The Ultimate “What Career Is Right for Me?” Quiz was originally published on Forage.
If you’re just starting your career search, you might be wondering, “what career is right for me?” It’s a complicated question. The “right” career for you can be right in lots of different ways: the right everyday tasks, the right fit for your personality (check out our personality career quiz), the right one for your strengths (check out our career aptitude test), the right work environment.
So, how do you know what career is right for you? We’ve designed a “what career is right for me?” quiz that measures what kind of work tasks you’re suited for, what work environment you prefer, and what fits your unique personality and strengths.
What Career Is Right for Me? Quiz
Ready to find out what career is right for you? This quiz is completely free — you’ll just need to log in or sign up to get your results!
Step 1 of 3
33%
I like working with numbers, whether that’s in math class or analyzing data.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I’m the friend who sticks to logic and facts rather than emotions.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I feel a strong sense of accomplishment when I complete a project or meet a challenging deadline.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I work best with structure and well-defined processes.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I enjoy taking on projects that involve skills like problem-solving and analytical thinking.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I prefer efficiency over collaboration.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I see setbacks as opportunities to learn and improve my skills.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I often find myself drawn to opportunities where I can lead and take charge.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
The idea of innovating or developing something new motivates me.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
I view work as a means to achieve financial stability and personal success.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
Hidden
Round 1 score
Hidden
Helping Flow
Pick a unique extracurricular activity that you’d enjoy.
a. entrepreneurship club
b. hospital volunteer
c. mock trial
My communication style is…
a. clear and persuasive
b. supportive and nurturing
c. analytical and thought-provoking
At school, my best subject is…
a. math or economics
b. psychology or sociology
c. history or political science
I’m motivated by…
a. achieving my goals
b. helping other succeed
c. doing what’s right
I work best when…
a. I have clear targets or results to achieve
b. I can collaborate and feed off others
c. I have a sense of purpose or meaning
My friends describe me as…
a. determined and focused
b. supportive and empathetic
c. passionate and enthusiastic
Pick a made-up college course that interests you.
a. Money Talks: Wealth & Prosperity in Modern Day Capitalism
b. The Ethical Odyssey: Examining Moral Culture in Renaissance Europe
c. Whispers of the Human Psyche: Unlocking Secrets of the Teenage Mind
When planning my future, I dream about my…
a. financial and career goals
b. personal and familial well-being
c. impact on my community and society
In a group project, I usually take on the role of…
a. the leader
b. the collaborator
c. the researcher
What kind of company do you want to work for?
a. a place with career-building and networking opportunities
b. a place that prioritizes work-life balance and the well-being of its employees
c. a place with a clear mission and social cause
Hidden
Doing Flow
Pick a unique extracurricular activity that you’d enjoy.
a. robotics club
b. investment club
c. graphic design club
My communication style is…
a. straightforward and technical
b. persuasive and direct
c. creative and collaborative
At school, my best subject is…
a. computer science or biology
b. math or economics
c. English or art
I’m motivated by…
a. inventing something new
b. clear and achievable goals
c. collaborating with others
I work best when…
a. I have technology at my fingertips
b. I have specific targets or goals to hit
c. I’m free to be creative and express myself
My friends describe me as…
a. detail-oriented and analytical
b. rational and logical
c. motivating and inspirational
Pick a made-up college course that interests you.
a. It’s Not Rocket Science: Basic Life Science Methods
b. Wolf of Wall Street (and More): Financial Scandals of the 20th Century
c. Hypnosis or Marketing: Psychology of the Modern-Day Consumer
When planning my future, I dream about my…
a. impact in my field
b. financial and career goals
c. projects and things I create
In a group project, I usually take on the role of…
a. the researcher
b. the leader
c. the mediator
What kind of company do you want to work for?
a. a cutting-edge place focused on changing society
b. a traditional and respected place with career-building opportunities
c. a creative and flexible place focused on collaboration
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What to Do With My “What Career Is Right for Me?” Quiz Results
Congratulations, you finished your quiz! That’s the first step in answering “What career is right for me?” Now, it’s time to examine your results and take some next steps.
1. Consider How You Feel About Your Results
It may sound a little odd, but consider how you feel about your results. Were they what you expected? Are you put off or surprised? Why?
“Students need to really be honest with themselves in their career exploration process,” says Jamie Guilford, associate director of employer relations and center for career development at York College of Pennsylvania. “They need to develop strong self-awareness by getting clear on their interests, values, personality, and skills (both strengths and areas of challenge).”
A career quiz is a great first step to understanding all of these variables — your interests, values, personality, and skills — but it’s not the final answer. It’s important to consider how these results match up with your preconceptions about yourself and what careers you thought you were suited for.
If it’s what you expected, great! That’s confirmation that the careers you initially thought about might be a good fit. If it’s not, that’s OK too — maybe there’s a career path you’d love but you’d never thought of before.
“[The biggest mistake I see students make in the job search] is choosing a path that others want for you or that you feel is expected of someone in your situation,” says J.R. Lowry, founder of PathWise.io, a career coaching company. “Just because you’re good at biology doesn’t mean that you should be a doctor. And just because everyone else is choosing jobs in consulting firms doesn’t mean that you should too. It’s your career, so make your own choices.”
2. Do Your Research
Now that you’ve sat with your results, it’s time to start doing your research. Start by getting a general understanding of some of the career paths, either by reading blog articles or looking at job descriptions of roles in the industry. You should aim to answer:
- What do people in these career paths do every day?
- What kinds of companies do they work for?
- Who do they work with?
- What are the goals they work toward?
- What kind of work life do they have?
3. Try It Out
Reading more about career paths can be helpful to understand them, but one of the best ways to know if a career is right for you is to actually try it out. Forage job simulations are a free and low-pressure way to dive into different roles and get real-world experience working at a top company.
For example, let’s say you want to try out software engineering. You could try out security engineering and work as a governance analyst in Goldman Sachs’ Software Engineering program. Or, maybe you’re suited for a career in marketing. You could try out digital marketing to help promote a new product in lululemon’s Omnichannel Marketing program.
4. Don’t Do It Alone
Networking is your best friend when it comes to understanding what career is right for you. It can be scary, but talking to real professionals is a great way to learn the gritty details about what certain jobs are like — and the different career journeys people take to land them!
“Talk to multiple people who, through informational interviews, can provide insight into particular career fields and/or jobs,” Guilford says.
These networking connections don’t need to be CEOs at top companies or complete strangers. “Talk with trusted adults about your interests as well as your future goals, including lifestyle aspirations,” Ann Runkle, certified career coach, says. “Those trusted adults might be a school counselor or favorite teacher, a coach, a parent, an extended family member such as an aunt or cousin, or even the parent of one of their friends.”
Runkle recommends asking your network questions like:
- What is your everyday work life like?
- What do you love about your career (or business)?
- What advice do you have for a student getting into your field?
- What do you wish you had known when you were just getting started?
The Bottom Line
If you’re having trouble answering “what career is right for me?” you’re not alone. Finding the right career for you requires self-awareness, exploration, research, networking, and even some trial and error. But with the right dedication and openness to trying new things, you can find a career path that feels right for you.
And even though job search anxiety is normal, it’s important to remember that the right career for you now doesn’t have to be the right career for you forever.
“Don’t view your initial choice as a life decision,” Lowry says. “Your generation will reinvent what it means to work. You’ll likely work for a number of employers and have 2-3 different ‘careers,’ if not more. Choose what’s best for you now, embrace it for a few years, and then consider, ‘Where next?’”
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The post The Ultimate “What Career Is Right for Me?” Quiz appeared first on Forage.
