You can find plenty of career tests online, some more accurate than others. The best career tests are written by psychologists and take more than one factor into account. Generally, you’ll have to pay for the better career tests. And although a test may be accurate for some, it may not be for you. Therefore, you should take several career tests and look for a pattern among the results. Below, I’ve compiled a list of online career tests that I have found to be most accurate.
MyPlan
MyPlan.com has four separate career tests available (personality, interests, values, and skills). The values assessment is free, while the other tests cost 7.95-$9.95 each. You can purchase a complete test package for $19.95. I found the values test to be most accurate and the skills assessment to be the least accurate. You can view the results for each test separately or the composite report. Unlike many other online career tests, you can take the assessments as many times as you like once you are licensed. The MyPlan website also has career and college profiles, salary information, and many other resources.
MAPP Assessment
When taking the MAPP assessment, you will choose your most and least preferred activities from a group of three. After completing the 71-question assessment, you can match a list of 900 O*NET careers with your results for free. In order to view a list of your top career areas, you’ll need to purchase a package. Packages range from $19.95 for a narrative special to $129.95 for an executive package. I found the results to be quite accurate. The narrative report contained a very accurate interpretation of results that explained my motivations, interests, and temperament.
LiveCareer
Like many other career tests, the LiveCareer test requires you to choose the most and least desirable activities from among a group of three. The test consists of 100 questions and you can view a 15-page report for free. The report includes occupational interest scores and work styles. It also includes your top career areas based on Holland’s theory. You can purchase a premium report for $24.95 or a deluxe report for $39.95.
The Career Key
The Career Key test is written by Dr. Lawrence Jones and is based on John Holland’s theory of career choice. According to Holland’s theory, there are six types of work environments: realistic, artistic, investigative, social, conventional, and enterprising. By choosing the work environment that best suits your personality, you will increase your chances of career satisfaction and success. The Career Key test determines which environment is best for you. The online test costs $9.95 and you must pay before you can take the test.
Using Your Career Test Results
After taking several career tests, you should be able to identify two or three career areas that would be best for you. Conducting informational interviews and researching employment projections may help you narrow your options down. Don’t feel pressured to find one perfect career. There are probably several careers that would suit your personality, interests, skills and values.