When I was laid off, it was a shock, but also an opportunity for reflection. I wondered why I felt unfulfilled while my friends loved their jobs. Recalling a middle school career aptitude test that wrongly suggested I become a roofer 💀, I decided to explore modern career tests. These new tests were more user-friendly and accurate than the outdated pencil-and-paper version.

After trying various tests, I found some that guided me to a fulfilling job in a completely different field. With many friends and colleagues facing layoffs, they reached out for advice. I recommended career tests, and they found success too. Encouraged by my friends, I started this blog to share my experience and help others in similar situations. Job hunting is tough, but with guidance, it gets easier. Join me, and let's find a career you will love!

Click here to jump directly to my top choice!

I will be upfront: I didn't take every career test out there, but I did take around 50 during my job search. Some I skipped due to cost, questionable legitimacy, or potential fraud. I even used fake email addresses for sketchy sites, so I don't have all the results. To evaluate and rank the tests, I used these criteria:

Accuracy of results: This might be subjective, but after taking dozens of tests, I could discern which ones were more accurate and had better quality.

Underlying evaluation principles: Many tests used the Holland Code (RIASEC) or its variations. Others employed unique principles or AI/ML algorithms with predictive statistics, which I found more personalized.

Considerations: Too many tests focused only on personality or interest, ignoring practical factors like compensation. I wanted a job aligned with my passion but also one that met my target salary.

Personalization: Some reports seemed copied from the internet, lacking personalization. I ranked the degree of personalization highly because I believe one job doesn't fit all, and recommendations should be tailored to individuals.

🎆WINNER 🎆
Jobtest.org

4.8/5.0 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What I love:

The most accurate test I have taken.

Use its own AI/ML algorithm.

Extremely personalized.

A detailed breakdown of evaluation results.

Premium Analysis available with a money-back guarantee.

Step-by-Step Guideline to improve oneself.

What could be better:

Can't take the test multiple times.

Take This Career Test

Overall Rating

My top choice is Jobtest.org. A close friend recommended it when I lost my job, and it quickly set a high standard for the other career tests I took. Jobtest.org stands out because it's personalized and helpful.

In college, I pursued a popular career path among my friends, but soon realized it wasn't the right fit. The misalignment between my personality and job requirements affected my work performance and job satisfaction, so aligning it with suitable job characteristics was an important factor for me. Taking a career test by Jobtest.org helped me understand my strengths, weaknesses, and ideal job fit.

Jobtest's AI/ML algorithm considered factors such as career-personality type, current job, salary, satisfaction, ideal career, and unmet needs. It provided me with a set of recommendations that takes all of these into account, making it feel more personalized and accurate compared to tests that only considered one or a few criteria.

What I love

There are many things that I liked about Jobtest.org. but to name a few:

• Accurate and Personalized Report
  Its report was one of the most accurate and personalized reports I've seen. The test took all of my interests, education, and other considerations into account, providing me with a holistic understanding of my career options. It felt as if I were talking to a close friend who truly understood my needs and goals. The end report was very accurate and highly personalized, and the curated journey felt natural and informative.

• Time vs. Output
  I was able to complete the test in about 20 minutes, which is standard when compared to other career tests that I've taken. I was pleasantly surprised by how accurate and sophisticated the output was, despite the shorter test time than some of the other tests I have taken. The results were highly personalized, providing me with information that was tailored to my specific needs and preferences.

• Step-by-Step Guideline
  Many career tests simply provide a list of job recommendations without any further guidance, leaving me to do additional research and try to make sense of which jobs would be a good fit for me. Jobtest.org, however, provided a step-by-step guideline that made the process much easier. The flow of the report was very natural, starting with my career personality, top job recommendations, and an overview of each job, including salary expectations and job satisfaction. The detailed analysis of myself and the job was a premium feature that I paid for, and I would highly recommend it as it was extremely personalized and helpful. Finally, Jobtest.org provided me with the list of next steps to realign myself with my ideal career, whether it be obtaining more education or putting together a resume that highlighted my skillsets.

Overall, I was able to find everything I needed to discover myself and take action to move forward with my career in one sitting, without having to search multiple websites or open multiple tabs. Jobtest.org was truly a one-stop solution that made the process of finding the right career easy and comfortable for me.

Runner up:
Brainmanager

4.1/5.0 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

What I love:

Less than 15 minutes to complete the test.

Free options available, though the quality is poor.

Simple UI/UX design.

What could be better:

Recommendation based on outdated principles.

Unjustifiable price points for contents they provide.

Hidden subscription services.

Difficulties in getting the refund.

No personalization.

Registration is required.

Take This Career Test

What I love (kind of)

When it comes to brainmanager.io, they definitely have a cute design going on with their bright colors and animated graphics. They do have a lot of free tests available, which is always a plus. But, many of their tests disappointed me and were nothing but "fun time-killers," in my opinion. I tried a few of them (IQ test, Depression test, Burnout test), and they felt a bit lackluster in terms of accuracy. I still rate them higher than most other career tests as they were one of the truly free ones where I could take a few for a laugh. But when it comes to finding a serious and accurate career test, I would look elsewhere.

What could be better

The test I took was short, only taking about 15 minutes to complete, but the questions felt very generic and repetitive. The report I received was also generic and repetitive, with diagrams and graphs that I had seen elsewhere. Their breakdown of my strengths and weaknesses also felt repetitive and unoriginal.

I decided to purchase some of their paid tests, which ranged in price from $4.99 to $29.99, and I was disappointed to find that the quality of the reports was not much better. The information and analysis provided were shallow and not personalized to me. Instead of providing guidance or tips to improve, it simply placed me into a broadly categorized bucket I was already aware of. I am including the screenshot of one of the paid reports I paid for from this company below for your reference. You will see what I mean by “broad categorization.”

Overall, while brainmanager.io is a step in the right direction in terms of making an informed decision about your career, I wouldn't recommend it as my first choice. It's worth checking out as a second option, but I was underwhelmed by the product quality.

Third Place:
Asafuturescape

3.8/5.0 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

What I love:

Interactive UI/UX design.

Library of visual contents with interviews.

Very short quiz (less than 5minutes to complete).

What could be better:

Extremely difficult to navigate (too confusing).

Minimal personalization due to the length of the quiz.

Outdated information used in job-related information.

Heavily geared towards students.

Registration is required.

Take This Career Test

What I love

The ASA Futurescape is a product made by a national non-profit organization called American Student Assistance (ASA). The fact that it is free for students is a huge plus, and they partner with many different organizations to provide a wide range of resources. I particularly liked their content library, which had a plethora of interviews with different occupations. Although the lack of a search function made it a bit difficult to find exactly what I was looking for, I still appreciated the effort they put into creating this library of resources. They also offered interesting opportunities such as virtual job shadowing and access to mentors, which could be extremely beneficial for students just starting their career journey.

What could be better

While ASA Futurescape is a great tool for students who are just starting their career discovery, I don't think it is as well-suited for those who have already graduated and are looking for a career switch. Their target audience seems to be middle-to-high school students, as reflected in their short and simple quiz. Instead of providing personalized and curated information for individuals, ASA Futurescape focuses on providing as much general information as possible to as many students as possible. This means that their report is very broad and limited in its information. While this approach may work well for students who are willing to spend a lot of time researching and navigating the platform, it may not be the best fit for someone like myself who is looking for a more streamlined and straightforward approach.