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.
111 thoughts on “Assessment Forum – September 2024”
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One assessment that I would use with my students is an interest assessment. Interests are the hobbies and passions you want to pursue in life. This aspect of a career assessment is important because it helps determine which careers and tasks you may enjoy. When you enjoy the work you do, you can remain more attentive and productive and experience higher job satisfaction.
Considering how your behaviors reflect on your activities throughout the day. Another assessment that I would use with my students is a personality assessment. I would use this hand in hand with the interest assessment. Knowing which traits, you have is not necessarily a guiding factor in determining your career, but it can help you get a better idea of which jobs suit your personality the best. For example, if you enjoy communicating with people and have more extroverted personality traits, you may want to pursue a career as an event planner.
I love when the students talk about those things that they are passionate about. I allow them to talk about the now and tie that passion into their studies and get them to think about what Major or career outcome available to them if they continue on that path. For example, if they enjoy writing that can lead to a English major and possibly an Author, teacher or reporter.
I too enjoy the interaction with the students comparing their results and discussing how their strengths and passions will correlate with their career choices. I feel that makes them even more determined to do what is necessary to continue to build on those passions and strive to get to the finish line to pursue their goals.
Well said, Mrs. Tolbert. Both you and Ms. Wooden make excellent points here about the relevance in using the tools for better understanding and direction affordances these offer for our students!
Yes, I like this because sometimes what a person likes to do or is passionate about, if that’s one of their strentghs as far as for that job, it will definitely work out for the best. They say if you love your job it’s not “work”.
I agree with you, I would also use an interest assessment to help students determine what their likes and dislikes are when it comes to choosing a career path. It would help to determine the correct path that they should take which would help them pursue a career that interests them the most.
This is a really good way of seeing how an assessment would help selecting your career/ jobs in future. I also agree that it gets easy to focus on your job if you have some interest and passion. It sometimes feels like you cannot wait to get to work, because it seems like you’re going to enjoy the day instead of working. I think personality assessment is somewhat guiding you in the same direction of job search/ careers. Good thoughts !!
I think your approach of using both an interest assessment and a personality assessment is a great strategy for helping students identify careers that align with their passions and personal traits. By combining both, you’re providing a more holistic view of their potential career paths, which can lead to better-informed decisions
Here are two methods of measuring student learning: Summative or Formative assessments:
Summative assessments – tests, quizzes, and other graded course activities that are used to measure student performance. They are cumulative and often reveal what students have learned at the end of a unit or the end of a course. Within a course, summative assessment includes the system for calculating individual student grades. These types of assessments can assist in collecting tangible data.
Formative assessment - any means by which students receive input and guiding feedback on their relative performance to help them improve. It can be provided face-to-face in office hours, in written comments on assignments, through rubrics, and through emails. This type of assessment is more engaging and allows for bonds and relationships to be established with the clients/scholars.
I would use both of these assessments based on my time, space and group dynamic. Most importantly having the ability to gather required expected outcomes. (Always remembering the “Why” we do what we do.)
I like that you would use both summative and formal assessments with your students. Students are able to take assessments like tests and quizzes independently, and then come to you for a formative assessment where you can engage with the students and learn more about what they like and what they are thinking they would like to do, to help guide them further. This helps form relationships with the students which is so important in the work we are doing.
I spent some time looking at the O*Net website and searching through the tools that are available there. I really liked the O*Net Interest Profiler. I took the assessment myself to see how it worked. The assessment consisted of a variety of 60 different interests, and it gave options of “strongly dislike”, “dislike”, “not sure”, “like” and “strongly like”. Each option had a smiley or frowning face to go along with the options. I thought that part would be easy to understand for most people. Once you go through all 60 interests, the assessment comes out with your results. The results were also easy to read and understand. The results are grouped into the following- realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional. There is a numerical score that is attached to each interest which tells the individual taking the test which interests ranked higher for them.
The next step is for the individual to look at education options, in other words, “job zone”. There is an option to look at the individual’s current education level or they can look at the education they plan to get in the future. Then they look at how much or how little preparation they may need to get a career they are interested in. In other words, they can select entry level with a high school diploma or GED all the way up to a Graduate degree with extensive experience and knowledge. So, they can find a job that is entry level now, but they can follow that career path up until they have a Graduate degree, if needed. Once the job zone is selected, a list of different careers pops up. Once the individual selects one career, the next page lists things such as what workers in this career do on the job, along with what knowledge, skills and abilities it requires. Information also includes what type of personality is needed, what technology might be used on the job, education needed, and job outlook. There is also another option to explore more where it lists careers that ae like the one that has been chosen.
I liked the O*Net Interest Profiler due to its simplicity. The assessment was easy to understand when going through the interests, was easy to rank scores, easy to look at job zones and the career facts were easy to read and interpret. I felt that this assessment was fun and interesting and would be something that students would like to complete. The assessment itself doesn’t really tell students what to do; instead, it gives them several options to look at and explore based on some of their interests. Students would also need to understand that their interests may change over time, and this is not a final assessment by any means, especially if they don’t identify with any of the potential careers listed.
It was also a free resource.
I definitely found the Onet interest profiler interesting as well. Pretty simplistic and easy to use and understand.
The assessment tool I would use with my students is the Traitify career assessment. This is what I believe SWN and its employment specialists use. I believe the two most important features of an assessment tool to be the questions asked and the results or feedback system at the end. The interface is really simple with pictures and a two-answer approach to each question. The results and feedback given was found to be accurate, detailed, and easy to understand and apply.
That is an interesting choice that I have not considered. I will have to check it out. I like assessments that give detail feedback. It allows students to get a perspective on what challenges they may face and how to rise above them.
The assessment that I would use with my customers would be the informal assessment. Informal assessments allow the customer to familiarize themselves with their strengths and knowledge. With this information, there can be room for improvement and further research can be done to build upon those strengths. There is also less pressure on the customer to take an informal assessment which could potentially have them willing to be thorough in their answers and completion to share their results compared to their peers. It’s like meeting the customers where they are and leading them to better pastures.
I also like the informal assessment and helping someone find their strengths to build on. I agree it is less pressure vs a formal assessment like a test etc.
I agree with you the informal assessment is a no pressure assessment that students or adult customers can take without over thinking or feeling overwhelmed with the word assessment.
I like informal assessments as well. They can be fun and sometimes used as a break, a game, an icebreaker. They can help you get to know students without the pressure of a test.
