Helena Castro
Editor's Note
This partner content is brought to you by Helena Castro. Helena Castro is a technical recruiter at Etsy, Inc., where she builds engineering and product teams. She has previously recruited for technical teams at Lyft, Spotify, and DoorDash.
At a Glance
JobTest.org – Best Overall
CareerExplorer – Runner-up
CareerHunter – Third Place
Since the early 2000s, the global job market has been transitioning toward a system where job-seekers have more power than ever before. Competitive wages, highly-specialized fields, and remote positions all mean employers must negotiate more to secure the best candidates for their companies. Consequently, career mobility is also at an all-time high in modern history. Professionals who previously believed themselves to be limited to one role in one company now see countless available options. Similarly, young adults and other first-time workers can choose how they begin their careers more carefully.
With such a range of opportunities, the need for clear, actionable information about the current job market is also more important than ever. And, often, making a good choice between all available options can intimidate or dishearten even the most ambitious among us. Fortunately, the modern professional has a potent new tool for making these decisions.
Career testing—previously associated with uncomfortable seating, tedious paperwork, and stuffy high-school auditoriums—has experienced a massive revolution over the past decade. Now, carefully-tuned online tests can provide unique insights into your natural aptitudes, career motivations, personal qualities, and what types of careers could make you happiest.
The question, then, is simple: How do you identify the best career tests on the market? Throughout this article, we'll teach you everything you need to know about career aptitude tests, from how they work to ways you can maximize their value, and we’ll share our research into the industry and its leading companies. Also, we'll give you our top eight career test options and show why JobTest.org is our recommendation, so you can start your search with the best of the best.
1. JobTest.org
We mentioned industry standouts before, and that's what JobTest.org is. Using advanced machine learning and powerful AI, this company references your answers against massive amounts of current data about the job market to provide razor-sharp insights about you and your career.
Even more impressive, perhaps, is that such a technology-driven company would also prioritize user experience and thoughtful questions. Unlike other AI-based services, which often expect the user to understand and guide themselves through the process, JobTest.org stays with you every step of the way to ensure comfort and results.
Finally, JobTest.org's post-assessment support is unmatched among competitors. Following your test, the site compiles a tailored list of potential careers and fields, the skills you need to develop for each one, and current openings for you to browse. Additionally, the career test does an excellent job of walking you through your results and what they mean, with substantial time dedicated to fully explaining each insight.
Pros
Several post-test resources available
AI-driven and real-time results give greater accuracy
Competitive prices and value
Efficient, concise process takes only 15 minutes
Does not provide separate testing for individual subjects (personality, relationships, etc.)
Tests are only offered online
Cons
Does not provide separate testing for individual subjects (personality, relationships, etc.)
Tests are only offered online
Bottom Line
In a rapidly evolving industry, JobTest.org stands out as the new gold standard to find the best job for you. Groundbreaking technology, comprehensive support, and a diverse set of questions all make for a testing experience like few we found during our research.
2. CareerExplorer
Similar to JobTest.org, the CareerExplorer quiz by Sokanu bases its process on modern machine learning and an impressively-tuned algorithm. Composed of a concise, thoughtful set of forty questions, CareerExplorer's process gathers exactly the information it needs, but it takes upwards of 40 minutes to complete the test.
Once users have answered questions about their work personality, ambitions, and weaknesses, CareerExplorer feeds that information into its custom algorithm and provides a detailed analysis of potential career matches from its database. However, the career suggestions aren’t as detailed and comprehensive as other career tests, and the report offers few personality insights.
Additionally, CareerExplorer offers its results in streamlined packages that you can take with you, share with potential employers, or discuss with friends and family.
Pros
Uses machine learning to gather career satisfaction data
Comprehensive list of questions
Bases its answers on Holland Codes
Limited resources to make the most of final takeaways
Interface is slightly clunky
Basic career overviews and personality insights
Cons
Limited resources to make the most of final takeaways
Interface is slightly clunky
Basic career overviews and personality insights
Bottom Line
In terms of technology, CareerExplorer rivals even JobTest.org's process and makes it an excellent option for career testing. Still, its lack of post-assessment resources, clunky interface, and limited data sets limit it to a second-place ranking.
