Instructions: You have been asked to help design a career assessment program for your students. What are one or two assessments [formal or informal] you would use with your students? Make one original post and then respond to one classmate’s post. You will make a total of two posts.
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One tool I often use is the O*NET Interest Profiler. It’s a free, online assessment from the U.S. Department of Labor that helps clients discover their Holland Code (RIASEC), which connects their interests to potential careers. It’s super easy to use, doesn’t feel overwhelming, and gives a lot of great ideas for jobs they might not have considered before. Plus, because it’s an informal assessment, I don’t need any special credentials to use it—which makes it perfect for career services providers like us.
Another approach I like is using a structured interview or narrative-based assessment. Instead of handing clients a worksheet or quiz, I’ll guide them through a thoughtful conversation about their experiences, values, and goals. I might ask things like, “What kind of work gives you energy?” or “Who do you admire and why?” These open-ended questions help clients reflect on what really matters to them—without feeling like they’re taking a test. It’s especially helpful for those who might get anxious with anything too formal, and it builds a strong foundation for trust and self-discovery.
I find that these two tools work really well together—one focuses on what people like to do, and the other helps them figure out what they need from a job to feel satisfied. Together, they create a solid foundation for making informed career choices.
I agree Andres the ONET is the probably the most effective RIASEC tool especially for the fact that it is free and offered online in a user-friendly format. The structured interview works great when we really have time to develop rapport. Maybe utilizing the VIA Survey for Adults which provides a lot of the questions that you would ask during the interview but provides an output of potential career choices, educational requirements, salary range and some duties per each provided occupation.
I really appreciate how you explained your use of the ONET Interest Profiler and structured interviews—especially the balance between informal tools and meaningful conversations. I also use the ONET regularly and agree that it’s one of the most accessible and flexible tools out there. It’s great for clients who need a starting point, and I like how it connects them directly to real-world job info like salary ranges, required education, and job outlook. Your approach with narrative-based assessments really stood out to me. Sometimes clients don’t realize how much insight can come just from talking about their experiences and what excites them. I’ve found that those open-ended questions can uncover values and motivations that standardized tools might miss. It’s great that you’re creating that space for self-reflection without adding pressure. Combining both methods really does give clients a fuller picture of what might be a good fit for them.
The ACT WorkKeys Assessment is a critical tool in workforce development programs, offering both counselors and clients a comprehensive evaluation of job readiness. As a nationally recognized measure, WorkKeys goes beyond academic skills to assess essential soft skills and applied competencies required in real-world employment settings. For workforce counselors, it serves as a diagnostic instrument that identifies a client’s strengths and areas for development, enabling tailored support and targeted training interventions. The results help bridge the communication gap between job seekers and employers by validating a client’s ability to meet specific workplace demands, thus enhancing the counselor’s ability to match qualified candidates with appropriate employment opportunities. Additionally, high scores on WorkKeys assessments—such as Applied Math, Workplace Documents, and Graphic Literacy—can lead to the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), which is valued by employers across industries. Furthermore, the assessment outcomes are often recognized by post-secondary institutions as benchmarks for college readiness and, in some cases, can be leveraged for college credit, giving clients a dual advantage in their career and educational pathways.
I completely agree with you on the consideration to implement the ACT WorkKeys Assessment. When I came across the curriculum, I thought the same! Simply because it’ll also be personalized to each client – due to having different levels, thus I like the fact a client has the option to “test out” from any level, which they already have a level of expertise on. Individualization is key because it is not fair to have every client start at the same “starting line,” when they have a different background.
For accurate and effective career planning its best to understand in depth many of the key terms related to career planning. I would love to start with a client with a keyword review to give them an overview of the most repeated words that ensure their comprehension level in this field with boost from the start which will help them to not feel incompetents but also boost confidence. The keyword and competencies will boost their skills, knowledge and experience. It also will serve the client as a instructional manual to refer to over and over for clarity. Lastly, these key terms also will show up in other areas of their career planning journey as they navigate through job applications, interviews, job postings and job fairs.