I would utilize assessments tied to Achieveworks in Naviance. I like that they lean on highly regarded theorists, such as John Holland. I appreciate that each inventory captures and reports a myriad of metrics further building on each individual student (client) profile. As others have mentioned this does help guide and engage students during every part of the career continuum as they come to better understand themselves and opportunities available. It is beneficial that parents, teachers, counselors and colleges can see these metrics. Data driven decisions yield better results and give us the opportunity to improve and adjust along the way!
I also like the Achieveworks assessment. I actually like all the assessments that Naviance uses. After spending time doing a deep diving into Naviance and all the career components it provides students with, I am glad it the tool of choice for our school system.
I believe that for what we are doing as In-school Career Coaches this is the most interactive program I have ever been a part of. students are engaged excited about the assessments, ask questions, and want to know more. They look forward to the next career session for their class. Overall Naviance has been and is a great way to guide students down the road to success.
I would use a formal assessment. A formal career assessment is a structured and systematic tool designed to provide individuals with a comprehensive understanding of their skills, interests, values, and personality traits in relation to potential career paths. This assessment typically involves a series of standardized tests, surveys, or activities that participants complete to gather objective data about various aspects of their professional profile. By employing a formal and standardized approach, this assessment aims to offer a reliable and unbiased evaluation, ensuring a robust foundation for career decision-making.
The process of a formal career assessment often includes in-depth analyses of the individual’s strengths, weaknesses, and preferences, offering a holistic view of their potential in the professional landscape. Through the gathered data, career professionals can provide personalized recommendations and insights, guiding individuals toward suitable career options. The structured nature of a formal career assessment adds credibility to the results, making it a valuable resource for individuals seeking clarity and direction in their career journey.
It is always a great tool to use a formal assessment as they do capture in-depth information about the students. It makes it much easier to find a student a match that will benefit them in the long run. We always say that making a career out of something you love will make the job easier and through a formal assessment as you stated would be excellent for that.
I completely agree with your choice of using a formal career assessment. The structured nature of a formal assessment provides a level of depth and reliability that’s essential for making well-informed career decisions. By systematically evaluating areas like skills, interests, and values, students get a more objective and comprehensive view of their potential paths. This type of assessment can truly enhance self-awareness, and the standardized approach ensures that students receive consistent and actionable guidance. It’s a great choice for those who want a clear, data-driven foundation as they explore their career options!
The type of assessment that I would use is an interest profile assessment, which would be helpful to individuals to identify their passions, preferences, and strengths and ultimately determine and guide them towards a career path that would align with their chosen interests. In understanding what motivates and engages students, I would be able to help them make more informed decisions about their education and career goals, which would help lead them to greater success by doing what they are passionate about.
I think that is a great assessment category to utilize with our students as they love to express what they like to do and how their passion which helps us form connections with them as we are able to discuss h0w they can incorporate their passions into their career decisions.
The assessment type I would utilize is the interest inventories as they are developed to help identify and understand their interest patterns. For example, the lessons we used with our students to identify their strengths and weaknesses through the Naviance assessment helped open the students’ eyes into understanding that there are jobs they would be successful at that relate to their passions that they may not have considered or have been aware of. These types of assessment can form better connections with the students then lectures from teachers or parents as they decide what to do with the knowledge they have learned and whether they want to utilize their finding to help change their decision for the future
I completely agree with your choice of interest inventories as an assessment type! They provide invaluable insights into students’ strengths and passions, which is crucial for guiding their future career decisions. The example of using the Naviance assessment to highlight potential job paths that align with students’ interests is a great illustration of how this approach can empower them. By engaging with assessments like this, students can take ownership of their learning and career exploration, making the process more meaningful. It’s exciting to think about the connections they can make when they see how their interests can translate into real-world opportunities. Do you have any specific ways you plan to implement these assessments in the future?
Interest inventories is a great choice! I really agree with this type of assessment being able to show the client passions they may not be aware of. Sometimes people don’t realize that they are interested in a certain field until they can see it on paper and relate it to things they do in their everyday life. This is why I also chose this assessment because it is always great watching people discover something new about themselves.
The assessment I would use for my students would be the ONet Interest Profiler. Especially working with high school students, I feel it is the best way to see their interests and how that can be applied to their future efforts. It is a very simple assessment that focuses on you likes and dislikes. I myself found it helpful and accurate with the career matches for where I am at currently in life. I also loved how it broke down certain careers to highlight the passion and interests as the reason for the match. Also allowing students to view the educational requirements as well as possible salaries nationwide can allow them to see what is out there for them.
I completely agree with your choice of the ONet Interest Profiler for assessing high school students! It’s such a valuable tool for helping them identify their interests and align them with potential career paths. By focusing on likes and dislikes, the assessment not only makes the process engaging but also personalizes the experience for each student. I also appreciate how you highlighted the importance of breaking down careers based on passion and interests. This approach can inspire students to pursue paths that truly resonate with them, rather than just following conventional routes. Additionally, providing insights into educational requirements and potential salaries gives students a realistic view of their options and helps them set achievable goals. Overall, I think using this assessment can empower students to take charge of their future with confidence! Have you thought about integrating any follow-up activities or discussions after they complete the assessment?
As a career coach I work with students ranging from 6th grade all the way to 9th. At this age, students are just starting to discover who they are. What personality traits they have, what values and beliefs they hold, what truly interest them. They have no sense of life span and their roles in the world. For this reason, I choose to use an assessment that is based on the Holland Code and using RIASEC. There are assessments on both Naviance and O-Net that would work for this. Naviance also has an assessment called Intelligences. This assessment lets students know what strengths they have. Whether they are strong in intrapersonal or interpersonal skills. Whether they are strong in kinesthetics or the arts. It also lets them know what their emotional intelligence is. Once they’ve completed this assessment, Naviance gives them a list of strategies to practice, keeping them strong in the areas they excel as well as to improve on the areas that they do not. A lot of students are surprised what their strengths are, and it makes me happy to watch them light up when they discover something new about themselves.
I agree, watching students light up when they discover something new about themselves is rewarding. For a middle school aged student, the exploration of careers can be exciting and a very formative experience for them. I think Career Days and Guest speakers are my favorite way to provide real-world insight and introduces them to a range of careers. Naviance is probably one of my favorite tools to use as well. I think all of these activities are age-appropriate, interactive and spark a lot of curiosity, which makes our job as career coaches very exciting.