3. CareerHunter
Because it is one of the more expensive options on the market, we expected a lot from CareerHunter's testing service. By and large, we were not disappointed. Specifically, CareerHunter's customizability and diversity marked them as an excellent choice for customers who value flexibility in their testing. It’s worth noting that you’ll need at least two hours and math, reading, and reasoning skills to complete all the assessments.
Rather than offering one comprehensive test, this company separates its exam into six different portions, each pertaining to a different career-related domain, such as career personality traits or career interests. By structuring its services this way, CareerHunter allows customers to choose only the tests they believe are most relevant to them. Each test costs $15.99, but customers who take all six enjoy a reduced rate of $79.99.
Pros
Flexible testing options
Career Personality Profiler offers in-depth and personalized results
Built-in job search tool
Expensive compared to competitors
Requires reasoning and math skills
Long test-taking process
Cons
Expensive compared to competitors
Requires reasoning and math skills
Long test-taking process
Bottom Line
If you're looking for customizability and are willing to pay a bit more for it, CareerHunter is one of the best options on the market. However, other career tests, notably JobTest.org, provide comparable features for less time and money.
4. MAPP
Even though this test is far more dated than some others on our list, the Motivational Appraisal Personal Potential quiz (MAPP) is nonetheless a veteran in the field of online career aptitude tests. Provided by Assessment.com, MAPP's founder created the test in 1994 after taking inspiration from a World War II-era career assessment. Despite its age, however, the MAPP has held up surprisingly well compared to modern tests.
Unlike some other career tests that focus heavily on an individual's overall personality, the MAPP firmly prioritizes objective, career-relevant qualities such as strengths, weaknesses, and job interests.
MAPP primarily focuses on describing your personality and how you interact with people, things, data, and technical skills. Because of this no-nonsense approach to its services, many institutions like schools and businesses use MAPP to assess students or potential hires. However, the least expensive report ($90) doesn’t include specific career suggestions.
Where the test falls flat, however, is its pricing transparency and cluttered report layout, which doesn’t allow for quick scanning and review. While Assessment.com's initial testing is free, it charges additional fees for access to tools and results.
Pros
Comprehensive assessment
Straightforward, no-nonsense approach
Accepted by institutions
Expensive career test
The information and layout look outdated
Confusing pricing for extras
Cons
Expensive career test
The information and layout look outdated
Confusing pricing for extras
Bottom Line
A respected elder in the career aptitude test industry, MAPP's value still shines through after almost three decades of existence despite its high price. Even so, the results could use a refresh and better organization.
5. MyPlan
At its core, MyPlan is essentially a more affordable, less comprehensive version of CareerHunter's career test. Leaning heavily on proven psychological work by experts such as Carl Jung, MyPlan offers four personality-driven tests to provide insight into your professional life. Of these four tests, three cost between $7.95 and $9.95, while the fourth is completely free.
Although we found value in each of MyPlan's tests, their free career test was by far the most impressive. Named the "Career Values Assessment," this assessment helps customers establish which components of a career are most precious to them and which are most valuable for satisfaction and happiness.
Additionally, the company's Career Personality Test stood out as a more objective, actionable assessment of users’ personality types and top careers.
Pros
Affordable test options
Recommends over 700 careers in the Career Personality Test
Based on established psychological research
Limited objective analysis and information
Lacks post-assessment resources
Generic report based on your Holland Codes type
Cons
Limited objective analysis and information
Lacks post-assessment resources
Generic report based on your Holland Codes type
Bottom Line
Because of its similarities to CareerHunter's testing, MyPlan shares many of the same strengths and weaknesses. Still, this company is a solid choice for those who want reliable testing on a budget and don’t desire personalized results.
