How to find right job for me: 13 Best Free Career Tests for 2022

13 Best Free Career Tests for 2022

If you’ve seen a TV series set in a high school, you’ve likely seen an episode where the characters take a career aptitude test, get their results, and then hilarity and/or drama ensue. 

Whether you’re just beginning to figure out your future profession or you’re looking to make a career change, the idea that you can just answer a few questions and have a test spit out the perfect answer to “What should I be when I grow up?” is enticing. 

Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple. But you also don’t have to just drift along in a sea of choices: There are plenty of resources out there to help you narrow down your options and find a job where you’ll thrive. 

We’ve researched the best career assessments and job personality tests to help you identify which occupational fields and career paths might help you live your best professional life. 

Let’s get this out of the way: No test can guarantee it’ll tell you your “dream job” or your forever career.  

These quizzes will ask you about your values, interests, skills, and goals and give you some ideas for careers or types of careers to explore further—in other words, they’re a “jumping off point,” says Muse career coach Lynn Berger, who’s used these tests for over 20 years to help clients gain focus and direction in their careers. 

Some will also help you learn more about your working style or what type of environment you thrive in. Your results might even provide a little help for you in your current position—setting you up for success, no matter where you are in your career journey.

Free career aptitude tests

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, this free job quiz will help you identify where your career interests lie, then point you toward career paths that might feed those interests.

The results section has a “Current Job Zone” where you can explore opportunities based on the experience you currently have as well as a “Future Job Zone” that showcases how much education and experience you’ll need to secure the job you want.

Rather than answer questions on a sliding scale of agree or disagree, this free career test shows four photos (each picture depicts work associated with a specific type of personality) and you choose both your favorite and least favorite illustrated activity. After 15 questions, you get a “Holland Code” result, based on John Holland’s theory of personality types and careers, along with a list of suggested occupations that match your specific type.

What’s unique about this test’s approach is that you’re asked to rank your skill set, interests, work style, and values, plus say how much money you’d like to make, what education requirements you’re looking to meet, and how much potential growth you’d like to see in your career field. The results are no-nonsense—with links to job descriptions as well as job openings.

With this free career personality test, you’ll discover more about how you relate to others in less than 10 minutes. The results detail how open to new experiences you are, how much self-discipline you may have, how much of an extrovert you are, and how you handle stressful situations—not just how you imagine yourself to be. This intel is especially useful to understand when it comes to how you handle your job and coworkers and what kind of work environment would be best for you.

Note: While the basic results are free, you’ll have to pay to see your full report. 

MyPlan.com offers four different assessment options—a career personality test, a career interest inventory, a career skills profiler, and a career values assessment—that together will measure your career personality and help you find your ideal career.

You can still learn things from each test individually, though. For example, the “career values test” will give you a sense of what to look for in a position in order to find meaning, while the “careers personality test” includes 739 careers ranked according to how well they align with your personality.

This comprehensive career test measures your interests, history and goals, and workplace and personality traits. Then it matches you along several dimensions so you can make an informed decision regarding your career. You also get personalized top career matches and insights.

Note: While the basic results are free, you’ll have to pay to see your full report. 

This 60-question quiz not only helps to identify your personality strengths, but also applies the results to how to find the right career. While you can check out the free career test version for your core strengths and management style, in our opinion, it’s worth the upgrade for the premium 10-page report that includes the best career choices for your personality type, details about potential weaknesses, and info about your ideal business environments.

Note: While the basic results are free, you’ll have to pay to see your full report.

The Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential (MAPP) test focuses on your likes and dislikes and is designed to be taken quickly so that your answers are based on your instincts rather than letting you overthink things. There are various packages to choose from for more in-depth information, but the free results offer ample insights about career motivations and suggest 10 possible vocational areas for you to check out.

Note: While the basic results are free, you’ll have to pay to see your full report.

