Career Test: Finding Your Career Path With An Aptitude Quiz

Without taking a career test, an individual might be more likely to try several jobs before settling on a career path. While this practical 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 complete 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. Millions of people take these types of tests each year. You may take the test at a career counseling center or online. 

These tests are often multiple choice tools 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. Your test results may include a list of several different careers that match your interests, skills, and preferences rather than a single definitive answer. 

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, data collection, and scoring criteria. If you take a career quiz through a career counselor or other professional, they might suggest a specific type that they believe 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 other tests.

Career aptitude test

Career aptitude tests can measure your skills, creative 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 describes 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. 

When can a career test be most helpful?

Career tests can provide important insight for anyone thinking about starting a career or changing careers. There could be certain stages of your life when taking a career quiz or test could be especially helpful, though. Some of these instances might include: 

• Before choosing advanced high school courses
• When starting your higher education
• After completing your general education courses
• When making a career transition

Taking a career test at key points in your life can help you make the best choices about educational programs and training opportunities. 

Should I take more than one career test?

Some people may choose a general career-finder test and won’t take others unless they perceive that 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.

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.

Understanding your career test 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.

Interpreting top career matches

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? Save a short list.  If you feel comfortable with a few options, consider making a pros and cons chart to narrow it down to a choice you’re satisfied with.

Reviewing professions and role details

Try not to accept or dismiss any of your top career matches before doing your research. You may think you know what specific professions are about just by looking at the job titles, but it’s likely you have more to learn. Read about each profession, taking note of details such as key duties and responsibilities, entry requirements, pay, and occupational outlook. You could also perform additional research to find out about the rates of job satisfaction associated with each career option. 

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 the test’s accuracy is lacking and that they’re not the correct fit for your interests. However, consider giving the results on the page 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.

Career tests vs real world decision making

Taking a career test and entering a career can be two very different things. It might not be wise to jump right into a career the test recommends without taking some necessary steps in between to decide whether it is right for you.

Testing versus real-world exploration

While career tests may be helpful in narrowing your choices, they can’t replace other real-world techniques for exploring the job market. Other things you can try on top of taking a career assessment include:

• Job shadowing
• Talking to people in the field
• Volunteering in the industry
• Watching educational videos spotlighting various careers

Passion, lifestyle, and pay

A career test can only go so far in predicting how well a certain position will match your preferences. Before jumping into a decision that impacts the rest of your life, you’ll want to give some careful consideration to your top priorities. When choosing a career, it could be necessary to weigh several factors against one another, including your passions and values, lifestyle preferences, and salary requirements. 

For instance, the job you’re most passionate about might not allow for a lot of extra money or free time. In this case, you’ll have to choose what’s most important to you. You might have to choose between a logical choice and an emotional one, or look for something in the middle. 

Career tests and career counseling

In some cases, career tests may be used in formal career counseling. If this is something you’re interested in, you can typically find career counseling from a local university or community college or go online to look for a provider. 

How career counselors can help

Career counselors can help you make the most of your career test results. In addition to providing assistance with test results, these counselors can help you create a plan to achieve your short-term and long-term career plans. They can help you learn how to approach your job search in an efficient manner. 

What career counselors do

Some specific things career counselors can help with include: 

• Job applications
• Goal setting
• Resumes and cover letters
• Mock interviews
• Setting up a job search account
• Coordinating volunteer opportunities
• Scheduling interviews

Seeking therapy for career guidance

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. In addition to providing career guidance, 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 and make more confident decisions going forward.

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.