6. Keirsey Temperament Sorter
Another firmly-established test in the industry, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter bases its process on Holland's six occupational themes to sort users into one of four unique personality types. Because these themes, or "Holland codes," are so highly respected, this association lends credibility and weight to Keirsey's results.
For its own sub-groupings, however, Keirsey assigns users one of four designations: Artisan, Guardian, Idealist, and Logical. The paid report covers these temperaments in detail, including their strengths, ideal work environment, and famous leaders who share your type. While this serves as valuable information to understand your abilities, the report is tailored to your personality type and feels generic.
Users may gain insight into potential careers or personality traits, but those insights don't match up to the ones gained from premium sites such as JobTest.org. Keirsey only provides a brief description of each career and doesn’t indicate why they’re suitable matches or provide satisfaction estimates.
Pros
Easy-to-read report with detailed temperament analysis
Uses respected, credible theories and research
4-subtype system is clear and comprehensible
Results lack depth and personalization
Provides limited actionable career feedback and data
Expensive for what’s included
Cons
Results lack depth and personalization
Provides limited actionable career feedback and data
Expensive for what’s included
Bottom Line
The Keirsey Temperament Sorter understandably offers less depth and fewer resources than its paid competitors. Even so, its categorization process and psychological foundations make it an excellent time investment for those looking to better understand themselves and their potential career matches.
7. CareerFitter
With more than two decades of proven value, CareerFitter is another tried-and-true staple of the career test industry. Their process uses familiar questions and exam formats to put customers at ease and provide digestible, easy-to-understand results. And, as an industry staple, CareerFitter's platform has been reviewed by countless industry authorities such as Forbes and Psychology Today, adding an extra level of credibility and clout.
Slightly more time-consuming than some competitors, the test consists of sixty questions designed to assess your work personality and potential career matches. Despite the length of its process, our experience with the questions was mostly effortless. Even so, some questions seemed redundant, so streamlining may be warranted.
Basic results are available for free, but users who want to access the more valuable aspects of their testing results need to upgrade their membership by paying $19.95. The full results include a work personality summary assessment and personalized career matches. However, they could provide more information on the careers and how to assemble a plan to pursue them.
Pros
Highly credible history
Interactive and digestible report
Comes with career resources and a job search tool
The satisfaction guarantee is only valid for twelve hours
Most useful results locked behind a paywall
Cons
The satisfaction guarantee is only valid for twelve hours
Most useful results locked behind a paywall
Bottom Line
CareerFitter has the backing of numerous respected sites for a reason, and it offers a strong career testing option for a range of needs. Even so, we expected more detailed results given the test's time commitment.
8. Truity
From our research, we gathered that Truity's primary value is for employers, not employees. Specifically, Truity customers earn an impressive discount when buying testing "credits" in large, bulk quantities to later distribute to employees or potential hires during interviews. While this on its own was not enough to disqualify them from our list, it was a slight red flag given our individual-focused basis for evaluation.
Still, Truity does offer an impressive range and quality of tests. The Truity career test comes with decent results for $29, including personality insights, personalized job suggestions, and a handful of post-test resources for further exploration. Although it comes with a satisfaction guarantee, Truity claims to only honor it for up to twelve hours.
Pros
Comprehensive testing process
User-friendly website
Detailed personality analysis
Some tests are irrelevant for professionals
Leans toward employers, not employees
Cons
Some tests are irrelevant for professionals
Leans toward employers, not employees
Bottom Line
Although we have concerns about Truity's goals, they nonetheless provide high-quality testing with a clean interface. While their services may provide more value to companies than individuals, they are nonetheless a staple of the career quiz industry.
How Career Tests Work
As mentioned above, career tests have come a long way from the ones you may have encountered before. While the basic premise remains the same, new technologies like machine learning and advanced matching algorithms have propelled this testing to new heights. And, although these features are still relatively rare in the industry, they are becoming increasingly common as more and more customers realize their value.
