The Ultimate Career Aptitude Test for Students (Free) was originally published on Forage.
It’s much easier to do a job you’re good at. But how do you know what career matches your strengths if you don’t even know what strengths you have, let alone how they’ll match up in the workplace? We made a career aptitude test that assesses strengths you already know about — so you’re not stuck researching “programming skills” and are instead getting the answers you need quickly, easily, and 100% for free.
Why Should You Take a Career Aptitude Test?
There are so many different career paths, each with its own set of roles that require specific skills.
A career aptitude test is a helpful way to understand how your strengths align with potential career paths you might not even know about or would have considered before. For example, you may think that because you like logic, a technology career path is right for you — but did you know that there’s logical thinking needed for a career like marketing?
Before you start the career aptitude test, take a moment to “engage in self-exploration and introspection,” Matthew Warzel, certified professional resume writer and former Fortune 500 recruiter, says. “Take the time to identify your passions, interests, and natural talents. Reflect on the activities that energize you and make you feel fulfilled. Consider the tasks or challenges that you willingly invest time and effort in without feeling drained.”
To guide this self-exploration, Nathan Mondragon, Chief IO Psychologist at HireVue, recommends focusing on three main areas:
- Your overall interests: Begin by delving into your interests, hobbies, and activities that genuinely resonate with you. Reflect on what interests you in your academic pursuits, extracurricular activities, and leisure time.
- Your skills and competencies: List areas where you excel, be it problem-solving, communication, analysis, creativity, or technical proficiency. Recognize the strengths you’ve cultivated through education and experience.
- Your natural abilities: Think about traits that come naturally to you, such as critical thinking, empathy, leadership, or adaptability. These qualities can provide valuable insights into potential career paths.
Have a general idea about what you’re interested in and what you’re good at? Remember, you don’t need to think about job description skills like wireframing or business communication. Instead, all you need for this career aptitude test is a basic understanding of what you like and what you find you’re naturally best at.
Career Aptitude Test
What career is right for you? Take this quiz* to find out. It’s completely free — you’ll just need to sign up to get your results!
*Note: quiz must be done on desktop versus mobile.
Step 1 of 3
33%
I express myself best through writing, art, or music.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
When making a decision, I let my heart and emotions guide me more than my thoughts.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I’m more comfortable working with words than I am with numbers.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I am open to changing my plans when new opportunities arise.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I prefer open-ended questions that require creative thinking over straightforward ones.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I daydream often and let my thoughts wander.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I see the big picture before focusing on details.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I can easily envision potential future scenarios or possibilities.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I prefer working alone versus working collaboratively to come up with new ideas.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I am more motivated by the process of learning and discovery than by reaching a specific goal.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
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Round 1 Score
Hidden
Analytical
I’m working on a research project for class. I’m most confident about…
A. making sure my work hits all of the rubric goals
B. getting all of the work done days before the deadline
C. tying what I’m working on to a real-life issue
D. using technology to make my presentation more engaging
E. understanding complex jargon in the research I’m reading
F. bringing in data to support my thesis
I work best when I…
A. have to analyze something from numbers
B. can plan and organize my work
C. feel like my work has an impact on something bigger
D. can use technology to help me get things done
E. feel like I’m doing something right or moral
F. have to find patterns or trends from information
Friends come to me for advice when they need help with…
A. choosing what new items to buy
B. their career and life goals
C. staying up to date on the news
D. fixing something that went wrong on their phone or computer
E. editing an essay for class or reviewing a class project
F. getting practical, logical advice
When speaking or presenting to a group, I feel…
A. comfortable and confident
B. confident, as long as I’m well-prepared
C. somewhat nervous but willing to do it for a good cause
D. neutral, as long as I have the right technology to help me
E. not very comfortable, but I’ll make sure I have all my facts right
F. comfortable if the presentation involves data and analysis
During a group project, I’m taking on the role of…
A. the strategist, taking the lead of how the project should look
B. the organizer, assigning everyone to different roles
C. the problem-solver, making the project relevant to a larger societal issue
D. the tech person, whipping up our slides together
E. the researcher, getting all of the details and sources together
F. the analyst, pulling together any charts and numbers we need
I’m trying to convince my mom to let me go hang out with a friend. To reason with her, I’m going to negotiate by…
A. showing her why it’s cheaper than us going to the movies together
B. telling her how much time I’ve scheduled to finish our homework during this hangout
C. explaining to her that friendship is vital to our community
D. demonstrating how to use a new app so she can always see where my phone is (so she doesn’t have to worry about where I am!)
