Career Aptitude Tests - Effective?

rhapsody!

I've taken two career test things, and I still have no idea what I want to do because I can't make my mind up / find anything I love love love love love..

Somehow I think a career guidance counsellor would make things worse!!

So, have you taken them and how effective did you find them?

I took the careerdirections.ie one and the qualifax.ie one.

heywhatever

I've done those two - I personally wouldn't be bothered with them; aim for what you want to do and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Even if you don't end being up successful and or changing professions, its better than wondering what might have been..

yay_for_summer

They're pretty much completely useless I think. I did the career directions one three times, once a year since the JC, and got wildly differing career paths.

Guidance counsellor can be much better, depending on the counsellor, but it'd be worth a try if you're confused about what you want to do. They can talk it out and untangle things with you which the computer can't do.

PurpleFistMixer

I think those things are more to try and get you to think about what sort of things you enjoy... Otherwise.. I did one that said I should be a dentist (UGHUGHUGH), another one we did in school (which was really long and detailed and supposedly accurate) said I should equally be either a scientist (accurate) or a farmer (...?).

The thing about career guidance counsellors is they can't decide for you. Mostly I found my one just dispensed information and told me to be an architect. You can tell them what things you enjoy, and they might know corresponding courses or lines of work.

Just think about yourself in the future... what sort of job do you see yourself in? 9 to 5 office with the christmas parties and stability, etc. Travelling all over the place? Working weird hours? Meeting new people, working on a small dedicated team? Studying things, building things? There's a lot of options out there, which can be pretty daunting, but it's important to remember that a "job" needn't be a pain, or something you just do to get by, it should be something you enjoy.

Of course, at this stage you don't need to know what job you want (I'm going to try figure that out during college I think...), just an idea of a course you might enjoy. Of course, if that course leads to a line of work you'd enjoy, that's good, but primarily focus on studying something that interests you.

phasers

I've found they don't help at all. Career guidance teachers are even worse, mine just kept talking going to college abroad and beauty therapy

Piste

Our career guiance counsellor gave us these weird tests where we filledout a load of things and all they did was tell us what we already know.

I prefer the tests where you fill out loads of questions and they give you indications of what careers you might be suited to/good at. Sometimes they can be hilarious though, I kept getting things like "leather technician" or "forestry technician".

I hate those things..

They always told me id suit a job as a herbologist or something equally gay.

snowflakes

I personally think career aptitude tests are a rough guideline and shouldn't be taken too seriously. However, it does depend on the individual.

Usually your interests and your passions in life should lead you towards your career path, that is if you want a job that you thoroughly enjoy.

It is one huge descision that only you can make. Not your career guidance teacher, not family or friends-you. It makes it an interesting but also very difficult choice. Try not to worry too much about it, do your research and hopefully everything should gradually fall into place!:p

moonflower

They're useless.
We did one in 6th year, and it only confused everyone more. I don't know one person who gained from it.

Fad

I was cleaning my room today and found my last set of results, to be honest I only ever took those tests to miss a bit of class.

I got a shockingly high rating for midwifery (im a guy for those of you who didnt realise) (99 the best)

The one i did before that i got the highest in being a Countryside Officer whatever that is.

But in all seriousness take the results with a grain of salt, theres professions on there like Taxidermy and Cloakroom Attendant.

Incidently my results for those were:

Cloakroom Attendant:54
Taxidermist:69,

and more:

Nail Technician: 64
Nanny:74
Nature Reserve Warden: 85
Religious Leader:63
Theme Park Worker:48
Zoo Keeper: 0 (somehow even though i was recommended animal physiology)
Wig Maker: 82 (now in all seriousness WTF)
Biology Teacher: 99

the list goes on (well 14 pages to be precise)

phasers

Wow, that's a really specific test! Mine were always just "something sort of sciencey" or "something sort of historical" :pac:

Fad

phasers wrote: »

Wow, that's a really specific test! Mine were always just "something sort of sciencey" or "something sort of historical" :pac:

Ya see our one take something vague and makes it like Tree Surgeon, its ridiculous. (No words can describe how much I love those results though)

phasers

Fad wrote: »

Ya see our one take something vague and makes it like Tree Surgeon, its ridiculous. (No words can describe how much I love those results though)

I love the "religious leader" one.

Pope Fad anyone ? :pac:

Fad

phasers wrote: »

I love the "religious leader" one.

Pope Fad anyone ? :pac:

Pope Fad strongly condemns any mention against this statement :pac:

(I am strongly tempted to subscribe so i can change my name to that )