Lamar your summary of the ACT WorkKeys Assessment is clear, comprehensive, and highlights its multifaceted value in workforce development. Here’s my take: The ACT WorkKeys Assessment is indeed a powerful tool, particularly because it addresses a critical gap that many traditional academic evaluations overlook: the real-world application of skills in the workplace. By evaluating applied competencies like Applied Math, Workplace Documents, and Graphic Literacy, it provides a more job-relevant snapshot of a person’s readiness to perform in various industries. For workforce counselors, the diagnostic aspect is a major asset. It allows them to move beyond general advice and offer data-driven guidance tailored to each client’s specific strengths and skill gaps. This individualized approach not only improves training outcomes but also builds the client’s confidence by showing clear progress.
My take on tools that i would use is both formal and informal career assessment tools—such as the Holland Code (RIASEC) Career Interest Inventory and the Career Vision Board activity—offers a balanced and comprehensive approach to career exploration. The Holland Code inventory delivers structured, research-based insights that align personality traits with potential career paths, while the Vision Board fosters creativity, self-expression, and emotional engagement. Together, these methods support deeper self-awareness, encourage meaningful reflection, and empower students to make informed and confident decisions about their futures. By combining analytical assessment with imaginative visualization, workforce, educators and employment specialists can better guide clients in developing personalized and purposeful career plans.
Hi Odi!
I loved your response! I was also considering a Vision Board for my answer to the informal assessment, but I opted for an interest inventory, which is part of our program. We use the Work Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (WRAQ). I’m curious if it’s also used in your program! The WRAQ is an informal assessment. Informal assessments are an insightful tool, as highlighted in Chapter 4.
When designing a career assessment program for students, I would incorporate formal and informal assessments to ensure a well-rounded understanding of each client’s interests, skills, and values. Based on the principles in Chapter 4 of the GCDF training, the following two assessments would be most beneficial:
As everyone mentioned in the above comments, I would use Holland’s Self-Directed Search (SDS)—Formal Assessment, or as we know it, Onet.
The SDS is based on John Holland’s Theory of Vocational Choice (RIASEC) and is one of the most widely used career assessments. It helps clients identify their personality types and matches them with careers and work environments that fit those types. This formal assessment is instrumental because it encourages self-reflection while providing practical suggestions for career paths. It’s structured, reliable, and can be administered easily in a classroom or counseling setting, and the best part is that it’s free!
Informal Interest Inventory – Informal Assessment
Alongside a formal tool like the SDS, I would use a simple informal interest inventory, such as a worksheet or guided discussion activity where clients identify activities they enjoy, subjects they excel in, and dreams they’ve had about the future. This type of assessment encourages open conversation and allows clients to express themselves in a low-pressure setting. It also helps build rapport and provides context for interpreting formal assessment results.
Together, these assessments balance structure with personalization. The SDS provides standardized results for exploration, while the informal inventory brings out individual narratives and insights that might otherwise be overlooked. This dual approach aligns well with the GCDF’s emphasis on using assessments as tools for guidance rather than prescriptions, supporting clients in developing meaningful career plans.
In designing a career assessment program for my clients, two tools I would definitely include are the WRAQ (Work Readiness Assessment Questionnaire) and O*NET Interest Profiler. We currently use both in practice, and they offer a strong foundation for guiding clients based on their readiness, interests, and potential job matches.
The WRAQ is a valuable informal assessment that helps us understand where a client stands in terms of mindset, motivation, support systems, and perceived barriers. It gives us a snapshot of their work readiness and helps shape the tone of our career coaching. On the other hand, the O*NET Interest Profiler is a formal tool aligned with Holland’s RIASEC theory, and it’s incredibly useful in helping clients discover occupational pathways that fit their personality and preferences. It also connects directly to real job data, which adds practical value during job search or training exploration.
I’d also recommend exploring tools like Accuvision or ACT WorkKeys—especially when working with high school seniors, college freshmen, or adults who’ve been disconnected from work or education, such as those returning from incarceration. These platforms assess both foundational and soft skills—covering areas like business writing, work ethic, financial literacy, customer service, and tech basics. They’re versatile enough to support clients in reentering the workforce with greater confidence and direction.