Career Placement Tests

When I was a sophomore in college I began to realize that I was not in the right major for where I wanted to go. I was not sure where to turn or how to figure out what the right career field was for me. Someone recommended making an appointment with my school’s career services department to discuss what I could do.

When I met with my career advisor, she recommended that I take a series of tests. My first thought was, “Ugh, I can barely pass my accounting exam, and now I have to take more tests?” She further explained to me, however, that these exams were not graded, rather they were known as career placement test. She said that they could help me to learn which fields I may be best suited for based on my interests and personality. The best part of all, the tests, which can often cost hundreds of dollars, were free!

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

The first test I took was the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The test was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Briggs and is based on Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types. Possibly you have heard someone spouting before that they are an ‘ESFP’ person, or have an ‘INTJ’ personality. You also probably thought they were going a bit nuts. Personally, I do not blame you. Believe it or not, however, they are not going crazy. Those letters actually mean something. The test breaks your answers down into four different sections each with two categories that fall underneath.

Section one asks questions relating to where you focus your attention and labels you as either an extrovert (E) or an introvert (I). Next, in section two, you answer questions related to how you prefer to take in information. Here, based on the answers provided, you are either a sensing person (S) or an intuition person (N).

The third section is about how you make decisions. This one is simpler to understand for many people. Do you make decisions based off what your brain tells you, or what your heart tells you? If it’s your brain, then you are a thinking person (T). If it’s your heart, then you are a feeling person (F). Lastly, the final section focuses on how you deal with the outer world. You are either a judging person (J), meaning you are scheduled and organized, or you are perceiving person (P), which means you are more spontaneous and flexible.

Each of these letters combined create 16 different personality types. Once identified, the test provides information on characteristics that can apply to college, careers, organizations, work setting preferences, and overall work personality. The answers to the MBTI test can help you to identify not only where you may best lie in the career world, but also helps you identify who you are at your core.

           

Strong Interest Inventory

The next test I took was the Strong Interest Inventory. Your answers are broken down into six different categories: social, enterprising, artistic, conventional, realistic, and investigative. Each of those categories have careers associated with them. Based upon your answers, the test provides you with a list of fields and careers which you would be most suitable for. For example, I rated very high in the social category. One of the highest suggestions for a career was in Human Resources and Training. This was where I first developed the idea that this may be something I am interested in doing. 

Together, the Strong Interest Inventory and the MBTI can help you determine what type of major and career field may be most suitable for you. In addition, they often uncover much more than that. You are able to learn more about who you are as a person, how you deal with situations, what your weaknesses are, and what your strengths are. I highly recommend seeking out your local career services department and asking if it offers these tests. Even if you have been out of school for many years, often, the school will still offer them to alumni. These tests can help you learn about yourself in ways you never thought possible.