To quiz or not to quiz? That is the question!
We all love a good quiz, let us be honest here. What kind of dog are you? Will your relationship last? What colour suits you best? If you were a pasta dish, which dish would you be? I mean…I know the answer to the dog question at least – I would be a chihuahua according to one particular quiz.
However, the quiz most of us do take seriously is the career based quiz. I even remember taking one at high school. It was meant to help us choose future subjects to align us to our best suited career options. But did it actually help me make the right life choices?
Honestly, I don’t believe high school was the best time to do such a quiz. I did not take the advice seriously enough, nor do I believe I am the same person today as I was back then. None of us are. That is the whole point – we keep changing and evolving. So as we re-discover ourselves over time, a quiz can be of some help do that, however, it will not give you the most straightforward answer.
I remember my high school quiz answers – it was so varied, there was no clear direction or thought. I could have either been a hairdresser or a lawyer. No in-between. That is not to say a quiz does not have its place.
Career quizzes can be a helpful starting point for self-reflection and exploration, but their accuracy and effectiveness can vary. These quizzes often use a series of questions to assess your interests, skills, values, and personality traits to suggest potential career paths. However, they might not always provide a definitive answer or take into account the full complexity of an individual’s skills, preferences, and circumstances.
Here are some points to consider (both positive and negative) about career quizzes:
- Self-Reflection: Career quizzes can prompt you to think about your strengths, weaknesses, interests, and aspirations, helping you gain insights into potential career paths.
- Limited Accuracy: Quizzes are often based on generalisations and may not accurately capture the nuances of your personality, skills, or career preferences.
- Starting Point: They can serve as a starting point for research or discussions about potential careers, providing ideas that you might not have considered before.
- Supplemental Tool: Use career quizzes as one of many resources in your career exploration toolkit. Consider combining the results with other methods like informational interviews, skills assessments, or professional counseling.
- Self-Discovery: Even if the quiz results aren’t perfectly accurate, they can prompt self-reflection and help you better understand your preferences and strengths.
- Ongoing Exploration: Careers can evolve over time, and what might seem like an ideal fit today may change in the future. Therefore, continuous exploration and learning about various career options is beneficial.
Ultimately, while career quizzes can offer some guidance and insights, they should not be the sole determinant of your career decisions. It’s essential to combine the results with personal reflection, research, networking, and seeking advice from career professionals or mentors to make well-informed career choices.
So, let’s discuss the other means in determining how to find a well suited career option.
