Deciding what career path you should go into can feel completely overwhelming. So many aspects can affect what career you choose — like your skills, your interests, what kind of work environment you want, what company you want to work for, your salary, and your experience, just to name a few.
If you’re feeling anxious about the job search, you’re not alone. We’ve built a career quiz for students to help you if you’re starting from square one — no prior research or knowledge of specific career paths needed — and hopefully, you’ll have a little fun along the way!
Why Should I Take a Career Quiz?
If you have no idea what kind of job you want, a career quiz can help show you what jobs you might be interested in and best suited for. It’s not the be-all, end-all decider of what career you should have, but it can be a helpful resource if you’re looking for a place to get started.
“By taking a career quiz, students can have curated pathways toward work experiences that align with their values, interests, and strengths,” says Hayley Haywood, CEO and founder of Elevating Access, a firm that partners with universities and employers to help students find fulfilling work. “This can create access to career opportunities that they might not even know exist. I always tell students, ‘Your dream job may be one you’ve never heard of. It also might not even exist yet, but you can be part of creating it.'”
Career Quiz Benefits
How else can a career quiz help you? Kraig Kleeman, CEO and founder of The New Workforce, suggests a few more benefits:
- Self-discovery: Career quizzes often ask students to reflect on their interests, skills, values, and personality traits. This process of introspection can help students better understand themselves and what they’re looking for in a career.
- Educational planning: The results of a career quiz can guide students in their educational decisions. It can help them choose relevant courses, majors, or programs that align with their potential career interests.
- Informed decisions: A well-designed career quiz often includes information about the typical responsibilities, education requirements, salary expectations, and job outlook for the suggested careers. This information can empower students to make more informed decisions about their future.
- Confidence: A clearer sense of one’s potential career path can boost a student’s confidence. They may feel more certain about their choices and more willing to pursue their goals with determination.
- Networking: In some cases, the results of a career quiz might guide students to specific industries or fields. This knowledge can encourage them to start networking and connecting with professionals in those areas, which can be valuable for future job opportunities.
- Adaptability: Career quizzes might also highlight the importance of transferable skills that are valuable across different professions. Participating in a career quiz can prepare students to be adaptable and open to exploring various paths over their career journey.
Career Quiz for Students
Are you ready to take a career quiz and learn what careers you’re best suited for? You’ll have to sign up to get your results, but it’s absolutely free. Let’s get started!
What Should I Do With My Career Quiz Results?
You got your career quiz results! What’s next? To make the most of your results, follow these steps.
1. Read through your results carefully.
Don’t just focus on the main result you’ve been given. Instead, take the time to analyze what the quiz results say about your work strengths and interests and the careers you might be a good fit for.
2. Research the career paths.
“Look into the job responsibilities, required qualifications (such as education and skills), potential salary ranges, job outlook, and growth opportunities,” Kleeman says. “Use reliable online resources, government labor statistics, and professional association websites to gather information.”
Learn more about different jobs, their responsibilities, salaries, career paths, and more on the Forage blog.
3. Figure out what interests you.
Once you’ve learned more about these careers, consider which ones match your interests, preferences, and career goals. You don’t have to like each one you got as a result of a career quiz! Now is the time to research and be picky.
4. Talk to people in the industry.
Set up informational interviews to get real insights into what working in the career path is like.
“Channel your inner Oprah, go around and talk to people about their jobs and how they got to where they are,” says Nikki Innocent, holistic career coach. “It can be as simple as asking your aunts and uncles, neighbors, family friends, or someone sitting next to you on a plane. ‘I’m starting to think about how I’d like to start my career. I’d love to hear about your journey. Would you be willing to share?’ People love sharing their story, and you’ll find that even though you are often taught there is a straight path to success in school, it’s much more windy than you’d assume, and those curves are where you learn the most about yourself and the world of possibilities around you.”
5. Figure out what comes next.
If you’ve found a career path that interests you and you want to pursue, congratulations!
Now, it’s time to figure out what to do so you can land a job in that career path. Explore what education, training, skills, and experience you need. If you haven’t found any career options that interest you, that’s OK, too. You can start by taking another career quiz, getting guidance from career counselors, professors, or other mentors, or doing more research to keep trying to find the best career for you.
Start exploring tons of different career paths and roles at top companies with Forage job simulations.