When designing a career assessment for my high school students, I would use a self-reflection worksheet to help students reflect on interests, strengths and values. Questions would include favorite subjects, hobbies and activities they enjoy doing. In a school environment, you encounter a wide range of personalities, so by helping a student understand their own personality traits, I can then help guide them down potential career paths. Once interests and traits are understood, I would then be able to develop and inventory where students can list their current skills, both hard and soft. This can include academic skills, technical skills and interpersonal skills. In addition to the assessments, I could also invite professionals from various fields to talk about their careers. This would allow the students to ask questions and engage in informal conversations to learn about different industries. I could create and design a hands-on activity or project that would expose the students to different career paths and then do a peer discussion on what they learned. I think that job shadowing opportunities, or virtual company tours would also be a great interactive way to get students excited about possible career opportunities. This would then give the students the chance to give feedback, express uncertainties and seek guidance on their next steps. If I wanted to avoid any worksheets, I could do an online assessment using Naviance, such as the Career Interest Profiler. This platform allows the students to be comfortable in a relaxed setting and offers a much more well-rounded approach. I think taking a more informal approach allows students to do more self-discovery without a rigid structure of standardized tests. The Career Interest Profiler would also give back valuable information, recommending students to potential colleges, trade schools, scholarships, potential jobs related to their field of study or interests. All this data can be used to help guide and direct a student to making the right decision based on their goals and aspirations.
I like the informal approach. It provides comfort and is less stressful for the students. Yes, we know that as career providers, we want them to be successful in their future, but creating an environment to draw that interest and passion is what we want for long-term success. Imagine the creativity you can have in a student’s mind when they are locked in. When I was growing up as a kid, formal assessment didn’t necessarily define what I was doing now, and as a former employer in the world we live in now, we want longevity, passion, and, most importantly, a career you can benefit from.
Before taking the assessment/s I would provide a brief introduction and remind student that there are no right or wrong answers. I would remind them that careers may last a span of 40 years or more so to take their time and give each answer appropriate consideration. In choosing my assessment plan, I would try to break down the plans into separate components. First, I would do the interests section to help determine what they enjoy. I would then suggest we take the top three and i
The Interest Assessment would include several different considerations that would indicate current lifestyle and invoke thought about the student’s future lifestyle. Areas that would be considered would include location and desired location. There would have to be a balance of what was more important. For example, if a student wanted to work for Wall Street but wanted to live in the rural area they had grown up in, they would need to evaluate which was more important. Other area would be family., sports, leisure activities, how do they enjoy travel, The life career rainbow has a wide range of elements which I find appealing ..
K.D.2 would put more emphasis on skills and knowledge to achieve more of a business approach. For this design, I would be more direct and use the Compass activity as a model to build me plan on. I area of their work. would utilize this model for clients/who had been in the work force and were not planning on leaving the industry. Perhaps an actor who wanted to find the best part of the country or world to find work. I would identify the locations and try to get some information about the style in contrasting cities or country. Perhaps a stage style actor would prefer New York as where a person who aspired to the movies might want to move to L.A. The emphasis would also be on older workers, Veterans. and people who were changing careers.
The assessment I would use is Interest Assessment. Working with middle school students this assessment would get them to start think about their future and realizing school goes by quickly. Letting them know the many different options they have and having them set small goals they can achieve lead up to a career path they choose.
My career assessment program would include both formal and informal assessments. I would use the O*Net Interest Profiler for the formal assessment, or another interest assessment tool as well as a skills assessment tool like the Intelligence Assessment in Naviance. I like the skills and interests assessments because it can connect students to careers that involve something they are interested in or something they are good at. It gives them a good place to start when thinking of careers, that way it’s not so much of a guessing game. I think students enjoy it as well because it’s all about them and what they like or what they are good at. They like to see their results and if it sounds like them or not. For an informal assessment I would use a forced choice game like, “Would You Rather?” I think that it’s a good opportunity to get students up and moving sometimes or to take a break from working. It’s also fun and can be used as an icebreaker. It gets you thinking and introduces students to real decisions they will be making in their future.
In the position of In-school Career Coach I think the first thing towards the assessment would be to find where the student is in their area of life. So, I would start with the Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs and Career Development to establish a base line. Here the
O*Net online. Their assessments are an excellent tool to start the coaching process. Why reinvent the wheel it is easy to use, and results are good foundation. With this said in school we are using the Naviance program which covers a wide area of topics which at this point students are engaged, responsive and excited..
Understanding where the student is at the present time is very important. Regardless of NBA player, rapper, or vetinarian it doesn’t really matter because I truly believe in the power of “now”. Ask me as a youngster I wanted to be a Hotel Manager! Why? Because at that time we went on family vacations and I loved riding elevators and running up and down the empty hallways. Ironically, I became a school teacher. Far cry from Hotel Mgr…..If you follow the path your Most High makes for you along with your calculated decisions, ethics and morals (if you’ve learned any) then life will pretty much show it’s face to you. It’s simply a feeling mixed with experience. Just my thoughts
For a career assessment program, I would use the Holland Code (RIASEC) Career Test and an informal Strengths Inventory. The Holland Code Test, based on John Holland’s Theory of Career Choice, assesses students’ interests across six personality types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. This formal assessment can help students discover careers that align with their natural interests and strengths, providing clear career path recommendations based on their dominant types. It’s particularly useful for students who are unsure of their interests, as it gives them specific fields to explore that might be a good fit for their personality.
The informal Strengths Inventory is a self-reflective assessment where students list personal strengths, skills, and achievements in areas like academics, hobbies, or past work experiences. This activity helps students recognize their unique abilities and encourages confidence by highlighting past successes and skills they can carry into future careers. By combining these two assessments, students gain insight into both career possibilities and their own strengths, giving them a well-rounded perspective for career planning.
I agree with you Deanna, the informal assessments. actively helps the clients list their personal strengths, skills, and achievements.
As a Career Advisor I would use an Informal Assessment for my clients. I’m the type of person I don’t like to be put on the spot when it comes to test. I wouldn’t want my clients to feel intimidated and nervous for an assessment, so that is why I would choose informal.
Informal assessments let clients open up more to you, express their needs and wants in education or employment. They can express their strengths, weaknesses, goals, and life expectations of their future. I want my clients to be open minded and not feel uncomfortable to discuss or pinpoint specific areas where they might need additional support.
I appreciated your post and fully agree with your views on the importance of informal assessments. It’s vital that our clients feel comfortable and open-minded during evaluations. Informal assessments are advantageous because they are less burdensome, offer flexibility in design, provide immediate results, and are more centered on the client’s needs. The feelings of intimidation or anxiety often associated with formal assessments can be counterproductive, and informal assessments empower clients to showcase their knowledge more confidently. This approach not only allows for a clearer understanding of their abilities and perspectives but also enables you to adapt your strategies for differentiation in real time. Thank you for sharing.