Other career aptitude tests

The Self-Directed Search (SDS) is a career assessment test that matches people with jobs based on aspirations, competencies, activities, and interests. The result is a personalized report ranking and detailing how realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, or conventional you may be—a version of the Holland theory called RIASEC. Along with your personalized summary code, you’ll receive a list of careers with salary data as well as educational opportunities that best fit you and your results. The SDS also has specialized reports for veterans and students. 

Cost: $14.95

This test tells you which of the nine Enneagram types you are most like: the reformer, the helper, the achiever, the individualist, the investigator, the loyalist, the enthusiast, the challenger, or the peacemaker.

Understanding more about your type can help you get along better with your coworkers and clue you in about which characteristics you need to look for in a career in order for it to be fulfilling.

Cost: $12

Formally known as the Clifton StrengthsFinder, this assessment tells you your top five out of a pool of 34 possible strengths. Muse career coach Elena Pastore often uses it with clients to “help them synthesize and understand what they are actually good at, what they thoroughly enjoy, and how to identify a job that is aligned.” It’s worth noting that “CliftonStrengths is not a personality assessment, and therefore cannot and should not be used to push people to a specific career path,” Pastore says. “This tool is best used to help individuals identify their talents and then determine what they need to thrive and what they bring to teams rather than predicting a specific career.”   

After taking the quiz, you’ll get a customized report that lists your top five dominant talents, along with videos and supporting materials to help you achieve academic, career, and personal success.

Cost: $19.99 and up

Applicable across all areas of your life, the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) is probably one of the most-used assessments by career centers and managers alike. “Many companies use the MB test to evaluate counseling, leadership training, and work-team development qualities,” says Muse career coach Steven Davis, a technical recruiter and owner of Renaissance Solutions Inc. So not only can your results point you toward possible jobs, but they can also “be a powerful tool for advancement, receiving recognition, and promotions.” 

The MBTI gives you your personality preferences: where you get your energy, how you like to take in information, how you make decisions, and what kind of structure you like in the world around you. While these preferences can certainly point to careers that might suit you well, they can also give you a lot of valuable information about what kind of workplaces might be best for you, what your working preferences are, and how you can best relate to others at the office. When taking the test, Davis suggests that you “approach the test to discover more about who you are as a person,” as well as how you might communicate best and how others may perceive you.

If you don’t want to pay to take the official test, you can take a pretty good (and free) online version here.

Cost: $49.95 for a basic online report; $175 with personal feedback 

This nonprofit research foundation has been studying innate human abilities and aptitudes since 1922. Its goal is to help people make informed decisions about their career paths based on the idea that the career someone finds most rewarding is the one that uses their natural aptitudes and strengths. By identifying those aptitudes, they help you home in on the fields that are most likely to bring you career satisfaction. Unlike most tests that can be taken online, these tests are only available at 11 testing centers across the country.

If getting to a center is not in your future (or the $850 price tag is too hefty!), you can get a taste for the Johnson O’Connor approach via a free career assessment test they developed for Oprah.com. 

Cost: $850

Here’s a bit more about career assessments and quizzes, with some insight from a few of our Muse career coaches.

What is the best career test?

There is no one best career test. And of course, nothing is stopping you from trying more than one…

Different tools with resonate with different people, Pastore says. “Use that tool that works for you that you feel you can understand and identify with. If you don’t identify with any you’ve taken—that’s OK too!”

Are career tests accurate?

Career tests are helpful “to gain focus and clarity,” in your search for the right job, Berger says. Pastore stresses that “taking the assessment and receiving your results is just the first step.”

If the results include specific jobs or paths, make sure you still do your research about what they entail before jumping in. Consider doing some initial reading online, and if the career sparks your interest, try setting up informational interviews with those already in the job to find out more. Or you could use your results to start a conversation with a career coach or counselor.

You might even think of a career test as just part of the first step—you should definitely explore careers that don’t line up with your results if they interest you, and take all these tests with a grain of salt. You’re the only one who can truly decide what you want.

How will a career test help me?

