Self Assessment: Discover the Real You
Ever feel at a loss when trying to pinpoint what you would like to do for a living? Ever find yourself speechless when asked to articulate your skills and how applicable they are in the world of work? Surprisingly, the majority of would-be graduates every year have no idea what career they want to pursue, and whether they have the skills for a particular job. This is where self-assessment tools come in. These tools - tests that can include anything from 10 to 100 questions - can tell you a lot about yourself: Some things you already knew, others you’ve never even considered. So, what do these so-called assessments really do?
Assessment tests are
- instrumental in identifying your strong and weak points, thus giving you insight to what areas need improvement.
- highlight your interests and show you the link between them and your areas of strength.
- make you aware of your values (the things that matter to you in a job/career - like helping other people, having a prestigious title, or working for a large organization).
- And, it takes all of the above revealed points and links them to careers that fulfill as many areas as possible.
The great skill of these assessment tests lies in
- their straightforward nature
- their high percentage of accuracy
- their speedy results
Different Types of Assessment Tools
The variety of available assessment tools is as wide as the variety of people who seeks them out to get a clearer understanding of themselves. While some are more effective with students still trying to determine their field of study, others are applicable at any stage of one’s career life. Starting as paper and pencil tests, assessment tools underwent modification to suit the computer medium. Now most of these tests can be taken on a computer, and their results are tabulated immediately. Alternatively, some can also be taken online, and a candidate profile is generated on the spot. Although most of these tests provide profiles that can easily be interpreted by the individual, it is usually advisable for the results to be taken up with a trained career counselor. In fact, some tests, like the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) can only be administered by a MBTI certified counselor. Let’s take a look at some of the different kinds of tests available:
Kersey Temperament/Character Sorter
These two tests can be taken and scored on-line. They are based on Carl Jung’s theory of psychological type, and provide extensive insight into one’s personality and suggested career areas. The tests serve both students, fresh graduates and seasoned workers equally efficiently (available at www.keirsey.com)
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
This test is also heavily based on Jung’s theory of psychological types. It probes your personality, strengths and personal preferences, and matches them to a list of suitable career options. Although there is no online version of it, the MBTI is one of the most popular assessment tools in the US, because of its effectiveness.
Strong Interest Inventory
Based on your preferences – what you like and don’t like - the outcome of this test falls into three categories: your general interests (including preferences, interests, and values), specific interests that lead to various aspects of potential careers, and the last category is made of a list of 10 possible careers, leading to a further level of investigation.
Focus II
A windows-based interest assessment tool. Like the Strong Interest Inventory, it allows you to create an interest profile and match it with a variety of occupations. It is interactive and will take you through a detailed step-by-step analysis of your interests and values. It is one of the longer tests available, taking 2-3 hours to complete, if done in one sitting.
Self-Directed Search (SDS)
Commonly known as SDS, this test is based on the Holland theory that stipulates that both people and the work environment can be classified according to 6 basic types, and that people are happiest and most successful when they take these classifications into consideration when choosing their careers. The six basic types highlighted by Dr. John Holland are: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional, which make up the SDS hexagon. Being one of the shorter tests (usually completed in 15-20 minutes), the SDS is one of the most popular self-assessments. An on-line version is available for a minimal fee, which gives you access to a full-length report. (available at www.self-directed-search.com)
Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential (MAPP)
Offered on-line by the International Assessment Network, the MAPP is one of the most complete on-line tests. One can get a career-analysis report for free, and for a minimal fee, further personal reports are generated. All reports are based on the answers to 71 questions. Taking the test in one sitting consumes less than an hour. An added plus - you can save your work and go back and pick up where you left off (available at www.assessment.com).
The Birkman Method
Acclaimed for its accuracy, the Birkman method probes four behavioral types to determine good career matches. These are expediting, communicating, planning, and administrating. Its uniqueness stems from the fact that it is not based on any assumptions, particularly the assumption that equates behavior with motivational needs. The people behind the test proudly claim that this test not only provides information, but also contributes to a better understanding of your career needs. While a small, yet comprehensive, part of the test is available online for free, the complete test is for a fee (available at www.review.com).
Which test is right for me?
Because of the wide variety, no one test is good for one person and useless for the next. Sometimes your best bet would be to take a combination of these tests and look at all the common threads between them, to get confirmation on certain aspects. Some tests like the SDS may be more vocation based (targeting vocational, rather than professional careers).
How literally should I take my test results?
Although all the above mentioned tests are based on extensive, on-going research and have been tried and tested time and again, they are only intended to provide guidance and direction. No one individual or test can make a career decision for you, but they can all help in clarifying certain vague areas. Do discuss the results of your test with a career counselor or mentor, to get a more professional opinion, but don’t change the course of your life because one test thinks you should be an accountant and not a doctor!!! And of course, don’t forget to tackle those weak areas that appeared as needing development. An important thing to keep in mind is not to expect any drastic revelation.
When should I take these tests?
Ideally, these tests should be the starting point of your job search process, since they will provide you with a lot of information that will aid in directing your search towards particular areas. But if you didn’t take them then, don’t worry!! The test results will be beneficial at whatever stage you take them. Some career counseling experts suggest retaking the tests at various, reasonably spaced points in your career life.