E. reasoning with her that spending time with my friend is essential to my well-being
F. estimating how much time, on average, I’ve spent with this friend and comparing it with the number of hours I’ve spent watching TV this summer
Before I went to college, my teachers thought my major should be…
A. economics
B. business
C. political science
D. computer science
E. law
F. math.
I would describe myself as…
A. analytical and detail-oriented
B. organized and motivated
C. diplomatic and helpful
D. innovative and tech-savvy
E. persuasive and logical
F. curious and methodical
When I experience a challenge or problem, I solve it by…
A. adjusting my strategy based on feedback from others
B. changing my plans to adapt to the situation
C. zooming out and considering the larger impact of the problem
D. looking for technology to help me fix it more efficiently
E. doing extensive research to figure out every detail of the problem
F. analyzing the situation to figure out what’s going wrong
The assignments I’m best at include…
A. numbers and mathematical equations
B. tight deadlines and group work
C. social relevance and history
D. technical components
E. thorough articles
F. charts and graphs
I have an hour to kill. I’m going to spend it by…
A. going down a rabbit hole to learn about a new topic
B. checking off my to-do list and planning my schedule for the rest of the week
C. catching up on the latest news
D. playing logic puzzles or sudoku on my phone
E. reading the newest autobiography on my reading list
F. making an infographic to put on my Instagram
Hidden
Creative
I’m working on a research project for class. I’m most confident about…
A. being able to explain my findings clearly to the class
B. understanding complex jargon in the research I’m reading
C. making the content engaging and interesting
D. persuading the class that my argument is the best one
E. designing visual elements for the presentation
I work best when I…
A. talk through what I’m learning with someone else
B. feel like my work is going to help someone else
C. set a strategy for how I’m going to get my work done
D. have a clear argument I’m trying to support
E. can create designs or visual elements versus writing only text
Friends come to me for advice when they need help with…
A. understanding a complex subject
B. figuring out why they’re not feeling well
C. choosing what clothes or new tech to buy
D. convincing someone to do something with them
E. wanting to refresh their look or redo their room
When presenting to a group, I feel…
A. knowledgeable about the topic
B. empathetic to whom I’m speaking
C. excited about the message of what I’m presenting about
D. confident they’ll get on board with my argument
E. passionate about how my presentation looks
During a group project, I’m taking on the role of…
A. the leader, making sure everyone understands the topic we’re working on
B. the caretaker, making sure everyone feels confident in getting the job done
C. the creative mind, coming up with ideas for the project
D. the spokesperson, taking the lead in presenting the project
E. the designer, building out how the presentation looks
I’m trying to convince my mom to let me go hang out with a friend. To reason with her, I’m going to negotiate by…
A. using logic to show her why it’s so important for me to socialize with people
B. getting her to empathize with me by saying spending time with my friends is good for my well-being
C. telling her how much time I’ve scheduled to finish our homework during this hangout
D. using persuasive techniques to show her how this hangout will actually save her time and money
E. creating a beautiful presentation that outlines all my main points
Before I went to college, my teachers thought my major should be…
A. education
B. nursing
C. communications
D. business
E. art
I would describe myself as…
A. patient and organized
B. compassionate and caring
C. innovative and creative
D. confident and charismatic
E. imaginative and detail-oriented
When I experience a challenge or problem, I solve it by…
A. researching and gathering information to find a solution
B. getting advice from others and trusting their guidance to approach it
C. brainstorming a bunch of new and creative solutions
D. talking it out with other people
E. sorting through all the details of the problem first
The assignments I’m best at include…
A. group projects and class presentations
B. case studies and practical exams
C. research papers, essays, and presentations
D. persuasive essays and pitches
E. art projects and visual presentations
I have an hour to kill. I’m going to spend it by…
A. checking my to-do list and planning out the rest of my week
B. calling my friend who needs some cheering up
C. making an infographic for my Instagram
D. convincing my friends to go to a new movie with me
E. doodling in my notebook
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
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Career Aptitude Test: The Bottom Line
Many career aptitude tests rely on you knowing corporate jargon and hard skills you might not even be familiar with. Yet you don’t need to know fancy words to figure out what your strengths are and how they might align with a career path that’s right for you.
Ready to explore your career aptitude test results? Explore hundreds of free Forage job simulations (and filter to find specific programs for the career result you got!).
The post The Ultimate Career Aptitude Test for Students (Free) appeared first on Forage.
