“What do you want to be when you grow up?” We are asked that question from the moment we can answer it! Some people spend their whole lives trying to find that answer. If you are unsure about what career you want to pursue or what degree you want to earn, you’re in the right place. This career test can help illuminate what field may be best for you.
Does this test know all the answers? No! But consider your results, and the tips we are sharing below, as food for thought. You have the power to build the life you want for yourself. Make the most of it by spending time in a career that brings you happiness, fulfillment, and the opportunities to do all the things you want to do in life!
What To Consider When Choosing a New Career
How do you start thinking about a career? Start by thinking about what you want out of life!
Schedule - Do you have children that need to be picked up from school? Health conditions that prevent you from working night shifts? Or do you have a preference for working longer hours with longer breaks? A flight attendant’s schedule looks very different from a CEO’s schedule or a receptionist’s schedule. Consider what works best for you, your health, and your family.
Salary - Money isn’t everything, but it can help you feed yourself, house yourself, and support your family. Salary information is available easily online. (If you want to see the salaries of various therapists, you can access them right on our site!)
Education - Doctors and veterinarians spend a lot more time in school than someone who goes to school for communication or business. Are the extra student loans worth it? The answer depends on who you talk to. Consider the cost and time of schooling for your chosen career path.
Skills, Talents, and Strengths - Everyone has strengths. What are yours? Are you exceptionally patient? You may make a really great teacher. Do you have a knack for coming up with creative solutions? Engineering may be a great path for you.
Values and Beliefs- You have the ability to determine who you are and what mark you will leave on the world. Career paths don’t have to be the only way to leave a legacy, but they can certainly help! Tap into your beliefs and values to move you forward. Do you want to live a life of service? Provide for your family? Keep others safe? These are big questions, but even taking some time to think about the answers may shed some light on the best career for you.
How to Take This Career Aptitude Test
This career aptitude test isn’t going to tell you exactly what degree to earn or positions to apply for. Your results will point you in the direction of a field that you might want to consider. Should you pursue healthcare, arts and entertainment, architecture and engineering? Let’s find out!
Choose the best answer for you. The perfect answer may not appear on the test. That’s okay. Choose the answer that most sounds like you.
Remember there are hundreds of career paths for each answer! Someone who works in the healthcare field could end up being a surgeon, a dental hygienist, or a phlebotomy technician. Salaries range in all fields. Use your results as a jumping-off point for you to explore different majors and job positions.
Talk about your results with family and friends. If you’re unsure about your answer, talk to the people that know you best. What career do they see for you? Would you like to go to school for medicine, or compete in the tough world of arts and entertainment? Ultimately, your career path is up to you and no one else. But talking to people who know you could give you ideas for your next moves!
How To Find the Right Career Path for You
Need more tips? Find the right career for you by getting out into the world and trying new things!
Write about your perfect day. Take some time to think about the life you want to live. Do you want to commute to work or work from home? Do you want to end your day feeling that you’ve saved a life, or built something that will change the world? Is money, legacy, or time with family most important to you? There is no right or wrong answer. Just write about what your perfect day looks like. Once this is established, you can start to look for careers that can help you achieve that day.
Talk to people. Many people want to be a mentor and can even connect you to internship opportunities. Reach out to family friends, neighbors, or people on LinkedIn who have the career you are interested in pursuing. Buy them a cup of coffee and ask them about their jobs! Hearing about the day-to-day struggles and triumphs of a career is one of the best ways to discover if it’s right for you!
Look at job postings. Go on LinkedIn, Indeed, or Google and read through some available jobs in your area. What are the salaries like? What does someone in that position do day-to-day? If it sounds like something that interests you, you may want to pursue a path that leads you to that career.
Take a variety of classes. Most universities allow students to explore different subjects and take classes outside of their major. Take time to look through the classes available to you and explore different interests. You might find that you want to switch your major altogether - and that’s absolutely okay!
Know that it’s okay not to know. Our world is always changing. There are career paths today that didn’t exist 10 or 20 years ago! If you are not sure what you want to do, don’t worry. You have time to explore, change, and adapt based on your experiences and the changing world. Plus, if you have an open mind, you are more willing to try new things that will put you on the path to happiness and success!
Ready, set, start your career!
Questions
- If you could trade places with any one of the following people, who would you choose?
- Kim Kardashian’s PR person ( C )
- LeBron James’ personal trainer (H)
- Vice President Kamala Harris’s personal assistant (CSS)
- Malala’s college professor (E)
- Bill Gates’ architect (A)
- Which of these majors sounds the most interesting to you?
- Strategic and Organizational Communication ( C )
- Biochemistry (H)
- Human Resources Management (B&M)
- Social Work (CSS)
- Civil engineering (A)
- How do you want people to remember you in future generations?
