Career Counseling by the Numbers

Career Counseling

Yes, this is an accounting blog so at least you are pretty clear that you want your career to focus on accounting.  Good start! The English majors don’t even know this much yet! J

Whatever it is that you do, when your personality, abilities, and values align with the organization which hires you, your chances for workplace happiness are much higher. For instance, a non-smoking CPA might not be happy working for a tobacco company lobbyist because their values don’t align.

The first step is helping you identify your personality, abilities and values and for that the world on online career testing rises above the horizon. Why are these becoming so popular? The tests are very accessible, free, and can be done in privacy of your own computer instead of entering the office of some neck-tie ninny who will pontificate about your career path.  And as I said, the tests are free.

You can complete the tests quickly—the Princeton has only 24 questions and no essay questions.  I can hear your sigh of relief from here. After you finish, the test not only makes observations about your personal qualities, but also your career strengths and skills vs. the career options from which you should probably run away in abject horror.

Caveats:

1. Most of the free tests are abbreviated versions of the more extensive (and expensive) tests. The website’s goal is to get you to pay for the more extensive test. Duh.  This is the land of capitalism after all.  Read carefully before you sign up for any test.
2. The website may try to capture your data so they can happily inundate your mailbox later. While the test may ask for your name and address, be alert to any opportunity to opt out of receiving future marketing blurbs.
3. The test may not necessarily be accurate. If you didn’t read the question correctly, your answer may not display who you really are. If the results don’t feel right to you, they probably aren’t. On shorter tests, they may have categorized you where you shouldn’t be because they did not have enough data to make a decent observation. Forget the test and take another one or two or three. Listen to your heart. If the ideas ring true, great! Learn from the results and let them guide you on your career path.
4. There are no external standards for these tests. No one has to pass the career counseling version of the CPA before they post one online.

For this reason, you may wish to take at least six tests in the hope of getting overlapping/confirming results.

Here is a short list of free online career tests. These represent a good sampling of the tests which are online.

Similar Minds Free Online Career Tests

Answer 71 questions in approximately 20 minutes. View your sample report. See which job tasks you prefer and the top 11-20 jobs that suit you. Follow a link to more research material – You are offered the chance to purchase a more detailed report.

The Princeton Review Career Quiz™

This is a shortened method of The Birkman Method®. After answering 24 questions, you receive a description of your interests, skills and preferred style – using the Birkman color approach – plus a list of the careers this points to.

Web Tickle free career online placement tests

This site offers “PhD certified” tests of various natures that offer thought-provoking test questions. The individual analyses encourage you to pursue your goals. Tickle’s Career Personality Test pinpoints your workplace strengths and directs you to a profession that best compliments your unique personality. It is similar to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator^® Instrument. You have to register as a member to take part.

Prospects Planner Free Online Career Tests

This test helps you clarify your ideas. It is a shortened version of a longer test for University graduates. You’ll need to register and then answer some questions about your skills and what you want from a job. The results show what you might do for a career. You don’t have to explore all the options at once, as you can return and view the results again on your next visit.

MAPP™ Assessment – free online career assessment tests

This assessment (MAPP stands for Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential) is designed to reveal your motivations, interests and talents for work. You’ll need to register with the site first. The free mini-analysis is a sample of the larger analysis you can purchase and includes five job matches with occupational documentation, a selection of real job matches and a free resource guide for career changers. (Note: many websites offering career tests are offering the MAPP assessment.)

iVillage Free Online Career Tests

This website for women offers various tests, one of which is career related. Answer 30 questions by selecting one of two options. At the end, you’ll receive a list of about 20 career options and a one page report on your personality and career type.

Careerlink free career online placement tests http://www.mpcfaculty.net/CL/climain.htm

I admit it: I liked this test but it was because of the cute little frogs in the sidebar.

This site, run by Monterey Peninsula College, asks you to respond to a series of questions by picking one of two options. After working through four pages, you will receive a list of job categories along with percentage matches to your results. The CAREERLINK Inventory is designed to match the way you see yourself with available career information from the United States Department of Labor.

Progressing from being an accountant to becoming a CPA offers greater opportunities for promotion to management and higher salaries.