Career aptitude tests are a great way to figure out just what type of career would suit your personality and skills best. While people of all ages can take a career aptitude test, adults can benefit from this type of evaluation to give them a direction after completing a degree or trying to make a career change. There are many benefits to a career aptitude test, with the biggest being you’ll be able to find a line of work that’s right for you, hopefully giving you high job satisfaction.
How They Work
Unlike traditional tests, career aptitude tests have no right or wrong answers. Instead, each question is used to gauge factors such as your personality and subjective outlook on life, as well as more objective aptitudes like math and logic. When your answers are put together, you fall into a certain category that makes certain jobs a much better fit for your responses than others. Much like a personality test, a career aptitude test for adults takes your personal qualities, matches them with your skills, talents, and expertise, and gives you a personalized recommendation.
Career Aptitude tests will usually evaluate your present skills in a number of areas, including: verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, perceptual ability, spatial ability, technical ability, analytical ability, and acuity. Keep in mind that these tests can only assess what your skills are today, not what they may look like in the future. This is why many tests also take personality and personal preference into account; your skills may not match up today with your chosen career field, but you may be able to make them stronger in the future to pursue your dream job.
Types of Tests
There are different types of adult career aptitude tests, and some are longer and more comprehensive than others. A thorough career aptitude test will assess your personality, skills, goals, and even lifestyle to determine which career choices best suit your needs. A test like this will give you the widest assessment, helping you thoroughly examine the best career options. Talent assessment tests are often used by employers to see whose skills are the best fit for the job. These tests aren’t as concerned with personality and other factors as they are with matching ability to predicted future job performance. Other tests can include career assessments, which help you determine which career options are best for you based on your personal skills and talents and even career self-employment tests, which can help you find out whether or not self-employment is a wise option for you.
Where to Take Them
Many career aptitude tests can be taken online, though some are more comprehensive than others. If you’re looking for a basic assessment, than this may be the best place to start. Most online tests are free, though many require you to register with personal information first, so beware.
Career coaches or counselors also administer career aptitude tests, and can also be a great resource for adults wanting to make a career change. Not only will you be able to take a comprehensive test administered by a professional, but you can then have your answers explained and evaluated in a one-on-one setting. Taking a career test in this environment provides context to your answers, as well as gives you face-to-face interaction for all of your concerns and questions. This type of service will also coach you after you’ve made your decision, helping make your adjustment into your new career field as smooth as possible.
If you are going to school, your college or university should be able to help you take one or more of these career tests through the counseling or career placement department. Much like going to a career counselor, these on-campus professionals can help guide you to your perfect career, matching your test results with your chosen degree program. They may even be able to guide you to internships and jobs within your suited field to get you started on your new career path.
