with a career counselor. In some cases, the test proctor or organization that administered your test, if applicable, will work with you to understand the results. They may also offer career guidance or advice for your future job hunt, such as how to conduct yourself in future interviews or put together a strong resume. If you take a career test on your own, the advice below could help you decide on next steps.
Consider the results
Start by looking at the results. If you don't understand what they mean or how they might apply to you, you may decide to talk to a career counselor or do more research for clarification. Next, think about the careers suggested by the results. How do you feel about each of them? Which of the careers seems like it could be right for you? If you feel comfortable with a few options, consider making a pros and cons chart to narrow it down to your preferred choice. You may also want to look at the results of your peers, especially those who have similar interests to you. Their average scores on these tests and the most common career choices could help you make decisions about what work options to look into.
What if I don't like the results?
If you don’t like the idea of starting any of the careers listed in your results, it might mean that they’re not the correct fit for your interests. However, consider giving the results a chance and researching the career paths offered before you make up your mind. If they still seem like something you wouldn’t be interested in or do well at, you could consider taking another type of test or speaking with a counselor for career advice. Remember, it may take time to find a suitable career for you. Exploring the various possibilities available to you before choosing a course of action can be a helpful part of the process.
Seeking counseling for career or job testing
Meeting with a mental health counselor or therapist may also be beneficial as you search for a new career. They may be able to help you interpret the results of any career quiz you may have taken and explore any challenges in choosing a career path. Additionally, they might help you identify areas of your life that may be holding you back from getting a job, discover your strengths, or build your professional self-esteem and confidence. Plus, since research suggests that remaining undecided after a significant time researching potential careers can contribute to anxiety, a therapist may be able to help you address any symptoms like these that you may be experiencing as a result of your search.
If you have a busy schedule or are looking for support you can get at home, you might consider online counseling. Research suggests that online therapy can be as effective as in-person therapy in many situations. With a platform like BetterHelp, you can choose whether to connect with a licensed provider via phone call, video call, and/or in-app messaging.
Takeaway
Is there a test to figure out your career path?
While no single test will help you determine your absolute best career path forever, there are several tests designed to measure your career interests, aptitudes, personality traits, and values. How you score on the tests can help give you an idea of the career paths for which you might be best suited. Some of these tests are free, and some require a fee. Most are taken online and require registration and a login. All of them will ask for personal information about your traits and qualities. Here are some career test types that might point you in the right direction:
Aptitude tests
Career aptitude tests are designed to assess your natural talents and skills and suggest which occupations might be most compatible with those skills. Examples of aptitude tests include the CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) test and the CareerOneStop assessment offered by the US Department of Labor.
Interest assessments
Interest assessments measure your interests and match them with areas where you might find the most career satisfaction. Some tests, such as the Holland Code Assessment, assess interests according to broad characteristics of different careers—in this case, realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional (sometimes referred to using the acronym RIASEC). The Strong Interest Inventory, a Myers-Briggs test, also relies on the RAISEC structure for determining interest, but they compare the results of your test with profiles of people successfully working in different fields to draw similarities and help you make a more informed decision.
Personality tests
Personality tests collect information to identify your type based on many factors, including how you make decisions, perceive the world, interact with others, and more. Such tests aim to offer insight into how your personality may match up with specific careers. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and 16Personalities (a simplified version of the MBTI) tests are examples of commonly used personality-measurement tests.
Values assessments
These types of tests identify and rank the things you might value the most in a career, such as job security, financial gain, work-life balance, or helping others, which can influence your career choice. CareerOneStop has a values career assessment, and MyPlan.com also offers an online test.
Comprehensive career-focused assessments
Tests like CareerExplorer and the MAPP Career Test (Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential) take a more comprehensive approach to mapping your personality, skills, motivations, and values to generate the best careers that match your interests.
What is the best test for choosing a career?
The best test for choosing a career that best fits your needs depends on many factors. For example, are you looking for an age-specific test that caters to people in a particular age group? Are you just beginning your journey on your career path, or are you a seasoned veteran in the workforce? Additionally, the test you choose might also depend on whether you’re looking to transition from one field to something completely different or just wondering if there’s something that might be a better fit within your area of expertise. If you’re unsure where to begin, you might try out different tests (again, many are free online) and compare and contrast your results.
How can I figure out what career path to take?
Choosing a career path may feel overwhelming, but it might not seem so daunting once you take a career quiz. A quick online search will guide you to the type of test that may best suit your needs. Some tests focus on specific things such as personality or aptitude, while others take a more comprehensive approach to help you find the right career. Some people find it helpful to take a few tests and compare results.
