Career assessments help you uncover your hidden talents. They can aid you in narrowing down what you are interested in, what your strengths and abilities are, what your personality type is, and what is valuable to you. This self-awareness will help you make well informed decisions about your future as it relates to your major, career choices and professional development.
The key is finding an area that you feel most comfortable in and will enjoy doing the tasks on a daily basis. The tests ask you a series of questions and try to provide you with some sense of your personality and career interests. Use the results to begin the exploration process and open your mind to possibilities you might not have contemplated before. It is a good way to begin discovering more about yourself and your interests as they relate to your career pursuits.
Self-Assessments are available online or offered to you by a career counselor in the Career/Transfer Center. Some of the online tools are accessible for a fee and others are free of charge. Test results vary depending on the test/activity. Here is a list of Career Assessment Tools and Tests Online: www.quintcareers.com/career_assessment.html
Please read the following information provided to find out more about testing offered online and whether they are free or fee based. It also offers you information on measures used to determine career or personality preference, ease of use, details of results, and rates the assessments usefulness: www.quintcareers.com/online_assessment_review.html
Be very cautious when taking online career assessments/activities. Controversy exists over whether these online tests are reliable or accurate. In order to get accurate and dependable results, it is critical that you seek interpretation and guidance from a career counselor before using test results freely. Please read the Quintessential Careers web site for a lengthier explanation on online career assessment controversy/pros and cons: www.quintcareers.com/career_assessment.html
The Quintessential Careers site offers some advice that can lead to a successful career assessment experience online under Career Assessment Do's and Don'ts: www.quintcareers.com/career_assessment-dos-donts.html
Richard Nelson Bolles, known as the author of the best-selling job-hunting book in history, What Color is Your Parachute, also offers a few cautionary notes on tests and advice sites under "The Fairy Godmother Report" - www.jobhuntersbible.com/articles/article.php?art_item=055
Richard Bolles' JobHuntersBible.com web site describes the "Seven Rules about Taking Career Tests" and offers some interactive assessments related to "Career" that he recommends taking online: The Princeton Review Career Quiz, The Career Interests Game and The Career Key. These are available at www.jobhuntersbible.com/articles/article.php?art_item=054 and www.jobhuntersbible.com/counseling/sec_page.php?sub_item=048
This same site also offers suggestions on "Personality" interactive tests: Personality Type, The Keirsey Character Sorter/The Keirsey Temperament Sorter, Resource Materials on Personality Types, Enneagram Personality Dynamics and The Enneagram: An Adventure in Self Discovery. These tests can be accessed from www.jobhuntersbible.com/articles/article.php?art_item=058
Remember, assessments are a good starting point and should lead you into self-exploration. Assessments do not behave like a magic wand where they give you a definite answer about what career you must pursue. Instead, it will help you discover more about who you are as an individual and lead you in the right direction. You will be better equipped to make well informed decisions about your future. It will offer you suggestions on a variety of careers that might be suitable for you. After all, you are the ultimate decision maker and controller of you own destiny. Please keep in mind that a career counselor can be the most helpful in guiding you through the process of self-exploration and evaluating your personal characteristics as they relate to careers. Now that you have a good idea what career and personality assessments can do for you, we invite you to dive in and begin on your self-discovery journey.
We offer various self assessment tools at the Career/Transfer Center. Career assessments are $15 each. If you are a considered a good candidate for career testing, usually two assessments are prescribed by the counselor. Keep in mind, you need a career counselor referral to take them.
First, we schedule 30 minute appointment referred to as an "Intake." During this time, the counselor will determine if testing is appropriate for you. Once you take the tests, the following appointment will be scheduled for one hour for test interpretation and guidance.
To schedule an appointment, please call (626) 914-8639 and ask for a career counseling appointment.