“The purpose of [a career test] is to build self-awareness about what we are good at, how others view us, and what we bring to the table,” Pastore says. This insight may help you find new careers to explore or it may help you thrive in your current job.

Regina Borsellino contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

Updated 5/27/2022

Try our Free Career Test and Discover New Jobs for You!

This is the first page of our 5-step online career test. Most visitors complete the test in 5 to 10 minutes. When you’re done, we’ll provide you recommendations for great new careers that best match your answers. Have fun!

Step 1 of 5: SKILLS

Rate your skill level for the following attributes:

How to find a job you like and not screw up – Career on vc.

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My name is Anya, I’m 31, and I love my job 😍 I’ll share the principles that guided me when choosing.

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Three legs

Three main questions I answered myself:

• What am I doing?
• Where do I do this?
• Why am I doing this?

What is a question about a function. What is usually called the word profession – manager / accountant / programmer.

Where do I do it – a question about the field of activity. You can be a manager in small aviation, and in IT, and in kindergarten. A field of interest adds a separate pleasure to the process.

Why am I doing this – a question about ultimate meanings and goals. It is important that the achievement of personal goals helps to achieve the goals of the company. These goals should be consistent, at least – not contradict.

And now more.

What am I doing? Feature

The main mistake of people who are looking for their destiny is the search for activities that give pleasure. It is a big delusion to think that the work of a vocation will save you from pain, suffering and problems. And here’s why:

Suffering is biologically useful. Pain in all its manifestations is an effective way to get a person off the couch.

Evolution will not allow a person to relax. Pain, suffering and problems are our companions until death do us part. Sounds like a sentence, but as old Mark Manson writes:

Happiness comes from solving problems. The key word here is decision. Not avoidance, not denial, not shifting responsibility. Deciding is the way to happiness. True happiness comes when you find problems that you enjoy solving.

In a world where problems cannot be avoided, the only freedom available to us is the freedom to choose problems to our liking.

Ask: What problems do I enjoy solving?

For example, I got the following list:

• I like to create order out of a mess
• I love to make the incomprehensible clear
• I like to make ugly beautiful
• I like to explain to others what they do not understand

The word “problem” can have different definitions. In this context, I was looking for tasks that many do not like to do (problem), but I like it. For example, cleaning up an apartment is a headache for many, and I don’t even notice how I’m putting it in order.

You can observe which processes work poorly for people and well for you, and you will learn a lot about what you are good at.

This technique shifts the focus of attention from finding a profession to finding a problem, which leads to a new level of understanding of what is happening. We live in a world of fashionable professions, but in reality, no one hires a person to close a position in a company. A person is hired to solve a problem. By omitting the question of the name of the profession, you can immediately go to the point – it favorably highlights at the interview.

The problems that humanity solves have not changed for thousands of years. The way to solve them is constantly changing.

Like two hundred years ago, we need to move from point A to point B, exchange messages, look for housing, teach children. But look how differently we solve the same problems today.

Focus on what doesn’t change and you’ll never run out of work. And it does not matter what this profession will be called in 10 years.

Where do I do this? Field of activity

Most businesses solve similar problems – look for customers, sell something, build teams and business processes. If you know how to solve problems, you will be useful everywhere, but you can choose what you like. Small aviation, cosmetology, retail, construction, space?

You can successfully solve problems in any area, but in your favorite one it is more pleasant to do it. I am a supporter of following my own interests. Then any conference or article on the topic is a joy, and the growth of expertise occurs organically.

Interests can change many times in a lifetime, which is great. Your core – the problems that you know how to solve – remains with you, but at the same time you can try so many new things.

Why am I doing this? Goals and values ​​

Any action in life a person performs for himself. When it seems to us that we are unselfishly doing good for others, we still do it for ourselves: at least in order to enjoy helping another.

An important truth: every action at work is performed by us solely for our own benefit.

