Skills and Interest Assessments

By Denise Felder
Editor of MnCareers
iSeek Solutions

Before your child can figure out what career he or she wants, he first needs to discover who he is. There are different assessments that measure a person's interests, skills, values and other traits. This information helps when choosing school or extracurricular activities, and later, when choosing a career.

With so many career possibilities out there, assessments are crucial to understanding which careers might be the best fit for your child. Most students start taking assessments in middle school. However, when making education and career decisions, your child will need to rely on more than just test results.

Talk to your child about his dreams and potential plans for the future. Also discuss what classes or activities your child enjoys. Things your child likes to do now can be a good indication of future career interests.

Identifying skills, values and interests is an ongoing process. As your child grows and develops, it's a good idea to re-examine education and career goals, and interests. The more in tune your child is with what abilities, personality traits and values he is bringing to the workplace, the happier he will be with his career decision.