Many of these tests are available for free, but some are not. Usually, this depends on how in-depth the test is or who developed it. Do a little cross-checking to ensure the test you’re taking is from a reputable source. Once you’ve taken the test and received your results, do a little self-reflection. Consider what you enjoy doing in your free time and think about topics or subjects that naturally catch your attention.
Take time to explore your natural skills and abilities, whether they’re soft skills like communication and problem-solving or technical skills like writing, designing, or coding. If you aren’t sure of your strengths, consider asking friends, family, peers, or coworkers for their input.
What motivates you? Is it creativity, financial success, helping others, or something else? Consider your personality. Do you prefer working alone or as part of a team? Are you introverted or extroverted—or somewhere in between? Your values and personality traits can influence how much satisfaction you’ll get from working in different roles.
Journaling can help you gain greater insight into your personality traits, strengths, and values. Some people opt to speak with a counselor for guidance on improving communication and problem-solving skills. A counselor can also help individuals cultivate more self-esteem and confidence.
How do I find my career path and purpose?
Finding your purpose and aligning it with a career path is a personal journey requiring self-reflection, exploration, and sometimes collaboration. Here are some suggestions to help you discover your purpose and merge it with a meaningful career path.
Do some deep self-reflecting
Journaling is an excellent way to gain perspective on your passions, strengths, and what brings you joy. It can also help you define your core values and motivators. As you reflect on these topics, consider what will satisfy you in the long term. Are you most fulfilled when you’re making a difference in people’s lives? Do you thrive in areas where you can use your creativity? Are you great at building innovative things?
Seek out new experiences
Experiment with doing activities to test your interests. For example, find an internship or side projects that align with your passions. Volunteer work is also an excellent way to get hands-on experience. If possible, ask for insight from professionals in the field(s) you’re interested in or spend time shadowing them. This can give you a real sense of what day-to-day work in those fields looks like and whether it aligns with your purpose.
Find an alignment between career and purpose
Think about how your career possibilities can help you make a difference. For example, do you prefer making contributions to improve a process or achieve corporate goals? Are you looking for something on a larger scale, such as an organization focused on making a social impact? Sometimes, the “why” behind your career outweighs the actual daily tasks.
Stay flexible
Your purpose isn’t always something you discover overnight—it might evolve as you grow and learn more about yourself and the world. Also, understand that purpose and career don’t align for everyone. Some find purpose outside work through family, hobbies, or community, while others find purpose in their career. Remember that it’s okay if your purpose and career are related but not perfectly intertwined.
Ask for guidance
Talk to people whose lives or careers you respect. Their stories can inspire and guide you, and they may see potential in you that you haven’t yet recognized. You might also work with a mentor for insight, guidance, and advice.
What is a career path example?
One example of what a career path might look like in the retail industry might be beginning as a cashier or sales associate and then promotion to a management role such as a customer service, operations, or sales manager. From there, the individual might be promoted to assistant store manager and then store manager. Store managers then may decide to pursue promotion to area or regional management.
How do I find my passion or career?
Finding your passion may take time, especially if you want your passions to align with your career. It begins with self-exploration to discover what energizes and brings you joy. Think about what you enjoy doing in your free time. When do you feel the most alive and engaged? Think back on your past experiences. Do you see patterns that reveal what you enjoy professionally and personally? Also, reflect on the things you’re naturally good at—people often excel at the things they enjoy. Are there moments in your life when you felt a deep sense of pride or accomplishment? Often, these moments point to activities that align with your core values and passion.
Explore new interests and activities. Try new hobbies or learn something new, like how to play an instrument or a language. Take a painting class or explore a new sport—different experiences can point you in the right direction. Also, try stepping outside of your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to take risks and experiment with activities that may seem intimidating or outside your usual routine. Passion often follows curiosity, so pay attention to what subjects, topics, or activities pique your interest and make you want to learn more. Read books, watch documentaries, or listen to podcasts on the subjects you’re interested in.
Don’t feel pressured to find your passion immediately. Begin small and experiment with different activities to see what resonates with you. Passion typically grows with time. You may not recognize it immediately, and it might take several tries to find something that clicks. Also, accept passion and realism as a package. It isn’t always dramatic or an “all-consuming” force that ignites your fire and motivation. Sometimes, it’s a quieter sense of fulfillment and joy in the little things.
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