It’s bad when the benefit is to avoid pain:

• so that I don’t get fired;
• for the boss to fall behind;
• to pay the mortgage;

It’s good when the benefit lies in having fun:

• I will learn something new;
• I will get a cool case in my portfolio;
• clients will feel better and I am happy about it;

Why do you go to work? What do you really want from your career? Not a single wind will be fair if the ship does not know where to sail. Knowing where you want to go professionally is the first step. Your career must have goals.

And the achievement of personal career goals should contribute to the achievement of company goals. Not vice versa. The company already has its own goals – no one will adapt to you. It is your personal responsibility to be puzzled by the correlation of personal goals and company goals.

Achieving personal goals while ignoring the goals of the company is a dishonest deal and such cooperation does not last long.

Agreeing on goals is in your own interest:

• you will be useful, which is a thrill;
• you will be appreciated, and this is also a buzz;
• the team goes faster when everyone is running in the same direction, and you will also arrive at your point faster;

Total

To find the job of your dreams, you need nothing at all:

1. We find problems that we like to solve

2. We choose a field of activity according to interests

3. We define career goals and look for a company with which there will be synergy in terms of goals

If you liked the article, I invite you to subscribe to my telegram channel, there are more ideas in short format https://t.me/annakopyrneva

How to find yourself in work and work for yourself

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Considering any, even the simplest, work in a vacuum, that is, without taking into account external factors and the characteristics of the performer, is highly incorrect. We are all a little different. Character, upbringing, hobbies, education – all this affects our abilities, preferences and degree of satisfaction from this or that occupation. We add here external factors: the atmosphere, the environment, the features of work processes, corporate rules and etiquette, the behavior of colleagues.

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There are no incredible discoveries in the above, but look at how you and the people around you work.

Almost any company, especially a large one, strives for “equal working conditions” in the broadest sense, up to the introduction of a strict dress code. Such attempts to equalize the incommensurable and unify the non-uniform are doomed to failure from the outset. Rules that are created for everyone do not suit anyone. Should we expect people who are unhappy at work to be loyal, productive, and motivated? The answer is obvious.

What should you specifically do if you find yourself in just such an atmosphere, alien to you, and are doing something other than your own? Unfortunately, there is no miracle life hack here. You can stay in the same profession and not change jobs, remaining unhappy. You can adapt workflows and environments as much as your company allows. The path to happiness can involve significant life changes, and it will take all of your will and determination to find yourself. But do not rush to the boss with a letter of resignation. The path begins with choosing the right direction of movement, because going nowhere is reckless and stupid.

There is a paradox in that some people who are dissatisfied with their work can hardly explain the reasons for their dissatisfaction themselves. And what do you want? This question baffles them. They not only do not know what they want, but also do not analyze the existing factors of discomfort.

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Understanding which work style is right for you starts with identifying the annoyances in your current workflow. It is easy to understand why one person meticulously considers the next not the largest issue at the meeting, while another cannot stand this negotiation room at all. The first is a prudent strategist, and the second is a man of action.

One of the most important factors in choosing a suitable job is the predominance of introversion or extroversion in personality traits. An introvert will spend half a day with an active group of colleagues and will already be squeezed like a lemon. An extrovert in such an atmosphere will only flourish, and after a couple of hours of loneliness, he will be drawn to work from a cafe or any other place, as long as there are people nearby.

After analyzing these basic personality traits, you are very likely to find the reasons for dissatisfaction with work. The drive to take action doesn’t always apply to business processes in corporations, and introverts won’t be happy working with people.

The depth of analysis of one’s own psychological portrait is infinite. You can do the analysis yourself or refer to the tests. These are not the tests that the Internet is filled with now. Instead of “What kind of cat are you?” you will be asked to interpret your personality type in a variety of ways, including the Big Five model, MMPI, Jung, Eysenck, Cattell, Myers-Briggs, and others.

You can refer to the materials available through the links and study them, or go directly to the tests. Tests are in English, but basic knowledge of the language is enough to understand. Registration is not required.

