Day 1 of the COPE program was interesting. We did personality tests (results on Day 2) and some career interest tests from a website called Career Cruising. (Sadly, it’s password-protected and I’m not allowed to give you the password, otherwise we could all take the test and compare notes.)
Career Cruising asks a series of questions about things you might like or not like in a job. For example, would you like a job that involves lots of calculations? Would you like working with small children? Would you like working outside in all kinds of weather?
Based on my answers to the 116 questions, it narrowed the field of possible careers from 30,000 down to 40.
After the first round of 39 questions, these were the Top Ten Suggested Careers for me:
1. Gerontologist
2. Abuse / Crisis Counsellor
3. Personal Financial Planner
4. Bereavement Counsellor
5. Addictions Counsellor
6. Political Aide
7. Activist
8. Print Journalist
9. Writer
10. Market Research Analyst
And after the final round of questions, these were my Top Ten:
1. Epidemiologist
2. Certified Management Accountant
3. Political Aide
4. Public Policy Analyst
5. Market Research Analyst
6. Chartered Accountant
7. Medical Transcriptionist
8. Writer
9. Researcher
10. Gerontologist
Most of those are careers I think I could sink my teeth into. I don’t have the time or money to attain the education required for some of them, but I’m impressed that the test was able to come up with such an intriguing list.
Interestingly, webmaster made the Top 40 list, which is what I used to do. And so did criminologist, which is where my educational background lies.
Political Aide? Now, what would you do if Larry O’Brien or Stephen Harper (the men themselves, not some underling) called upon you to be their political aide?
It definitely shows that you should be working with people (except maybe market analysis but that ultimately involves people, too). I took a test like that and it came up with social worker (which I am) and teacher (which I have been). I always wondered how accurate they really are.
Career Cruising was the website we used to use in public/high school to figure out our potential career. I can’t remember what list I got but I remember some of the things you got.
I didn’t realize you were so clever with reckonin’ and figurin’.
XUP: Recall the Smarties spreadsheet and analysis
I remember taking career-orientation tests in junior high — we all had to take them — and they basically went like this: “Do you like to style hair? Then you should be a hairstylist!” or “Do you like to play baseball? Then you should be a baseball player!” Totally worthless.
In contrast, my dad discovered a place called the Johnson O’Connor Research Foundation in the mid-80s and after undergoing their aptitude tests, successfully changed careers to one that they said would suit him based on his results. They were immensely helpful. He’s thrilled with the level of fulfillment he gets from his work now, to the point of making sure his kids went in for the same gig after we turned 16. (My results indicate that I’d find the most satisfaction by being my own boss, among other things, but I’m not ready for the risk of starting my own business quite yet.)
I guess the difference is that aptitude tests go after what you’re naturally good at, whereas interest tests go after what you might like based on components of a range of different careers. I found out what I’m good at but not what I want. 😛 Good luck, whatever you end up doing!
I’m surprised by the variety. I did one of those things in High School, and it was all variations on a theme–engineering-type stuff that I didn’t want to make a career out of.
– RG>
Zoom, I could really see you as a political aide, you would be fantastic at it and you also are a really good writer. Have a good day!!!
You people person, you!
On my high school aptitude test, I scored high on mechanical aptitude and low on secretarial skills. I loudly pointed out to anyone who cared to listen that this was all WRONG because everyone KNEW that girls were NOT good at engineering but should be good secretaries. Women’s Lib was still a few years away. ;-}
I rememember the Career Cruising site, we used in school a few times. I can’t really remember most of my top 10, but they were pretty wild, including TRUCK DRIVER (and I think Librarian and/or Archivist, what an odd combo)
I remember using Career Cruising in my Civics and Careers class! Good fun. It told me to be a teacher or work in Communications, or be a journalist. I was impressed that my top three were careers I was considering.