I completely agree, I am a big fan of the informal assessments, especially when meeting with participants early on. I like that you mentioned the intimidation or possible anxiety someone might feel at the beginning of a counseling relationship. Informal assessments, which can often be engaging and fun, are a great way to build a foundation of trust and help participants feel confident in their knowledge.
This is so accurate for a lot of our clients. Some clients even come in with a stand-offish attitude because asking for help is really hard for them, I feel like imposing formal assessments early in the relationship with the client can make them totally shut down. I think that formal assessments have their place, and they are helpful, but they are helpful later on in the career planning process, the initial assessments given should be informal until the client is comfortable with the career planning process, and once we do have our clients taking formal assessments they should have a thorough understanding of what they are about to partake in. Great Post!
I completely agree with this approach. Using informal assessments is a great way to create a more relaxed and welcoming environment for clients. By prioritizing their comfort and allowing them to express themselves freely, you can gain a deeper understanding of their goals, strengths, and areas where they may need support. This approach not only reduces anxiety but also encourages open communication, which is essential for helping clients explore their options and feel confident about their future.
I value data-driven information and prefer utilizing formal assessments, such as personality inventories and interest inventories that are evidence based, to obtain clear information that I can track, update, and evaluate throughout the duration of the client’s engagement with me. Interest inventories aid in gaining a deeper understanding of my clients’ interests and skills, assisting them in identifying careers that align with their preferences. In contrast, personality inventories provide factual insights that guide my clients in determining the types of jobs that suit them and how their personality traits fit within their current roles.
Incorporating these inventories into formal assessments mitigates potential biases that could arise in informal assessments, which might distort results, while also being psychometrically validated. I recognize that there are limitations associated with these assessments, including potential socioemotional effects on clients. Therefore, I remain attentive to the client’s needs, ensuring that I do not over-administer tests, clarifying the purpose of the assessments to alleviate any feelings of inadequacy, and offering empathy if they experience overwhelm or anxiety. Ultimately, the benefits of formal assessments include comparative analysis across client groups, efficient scoring processes, and the generation of more reliable outcomes.
As a high school Career Counselor, we use Naviance as our main platform for assessments. These are formal assessments that use the Holland Code and break down Interests and careers using RIASEC. We focus on the Career Cluster Finder and Career Interest Profiler, among several others. I have personally taken all of these assessments and would say that they are extremely accurate in their results. As for informal assessments, I think it is best to engage students by playing Holland Party Games. I started the year by pushing into classes, introducing myself, and engaging students with Holland Party Games, which I call “Career Would You Rather.” I have the students get up and move to different areas of the room depending on the questions. They seem to have a lot of fun with it and I think it’s a great way to informally introduce them to some of the topics we will discuss further as the year goes on.
I think that this is very interesting. I will have to look into Naviance and see what that platform looks like. I think that a mixture of formal and informal is necessary to help guide our students.
In my career assessment program one type of informal assessment I would use is Structured Interviews. I really like this assessment because through questions that feel like general conversation we can get a better understanding of our clients, what their goals are, what their motivations are and what kind of situation that they are in. We also understand our clients’ true disposition. This assessment also gives me the freedom to change and rearrange the questions so that they fit my specific client, ensuring that I get accurate information from my client through questioning. I like how relaxed this approach to assessment is. A lot of clients hear the word assessment and instantly shut down. I’m the same way in some situations, but this approach feels like a back and forth conversation. Clients don’t have to stress about picking the correct answer because it isn’t structured to be right or wrong, it is just our clients personal beliefs and their disposition on different situations and topics.
Lauren, I really like your approach to informal assessments. Instead of matching your clients with an occupation using interpretation of results from an instrument, you are choosing to have meaningful conversations, about their past, present and future life experience’s related to life roles and community roles. Helping them identify a sense of self, so they can determine the best ways for self expression in their work life. I’m curious to know what themes you think are most important and would use for your structured interview approach?
I love your idea. This sounds like another program I am familiar with called Major Clarity. Major clarity is a suite of resources that assists clients with career readiness skills, academic planning, college readiness, school leadership resources, and work-based learning opportunities. Major Clarity helps ensure that every student’s education leads to a successful career outcome — whether through a 4-year degree or going into the workforce. Major Clarity connects career “test-drives” to academic planning and postsecondary decision-making, leading to an increase in students building career-aligned plans of study.
Lauren, I absolutely agree about using informal assessments. Given the wealth of information clients provide in simple conversations, informal assessments allow clients to feel comfortable, trusting, and heard. In my experience, clients tend to really open up when it’s not a standard structure setting. An informal assessment encourages us as practitioners to be empathetic and relatable, which strengthens rapport and client relationships.
I currently work at a middle school and if asked to design a career assessment program. I would mimic the Naviance Career program. I would design a web-based software that provides students with a variety of features, including college research and matching tools, course planning career assessments, personality test, and surveys to help students connect what they are doing in school to what they would like to do once they complete their education. I would make sure the program provides additional functionality to school counselors and career coaches to track the progress of individual students, communicate and collaborate with students and families, and have capabilities to create reports on the entire student population. The program that I created would be the Walmart of career assessment programs. A one stop shop! Offer a wide variety of tools and resources. The less formal, Inventory learning style program would be a bridge that brings several different conceptual theories into practice and diagnose students unique learning styles based on an examination of their personal preferences, through career exploration, career decision making, education planning, and career adjustment. A interactive planform that allows students and parents to become familiar with several different instruments.
I agree that Naviance career program allows the students to have a plethora of information at their fingertips but I do not think that it is the best program that could be designed. There is a lot of information and options when looking through the program but it is not that easy to find everything that the student need or want at a time. I think that if there was a guidance program in Naviance that helped the students find things or trouble shoot items it would be better. Also, after talking with some students from my school that used Naviance last year they mentioned that they did not like the set of of the career or interest test. I agree that if there where changes to it and make it less formal like you mentioned that would be more inviting to the students while also providing the resources to the student. Understanding how different grades and levels are able to understand is needed when creating these programs.