• PsychCentral Personality Test (50 questions).
• HumanMetrics Personality Test (64 questions).
• Dr. John A. Jhonson’s Personality Test (120 questions).
• The Personality Project’s SAPA Test (100 questions).

Unfortunately, no test will tell you in what position and in what company you need to work. The purpose of tests is not to give you clear instructions, but to force you to analyze yourself in as much detail as possible. Introspection is the key to self-knowledge. Drawing up your own detailed psychological portrait will give you an understanding of who you are, what you like and what you want.

Below is a list of questions that cover all key aspects of the job. Answer them and outline your internal dialogue.

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Your personality is important, but not the only factor to look at when finding your style at work. A big role is played by how you set yourself tasks, how you manage your time, how you interact with others, how you learn.

1. Goals and motivation

Do you prefer to set goals for yourself or to achieve goals set by the manager, higher authorities or the team? What motivates you more: achieving a goal or enjoying the opportunity to do everything perfectly on the way to it?

Do you feel a loss of strength and energy when faced with long-term goals, or, on the contrary, are you energized by the anticipation of a big, difficult job? Do you feel frustrated when your daily routine seems useless in reaching your goals?

Are you working to achieve goals or to generate new ideas? Do you jump at new ideas, even if they are not related to the current work, or do you like being focused and organized?

What motivates you the most: recognition, financial incentives, a sense of accomplishment, or the opportunity to quit your job for a while and do what you like?

2. Time Management

Do you prefer to plan everything in advance, or just go and do the first job that comes to hand in one breath? Do you use planners, calendar or other planning tools on a regular basis? Do you try to keep a record of daily tasks and the time spent on them?

How is your sense of time? Do projects, meetings, negotiations and other events make you feel lost in time? Can you keep track of time even when fully immersed in work? Do you tend to be late or are you punctual? Is approaching a deadline a cause for concern for you? Does a busy day at work make you feel depressed or energized?

3. Team and individual work

Do you think about a problem on your own before sharing ideas and opinions with others? Do you like brainstorming and joint search for solutions? Do you feel uncomfortable when your work schedule and daily routine are shaped by someone other than you? Would you agree to take a partner to work on the problem, so as not to think about everything yourself? Are meetings and other group activities a waste of time or a way to do better work? Do you get more done by working alone or with someone else?

4. Surroundings

Do you prefer to work under some background noise or in total peace and quiet? If someone nearby walks or talks, will it distract you from work? Are you often annoyed by loud noises, bright lights, strange smells or crowded places?

Can clutter in the workplace bother you? Do you need to clean up your desk before you’re ready to get to work? Can you forget about a task or project if you don’t have a visual reminder in front of you? Do you need to keep all the things related to the project in front of you at all times, or is what you need right now enough?

5. Energy

Do you have about the same level of energy all day or do you have periods of ups and downs? Are you a lark or an owl? If an owl, then do you have the peak of activity in the evening or closer to night?

Do you find it difficult to go to bed on time or feel like going to bed early? Do you sleep well and how easily do you wake up with an alarm?

Does the first morning thought about the need to do a lot for the day depress or cheer you up? It’s the end of the day, but suddenly a new project appears – will it upset you or give you more strength? If you could set your own working hours, what would they be?

6. Learning

How do you best learn new information? Through visual images, through text, by ear? Do you like learning by doing?

For a more detailed study of your own learning preferences, you can take a specialized test – Index of Learning Styles.

Carson Tate, author of Work Easy, demonstrates how finding and adapting to your own unique Productivity Style can make work easier, better, and more efficient.

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According to Tate, own style is an approach to planning and allocating effort across goals, activities, and time frames. Usually we approach such things unconsciously and unsystematically. Nevertheless, optimal models can be found, and they are usually distinguished from individual cognitive experience – a set of ways a particular person prefers to perceive, process information and manage it to control their own activities. Since each of us has a characteristic cognitive style, we can define our own style of productivity.

