By the Monster Career Coach
Ever wondered what your IQ is? And that personality of yours, is it better suited for work in an office or for being outdoors much of the time?
There are quizzes and tests galore for learning more about pretty much any aspect of who you are and what you’re all about. Many career consultants and psychometrists use these to help their clients make better decisions about the type of occupation they choose or the work environment they might best be suited for.
You can find a number of interesting quizzes online and do them for yourself. Lots are free while others are fee-based. They tend to fall into five basic categories, though all should be taken with a large grain of salt if you’re doing them on your own:
Personality Tests
To be truly successful in your career, the kind of occupation you choose should match your personality. For instance, are you outgoing and talkative with an urge to deal directly with people? Then you probably would go stark raving mad becoming a computer programmer. In the same vein, stay away from training as an astronaut if you have claustrophobia (a fear of small spaces) or acrophobia (a fear of heights)!
Here are some interesting personality tests you can access for free.
- Keirsey Temperament Sorter. This one is based on Jungian types and the results are fascinating.
- Personality Review. A paper and pencil exercise from the University of Waterloo online career manual that can be quite revealing.
Interests, Motivations and Values
It’s not just your personality type that should influence your choice of careers or work environments, but also what your personal values are, and what motivates you to get up each morning to be productive. Check out the following quizzes.
- MAPP. Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential claims to reveal the real you, including your natural motivations, interests and talents for work. The basic report is free.
- Values Sampler. Sort through a list of common values and rate your sense of what’s important to you at work and in life. From Seneca College.
IQ and EQ
It can be interesting to know your IQ (Intelligence Quotient) and EQ (Emotional Quotient). But be cautious here because the results of these “tests” do not necessarily determine your prospects in a specific career.
- IQ Test. This is just one of many available free online. Don’t take it too seriously.
- EQ Test. A quick one with some brief advice for you in the results.
Remember To Get A Professional’s Input
Filling in the questionnaires and reading your results can be great fun. Just remember that the most accurate tests are the ones administered by trained professionals (such as accredited career coaches and psychometrists). So be sure to call in the experts before quitting your job to run off and join the circus!