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Career tests- trustworthy, or not?
August 15th, 2008
It’s common practice in the employment advisory industry to provide tests for people to determine their career paths and preferences. The scientific basis of some of these tests, however, is debatable. That is a potentially serious problem.
When choosing a career, you need reliable information, and a lot of it. That includes career tests.
The original Myers-Briggs test is the actual scientific basis of most of what you see being called career aptitude tests. The difference between Myers-Briggs and others is that the Myers-Briggs people were fully qualified to conduct the tests, and did the actual research work to verify their results.
The Myers-Briggs test is actually a personality test, much more than a career-related test. Ironically, that’s why it’s a much stronger fit for most people as a career guide, because it deals with the person’s preferences.
Some people have begun research on character-based relationships with careers, but that’s relatively recent, and there’s obviously a lot more work to be done to provide good quality information to career seekers.
Perhaps worse, many tests around seem to borrow freely from each other. If you buy a few career books, and check out the tests they provide, some are so similar that it’s beyond any possibility of coincidence.
That rather undermines the credibility of the tests, too. The net and the media are full of recycled ideas, so why would these books be any different? It’s doubtful, even dealing with the same subject, that any two genuine sources could, or would, produce identical material.
Some of the exercises provided for career seekers and job hunters are much like homework, too. These questions can only be considered useful if they’re actually providing meaningful information for the users. The value of some tests is more than a bit debatable, when some questions provide roughly the same information than you’d expect on a drivers license.
Myers-Briggs tests are the actual, accepted, acknowledged, industry standard,
They’re accepted because their results are consistent and verifiable. Some people have even used their Myers-Briggs results in their resumes and CVs, as references. It’s worth noting that everybody in the HR industry knows what a Myers-Briggs test result means.
The reason these career tests are so important is because people do need the information career tests are supposed to give them. If the tests don’t deliver, they’re either useless, or misleading, which could be worse than useless.
It’s strange, really, that the employers, trainers, colleges, and everyone else in the employment arena haven’t insisted on a compulsory, reliable, testing methodology for all students.
That really would help.
The single biggest decision people make in their lives is their career. They need all the help they can get to make an informed decision. They’re under a lot of pressure to make that decision. Many people would say they’re put under too much pressure, too soon, at a vulnerable stage of their lives.
What’s the point of having whole generations of people groping about blindly for a career path? The world is seriously short of trained people, and if career tests are going to be a guessing game with no rules and no responsibilities, the situation could get a lot worse.
A few points about career tests generally, so you can do some quality control.
Next time you take a test, be critical, be demanding, and have a look at the quality and relevance of the questions:
Did you find the conclusions of the test hard to accept?
If, after taking the test, do you think you’ve received answers which are relevant and useful?
Did you learn anything new, which you consider helpful?
Did you just get the same information you already had, in a different form?
Have you seen any of the material in those tests anywhere else?
Do you consider that the information gained from the test would influence your decision regarding a career?
What do you think the test should have asked you, regarding your preferences?
Did you think the test was dumbed down, or written for adults?
Were you confused by the test, and found it vague in its results?
Do you consider the overall quality of the test of a high or low standard?
Taking a test is one thing, interpreting it is another. It’s the interpretation that has to be done scientifically, and properly researched.
Not to overstate the problems, but if the interpretation’s wrong, what use is the test? The possibility for sending someone down the wrong track is too high to be considered acceptable.
All forms of testing are supposed to be done on a reliable basis, and when researched, they’re checked to make sure results are consistent. Tests are supposed to prove something.
The early aptitude tests were based on demonstrated skills, and ability to reason and solve problems. Educational testing works very much the same way, throughout school and high school. In fact, just about every form of testing works entirely on that basis. Even job interviews contain very much the same elements.
Career tests aren’t supposed to be guesses. Nor should people be paying for the privilege of taking tests where even the basic methodology of the tests is dubious.
You don’t get a drivers license on the basis of saying you’d like to buy a car. Why should you do a medical degree on the basis of a test that indicates you’d probably be good at playing Doctors and Nurses?
The only good thing to be said for some tests is that they use the Myers-Briggs test as a sort of template. That, at least, if done properly, won’t be totally misleading, although it would still be nice to know if the people creating the tests are qualified.
Take the Myers-Briggs test anyway, from the Myers-Briggs people, even if it costs a few bucks. Think about the results, and read what they have to say about their tests. Myers-Briggs don’t claim omniscience, just science.
That’s how this sort of testing is supposed to be done. The people taking the tests are supposed to be better informed, not just pigeon holed.
You know how hard it is to find the right clothes that fit well. Usually they have to be tailored to you. Your preferences in style, color, comfort, and the overall look are big factors. People prefer to be able to choose according to their own ideas, too. Some people insist on their own personal style. Others feel quite insecure wearing the wrong clothes.
How hard is it likely to be to find the right career that fits you?
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