Career Inventories and Assessments
Many students find that career inventories and assessments are useful tools in helping them determine how their specific interests, skills and values fit into specific occupations or academic majors. Most assessment instruments can be categorized into one of two groups: Interest Inventories and Personality Inventories.
Interest Inventories: Interest inventories help determine how interests are compatible with various majors and career options.
Personality Inventories: Personality inventories help determine how personality plays an important role in crucial work activities such as work style, leadership, decision making and organization.
Assessments Offered Through ASU Career Services
Arizona Career Information System (AzCIS): This system provides separate interests, skill, and values assessments as well as access to career information. (Username: asucareer; Password: 4azcis02)
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): The results from this test show a student's preferred work tasks and work environments. They show how a student's personality affects his or her career exploration. (Polytechnic and Tempe campuses only)
Strong Interest Inventory: This inventory helps students see the relationship between their interests and the patterns of interests of people working in a range of major occupations. (Polytechnic and Tempe campuses only)
If you are interested in taking an inventory, consult with a career advisor first to determine which might be most beneficial. (There is a modest fee associated with the MBTI and the Strong Interest Inventory.)
Some Considerations
- Career assessments rarely provide results that take students by surprise. They most often affirm what you already suspected.
- Career assessments do NOT tell you which career or major to choose. They can be used to help you narrow your possibilities, however.
- Career assessments do NOT measure your achievement or intelligence.
- Career assessments are NOT tests and, therefore, there are no right or wrong answers.