4 basic styles of productivity

Strategist (Prioritizer)

Logical, consistent, goal-oriented.

Planner

Organized, consistent, action oriented.

Arranger

Sensitive, intuitive, people-oriented.

Visualizer

Visionary, idea-driven, innovative.

You can read more about the four styles of productivity in this English article, and find out your style here (email required) or here (without registration).

On the Internet you can find a huge amount of literature dedicated to finding your strengths and weaknesses. In fact, in this matter, you can do without smart books, and without tests.

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To determine your strengths and weaknesses, simply enter your own scale based on your work and responsibilities. You create a list of everything you are responsible for and do, and then evaluate your level of competence in each activity on a 5-point scale (1 is the lowest level, 5 is the highest level).

To get an accurate score, analyze each activity with simple questions:

• Are you able to do this task well?

• Do you have the necessary knowledge and tools to complete the task?

• Are you able to complete it within a reasonable time frame?

• Is the result of the work of an acceptable level of quality?

Then you go through the list again and note for each activity the level of enthusiasm with which you do this work. Use the same 5-point scale, and the accuracy of the assessment can be determined by the following questions:

• Do you enjoy this job or do you try to avoid it?

• Are you looking forward to starting this task?

• Would you like to delegate it?

• Do you feel energized when you approach a task?

• Do you perceive this task as a key task or as a distraction from something more important?

Now select the activities that you rated highly in terms of both competence and enthusiasm. Here are your strengths.

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Tasks that you approach with enthusiasm but little skill can become your strengths if you put in the effort.

You won’t be happier doing something you don’t like. Even if you do it well. Activities that score low on both criteria are your weaknesses. Such work should be avoided or delegated.

Please note. A list of strengths and weaknesses compiled in this way is not at all a means to “correct” oneself. It is more correct to consider this rating as a recognition of one’s own interests and a direction indicator for further movement.

You have found exactly what you like, and now you can develop specific skills. It can be difficult, but there is no other way to enjoy work.

It’s time to take a look at the tools, tools, and methods by which you manage your work and time. Do they match your needs and preferences?

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Now is the time to put what you have learned into practice. Be consistent, don’t get ahead of yourself. First, do everything you read about here earlier. By now, you should already have a deep understanding of your character, preferences, and strengths.

Tool revision

Chances are you’ll find that the methods you use all the time don’t fit into your productivity style. We need to find alternatives for them. After all, each of these tools and methods was created in order to help, but in your case, it only hinders.

Let’s say you’re an auditory person, but you keep creating text reminders. So, it’s time to master voice input. Technology has come a long way, and if you doubt the existence of a tool that works in harmony with your preferences, then most likely you simply underestimate the power of progress. Search, try, read. Lifehacker talks about such tools every day, and you will definitely find among them the most convenient for you.

Overcoming weaknesses

The second step in optimizing your work environment is to identify the processes that force you to do things you are not good at. After deep introspection, you have probably identified such processes. There are several options here. Of course, the ideal solution would be the complete transfer of work alien to you to those who are strong in it. Delegate if possible. However, not everything is decided at the expense of other people. You can handle some moments yourself by automating routine tasks and accessing specialized services.

If you are strong in solving global problems, but you are lost in details, checklists will help you. Make a checklist for each procedure and you will never miss anything again.

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A Fresh Look

When every single piece of work is in order, you need to take another look at your workflow as a whole. Perhaps you missed some detail that lies on the surface, and to get rid of the remaining inconvenience, you need to do very little.

It cannot be ruled out that it would be best to create a workflow from scratch. Sometimes tearing everything down and rebuilding is the best solution. By creating a workflow from scratch, you will take into account the mistakes of the past. Experience combined with a good understanding of your own productivity style will help you.

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Your style at work, if you build it right, will be with you all your life, but each person changes a little over time.

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You will grow as a professional, learn and discover something new. Along with this, your approach to work should also be optimized. Keep it up to date, do not try to transfer old methods to new tasks. Just don’t get carried away too much.