As I am a middle school career coach I would chose to use more informal methods when looking at how I would design a career assessment program. Right now I use a worksheet that asks the students based on their grade about there interests, goals, and dream career. This helps me get a feel for what the student like and how or how not those interest and goals work with the career they are listing. From there we can talk about that career and if there are any other occupations that we might be able to look into and be a better fit for the student to pursue. The second type of assessment I use is a card sort that talks about different occupations and gets the students to think about aspects of two occupations and what characteristics of they would be more interested in out of the two. This helps me figure out what what aspects of different occupations a student like or dislikes. Which then allows me to narrow down the list of what possible careers they might like to get into in high school and beyond. These informal assessments help to in interact with the students in a more relaxed way then with any formal assessment as most times any thing that feels like a test to the students increases their stress and influences the results. As they do not understand that it is not a test even if it is say the format makes them feel this way. So having those informal worksheets/sorts helps them to feel relaxed and interested, learning, and investigative in what possibility are out there.
morrjenn, I was interested to see that you choose to use more informal methods with your middle schoolers. When dealing with assessments, as with anything else really, it’s important to consider with whom you are working. I know that there are formal assessments available that can help when assessing middle school students, but I feel like you can reach the students on a more personal level through informal assessments. It has been my experience that middle school students can relate better through discussion and conversation. Informal assessments allow you to have a back and forth discussion where the student would not just be answering one question and moving on to the next. Instead, a follow-up question could be asked that may lead the student deeper into their thought process.
I think designing a career assessment program is a fantastic initiative that can truly benefit customers in exploring their career paths. One assessment I would recommend is the Holland Code (RIASEC) assessment. This informal test helps individuals identify their dominant interests and how they align with various career options. By categorizing preferences into realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional types, it can guide customers toward careers that suit their natural inclinations. Another useful tool could be the StrengthsFinder assessment. This formal assessment focuses on identifying an individual’s top strengths, which can help them understand what they excel at and how to leverage those strengths in their careers. Combining insights from both assessments could provide a well-rounded perspective for customers seeking guidance in their career journey. What do you all think? Are there other assessments you’ve found effective in career planning?
We use both the Holland Code and a Strengths Finder assessment with our students in Washington County through our Naviance program. I agree that the two together are extremely helpful in matching their personality, strengths and interests with career cluster options. It helps our students begin to think through options, make informed decisions for selecting a pathway, and know themselves better.
So far i havent found any other assessments that work but I love the Holland assessment because it usually alligns with what my participants want to do and they enjoy it, I make this a classroom activity and read the questions out loud so that we can all go through the 80-90 questions together. I love what you said about the career assessment being a program is a fantastic initiative that can truly benefit customers in exploring their career paths.
As a formal assessment, I use the Holland Code (RIASEC) based on John Holland’s Vocational Choice Theory, It provides structured questions, gives reliable results and can be used as a career guidance tool for our students, beginning in middle school and continuing on into high school. As for an informal assessment, I think for our age group, having a hands-on activity such as card sorts can be invaluable. I love the fact that it can be done quickly and appeals to a wide variety of students at different learning levels.
Informal assessment vs Formal assessment: My preferred choice would be the informal. As stated, Informal assessments gather information
about clients through less structured methods, creating an instant environment where students don’t feel pressured but are locked in because there is no right or wrong answer. When considering either option, think about The results are immediate, low cost, immediate and open for discussion. So if someone is considering the formal assessment, what are the three main benefits that a student could benefit from? or do you agree with the informal assessment?
In assisting with design of a career assessment program, I would choose to use the structured interview process as part of the initial onboarding of a client. This interview process is important because it involves a conversation between the client and provider. This interview can give the provider an in-depth understanding of the students’ goals, interests, and preferences. It also allows the provider and client to build a relationship that allows for helping skills to come into play with client interaction. At the conclusion of the interview, clients will take either the Meyers Briggs Inventory Assessment to determine if interviewer insight aligns with the assessment personality of the client. O*Net and ACT WorkKeys testing would also be part of the assessment program. O*Net is directly tied to the Education and Training Administration. This is vital as the database draws upon information in collaboration with the Bureau of Labor Statistics that tracks data for occupation outlook, salary, wages, and hiring trends drilled down from a national perspective to local regions. Many industry employers require employees to take WorkKeys and score a minimum of silver. This demonstrates ability to perform certain tasks and skills in the employment outlook practice.
I agree with the the informal assessment purpose you present. How would you leverage the information gleaned in the informal interview to connect the client with a career pathway? Once the interview has been conducted, how would you use that information as part of your next steps in helping them reach their goals and ambitions?
In assisting with design of a career assessment program, I would choose to use the structured interview process as part of the initial onboarding of a client. This interview process is important because it involves a conversation between the client and provider. This interview can give the provider an in-depth understanding of the students’ goals, interests, and preferences. It also allows the provider and client to build a relationship that allows for helping skills to come into play with client interaction. At the conclusion of the interview, clients will take either the Meyers Briggs Inventory Assessment to determine if interviewer insight aligns with the assessment personality of the client. O*Net and ACT WorkKeys testing would also be part of the assessment program. O*Net is directly tied to the Education and Training Administration. This is vital as the database draws upon information in collaboration with the Bureau of Labor Statistics that tracks data for occupation outlook, salary, wages, and hiring trends drilled down from a national perspective to local regions. Many industry employers require employees to take WorkKeys and score a minimum of silver. This demonstrates ability to perform certain tasks and skills in the employment outlook practice.
If I were to create an assessment for my clients, I would design an informal evaluation that includes discussion questions, allowing for open-ended inquiries that encourage deeper conversations. I believe this approach is beneficial because it enables clients to express themselves more freely and honestly without the fear of answering incorrectly. I would tailor the questions to each individual client, which would help me gather information about their strengths and their vision for the next five years. By asking these questions, I would gain a better understanding of their interests and goals, as well as gather valuable feedback.
I think it is valuable to emphasize the term “fear”. Clients of any age will have different reasons for seeking out our services, but something common is usually some deep hidden fear of rejection, embarrassment, or judgement. Encouraging the deeper conversations and reminding clients that there is “no wrong answer” in interview style assessments in important. Not only do we get a better idea of what they would like to do and what their real interest are, but we also get to understand why they want that to be their goal and possibly educate our clients on other career paths or interest they have yet to explore. I also like the idea of tailoring the questions to better benefit each client individually. Some questions definitely are best used for different clients and recognizing that helps us to better assist the client.
I agree that the informal evaluation of an interview is the best method to start out with in dealing with clients needs. There are so many needs related to career development in people’s lives that are not addressed by most formal assessments. Furthermore, we can often tell a lot about a client by the body language he/she uses in an interview. I think this is a good starting place for any career assessment program.
