Your career interests

 A guided self-discovery service might sound odd to some people, but chances are that you clicked on this link because you are not one of those people.

From what I can tell, a large number of people (myself included) struggle to determine what gets them excited and how this strong interest might relate to a potential career.

As you know, there are a large number of self-assessment tools, both online and otherwise, available to assist you if you hope to move beyond your present career-confusion state. At times, the number of choices may feel overwhelming. Where do you start? Who just wants your money? And, who is really trying to help you? It is sometimes hard to say.

What I am offering here is simply a link to one company in the USA, Live Career Ltd., and a plug for one of their tests which I found helpful.

You might begin by simply taking the free career interest test. Then, if you like, you can upgrade to the $24.95 version. That, at least, is what I did. If you choose to go this route, this is the type of information you can expect to receive:

1. An introduction to, or overview of, the assessment process

2. A basic interest profile that measures your occupational interests and work style

3. Charts and discussion related to your high and low-interest areas

4. A graph that pictures your profile based on John Holland’s RIASEC theory 

5. A description of your values – that is, what is important to you (i.e. job security, etc.)

6. Discussion about the importance of using your knowledge, skills, and abilities

7. Encouragement to use this information to take the next step in your career

Here is the link to the career interest test. And please note, that I am now an affiliate of Live Career Ltd.

Point number four was the part that I found personally the most helpful. It helped me understand myself and, just as importantly, the people around me.

I hope this self-assessment service helps you. If you are know about another service that is even better, in your opinion, please let me know.

And by the way, once you have a rough idea of a career or two that may interest you, here is a site you could explore to get even more information about a specific vocation. The Occupational Outlook Handbook is another excellent source of information about particular life callings.

© Career & Life Direction 2012. All rights reserved.