The Goal
Beyond its technology, however, a modern career assessment test serves the same purpose as the pen-and-paper versions of the 20th century. By asking intuitive, carefully-designed questions about you and your goals, a career test produces a custom set of insights, resources, and career options unique to your circumstances. While different tests may focus more highly on different types of questions, such as those about your personality or work ambitions, the central goal is similar across all tests.
What to Expect
Regarding the testing process, rest assured that the experience is straightforward. Once you decide on a career test, your chosen service will guide you through various questions offered via an online platform. With the best tests, this process typically takes between 15 and 30 minutes. Though it may seem counter-intuitive, remember that a longer test rarely means a better test for career assessments.
Once you've completed the questioning portion of your exam, your job testing service will analyze your answers, compare them to data about the professional world, and compile their findings for you to review. The quality and accessibility of these findings, however, is what sets a testing company apart from its competitors.
Fortunately, the current availability of online testing means that you can take your career aptitude test from the comfort of your home, a favorite coffee shop, or anywhere else you feel comfortable. While, previously, the presence of a school counselor or potential employer looming over your shoulder added another layer of pressure, this ease of access vastly reduces test-related anxiety.
Our 5-Step Assessment Process
Before you decide which of these career tests is right for you, it's vital that you understand the metrics by which we evaluated each company. We know that your career is one of the most influential parts of your life, so we take our research and these rankings seriously. Below are the features and factors we assessed while building our list.
Technology
A modern world calls for modern technology, and outdated pen-and-paper testing with limited questions no longer holds up. While we recognize that technology alone does not make a good test, it is an essential factor when deciding which testing service to trust. That's why this list prioritizes companies with user-friendly websites, advanced matching algorithms, and cutting-edge market data.
Question Quality
Your personality and ambitions are a nuanced subject, which means that the questions used to analyze them should be nuanced, too. Although previous career tests leaned heavily on basic psychological categorization, the best modern tests combine those questions with ones about education, skills, personal values, and many other factors that make you, well, you.
Cost
Investing in a high-quality career test is just that: an investment. The results can set you up for new levels of success and satisfaction, so paying a little more generally makes sense. That said, there is no reason that career testing should break the bank, and the balance between cost and value is one we take very seriously.
Follow-Up Support
One of the most significant failings of older career tests is their lack of post-assessment support. Even today, many online services ask you questions, give you answers, and then set you on your way. We believe that isn't good enough. On our list, we prioritized companies that provide the best support and resources after you get your results. This could be anything from open positions that match your results to potential degrees or skills you'd need to secure a new role.
Neutrality
Today, it seems like every company has hidden interests or third-party connections to potentially bias their goals and services. When it comes to the future of your career, however, only the most unbiased, trustworthy companies will do. That's why we carefully researched each company on this list to ensure they're working for you—and no one else.
What Are the Benefits of a Career Aptitude Test?
Given that you've found this review, you likely have a baseline appreciation for how a career test might benefit you. Still, there are some added benefits to career testing you may not yet recognize. By taking a high-quality assessment, you gain advantages such as:
Job Market Analysis
Combing through job boards and news articles gets tiring, and conflicting information means you often come out with less certainty than when you started. Because they use machine learning to sort data for you, however, the best job tests give you a clear picture of the job market and how you should best navigate it.
New Opportunities
When you're as close to something as most people are to their careers, it can be easy to overlook new opportunities or roles that might suit you better. With clear-cut data, you not only get an objective assessment of your situation but also advice on how to pivot, if necessary.
Education Direction
Personal education is a lifelong pursuit and an investment we highly recommend. Even so, choosing to invest time into a new degree or certification is best done with as much information as possible. With the right post-assessment resources, you can maximize the value of your education by prioritizing the skills you need most for your career path.
Less Confusion
Trying to navigate the job market, understand your own goals and values, and find the right balance of compensation and fulfillment is complicated enough. With data-driven analysis and clear, concise explanations, you can cut through the fog and chart a clear course toward success.