When creating an assessment program for my clients, I would first choose to use an informal assessment in order to allow me to get to know the client a bit better. I prefer to use the structured interview for this purpose. You can design questions in the structured interview in such a way that will allow you to understand not just where the client wants to go in the future, but also where they have been, which I feel is essential when helping the client to determine goals. In doing so, you can find ways to make the client more comfortable discussing with you what it is they hope to accomplish in their visit with you. This, in turn, will allow you to discover the client’s personality, which is also an essential part of forming a career plan. I feel that an informal assessment like a structured interview helps to assuage a client’s anxiety whereas a formal assessment may exacerbate it. However, if the structured interview does it’s job, the client will feel more comfortable and may then trust the next step, which would be a formal assessment. If a client wants to pursue a career in a field that will first require training, I would have them take the Career Scope Assessment. While I’m not really a big fan of the formal assessments myself, but I do like how they allow the client to see their areas of strengths and weaknesses. This can help the client to see the areas in which they will need to grow in order to be successful, and it will help us in creating a career pathway that will be realistic and manageable.
I appreciate your thoughtful approach to using structured interviews as an informal assessment tool. Your emphasis on understanding a client’s background and personality is crucial for building trust and facilitating open discussions about their goals. I agree that starting with informal assessments can help reduce anxiety and pave the way for more effective engagement with formal assessments later on. The Career Scope Assessment is an excellent choice for identifying strengths and weaknesses, and it can be very beneficial in creating a realistic career pathway. Your method fosters a supportive environment that encourages clients to explore their potential. Great insights!
In my role as a career coach in Maryland, we are encouraged to utilize both formal and informal assessments to further assist our students that we work with. A form of formal assessment that we use in this role is a Holland Code assessment. A majority of the students I work with are intended to use this assessment at some point in their 7th grade or 8th grade years. With the age of most of my students, the formal assessment tends to be “boring” to them or the results need to be well broken down to them once they have taken the assessment. I prefer and find more success using informal assessments. I use structured interviewing with most of the students I work with. This allows the students to openly express their desires and goals without limits. As a career coach, it gives me a chance to explore why they decide on the paths they pick and guide them towards activities and programs that will help them obtain this goal. With 6th-8th grade students, it also helps me to educate students on what kind of careers are available. A lot of my students have a lot of interests or activities they thrive in, and often they do not know what they can make careers out of. This gives me a chance to show them websites to study, Youtube links to consider watching, and extracurricular activities to try to attend. These informal assessments typically lead to follow up questions and future appointments as well.
Great approach! It’s smart to use both formal and informal assessments. The Holland Code can be a good starting point, but structured interviews can really help you connect with students on a deeper level. It’s nice that you recognize how the student may respond to the structure of the assessments. providing both is something I would do in your position as well,
In my role as a career coach here in Kentucky, we are encouraged to utilize both, however, informal assessments are utilized more. Most of my clients take the informal assessment only. Some of my clients who are interested in training such as Clinical Medical Assistant training or Lineman training are required to take both an informal and formal assessment. Most clients I have worked with complete the informal assessment with a breeze, however, they don’t like the thought of a formal assessment and put it off as long as they can. I have more success with informal assessments as well.
In designing a career assessment program, I would recommend using both the Holland Code (RIASEC) assessment and a Values Assessment.
Holland Code Assessment: This formal assessment categorizes individuals into six personality types—Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional (RIASEC). By identifying their primary type, customers can better understand which career paths align with their interests and skills. This assessment helps in guiding them toward environments where they are likely to thrive. Values Assessment: This informal assessment encourages customers to reflect on their personal values, such as work-life balance, financial security, or social impact. By understanding what is most important to them, customers can make more informed career choices that align with their core beliefs and motivations.Combining these two assessments provides a comprehensive view of both personality and values, empowering customers to pursue fulfilling career paths.
If I were designing a career assessment program, my first assessment would be the informal assessment of a structured interview. In the structured interview, I would assess the client’s work history, needs and interests. In our area, a lot of career transitions are related to personal needs, such as transportation, child care or homelessness. If this is the case, then we would need to address their needs, as well as, try to find them suitable employment. If I were sending a client for training, I would use the formal assessment, Career Scope to evaluate the client’s interest and skills. The results would either confirm or challenge whether the training and career path will be a good fit for him/her.
For my career assessment program, I’d definitely incorporate the Predictive Index (PI) as a formal assessment. As someone who uses it in my own work, I’ve seen firsthand how useful it can be. The PI isn’t just a simple personality test, it delves into your cognitive abilities and behavioral tendencies. It can help identify your strengths, weaknesses, and how you might thrive in different work environments. Think of it as a personalized career compass. By understanding your natural talents and how you interact with others, you can make more informed decisions about your career path. Whether you’re exploring new opportunities or seeking a better fit within your current role, the PI can provide valuable insights.
This is a really good way of seeing how an assessment would help selecting your career/ jobs in future. I also agree that it gets easy to focus on your job if you have some interest and passion. It sometimes feels like you cannot wait to get to work, because it seems like you’re going to enjoy the day instead of working. I think personality assessment is somewhat guiding you in the same direction of job search/ careers. Good thoughts !!
I agree that people don’t always recognize that they have a skill, especially when they’ve learned it informally. Often times clients will apply at a company and take a position because that’s where they are needed. They learn different aspects of the position but don’t necessarily think about the skills they’ve acquired while in that position. For instance, I have had many clients who have told me they’ve worked for landscaping companies. When asked what skills they acquired, they list very few. It is at that point that I start questioning additional skills and asking about equipment they’ve operated, which usually prompts them to expand on their list.
The career assessment program that I think will work for me and or my clients is the skills inventories assessment. Here it talks about how the assessment helps an individual to recognize their ability to execute / fulfill or complete a task. I think specific skill or skill sets are important, as sometimes staff/ clients are not aware of what they possess or can work with. Some of them can be resume building skills or as it states interviewing skills. There are certain people who ace these skills, which makes it easy for job search and future performance while at work.
If I were creating assessments for my clients, I would use a combination of formal and informal methods. I believe it’s essential to incorporate both because some clients may experience anxiety or focus solely on providing “correct” answers in formal assessments. On the other hand, some clients may struggle in interviews or benefit from guided testing. For a formal assessment, I would use Holland’s RIASEC, complemented by structured interviews as the informal component.
In the future, I plan to use the Keyword & Competencies checklist and the MyskillsMyfuture tool to help my clients recognize their existing skills and interests. Most of my clients have worked in various industries due to limited opportunities in our region and barriers such as transportation. Many don’t realize they have actually acquired valuable skills or that they have preferences. By identifying their skills and comparing them across industries, they can make informed decisions about training and employment opportunities that align with their desired professions.
