The Truth About Assessments...

What are assessments?

One of the services that we offer to students at The Career Center is career and personality assessments. Career assessments are tools that are designed to help individuals understand how a variety of personal attributes (i.e., interests, values, preferences, motivations, aptitudes and skills), impact their potential success and satisfaction with different academic majors, career options and work environments. We currently offer Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Strong Interest Inventory, and the Career Decision Making System (CDM). Each assessment serves a different purpose and it is usually up to your career counselor to determine which one would be the best fit for you.

Is an assessment right for me?

Anyone can take a career assessment. For students, assessments can be useful when you are in the process of choosing a major and later on when you want to pin point some career options. Assessments are also a great way for you to assess your values, personality, interests, etc which is just good information to know. For example the MBTI can be helpful in determining how you perceive the world and interact with others. Although very effective when taken individually, the MBTI is a good choice for groups as it can help clarify how you can work together more effectively as a team by playing off each others personality types and cognitive preferences.

Will taking an assessment reveal all the secrets of the universe to me?

Unfortunately, no. Assessments are helpful in narrowing your search and/or pointing you in a certain direction but they are not the end all-be all. Remember, taking an assessment is just one step in your “Path of Pride.” After taking an assessment, there is a strong chance that you will still not be 100% sure which major you are going to choose or what career you are going to have and that’s OK. Truthfully, you do not want an assessment to be the one factor that shapes your future. In addition to taking an assessment, here are some things you should do to further explore:

• Research majors and careers by doing internet research (check out The Career Center's website - we have LOTS of career and major exploration resources) and by talking to other students, faculty and professionals in the field (check out the Alumni-Student Konnection (ASK) program to network with alumni)
• Use your electives to take classes in different subject areas to find out what you like (and what you don't like) 
• Join clubs and other on and off-campus organizations that focus on certain industries or areas of interest
• Volunteer and complete internships to become more familiar with an industry and gain valuable experience outside of the classroom 

As always, The Career Center is here to help you throughout the exploration process! 

Kaitlyn Riley, Assistant Director