Career Assessment Do's And Don'ts
By Tony Jacowski
As a child, you probably thought you were sure about your goals
in life. However, your thought process and priorities may have
changed today. This may be a result of the realization that your
skills and interests have changed with time. If you are unsure
of what career you would like to pursue, a career assessment can
guide you towards the right career. It helps you identify your
strengths, interests and weaknesses.
Career Assessment Tools
Career assessment tools can give your career some direction. The
tools consist of several questionnaires and tests that help you
in discovering your interests and skills. If you are not sure
about the nature of job you want to do, then you can go through
these tests and identify the possible career choices open to
you. You can also find these career 'discovery' tests on the
Internet. The assessment test for college and school students
consists of career and academic planning. There are assessment
tools for people who want to change their present career, and
for fresh candidates in search of a job.
Career counselors can also help you in the assessment, through
counseling sessions and various related assessment tools. These
counseling sessions are meant to make you aware of your natural
flair and aptitude. They help you to identify your interests and
match them with your strengths.
Do's
If you are planning on taking an online assessment test then
make sure that you compare several tests, in order to find the
one that suits your requirements. You can also attempt more than
one test. Once you have taken the test, remember to keep a print
out of all the results so that it is easy for you to compare and
make the right career decision. If you are using the help of a
career counselor, then they can administer and interpret the
assessment. Keep tabs on the results since the final decision is
yours. Attempting a career assessment test can be a very
enlightening process, as you get to discover a lot about
yourself. So the key is to enjoy the whole process and have fun!
Don'ts
Do not indulge in only one assessment test. Try several tests so
that you get to learn more about yourself. This will also help
you in determining the most reliable test that provided you with
the desired result. Always remember that you cannot rely
completely on the career assessment tests and questionnaires to
make a career decision. They can only provide the initial
guidance. If an online test reveals something that you feel is
untrue, then do not accept it. It is best to disregard that
piece of information. Do not consider the online assessment
alone for guidance. Seek advice from a counselor as well. If you
are a college student you can avail of an inexpensive access to
a counselor. They not only guide you but even help in
interpreting the results of assessment tests. Your skills and
interests may change with time, so it is essential to attempt a
career assessment periodically.
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta
Solution's Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and
certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green
belts, and yellow belts.
Back to Articles Page |