Formal Assessments that I would use with my clients because I really value helping my clients understand themselves better, particularly in terms of what drives and excites them. The Holland’s Interest Profiler is a great tool for this because it helps people connect their interests to potential career paths by identifying which areas align with their passions. Let’s dive deeper into how this formal assessment can be used effectively and why it’s so crucial in your work.
When designing a career assessment program, it’s important to include assessments that not only help individuals understand their strengths and interests but also give insight into their values, motivations, and skills. Here are two types of assessments I would consider:
Holland Code (RIASEC) Assessment
Type: Informal or formal self-assessment
Purpose: This assessment helps individuals identify their dominant personality and work environment preferences across six categories: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Understanding your dominant style helps individuals align their career choices with their natural preferences.
Why it’s useful: It provides valuable insight into what types of jobs and industries would be a good fit based on personality and interests. It’s particularly effective for clients who are exploring career options or transitioning to new roles.
Both assessments offer a solid foundation for self-awareness and can serve as a starting point for deeper career exploration or coaching sessions.
Instructions: You have been asked to help design a career assessment program for
your customers. What are one or two assessments [formal or informal] you would use
with your customers? Make one original post and then respond to one classmate’s post.
You will make a total of two posts.
An informal assessment that I use with my clients is an interest assessment. By identifying our interest in of what we like the most, or what we like to do the most, we can gain a clear understanding of the importance of researching jobs/careers that match our hobbies/interest. If we can have enjoyment or pleasure from a task that we have to perform on our job, we can maintain a high level of job satisfaction and retention.
Make one original post and then respond to one classmate’s post. You will make a total
of two posts.
Considering how your behaviors reflect on your activities throughout the day. Another
assessment that I would use with my students is a personality assessment. I would use
this hand in hand with the interest assessment. Knowing which traits, you have is not
necessarily a guiding factor in determining your career, but it can help you get a better
idea of which jobs suit your personality the best. For example, if you enjoy
communicating with people and have more extroverted personality traits, you may want
to pursue a career as an event planner.
I like the idea of using a personality assessment in addition to an interest assessment. Recognizing our own personality, as well as others, and how they are different/unique can assist us to finding that career that suits us well and it’s a foundation for career exploration.
I agree. Finding people’s interests, personality traits, and values can help them be more fulfilled and happy in their careers.
Considering how your behaviors reflect on your activities throughout the day. Another
assessment that I would use with my students is a personality assessment. I would use
this hand in hand with the interest assessment. Knowing which traits, you have is not
necessarily a guiding factor in determining your career, but it can help you get a better
idea of which jobs suit your personality the best. For example, if you enjoy
communicating with people and have more extroverted personality traits, you may want
to pursue a career as an event planner.
I like the idea of using a personality assessment in addition to an interest assessment. Recognizing our own personality, as well as others, and how they are different/unique can assist us to finding that career that suits us well and it’s a foundation for career exploration.
Hello Amanda Hanshaw
I do believe you can tell a lot about a person from there personality, but I also can say that sometimes it can take individual a while to get accommodated with the surroundings, new task, or individuals. This would go hand and hand with interest assessment.
I really like informal assessments, and as a career advisor, those are the ones I utilize the most. We use an interest assessment here at my office called the Career Coach assessment. It is either a 30 question or 60 question assessment that shows us our clients top interests and what jobs may be the best fit for them. This assessment helps you discover majors and in-demand careers and education based on your interests. I can assist my clients better when I know what they may or may not like and if I know more about their personality. Someone’s personality whether they are introverted or extroverted may hep you determine a nice workspace for them as well. Everyone wants to be comfortable at their workplace, not anxious. These assessments may also show me if the client likes to work outside or if the client likes an office setting better. I think this helps lead the way to discovering the right career path for a client. Informal assessments are great because clients know there is no right or wrong answer, so they have a sense of comfort.
Hello Selena,
I agree that people’s different identities ultimately help form an environment where different perspective will be represented. I think that it is interesting the value you put on comfort in the workspace, as that is what strength based assessments ultimately does- help people find the language to advocate and better understand one-another.
I need to research the Career Coach assessment as this may help me in the work that I do developing students into professionals.
I agree that diverse identities plan a curial role in creating an environment where various perspectives are represented. This approach not only enhances communication but also contributes to a more inclusive and supportive environment.
An informal assessment that I would use with my clients would be an interest assessment. By being able to identify our interest in terms of what we enjoy most, or what we like to do we can have a better understanding of the need to seek out jobs/careers that align with our hobbies/interest. If we can enjoy task that we have to perform on the job we can reach a higher job satisfaction and retention.
I like the idea of using a personality assessment in addition to an interest assessment. Being able to identify our own personality as well as others and how they differ can help guide us to finding that perfect fit and it’s a foundation that can be built upon for career exploration.
The assessment type I would use is an interest inventories assessment, we actually use one at my work currently called the Career Coach. I believe these help clients to find out what their passions may be. Some people may not realize they are a fit for a certain career but these types of assessments can help guide them toward careers that line up with their natural strengths. These types of assessments can also give great insights and help clients make better decisions about what direction they may want to go with their career path. When I explain our Career Coach to clients and have them take it, it is always fun to see them find out things they may not know they are actually interested in or see them be surprised at the suggested career paths for them.
Hello Randall Spencer
I was interested in the assessment you were talking about, so I decided to look it up. It looks like you need a user, and password. We to use a Career Assessment at the Workforce Center. It is called Career Cruising. I have many customers that take the assessment, and it gives them careers they would have never thought of, but would be of great interest to them. We use this assessment to make sure we providing accurate training to customers, and to help customer identify career paths when they don’t know what they want to do.
If asked to help design a career assessment program for your students one assessments would use with my students is Career Cruising. This assessment will identify what Career Path would be given for my customer by the way she answers the questions. It would provide me with their reading, and math grade level, as well as informing how customer best learn, Textile, Auditoria, or Visual.
It is a great assessment, that not only gives the customer an idea or ideas of different career paths they never thought of, and Career Advisor an insight into customers likes and dislikes.
Career Cruising is my favorite assessment. I like the fact that the career matches are not based solely on likes and dislikes. The assessment factors in a job seeker’s abilities in the career match results. Career Cruising not only provides career information, it provides a pathway to get to the particular career, and a pathway showing additional pathways of where the job seeker can go from that career. Another helpful feature is that job seekers can watch 2 “a day in the life of” videos of people who work that position.
