Careers Tests: separate the good from the bad
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Career Tests

It is difficult to underestimate the importance of your choice of career, and the role of a good career test in helping you make the decision.

This article helps you tell the difference between good and bad career tests. This is important because it can be difficult to change career at a later date - e.g. you may have to take a big drop in income in order to acquire the new skills or experience required in a new career.

What makes a good careers test?

The most important thing about a career test is whether it helps you find a career that you will enjoy. The quality of information a career test contains depends on whether it is based on:

Some differences between career tests are superficial - such as format (e.g. web page, pdf file, or book), cost (from being free to costing around £50), or presentation (e.g. using text or graphics). However, it is the quality of information that matters.

Well-researched theory or subjective opinion. Some career tests produce lists that are drawn from other sources. The quality of those sources can vary, and often hasn't been tested. Popular opinion can be wrong (and often is). The better career tests either use their own research, or will research the source of their information and give that source appropriate credit.
External impressions or inside information. The external impression of a career is often very different from the experience of working within it. A simple example of this is that many children who like animals want to become a vet. However, their dreams are shattered when they discover what the work of a vet actually entails. The better career tests draw on information from people who are already in their careers, and therefore have an inside view.
Popularity statistics or enjoyment ratings. Some of the better career lists are based on an industry statistic called "selection ratio". This is a measure of popularity, which compares the numbers of each personality type in a career with the numbers of that type in the population. However, many people enter a career, and stay in it, for reasons other than enjoyment. E.g., it may be a convenient source of money, or provide a flexible lifestyle, to enable them to pursue social, sporting or family interests outside of work. An even better approach is to look at how people rate each job for enjoyment.
Your personality type or unique personality. Most career tests use Myers Briggs theory to identify potential careers. Although this can be helpful, each of the 16 types is a stereotype and therefore different to your unique, individual personality. An even better approach is to identify careers that provide a close match with your unique personality profile.
Contemporary or historical statistics The nature of a career can sometimes change due to advances in technology, culture, or professional practice. Career statistics that were produced 30 years ago may no longer be relevant today. For example, nursing has become a much more academic profession in many countries, and the nature of many Information Technology careers has shifted from being driven by strategic plans to a more immediate, customer-service culture. The better career reports use recent research in their analysis.
A questionnaire that has been tested. Some questionnaires have been constructed using "face validity" (it seems to test the right things). The better career tests have been examined using robust statistical techniques, such as factor analysis.

A comprehensive career test

Our career test has been developed to include all the better practices. It is based on:

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