Career Assessments

On this page:

• Interests
• Personality
• Strengths
• Values
• CLA Core Competencies

Students often ask us if we have any “tests,” or assessments, that will tell them which careers would be a good match for them. 

An assessment won't give you all the answers or specify for you exactly what career to pursue. But it can provide some insights into who you are, along with some action steps that may be helpful to you as you explore options and, ultimately, make decisions about your academic and career pursuits. 

Career assessments can also help you achieve a key Career Management learning outcome: the ability to thoughtfully describe your values, interests, personality, skills, strengths, values, and identity.

There is no cost to taking any of these assessments. To understand the assessments listed below further, which one(s) may be a good option for you, and how to access them, make an appointment with a career coach.

Interests

SuperStrong

The SuperStrong Assessment
The SuperStrong Assessment is a shortened, and mobile-friendly version of the Strong Interest Inventory. For entry into the SuperStrong Assessment use the access code: "CLACareerServices". This interest-based assessment helps you understand where your interests intersect with potential major and career possibilities and your results will include various resources to guide further exploration. You can talk about your results with your CLA academic advisor or one of CLA’s career coaches to help you connect your interests to your career exploration and planning process.

Personality

The 16 personalities is a free personality assessment that will help you understand your personality preferences and how they may influence different areas of your life, including your career.  The assessment will give insights into four personality areas: Your mental focuses and what energizes you, how you process information, how you make decisions, and how you respond to the outside world. After taking the assessment we strongly encourage you to make an appointment with a career coach to discuss your results.

Strengths

StrengthsFinder is an assessment that helps you identify your top five strengths and how to utilize them in your daily life, academics, and career. You can request a code by making an appointment with a career coach. to discuss self-exploration. After taking the assessment we strongly encourage you to make an appointment with a career coach to discuss your results.

Values

Being able to articulate what is important to you can help you decide what types of work, environments, and settings may be a good fit for you. Utilize one or more of the resources below to explore your values. Make an appointment with a CLA career coach if you’d like support exploring how your values relate to your career development.

Values Card Sort: this is a free online tool (no log-in required) that prompts you to explore “how you want to be, feel, and act”.

Career Values Card Sort: reflect on the level of importance you place on 24 career values by sorting values and prioritizing each value.

CLA Core Career Competencies

Beyond the assessments listed below, you can use the reflection questions in our Core Career Competencies guide to think about specific ways you can continue building each of the competencies and identify the ones you’re most confident about.

RATE™ is an innovative online tool that is a core element of career readiness. It is a reflective learning and self-assessment activity that guides you through the process of thoroughly Reflecting on, Articulating, Translating, and Evaluating your diverse experiences. It helps you focus on the Core Career Competencies you are developing in and out of the classroom. RATE helps you tell your own unique story.

Use CLA’s Career Readiness Guide your first year through graduation to plan for your career. Learn about the Core Career Competencies with a focus on Career Management to help you learn how to explore careers, write a resume, and prepare for an interview.