One of the two assessments I have used and found to be helpful is the Onet Interest Profiler. The results typically provide accurate matches, but there are other aspects of the assessment that add to it’s value for the job seeker. The profiler does provide RIASEC matches, but it also provides information and descriptions of each category. I also like the job zone information that lets the job seeker know what they are and what type of preparation is needed to obtain a job in each of the zones. It is also beneficial to be able to search career matches in each of the job zones.
In designing a career assessment program, it’s essential to select tools that are insightful yet user-friendly, especially for clients who may not have extensive experience with formal testing. Given the diversity of client needs, two effective assessments are the Self-Directed Search (SDS) and the Work Values Inventory.
The Self-Directed Search, based on Holland’s RIASEC theory, is widely used to help clients explore occupations that align with their interests. It categorizes clients’ interests into six broad themes (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional), making it suitable for those uncertain about potential career paths. By completing this assessment, clients can identify occupations that align with their interests, aiding their decision-making process while maintaining a clear connection to their personal preferences.
The Work Values Inventory helps clients uncover core values that impact job satisfaction, like autonomy, security, and achievement. This inventory is especially beneficial for clients who may already have some career experience but are seeking a deeper understanding of what motivates them. For example, a client who values stability might prioritize roles offering job security over high variability. Together, these assessments would create a balanced approach that incorporates both personal interests and underlying motivators, providing a well-rounded foundation for effective career planning.
When curating a career assessment program for customers, the key elements that need to be focused on are a sense of empowerment and a sense of direction. Clients need to be leaving feeling inspired towards reaching their potential, while also feeling inspired to put their vision into motion.
A career assessment that empowers clients by providing language to depict their strengths and abilities is the Self Directed Search test, created using Holland’s RIASEC theory. Assessments are more impactful when they are backed up by theory. This is ultimately a position or outlook of how team dynamics should be viewed and giving a common language to portray how one fits their unique piece into the objectives hand. The Self Directed Search test will separate the clients into 6 themes which acknowledges how their identity forms the strengths of their character. This is empowering, meaningful, and useful to elevating a client’s work style/possible career development.
Another career assessment/survey that, while informal, I see as extremely helpful is the My Skills, My Future website. While the previous assessment holistically employs a sense of empowerment to the customer by providing insight to their natural abilities, this second assessment will provide a more practical sense of directing the customer to their next steps. This website provides direction towards building the pathway to actually obtaining the job one is manifesting. By putting your current job, and now understanding how to verbalize your skills and strengths, one can see which jobs are similar in the field they want to work in. This is an excellent way to end a session about gaining more insight to the career one wants and discovering one’s niche in their developing career journey.
I like interest inventories , value surveys, and personality assessments. An interest inventory helps individuals find a career that identifies their passions in work activities. It can help identify a career path that they truly enjoy. Value surveys can help people identify what is most important in a job or a career. This can allow individuals to identify careers that align with their core values. Personality assessments identified traits in individuals that align with specific careers.
I usually use informal assessment guided by unstructured interview questions. The questions are usually client interest driven. My approach is usually conversational guided by active listening. My assessment include discussion with the client as well as a following up couple days after with another meeting. For our second meeting preparation, I would ask the client to start thinking about our discussion while at home. During a second visit, I would repeat what we talked about from our first meeting around their interest to see if it still stands after couple of days of reflection. I would then present to the client after our final discussion session what I think fits their interest.
I also use the informal approach of asking clients interest-driven questions that lead to meaningful conversations, as it feels more authentic. While formal assessments are effective and I use them frequently, I believe a conversation is necessary to provide a well-rounded understanding.
The assessment I would most likely use is the Holland Trait Assessment because it closely aligns with the assessment available on the software program we use for high school students at my school. This assessment asks basic questions based on preferences and uses that information to categorize the student’s personality type. It then matches the student with careers that align closely with their personality traits. This tool is helpful for initiating conversations with students about potential career paths that match their personalities and discussing the preparation required to help them achieve their goals.
Hi John!
Thank you for your input. I also believe that personality plays a big role when people choose a career, especially considering that there are so many different lifestyles to think about when deciding on a profession.
Formal Assessment like Career Cruising provide structured insights that can help both Customer and Advisors identify learning styles and potential career path suggestions. The offer a standardized framework that can be beneficial for understanding broad trends and making informed decisions. On the Other hand, informal assessments bring a unique advantage by fostering a more personalized adaptive approach. They allow for deeper conversations, enabling advisor to tailor their guidance based on the individuals’ experiences, interests and aspirations. This flexibility can lead to a more meaningful insight and a better alignment with the Customer personal values and goals. Ultimately, combining both approaches could provide a comprehensive view that leverages the strengths of formal assessments while also embracing the individuality that inform assessments can offer. This balanced strategy can enhance the overall career exploration experience and lead to more satisfying outcome for Customers.
I would utilize an Interest Assessment when working with my Middle and High School students. This tool encourages them to start exploring their future and understanding how quickly school years pass. It helps introduce them to the wide variety of opportunities available and guides them in setting small, achievable goals that can gradually pave the way toward their chosen career path. We would also look at our strengths to see what we can possibly study once we apply to college.
One assessment I would use with my students is a personality inventory. I think it’s important for us to enjoy what we do for work, and understanding our personality can help with that. Knowing your personality type can also show how you might work best in different settings. Our skills can always improve, but our personality usually stays the same. So, it’s really helpful to know your preferences when it comes to work, so you can find a job that fits you better.
I would also use the life career rainbow to define my student current life role and to better plan their future, and create a plan together to move from the present to the future rainbow.
I agree with the way you express how a person should find enjoyment from at least some portion of their job. Sometimes it’s not about the direct line of work, but the enjoyment of the people you work with, clients you interact, and etc. Figuring out what that personality meshes with is key to finding long-term success in work.
As a career advisor for reentry the first assessment I would do is a formal interest and aptitude assessment. An assessment that looks a t both interest and aptitude allows a client to see where there current ability and interest overlap to give them a better sense of what is realistic. Part of creating SMART goals is that achievable portion, and I believe if we don’t help clients see what is truly achievable then we set them up for failures that can be avoided. The next informal style assessment is a mapping, force choice assessment. This is so as an advisor I can see what elements of work are important to them, and they can too. Sometimes we don’t realize how important aspects of the job are until we are forced to choose them. This gives me a sense of the style and type of employer I can and should work to place them at.