Psychometrics Canada has a complete suite of career development tools that can be used with students or adults returning to work for a mid-career transition.
Interest inventories have always been associated with career development assessments and they are still relevant. Today, however, there are a lot more options. Career counselors and human resource professionals are looking at assessing personality as well as values.
Often the first “career test” people experience is in school. These career assessments measure people’s interest in various activities related to work and leisure and then suggest careers that match those interests.
In 1959 John Holland categorized various jobs into Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional (RIASEC). These became known as Holland’s Occupational Themes or Holland’s Occupational Codes. Psychometrics Canada has two career development assessments that measure and report on RIASEC:
The Strong Interest Inventory measures your client’s interest in a broad range of occupations, work activities, leisure activities, and school subjects. The questionnaire compares how these interests are similar to the interests of people successfully employed in those occupations. It is used to help people understand their work interests and to illustrate the kinds of work in which they might be most satisfied.
This in-depth career assessment measures preference for 30 professional fields of work and ranks the top ten occupations in terms of compatibility.
Learn more about the Strong Interest Inventory Assessment
The Career Interest Profiler is similar to the Strong Interest Inventory because it also uses Holland’s Occupational codes (RIASEC). The Career Interest Profiler (CIP) measures six traits and suggests 20-40 top careers that fit the test taker’s interests. Unlike many interest inventories that focus on professional careers, the Career Interest Profiler offers a substantial number of vocational/technical occupations that do not require a college or university degree, as well as many that do.
In comparison to the Strong Interest Inventory, the Career Interest Profiler provides a brief profile that highlights the client’s reported level of interest in each of Holland’s six categories.
Learn more about the Career Interest Profiler
Personality type assessments are used to explore how an individual’s preferences and behaviors may impact their enjoyment and success in a given career. Organizations will often use these assessments to help in the career development process of their employees. Mapping competencies and preferences to see where people may fit and find satisfaction.
Specific reports such as the MBTI Career Report can really add value to the career exploration process as it contains suggestions for potential career options.
Learn more about the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator – Career Report
What makes an individual satisfied or dissatisfied with a job or career? Often it is because the role doesn’t match well with their values. Assessing values is a good way to make sure that there is good alignment with a current or potential job, the organization, and work environment.
The Career Values Scale is a development tool that examines 17 different values related to work.
Learn more about the Career Values Scale Assessment
The Strong provides valuable insights into a person's career interests, helping them to discover potential career paths they may not have considered.
Show how an individual's personality type affects career exploration and discuss the benefits of choosing a job that is a good fit for their personality type.
The Work Personality Index® assessment provides clear framework for understanding the impact of personality on job performance.
Identify careers that fit your clients' interests.
Assess and identify sources of career satisfaction and dissatisfaction for an individual.
MBTI and Strong assessments help Aboriginal student success at the University of Saskatchewan
(VIBE) High School Career Program uses the Strong Interest Inventory assessment.
MBTI and Career Interest Profiler helps with ATB’s “Finding Your Way” career program,
