Choosing a career is like ordering dinner at a restaurant where you don’t speak the language. You get scared, see what your friends are ordering, and just say, “I’ll have what they’re having.” Ten years later, you’re sitting in a cubicle, staring at a spreadsheet, and your friend (who really liked that order) is doing well.
We spend more time looking into which phone to buy than we do looking into which job to take. We read reviews, watch videos of people opening the device, and look at the specs for a $500 device. But for a career that lasts 40 years? We just go with the flow. “I guess I’m an engineer now because my dad said it was a good thing to do.” That is a sure way to have a mid-life crisis.
This is where Career Assessments come in. No, I’m not talking about the Buzzfeed quizzes that ask, “Which Harry Potter character are you?” or “What kind of potato are you?”
I’m talking about the real thing. The tools that are based on science and act like a mirror for your brain. They don’t tell you what to do; they tell you who you are. This guide is like a flashlight in the dark if you’re feeling stuck, lost, or scared of making the wrong move.
1. What Actually is a Career Assessment?
Let’s get rid of a misunderstanding first. A career assessment is not a test. You can’t fail it. There are no right or wrong answers.
You could say it’s a “Diagnostic Scan” for your personality. If your car makes a strange noise, you can plug it into a machine to find out what’s wrong with it. A career assessment does that for your work life. It looks at three things:
- Interests: What do you really like? (Not what you think you should like).
- Aptitude: What are your natural strengths? (Math? Talking? Making plans?
- Personality: How do you handle stress? Do you like being around a lot of people or being alone?
It takes all of this messy data and spits out a list: “Hey, since you hate people but love logic, maybe Sales isn’t the best job for you.” “Have you thought about Data Science?”
Similar More: How to Choose Between Two Job Offers
2. Tests That Matter
If you search for “Career Test” on Google, you’ll get 50 million results. Most of them are trash. These are the big names that career counselors really respect.
A. MBTI
You may have heard of this. Are you an INTJ? An ENFP?
- What it does: What it does is divide people into 16 different personality types. It tells you how you recharge (introvert vs. extrovert), how you make decisions (thinking vs. feeling), and how you see the world.
- Why use it: It’s a great way to learn about the culture at work. If you are an ISTJ (someone who pays attention to details and follows rules), you probably won’t like a startup where the rules change every hour.
B. RIASEC
This is the best way to match “People to Jobs.” It puts you into six groups:
- Realistic: People who work with their hands and tools, like engineers and pilots.
- Investigative : Like figuring things out (Scientists, Researchers).
- Artistic : People who write and design like to express themselves.
- Social : Like nurses and teachers who teach and heal.
- Enterprising : Like leading or selling (CEOs, Sales).
- Conventional : Like structure/data (Accountants).
Most people are a mix of two or three. If your top two are Social and Artistic and you work in a Conventional accounting job, you will get tired of it quickly. For sure.
C. CliftonStrengths
This one is my favorite. Most tests tell you what’s wrong with you. This one tells you what’s good about you. It tells you what your “Top 5 Themes” are. You might be a “Woo” (Winning Others Over). You might be “strategic.” This test doesn’t tell you to work on your weaknesses; it tells you to focus on your strengths.
3. Don’t Lie to the Test
This is where 90% of people go wrong. They take the test and answer the questions based on who they want to be instead of who they really are.
- Question: “Do you like parties that are loud?”
- Your Brain: “Well, cool people like parties. I want to be cool. So… Yes.”
- Reality: You actually prefer staying home with a book.
The test will lie to you if you lie to it. It will tell you to become an event planner, and you will be unhappy. Be brutally honest. If you are lazy, say so. If you really don’t like math, click “Strongly Dislike.” Honesty is not something to be ashamed of. Being honest can save you years of working toward the wrong degree.
4. Free vs. Paid, Is it Worth the Money?
- Tests that are free (123Test, 16Personalities): These are great for a “Vibe Check.” They point you in the right direction. They are like looking up something on WebMD—good for a quick guess, but don’t do surgery based on it.
- Paid/Pro Assessments: A certified career counselor usually goes over the results with you.
- Verdict: If you’re just curious, stick with free. If you’re going to spend $50,000 on a college degree or change careers at 35, pay the $100 to $200 for a professional evaluation. It’s less expensive than a midlife crisis.
Others: Graduation के बाद सरकारी नौकरी, डिग्री मिल गई, अब कुर्सी कैसे मिलेगी?
5. It’s a Compass
This is the most important part of the whole article. A career assessment won’t tell you what job to get.
It won’t say, “John, apply for the Junior Marketing Manager job at Google on Tuesday.” It will say, “John, you are both creative and analytical.” Check out UI Design or Marketing.
It tells you which way to go (North). You still have to walk the path. You still have to talk to people who work there. You still need to give things a shot. Don’t think of the result as a sign from God. Think of it as a guess. “Okay, the test says I should be a writer.” I’ll write every day for a month and see if I really like it.
6. When Should You Take One?
- The High School Senior: Before choosing a major in college. Please. Don’t choose a major just because your uncle said, “There’s money in plastics.”
- The “Quarter-Life” Crisis (Age 25): You don’t like your job after three years. You need to figure out if you hate your job or your career.
- The “Mid-Life” Switch (Age 40): You want to do something important, but you’re not sure what skills you have that you can use outside of your job.
Final Thoughts
Your job takes up 80,000 hours of your life. That’s a long time to act like someone else. We’re afraid to look inside because we don’t want to find out that we’ve been going the wrong way for years. But wouldn’t you like to know now? It’s better to turn the car around today than to drive another 500 miles in the wrong direction.
FAQs
Q: To be honest, isn’t the MBTI just astrology for people who work?
A: A lot of psychologists don’t like the MBTI because it’s not “perfect.” But here’s the thing: It’s a way of speaking. It may not be 100% scientifically correct, but it gives you the words to say why you hate spreadsheets but love brainstorming. It’s better than having nothing to work with. Don’t think of it as a religion; think of it as a helpful way to get to know people.
Q: What if the test says I’m a “Lumberjack” or something else random?
A: It happens. But don’t take it too seriously. If the test says “Lumberjack” or “Forest Ranger,” it means you like being independent, working with your hands, and being outside. You don’t have to cut wood. You could work as a Site Surveyor, a Field Geologist, or a Landscape Architect. Look at the skills needed for the job, not just the title.
Q: I took a test and the answers were all wrong. Is the test not working?
A: Maybe. But you probably lied on the test. We all do it without thinking about it. We answer who we want to be (“I love organized schedules!”) instead of who we are (“I actually put things off until the last minute”). If you really want to be honest, take it again on a day when you feel like it. Or have a close friend answer the questions for you. You might be shocked by what they say.
Q: Can I use these results to get a job? For example, put it on my resume?
A: Don’t write “I’m an ENFP” at the top of your resume. Some recruiters might even roll their eyes at you. Get ready for the interview with the results. You can use the language from the test to give a great answer when they ask, “What is your work style?” “I thrive in environments where I can brainstorm big picture ideas (N) rather than getting bogged down in minute details (S).”
Q: My parents want me to be a doctor, but my assessment says “graphic designer.” What should I do?
A: You can choose. You can make your parents happy for five minutes and yourself unhappy for forty years. Or you can let them down for a while and make a life that you really enjoy. The test is letting you be who you are. If you are wired to make art, going to medical school will only make you tired. Give them the information. Having “science” behind your choice is helpful.
