Self-assessment is the first key step in managing your career. It is also the one students often skip. It is your ability to articulate your values, interests, abilities and preferences. Your responses will be the criteria you use to evaluate the pros and cons of different career paths.
Check out these free, online assessment tools:
There are a number of online assessment tools that help you explore your values, interests, abilities and preferences. While the OCPD does not specifically endorse any particular tool, students have reported that they have found the following tools helpful:
- Assess yourself with the University of Buffalo’s Pathway Evaluation Program for Medical Professionals, a program developed by Duke University's School of Medicine in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline. Answer 18 questions rating what’s most important to you in your career - your top critical factors. See screenshots of a sample critical factors/specialty list that is generated by how closely your answers align with professionals in a particular speciality. Use your responses to jumpstart your conversation with people whose advice you value, including your career advisor and/or college advisory mentors, friends, family, and others you consider to be advisors.
- Take a more general personality preferences assessment tool, based on Jungian theory at HumanMetrics.
- Use Career Test, which is based on personality type theory and career choices at careertest.com.
- Complete the Keirsey Temperament Sorter assessment tool at Keirsey.com.