- As a great communicator ( C )
- As a person who saved countless lives (H)
- As a brilliant thought leader and business leader (B&M)
- As a caring leader who made an impact on the community (CSS)
- As a teacher who positively impacted the next generation (E)
- What place sounds like the ideal “office?”
- Working in the community with my neighbors and “real people.” (CSS)
- In an office! (B&M)
- Outside or in the field. (IR&M)
- The classroom or lecture hall. (E)
- The laboratory (S&T)
- Which of these jobs sounds the most exciting to you?
- Software developer (A)
- Publicist ( C )
- Licensed psychologist (S&T)
- First-grade teacher (E)
- School board president (CSS)
- Out of the following actions, what are you best at?
- Talking ( C )
- Managing (B&M)
- Connecting (CSS)
- Healing (H)
- Teaching (E)
- Which of these goals feels the most fulfilling?
- Improving the life of another person (H)
- Discovering a new truth about our world (S&T)
- Bringing beauty to a space where there was once despair (A&E)
- Knowing that the world will be a little brighter thanks to the next generation (E)
- Leaving behind a legacy in the form of a company that will outlive you (B&M)
- Do you like working with your hands?
- Yes, but I don’t want to get dirty (A&E)
- Yes, and I don’t mind getting dirty (IR&M)
- I like working in the field, but not necessarily building things with my hands (CSS)
- No, I’m more brainy (A)
- Not at all (S&T)
- How well do you follow rules?
- I’m a dedicated rule-follower - they’re in place for a reason (H)
- I understand the importance of rules, but I’m always asking questions (S&T)
- The best way to avoid following the rules is to make your own! (IR&M)
- They can be a pain, but they’re a necessary evil (CSS)
- Rules are meant to be broken (A&E)
- Are you concerned about salary and benefits?
- It’s a top priority (B&M)
- I care about salary, but I’m not in it for the money (A)
- As long as I’m in a field where I have options, I’m okay (H)
- The real salary is making a difference. (E)
- It’s more important that I get up every day and live my passion. (A&E)
- Which of these jobs sounds most exciting to you?
- Pediatrician (H)
- College professor (E)
- Electrician (IR&M)
- Human resources manager (B&M)
- Civil engineer (A)
- If you had to choose one of these activities to do right now, what would you choose?
- Create a poster for a friend’s party (A&E)
- Call up the guests of the party to invite them ( C )
- Set up the grill and fix the TV mount before the party starts (IR&M)
- Design the walkway where people will enter the party (A)
- Take care of the person who sprains their ankle at the party (H)
- Which of these MBTI Personality Types is closest to yours?
- ISFP (A&E)
- INTJ (A)
- ENFJ (H)
- ESTP ( C )
- Do you prefer working with abstract or concrete ideas?
- As abstract as possible (A&E)
- I like making the abstract come to life (A)
- It’s fun to brainstorm more abstract solutions to solve concrete problems (CSS)
- Give me a project that I can see with my own two eyes (IR&M)
- Facts and figures are all I like to work with (S&T)
- You have to convince your parents to let you have the car for the weekend. How do you go about it?
- Create a schedule where you and your parents can all have access to the car when you need it (A)
- Get ready for negotiations - they’ve always gotten you what you wanted in the past (B&M)
- Sit down and ask, but have your talking points ready before you do ( C )
- Offer to get the oil changed and the tires rotated before the weekend is over (IR&M)
- Put on your best dramatic performance on why you need the car (A&E)
- Do you enjoy going to school?
- Yes - I’m a lifelong learner (S&T)
- Yes - but only writing and reading ( C )
- It’s not for me - I’d prefer to learn a trade and how to work with my hands (IR&M)
- It’s not for me - there are more important lessons to be learned from talking to other people and networking (B&M)
- No - I’m never going to use math and science if I pursue what I really want to do (A)
- Which of these subjects have you excelled in?
- Art (A&E)
- Science (S&T)
- Language arts ( C )
- History (CSS)
- Math (H)
- How important is community service to you?
- Very - everyone should help each other out (CSS)
- Important - I want to dedicate myself to making the world a better place (E)
- Somewhat - I like helping people, but I’m not dedicated to any specific social causes (IR&M)
- Not really - I want to help people through the work that I do (S&T)
- Not at all - I like to volunteer in my spare time, but am more focused on building my career (B&M)
- Are you comfortable speaking in public?
- Absolutely, I’ll always have my notes ready ( C )
- Yes, I’m very good at managing a crowd (E)
- Only if it’s for a performance (A&E)
- I can present my work, but only after a long period of research (S&T)
- It’s not for me (IR&M)
- Is independence important to you when building a career?
