Top Career Aptitude Tests for Adults

Top Career Aptitude Tests for Adults | Tips & Examples | Resume.com

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When you want to change careers or you’re unsure of what jobs are suited for you, a career aptitude test can provide you with insightful recommendations. The better you understand what job is right for you, the greater your chances are of finding happiness and success in your career. Learn more about the best career aptitude tests, why they’re important and which ones are the best to take.

What are career aptitude tests?

Career aptitude tests help determine the best careers for you. They take into account your skills, personality and talents and interests before providing you with a selection of jobs you might be interested in. Though they aren’t scientifically proven to give you the perfect answer, they can greatly help guide you toward the right career path.

Why career aptitude tests for adults are important

Career aptitude tests are important because they provide you with a list of jobs you may be interested in and can reaffirm your strengths and weaknesses. For example, if you already know the career you’ve chosen is the right fit for you, career aptitude tests can help you understand your work style and may even guide you toward certain positions within your field. In addition, career aptitude tests can give you confidence in your abilities. If you ever doubt your career or what you can accomplish or do, these tests can provide you with reassurance.

Top career aptitude tests

Here is a comprehensive list of the top career aptitude tests to take, subdivided by their respective categories:

Personality tests

Personality tests measure your skills, passions and intelligence in order to recommend jobs you may find interesting.

Examples of personality tests:

  • Typology Central Jung Personality Test: This free test takes into consideration the Jungian Cognitive Functions and Personality Dichotomies systems.
  • Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator: This test analyzes your personality and provides you with career options to explore. It has 16 personality types that you can fall into and determines whether you’re an introvert or extrovert and if you tend to use sense or intuition, feeling or thinking and judging or perceiving.
  • Crystal Personality Test: This provides you with free personality tests including Myers-Briggs, JobFit the Enneagram in order to understand your personality and the right jobs for you as a whole.
  • Who Am I?: In this test, you select photos that relate to you to help you understand your personality. It focuses more on your personality on your career, but it can still be insightful.
  • The Big Five Personality Test: This test determines your work style and how well you work with others.
  • MAPP Career Assessment Test: This is a large test that provides you with broad job choices that might be right for you.

Free tests

There are also some career aptitude tests that you can take free of charge.

Examples of free tests:

  • 123 Career Test: This test determines what jobs and work environments are right for you.
  • Test Color: Psychologists and human resources experts lead this test. You select colors that help determine your personality and abilities. The initial result is free but have to pay a fee for a more detailed report.
  • Color Career Quiz: This quick personality test uses colors to determine the right career choices for you.
  • CareerOneStop Interest Assessment: This test asks you 30 questions to determine what jobs are right for you.
  • Keirsey Temperament Sorter: This test helps you understand your personality and temperament. You’ll receive a predominant personality type along with your temperament type which has an effect on your job performance, career satisfaction and how you search for jobs. You receive a free profile description, however, a full report requires a fee.
  • O*NET Interests Profiler: This test through the Department of Labor determines your interest tendencies through the following areas: Realistic, Investigative, Social, Enterprising, Conventional and Artistic.
  • PathSource: This test has a free mobile application that provides you several careers based on your personality and interests. It also accounts for lifestyle issues and your expected income.
  • Human Metrics: This test asks you questions using Myers-Briggs and Jung’s Typology. It details how both tests tie into your personality.
  • 16 Personalities: This career aptitude test uses the Myers-Briggs model to help you better understand yourself. This test is free, but most of the tools charge a fee for you to join.
  • CareerExplorer: This test offers career suggestions after taking into account various factors including your career values, personality type, interests and preferred working environment.
  • Red Bull Wingfinder: This personality test helps you evaluate your strengths in four personality areas. It also gives you coaching from Red Bull athletes with similar strengths.
  • Skills Matcher: This test from the Department of Labor allows you to rate various skills to determine which you want to utilize in your career.

Pre-employment tests

Pre-employment tests are tests given to job candidates by employers. They are often part of the screening process for job applicants.

Examples of pre-employment tests:

  • Talent assessment tests: These tests help employers evaluate your expected performance and retainment prior to hiring you. They use various factors including your work style, knowledge and personality to gather their results.
  • Emotional intelligence tests: This test evaluates your ability to assess your own emotions and the emotions of those around you.
  • Physical ability tests: These tests determine your ability to perform manual labor and general physical activities.
  • Job knowledge tests: These tests evaluate your technical and professional knowledge for your industry and the job at hand.
  • Pymetrics: This specific test allows employers to evaluate your problem-solving abilities through mind games and puzzles.

Other career tests

There are other career aptitude tests that you can consider, but many will charge a fee.

Examples of other career tests:

  • Career Key: This test measures your similarity to six personality types and then provides you with career choices based on this. There is a fee to take this test.
  • JobQuiz: This is a quick quiz that allows you to evaluate several career choices. This test charges a fee of $9.99 or $6.99 for students.
  • Self-Directed Search: This test categorizes careers into six areas: investigative, social, enterprising, artistic, conventional and realistic. It provides you with three career choices and more options based on a mixture of results. There is a fee to take this test.

Tips for career aptitude testing

When you take a career aptitude test, keep in mind the following tips:

Understand the type of test you’re taking

Not all career aptitude tests are the same. Before taking a test and viewing your results, it’s important to consider what the test evaluates and focuses on. For example, some tests highlight your leadership skills, personality traits or intelligence. It’s possible that the test you take evaluates your personality and may recommend jobs based on that, but it doesn’t account for your interests.

Remember that they’re not definite

Before changing your entire life, remember that career aptitude tests are only recommendations. They provide you with insight, but it’s up to you to research each recommendation to ultimately determine if a job is right for you.

Research your results

Once you receive your results, do some research on each of the recommended jobs. Compare each of them and determine if any are worth pursuing.

Consider the test’s relevance

Before taking a career aptitude test, determine how old the test is.  Job requirements often change so in order for a career aptitude test to be helpful, it needs to be current and relevant.

Be mindful of the cost

Before taking a test, you should also consider the cost. There are several tests that are free of charge that may provide you with similar results.

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