Find Your Dream Job with These 10 Free Career Tests

We get it. Not all people know exactly what kind of career they want, and it can be really frustrating to decide on a profession. You might be asking how to find a career you love each and every day in your life without taking action. 

Luckily, there are plenty of resources and professional job aptitude tests that can help you discover the profession that might suit your traits, skills, values, and personality. 

These career aptitude tests offer ways to narrow down your options and reveal possible career paths. While no test can guarantee a dream job option, these personality tests can certainly help offer a different perspective and have a better understanding of yourself, setting you up for professional and personal success!

In this article, we list 10 popular and reliable career aptitude tests for students and adults. We’ll also explain how they work, so keep on reading!

Career tests, or job aptitude tests, are tests that suggest individuals' career options, based on answers to questions regarding your personality assessment, skills, interests, and values. Career tests aim to help people discover what profession would they enjoy, and the environment they might feel comfortable in.

Career aptitude tests serve as helpful tools to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and compare them with multiple professions and occupations. Then, you will receive an estimated result list of jobs that you might enjoy.

In the end, your career decision should be based on a comprehensive evaluation of your skills, passion, income expectations, values, and personality.

Career tests and quizzes are helpful in exploring your career options. But you also need to be cautious and not overly rely on them. The best times to try out a career test are:

❓When the career tests are valid and reliable

Depending on the career test you take, the reliability differs. Many career aptitude tests or free career exploration tests have no scientific base. While there are more rigid job aptitude tests that charge yet provide sounder suggestions. 

Also, whichever career assessment test you choose, don’t trust the result completely. Think of it as a reference guide rather than an absolute truth. There is no “best career test” or “dream job quiz” that can make the final decision for you. 

Carefully read reviews about the career tests before you give them a go. Taking multiple job quizzes and examining different suggestions might help you analyze your potential paths better.

❓When you are a student/fresh graduate

Career quizzes for students and teens can be helpful when they are about to choose a major. It can also help figure out suitable job roles for fresh graduates before entering the industry. 

Most universities, colleges, and high schools offer free counseling services and career advice offices. These offices often provide reliable career tests to help students ascertain their preferred job types.

❓When you are considering switching careers

Career tests for adults, on the other hand, might help determine a new career change path. If you are switching careers, you might need career aptitude tests to understand if other professions and work styles match your personality and skills better.

It’s crucial to note that none of the tests will give you a decisive answer to what you should do for the rest of your life. However, career tests are a tool to understand different career types and their characteristics.

🔍 Truity Career Tests

Truity Career Test is a personality and career test that aims to offer reliable, scientifically sound tests. The developer used research-backed theories, including the Holland Code system of career selection, to create this career assessment test. 

Truity offers free career assessment tests as well as career tests with paid report options, which have been subjected to “a rigorous research process” to ensure validity and reliability.

🔍 Career Fitter

Career Fitter includes a 60-question and 10-minute test to help you discover your “work personality”. You can take this free career test as many times as you choose, or even purchase an advanced 10-page report with a price of $19.95 - $39.95 afterwards.

🔍 CareerExplorer

CareerExplorer by sokanu is a free career test for adults that measures interests and goals. Partnering with psychology Ph. Ds, this career test offers final career matches and insights, personality reports, and trait reports.

It’s free for the basic job test report and $35 for the premium report. It includes four types of questions, with a total of about 15 minutes of answering time.

🔍 Princeton Career Quiz

The Princeton Career Quiz includes 24 choice questions for teens and students to estimate their personal interests. You are given 2 descriptions in each question and are asked to select the one that better describes you. 

After the career quiz is completed, the results will give you an overview of recommended careers along with an analysis of your interests and workstyles. 

🔍 123 Career Test

123 Career Test is based on six personality types derived from Dr. John Holland's theory of careers and vocational choice. 

The career test includes 15 yes-or-no questions about your professional preferences. It then provides a list of suggested career profession that suits your personality.

🔍 16 Personalities Test

16 Personalities Test is a mix of the well-known Myers-Briggs dichotomies and the five dimensions of personality called the Big Five personality traits. 

The 16 personality test is widely popular recently, and the career test results will ask questions to determine the personality spectrum you are at, with all letters in the type code. This career personality test only takes about 15 minutes, and you’ll be categorized into one of 16 personality types and offered a detailed report on suitable career choices.

🔍 O*NET Interest Profiler

Using Holland’s six types of personality aspects, O*NET Interest Profiler career exploration test measures your interest and passion to help you explore your career options. This career test is administered by the United States Department of Labor and is ideal for adults and students alike. 

Users will take a 60-question interest inventory questions list. The result will yield a profile of interest tendencies, including revealing your six areas: Artistic, Investigative, Social, Enterprising, Conventional, and Realistic.

🔍 Keirsey Temperament Sorter

The Keirsey Temperament Sorter job personality test helps you understand yourself to discover your working temperament. 

The job personality test categorizes people into different predominant personality types,  Artisan, Guardian, Rational, or Idealist and provides an analysis of how your predominant personality type affects your career satisfaction, job search strategies, and job performance.

🔍 Wisconsin Technical College System Career Quiz

Wisconsin Technical College System Career Quiz, designed by a college for students and teens, offers a simple test to estimate your prospective career interest. 

Created by an education institute, this career quiz starts by asking you the subjects of your interests and then your personality. The career quiz result shows a list of career areas that matches your interests and personality to varying degrees (in percentages).

🔍 CareerOneStop Interest Assessment 

Using also Holland’s six personality interests, the  CareerOneStop Interest Assessment job test is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. 

Within 30 minutes, you get a free report of a list of 50 occupations that matched your interests. You can even download your job assessment test results in excel, PDF, Word, or RTF format.

A career test is a substantial way for teens, students, and adult career changers to understand occupations and different workforces. These career quizzes may answer your questions mind, such as “What job should I have?” or “How to find the right career for me?”. 

Moreover, it’s also helpful if you want to understand yourself, and want a working environment that may make you at ease.

However, to make the most of career guidance tests, you can explore different career options and find the right career by identifying the following:

1. Soft skills
   For example: communication, collaboration style, leadership skills, etc.
2. Technical skills
   For example: engineering skills, computer skills, data analysis, photography, etc. 
3. Aptitudes
   For example: creative writing, project management, active listening, etc.
4. Hobbies and interests
   For example: sports, public speaking, games, etc.
5. Personality
   For example: intro/extrovert, thinking/feeling, confident, etc. 

Then, write down the specifics you seek in your future occupation, such as:

1. Salary expectation
2. Working hours
3. Company culture
4. Location 
5. Benefits (insurance or vacations, etc)

💡 Advice for students/fresh graduates who want to use career tests more effectively:

• Examine your passion, personality, and interest in subjects at school.
• Identify your values as an individual and professional.
• Ask adults about your interesting professions or their workplace environment. 
• Make a list of your interesting occupation and do research.
• Do a job shadow and/or work as an intern or temp.

💡 Advice for adults/career changers who want to use career tests more effectively:

• Make a list of your transferable skills. 
• Consider reaching out to consultants to receive detailed insight.
• Build a network and make connections with individuals in selected domains.
• Research about the job role’s responsibilities, HR demand, salary range, and lifestyle.
• Conduct informational interviews with people from your interesting occupation to understand its challenges and obstacles.
• Write a career plan to outline your goal.
• Think about the value, lifestyle, enjoyment, and outcome you envisioned.

Searching for the right career path may not be a piece of cake. Taking a different career choices quiz is only the first step. To land your dream job, you still need to write a perfect resume and ace your interview.

--- Originally written by Wu Chao Min ---