- Yes! I want the option to work on my own (A&E)
- I want some control over how my day goes, but I prefer to be around people (or kids) all day! (E)
- Independence during the day is preferred, but I like to collaborate on larger projects and research opportunities (S&T)
- It’s nice to be able to run my own business or make my own hours (IR&M)
- I prefer to work in a team (B&M)
Results
Architecture and Engineering (A)
Architects and engineers have the amazing opportunity to dream and innovate every day for their career! A day in the life of an architect or engineer may include dreaming up the design of a new skyscraper or working on the code to build a website. Either way, you can spend your days thinking of creative solutions that solve real-world problems.
Possible majors for aspiring architects and engineers:
- Architecture
- Computer Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- General Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
Arts and Entertainment (A&E)
The arts and entertainment industries are calling you! Artists pursue their passion to work on projects that can change the world. Your medium may be sculpting, painting, or screenwriting - either way, you can spend your days flexing your creative muscles to inspire others. In addition to being an artist, those who love the art and entertainment industries may find meaningful work in being an agent, manager, or professional who vouches for the work of the artist. Breaking into the arts and entertainment world is far from easy, but those who are passionate about their craft will find great success in doing what they love every day.
Possible majors for aspiring artists and entertainers:
- History of Art
- Fine Art
- Digital Art
- Graphic Design
- Game and Interactive Media Design
- Audio Production
- Music Management
- Dance
- Theatre
Business and Management (B&M)
You may just be the next Steve Jobs, Sheryl Sandberg, or Warren Buffett! A career in business and management comes with a lot of options. You could become the CEO of a pharmaceutical company or the human resources director at a mid-size company that sells software. What matters in business is that you can form relationships with your team and work to find solutions together.
Possible majors for aspiring business and management professionals:
- Accounting
- Economics
- Business Management
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance
- Management Information Systems
- Human Resources Management
Communications ( C )
The world needs great communicators. We all have an important message to share, but only those who can properly communicate it have the ability to share those messages with the world. Pursuing a career in communications might lead you on a path to advertising or marketing. You may become a public relations professional, assisting businesses with their image and brand. A communication major is also a great gateway into law school or politics. If you like to tell stories, a job in the communications field is the right career to pursue.
Possible majors for aspiring professionals in communication:
- Advertising
- Communication Studies
- Journalism
- Digital Media Technologies
- Public Relations
- Sports Media
Community and Social Services (CSS)
Building and maintaining a community, at the neighborhood, county, or district level, is not easy. There are so many moving parts that play a role in childcare, parks and recreation, or handling budgets. People who choose a career in community and social services play those roles. They make a difference in their communities. Their efforts may often go largely unappreciated, but for people in this field, satisfaction comes from knowing they helped their neighbors out.
Possible majors for aspiring professionals in community and social services:
- Social Work
- Human Development
- Sociology and Social Sciences
- Child Advocacy and Policy
- Public Administration
- Public Policy
Education (E)
Your education shaped who you are today. Those who go into the education field have the ability to shape future generations. Teaching can be extremely rewarding, but most who enter the field don’t do it for the money or the benefits. The real reward is knowing that you positively made an impact on a child or young adult who will go on to do great things of their own. In addition to being a teacher, you can make this type of impact as a principal, school board member, or other type of administrator.
Possible majors for aspiring professionals in education:
- Early Childhood Education
- Middle Grades Education
- Special Education
- Career and Technical Education
Healthcare (H)
In the healthcare field, you have the unique ability to save the lives of patients every day. Of course, not all healthcare professionals will be performing CPR or surgeries in their day-to-day schedule. Healthcare professionals include optometrists, podiatrists, and other specialized doctors who diagnose and treat patients for various conditions. Many healthcare professionals spend up to 12 years in school before they enter the field, but it all pays off when you experience the joy and satisfaction of helping others.
Possible majors for aspiring healthcare professionals:
- Healthcare Administration and Management
- Nursing Administration
- Biology (Pre-Med Track)
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Health Sciences
Science and Technology (S&T)
Technology is drastically changing the world as we know it. Science helps us understand the world as we know it. Entering the science and technology fields is an exciting opportunity to be on the forefront of innovation, invention, and world-changing developments. From working in a lab to conducting research in the field, there are many ways that you can use a science or technology degree to help businesses, learn new things, and make a difference.
Possible science and technology majors:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Geology
- Information Science and Technology
- Mathematics
- Mathematical Economics
- Natural Sciences
Installation, Repair, and Maintenance (IR&M)
You know how satisfying it can be to work with your hands. Whether you’re changing your own oil or fixing a leaky pipe, your favorite activities could be the basis for a lifelong career. People in trades - electrical, plumbing, etc. - are often undervalued in a society that urges people to get a four-year degree. With little supply, there is high demand for people with these specialized skills. You can run your own business, make your own hours, and enjoy what you do every day.
Possible jobs in installation, repair, and maintenance:
- HVAC Service Technician
- Locksmith
- Maintenance Worker
- Utility Attendant
- Plumber
- Pest Control Professional
- Electrician
