Take a Career Aptitude Test
Finding the right career path is often challenging. Many never take the time to seek guidance in choosing a career, and end up doing jobs they do not really enjoy. Fortunately, career aptitude tests provide a scientific way to assess strengths and weaknesses, which might help you identify careers you are well-suited for. Taking one of these tests can help you narrow down the possibilities to a few choices that are suitable for you, and help you avoid end up potentially wasting years following a career path you do not find fulfilling.
Contents
Steps
Finding a Place to Take the Test
- Visit your guidance counselor. If you are a student, taking an aptitude test through your school will almost certainly be free, and will also provide you with someone who can help you understand the results. Some schools provide career aptitude tests for all students, while others only offer the tests upon request.
- Research the career aptitude tests that are available online. There are numerous websites offering career aptitude tests. Some services are available without charge while others have fees for services provided.
- Be aware that many online aptitude tests are not scientifically validated, and the quality of such tests can vary significantly. If at all possible, stick to the tests that provide information about how the test was validated. A test should be scientifically validated to provide useful information. Some good examples of high quality tests include the Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential(MAPP), the Jackson Vocational Interest Survey (JVIS), and the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator.
- If you go for online aptitude testing, consider taking more than one test, particularly if you are sticking to the free tests. This can help to weed out results that may not be right for you. On the other hand, if one or two career options pops up on multiple test results, it's likely that this is a good choice for you.
- Call or visit your local employment office to see if they offer career aptitude testing. Be aware that this may or may not be a free service. Unlike online tests, you may also have the opportunity to discuss your results with a counselor working at the employment center.
- Be willing to invest in a professional assessment that includes a scientifically validated career aptitude test and a thorough analysis of the results. The administrators of these career aptitude assessments are experts with successful guidance experience. An investment of your time and money in this type of service will likely be worthwhile.
Taking the Test
- Take good care of yourself. Career aptitude tests can be long, and sometimes even emotionally challenging. Before taking the test ensure that you get enough rest, eat healthy and nutritious meals, and get some exercise to make sure you are physically and emotionally in the best shape possible. Although this may sound over the top for a simple aptitude test, remember that you are taking a test that may help determine the path you follow for a large portion of your life.
- Understand what to expect. Career aptitude tests can vary in many different ways. Some tests will have only a few questions, while others may have close to 250 questions.
- Some tests will simply ask you to rate your skills in different areas (e.g. math, science, art, history, etc.), others will ask you to think about which types of tasks you prefer, some may ask you to consider how you might deal with a certain situation, or how you might feel during a stressful event. These questions are designed to assess your skills, interests, and personality in order to give you suggestions about careers most suitable for you.{{greenbox:Use the results of the tests to find careers you might like. Devin Jones says: "Hopefully the test will be clarifying. You might find a few different categories of careers or professions that align with your interests. Then, you'll typically get information about each career path, like the education required to do the job, what the day-to-day of the job looks like, and the average salary."}}
- Follow the instructions that the test provides carefully. Not all tests will have the same instructions, so it is important that you take the time to understand any specific requirements the test may have.
- Take your time answering the questions. If the test is long, you may get tired, and become tempted to skim through the last questions. Resist the temptation, and do your best to go through each question carefully.
- Try to be honest as possible. It can be challenging to remain honest if we have been influenced by the opinions of others or our own beliefs. However, the accuracy of your results relies heavily on your willingness to provide honest answers.
- Avoid letting your preconceptions about the possible results guide your answers.
- Avoid letting the opinions of others skew your answers.
Evaluating and Utilizing Your Results
- Discuss the results of your career aptitude test with a guidance counselor or other qualified professional, if possible. He or she can help you interpret the results of your test, and can help advise you on how you might apply the results.
- They may even be able to offer you volunteer or temporary work in certain fields to give you a chance to “try out” a certain career before committing, and may also be able to help you take the right steps towards beginning your career once you find the right one.
- Search the internet for job descriptions of the careers your aptitude test has suggested. This can help you determine which results are useful, and which are not. For example, if your test results suggest that you might be well-suited to a career as a doctor, but you know that you hate the sight of blood, and don’t enjoy working long hours, it may not be the best result for you.
- Keep an open mind. While it is important to weed out results you know are not right for you, it is also important to keep an open mind. The career that is perfect for you may be one you had not previously considered. Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of being a famous artist, but an aptitude test may help point out that you really enjoy more logical tasks, and have considerable skill in mathematics. These interests and skills may lend themselves better to a career in statistics or accounting.
- Remember, you can always turn interests into hobbies if your skills and strengths are not well-suited for that career.
- Combine your results with your own career investigation. While a career aptitude test may be very useful when determining the right career for you, it is not the only way to do so. In order to find your dream career, take time to think about your life goals, ambitions, hobbies, and dislikes. All of these different things can help guide you towards the right career, especially when combined with a quality aptitude test.
- Keep the results of this test for future use. You can use it to help select relevant college courses or when you are searching for jobs.
Tips
- Investigate the possibility of working as an intern in one of the career paths recommended by a career aptitude test. Doing so gives you a chance to experience what that career is like without a huge commitment.
- Consider using a career aptitude test when re-entering the workforce after a long period of unemployment. There may be new opportunities you had not considered in your previous career.
Warning
- Listen to your instincts. While career aptitude tests can provide useful information to consider when choosing a career, it is not a definitive answer. If a career aptitude test result suggests a career path you know for certain is not right for you, then consider other options.
