How to discover which careers match your skills?

Choosing a career is an important decision point in life, and when you’re facing it, it’s normal to feel overwhelm stress, and even the pressure of time as you may be struggling to choose in time for enrollment in a school, or prior to an important date like graduation from school or training program. It may also be that you’re unsure of what career is a good match for your skills, personality, and interests.

Determine Your Interests

One helpful online test for matching your interests with career options is the O*Net Interest Profiler. This free online profiler can help you decide what careers you may be most interested in and help narrow the list of career options you may want to research further.

Determine Your Skills

Listing out your existing skillset can help you note what career options may relate to or allow you to build on existing skills you have. A pen and paper list work well, but a quiz like the one here can help you highlight your present skill set. This site allows you to enter a current or past job title and shows you careers that may utilize a similar skill set.

Factor in Your Personality

There are many personality tests that include a section on careers that are likely to spark your interest or fit well with your personality. One such free online test is located at 16 Personalities and is based on the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator. In the final report, careers and qualities commonly found in your personality type are listed. It may be helpful to see what a test like this suggests and how well it resonates with what you already know about yourself, your skills, and your interests.

Talk with a Career Counselor

When you’re career planning it's common to receive advice and input from friends and family, or even to lean toward your gut instincts about what may be the best choice. Talking with a career counselor can give you an edge in the process, though. Career counseling helps individuals to understand themselves in order to make informed and empowered decisions about their careers. Career counseling can help you:

• Clarify your career goals
• Identify how your goals and values line up
• Fully explore and understand all the options
• Gain support and feedback from an objective party
• Determine strengths and weaknesses
• Learn new skills and identify skills to hone and learn
• Broaden your perspective by considering things that you may not be aware of
• Create strategies for training, experience, and long-term career success

Allow yourself time to consider, research, and evaluate your options when considering a career change or when starting your career. Working to understand yourself, your skills, and to create a clear list of plans and goals can be very helpful. Bringing a career counselor on board for their valuable assistance in job searching, career planning, and exploring your options can give you an incredible edge whether you’re making a career change or starting out fresh.