ONLINE CAREER ASSESSMENT

ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Knowing where you are is the first step to knowing where you’re headed. Career Assessment can take the form of interest inventories or professional counseling, and either way the process is beneficial to those just starting out in their careers, as well as those who are transitioning from one career to another or moving up the career ladder.

To understand the steps to career success, the following link to a career development model is provided for you to review:

University of Waterloo Career Development Steps

SanDiegoAtWork.com has provided several other links to online career assessments below. We suggest a streamlined three-step process using interest, transferable skills and personality type. There are other assessments available, including aptitude, values, and basic skills to explore with a career counselor at one of the listed career centers.

Please note that on-line assessment cannot replace the guidance of a professional career counselor. By working with a professional, you will receive an in-depth interpretation of your assessment, career exploration information, decision making assistance and action steps. You’ll find more career counseling information and links below, including Web sites that may promote fee-based services that we do not necessarily endorse.

ASSESSING YOUR INTERESTS

Your interests are one of the first areas to identify before you begin your job search. Working in career areas that are of interest to you is how you stay motivated and succeed in your job.

The Princeton Review Career Quiz
This summary quiz was developed by the creators of the Brinkman Method ®.
This 24-question sample quiz asks easy questions about your interests and then analyzes your answers to determine your interests and work style. The results help guide you to careers that would likely suit you, and more importantly, that you would enjoy! An in-depth assessment is also available for a fee.

The Career Key
Lawrence Jones’s interactive quiz, based on the Holland Summary Code that is used in most professional career interest tools.  It helps you find jobs that best fit you and links you to information about those jobs in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

ASSESSING YOUR TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

Transferable skills are activities you’ve done in the past that can be used to meet the requirements of other types of work. Identifying these skills is important before you begin your job search, since many jobs now require a higher level of effective communication, research, human relations, leadership and other skills not directly related to the specific tasks of the job.

Transferable Skills Survey
This University of Minnesota, Duluth, site offers an online questionnaire and test results, but does not offer an explanation or interpretation of the test results.
Skills Assessment

ASSESSING YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE

A good career match is one that uses your personality type in positive ways. It is important to keep your personality type in mind as you select your future job or work tasks. The “gold standard” assessment to study your true type is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, available in many career centers. Click on the links below to learn more about your prominent behavioral characteristics and determine your personality type.

Keirsey Temperament Web Site
This Web site includes the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, the four temperaments, and the Keirsey Character Sorter, all designed to identify different kinds of personalities.

The Platinum Rule
Are You A Director, Thinker, Relater, or Socializer? This Web site includes a behavioral questionnaire and provides and explanation of your results. It also gives you the communication tips that will assist you in your professional and personal life.

Personality Type Quiz
This quick and easy quiz will not fully assess your true personality type, however, it will introduce you to the concept.

CAREER COUNSELING

This is a list of San Diego One Stop Career Centers and Universities that offer career counselor assistance. Some services are offered to the general public and some may be limited to current students or alumni.

Career Center Network
Uniquely designed Career Centers are located throughout San Diego County. Employment services offered to the general public include career assessment, job training and placement for San Diego City and County residents, whether unemployed or employed.

UCSD Career Services Center 
The Career Services Center helps University of California students and alumni determine and fulfill their employment and career goals.

San Diego State University Career Services 
Services include career counseling appointments, job search workshops, computerized assessments, career fairs and our career library.

UCSD Extension Career Services 
UCSD Extension provides professional career counseling, assessment testing, and job search coaching to the general public on a fee basis

USD Career Services 
University of San Diego Career Services provides a range of services to meet your changing professional development needs. Assistance is provided to current students and alumni only.