Do Aptitude Tests Work?
Have you ever taken one of those career tests? It’s a tempting idea, isn’t it, that a test can tell us who we are meant to be and what we are meant to do. How handy.
A reasonable place to start, if you are in college, is your school’s career center. Of course there’s no shortage of private career counselors; check out the National Career Development Association for a directory. For online career assessment, there’s always the reliable and thorough Quintcareers site.
But do they work? Well, to a point. You might find out something new about yourself. You might learn about jobs you never even knew existed. You might get some help differentiating between interests and aptitude.
However, if the results feel really offbase to you, take them with a grain of salt. It’s only a test. It’s up to you to evaluate the results for yourself, in light of what you already know about yourself. There are no shortcuts! You gotta do your homework. You gotta be honest with yourself. And, often, you will have to take a few “wrong” paths before you discover the right one.
Meanwhile, if all else fails, take the famous Drew Carey Career Aptitude Test.
(Every time WG takes this test, she gets the same results. Receptionist. What the……)
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I get receptionist too…! Maybe it’s because I like all things bright and colorful…?
I haven’t taken a career aptitude test for a long time!
One of the problems that I think can arise with them is that the answers are not as straightforward as you would think. Sometimes, instead of being honest about personal attributes/traits, a person may put down how s/he aspires to act. Or if a person is having a bad day, that can color the responses.
The Drew Carey Test is a hoot! It says I should be in sales.
Yeah, I’m not sure about career aptitude tests.
One test that I did actually find incredibly useful is the Myers-Briggs personality test. I’ve always felt a little different than other people. When I took this test and got my personality type I was shocked it how accurate it was in describing who I am as a person.
There are career options that are recommended as ‘fits’ for your personality type, but again, I take that with a grain of salt.
The main benefit I got out of the test was getting the affirmation that there are other people out there like me and how I look at life in general is not necessarily abnormal.
I think these tests can gear your in the right direction. They might not always get it right but they can give you a general direction in a career or field you might enjoy.