Communicate Your Needs
You know you have value. You may even know precisely what those values are. Still, knowing something and being able to communicate it are two entirely different things. The right career test will give you the vocabulary and perspective you need to communicate your needs and value to the people around you.
Boost Confidence
Even if you know your own strengths and abilities, it can sometimes help to have hard facts to back up that knowledge. Luckily, good career quizzes supply precisely that, with data you can point to when you feel uncertain.
Plan Next Steps
Although testing is only the first step, it sets you up for every step that follows. By choosing a career testing service with in-depth post-assessment resources, you can map out a career path from where you are to where you want to be and start making real, meaningful changes.
Balance Your Work and Personal Life
In the modern world, a decent paycheck is no longer the only main consideration. More than ever, professionals are realizing the importance of work-life balance. Armed with your test results, you can identify the careers most likely to provide the right mix of compensation, fulfillment, and ambition.
Why Are Career Tests Important?
Deciding to change careers is an important moment in anyone's life, even if that change is within the same company or industry. And, just like you probably wouldn't travel to a foreign country without doing a bit of research, you shouldn't step into the job market without knowing a few things first. A good career test not only gives you the information you need, but also shows you ideas and possibilities you may never have considered. Additionally, the best career tests can help you:
Reaffirm Decisions
Affirmation is powerful, and not just for your personal life. Backing up your career-related decisions with hard data can be valuable and empowering, allowing you to get the most out of any pivots you make.
Define Values
As the job market evolves, values-driven business is becoming more and more possible. Having a clear vision of your own values and beliefs can help you identify the people with whom you can best collaborate as you look for new careers or roles.
Get Started
The first step of a job hunt is always the most daunting, but it's infinitely easier when equipped with clear, actionable data.
Maximize Application Success
Nobody enjoys applying for new jobs only to be rejected or, worse, ghosted. Quality career testing not only helps you identify the careers most suited to your skills, but also gives you advice on how to develop your skill set to maximize your chances of success on applications and in interviews.
Promote Self-Discovery
Ideally, we should all learn new things about ourselves daily. With the constant pressure of day-to-day life, however, it's easy to overlook our own development or growth. By taking time out to answer the questions asked during career testing, you give yourself the opportunity to learn more about your own needs and how they might have changed since you last checked in.
Features to Look for in a Career Assessment Test
When deciding on a career aptitude testing service, there are certain features and qualities you should always look for before committing your time or money.
Credibility
Third-party reviews, customer reviews, and academic affiliations are excellent resources for determining a service's credibility and value. As you research tests, check all of these first to rule out untrustworthy companies.
Purpose
Before you begin testing, think about what you hope to gain from the experience. Are you looking for concrete job openings, or do you just want to know more about your preferred management style and work environment? Establishing a clear purpose can maximize the value you get from the experience.
Cost/Value
Like it or not, cost matters. Even so, value is arguably more important still. Make sure that whichever testing platform you choose is affordable and provides real, actionable information about you and your potential career paths.
Interface
How a test is given can often be just as important as its contents, which is why you should always look for tests administered in a format comfortable to you. For online testing, this means a website with a user-friendly interface, reliable uptime, and, ideally, great customer service.
Customizability
Your needs are unique, so a generalized, cookie-cutter test isn't worth your time or money. Look for companies that provide customization and machine learning to make sure their services work for you as a person, not just as another number.
Accuracy
Results don't mean much if they aren't accurate, which is why you should always ensure that your chosen testing service uses modern, data-driven technology to produce its results.
Our Final Thoughts
More than anything, we believe that information is a tool, and information about ourselves is one of the best tools available. Because of that belief, we recognize the enormous value that a high-quality career testing service can provide. Each company on this list has our seal of approval, and each would yield significant benefits for those looking to sharpen their self-knowledge.
Source: The Advocate 10705 Rieger Rd.
Original content:
https://www.theadvocate.com/sponsored/best-career-test/article_7fab3786-5bc1-11ee-9e3d-a3cd65ed78d6.html
