Myth Buster Monday: Career Tests

“There is a career test that will tell me exactly what to go into!”

Sorry, but this is obviously a myth. Career assessments vary depending on what they are testing. Some career assessments compare your test answers to surveyed answer of individuals in certain fields. For example, I would rather write an essay than do calculations. This answer may match individuals in journalism, theatre, biological research, or psychology. In other words there are a wide variety of fields that these tests can match you to. On the other hand, career assessments can help you narrow your choices down or even make you debate on careers that you did not know existed! Here at Career Services, we have three kinds of career assessments.

1.       Strong Interest Inventory (SII) - This test has 291 items and compares your result with professionals in various fields and occupations. This assessment is our most popular and gives you results in great detail. In order to take the test, you will have to come get a paper with the login information on it. In addition, in order to have the test results interpreted, you will have to make an appointment with a career counselor.

2.       Type Focus- Type Focus is a 62 question assessment that has you choose from two options in order to determine your personality and match you to linking careers. This test, unlike the Type Focus, is shorter and doesn’t require too much thought. The Type Focus also allows you to see what Myers Briggs result you were given along with an interpretation.

3.       COMPASS- COMPASS is a career assessment that uses PICTURES! It is my favorite because it seems more fun than the ones that require a lot of reading. COMPASS helps by matching careers to your personality and preferences.  May I repeat that it uses pictures! This means that not only is it less of a bore; it’s also faster. Like Type Focus, COMPASS will permit you to have access to your results immediately; however, you can discuss your results with a career counselor.

If you think that career assessments aren’t for you (I know we have all had the experience where we want to be the president and the assessment lists us as a florist) you can always come to career services in Dunford Hall and talk to a counselor or even go to our website, career.utk.edu, and use our career exploration tools and other career resources!