Preparing for Online Career Assessment Tests

If you are a student and you have been logging time at home, now could be an excellent time to take an online career or aptitude test online.

Suggestion: Take a look at a list of online career tests that we published on this blog on August 24^th, 2020, and try some of the self-assessment tests that interest you.

But Do You Really Need to Prepare for Career Assessment Tests?

Strictly speaking, you don’t need to study for online career tests. You can simply go online, pick a test, log in and start answering questions. But if you think about the following questions before you start your tests – and make note of your answers – you can benefit more from taking them.

How Far Along Are You in Picking a Major or a Career?

What careers are you already considering . . . and how strongly are you committed to them, and why? Maybe you are considering becoming an engineer because you had a very motivating teacher in high school, or because you loved being on your school’s robotics team. Or maybe you are thinking about becoming an attorney because you have developed a strong sense of social justice and were a top debater at your school. Write down your current strongest career interests and consider what other studies and experiences you might need before choosing one as your college major or career path.

**Are You in Love with the Career You Are Considering . . .? Or Just with the Idea of that Career?**

We all romanticize what it would be like to be part of a profession we are considering. If we think about becoming physicians, we imagine ourselves saving lives. If we are considering becoming classical musicians, we could envision ourselves performing before cheering crowds.

It is fine to be excited and energized by images like those. But it is also important to think about the work and study it will take to prepare for those careers, the day-to-day work and routines they will require, and other reality-based factors.

The idea is not to remove the excitement from the process of picking a major or a career, only to set up realistic expectations and make them part of your selection process.

What kind of work settings and activities appeal the most to you? Do you like to work indoors or outdoors? Do you like to be physically active when you work, or is being more sedentary alright with you? Do you like to work alone, or with teams of other people? Some career tests weigh these factors, but many do not, and they are worth considering as you pick a career or a path of study.

Additional Questions to Consider when Reviewing Results from a Test You Have Completed

How appealing and flexible are potential colleges and universities where I can pursue studies in this field? In other words, if you begin to study for a particular career in college and change your mind, what options will you have? If you start to study engineering at a polytechnic institute and decide to major in psychology or computer science, for example, you might have to transfer to another college. And similar considerations could apply if you decide to major in studio art and start your college studies at a college with a top art curriculum. If you are only reasonably sure of your career path, it is smart to think about your college selection from this perspective.

What is the long-term potential for the careers the assessment test recommends for me? Be sure to check out the long-term employment prospects in the Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The idea is not to eliminate a job path that is really best for you, only to make a long-term decision that promises a long and satisfying career.

We Invite You to Explore Your College & Career Options with Us. . .

Participate in the National Career & College Pathway Study to gain new insights about making educational decisions that align with your interests, passions, and aptitudes. Participants will receive information on college and career opportunities that match their interests.

Check Out the U.S. Army’s Battery of Online Career Tests

How Moms and Dads Can Help their Kids Discover the Right Career Options

How Are Gen Z High School Students Thinking About Careers Today?

What Influences Student Career Choices?

Three Online Career Tests for High School Students

How Soon Should Students Take Career Tests?