Before we discuss the use of psychometric testing in career counseling let us first see what does Career Counseling involve?

 

  • Identifying areas of work which are likely to provide high degrees of job satisfaction, work commitment and wellbeing at work. Signature Psychologies uses a range of validated psychometric assessment tools to identify areas of work to which the individual is ‘a match’.
  • Identifying personal strengths and limitations
  • Identifying barriers to career progression
  • A stock take of career to date – learning from the past in order to clarify direction and priorities for the future
  • Increased clarity about personal style, strengths, motivators and needs and how to match these with potential career opportunities
  • Learning how to conduct a productive job search
  • Enhancing self-presentation and interview skills
  • Making career decisions with greater confidence
  • Dealing effectively with work-related stress
  • Managing relationships and conflict at work
  • Implementing career plans
  • CV development
  • Understanding the factors influencing careers in today’s organizational world and the skills involved in managing your own career
  • Building personal and career resilience

Wherever an individual/student wants to make serious decisions about career choices – about choosing careers, changing careers, choosing higher education or training – psychometric tests are an objective measure of not just aptitude, but to a certain extent, of the likelihood of career satisfaction and success.   They help you to know yourself – not just what you’re good at but also to make you aware of those important areas that could use a little work, areas where you are not as strong as you could/should be. 
In general, psychometric testing can help students by:

  1. Providing an objective measure of often hidden abilities and form a robust foundation for making career decisions.
  2. Highlighting strengths and weaknesses
  3. Helping to identify interests
  4. Identifying skills
  5. Providing an insight into personality
  6. Providing insights into aspects of work

 The majority of students in and 5th and 6th form (11th and 12th grade) secondary institutions and a large number of those in tertiary institutions often do not know what they want to do; they do not know if what they think they want to do is something that would suit them and even more importantly they have no idea of where to go for advice and counseling.  While this method of testing is helpful, students must remember that it’s just one of several tools available and that it must always be used in conjunction with competent professional guidance counseling especially when used for career guidance.   No one thing or instrument can provide the magical and complete answers.  There is no quick magical fix-it when determining what career you want to pursue.  The tests can assist you and provide insights that may have eluded you, but always be aware that psychometric testing 

  • WILL NOT make decisions for you
  • MUST be supported by adequate professional guidance and counseling
  • WILL NOT rule in or rule out careers
  • WILL NOT take into consideration the economic realities of your situation
  • WILL NOT remove the hard thinking required when making career decisions

The use of psychometric testing within the field of Career and Educational Guidance is therefore understandably on the increase.  This is partly because, when used correctly, psychometric testing is wholly consistent with the aim of providing a high quality, non-discriminatory, independent, and objective Career and Educational Guidance Service.  The use of psychometric tests (where appropriate) can bring benefits to both the client and the Guidance providers, but these benefits will only be derived if tests are used properly.

Ideally, this type of testing is administered in conjunction with consultation from professional guidance counselors and should be readily and easily available for the majority of 5th and 6th form students. 

In short the the career interest questionnaires help us to identify which categories of work the counselee is most interested in according to certain career themes, such as active, analytical, caring/social or artistic/creative. We are often able to help our clients to move forward, embarking on a new career after a decision to make a major change, or perhaps for the first time, if they are school or college leavers. We may be helping them to re-launch their careers if they are returners to work after child rearing or a long period out of work for some other reason.

Source:

http://www.signaturepsychologies.co.nz/career%20management%20services.htm

http://www.signaturepsychologies.co.nz/career%20management%20services.htm