The Lowdown
- Best Overall: JobTest.org
- Best Free Options: 123Test
- Best Flexibility: Truity
The Great Resignation, the Great Reshuffling, or mass quiet quitting—call it what you want, but the United States job market is undergoing a nearly unprecedented revolution. In 2021, some 48 million people quit their jobs, with 53% of those changing fields or career paths. These statistics represented a record-shattering shift in the jobs ecosystem...until 2022, that is, when the record was broken yet again. And 2023? Early polls indicate that more than 60% of all working adults plan to resign.
Still, we view this data not as people looking for an ending but more as a growing need for a fresh start. Perhaps it has something to do with a pandemic-related appreciation for independence and freedom, or maybe it's the fact that more than half of all career-changers enjoyed a roughly 10% increase in wages, but an overwhelming amount of data now points to career changes as one of the best ways to improve quality of life.
As we said, however, quitting your job is only the start, and without the proper next steps, you may find yourself in worse shape than if you had stayed put. So what are the "proper next steps," and how do you start taking them?
A career change quiz, also known as a career test or aptitude test, can give you the resources you need to make intelligent, deliberate moves toward your new dream job. And, while we believe that our career quiz matches or bests any test on the market, we want you to have the information to make that call for yourself.
Below, we've compiled our list of the top five career tests on the market, what each of them has to offer, and critical factors to consider when doing your own research. By the end, we hope you'll agree that JobTest.org provides the best value, but regardless of which you choose, we want to make sure that you go into your career change journey with the right tools and information.
The Top 5 Career Change Quizzes
Each of these five companies represents what we believe to be excellent value for those considering a career change. And while we genuinely believe that JobTest.org offers the most accurate results and real-world tools on the market, we also recognize that people seek career testing for a wide range of reasons.
No matter what company you ultimately choose from this list, make sure to do your due diligence by researching them on your own time. To help, we'll also run you through the qualities we, as a testing company, value most in a career test. That way, you can see for yourself how we judged each one and whether they align with your priorities.
1. JobTest.org
Surprising no one, we believe JobTest.org is the single most advanced career test on the internet today—and that's no accident. First launched in 2023, JobTest.org's entire concept was based on the premise that the career testing industry had grown stagnant. To rectify that flaw, we became the first company in the world to harness the rapidly-growing power of AI to help customers discover new careers, maximize their earning potential, and align their career interests and personal interests in a way not previously offered by career assessments.
Still, we knew that this focus on technology could never come at the expense of user experience. That's why we spared no expense in streamlining our testing process, ensuring the ideal balance between computing and compassion. With our test, you get all the advantages of advanced machine learning and AI but packaged in an approachable, 15-minute experience.
This combination means that your results pull from all available sources in real-time, rather than using outdated models or job lists, but are also presented in a format designed to maximize understanding and implementation.
Even so, we know that awareness means nothing unless paired with action. That's why each set of test results comes paired with step-by-step guidance on how to put that information to work. With to-the-minute job openings and relevant certifications or suggested degrees of study, our algorithm stays with you every step of the way, from the first question of our tests to the last question of your ideal job's interview process.
Pros
- Powerful AI gathers to-the-minute job data
- Advanced machine learning adapts to the job market
- Concise 15-minute testing process
- Comprehensive post-assessment resources
- Step-by-step guidance
- Flexible pricing
- Combines multiple test types for well-rounded results
Cons
- Does not offer individual test types as standalone options
- No current free option (we're working on it!)
Bottom Line
If you want a data-driven, razor-sharp analysis of who you are and what you can do to make the most of the modern job market, no test in the world can beat what we offer at JobTest.org. Not only do we suggest the best career paths based on your personality traits, work style, and skills, but we do so in a clear, easy-to-follow format that helps you turn awareness into action.
2. CareerHunter
Like us, CareerHunter is one of the few career quizzes on the market that seemingly recognizes the value of cutting-edge technology. As proof, the site uses an advanced combination of impressive algorithms and psychologist-backed reasoning to provide an exceptional testing experience.
One of the key differentiators between ourselves and CareerHunter, however, is that CareerHunter separates its test into six distinct subcategories, only three of which are directly career related. These three focus on the following:
- Career Interests
- Work Personality
- Career Motivators
The other three, which may or may not have a bearing on your professional life, gauge your abstract, numerical, and verbal reasoning. Though this may be useful for those trying to nail down their strengths and weaknesses, our trial-and-error determined these kinds of tests to be better as part of a larger, more comprehensive quiz.
And, while we understand the thought process behind separating tests out this way, our research in designing JobTest.org indicated that people looking to change careers valued clarity more than almost any other metric (barring accuracy). So, while the process for each of CareerHunter's three tests is both clean and intuitive, the need to combine multiple distinct tests to gain a full picture makes for a suboptimal, potentially confusing experience.
Nonetheless, CareerHunter does provide an impressive range of services, even when weighed against the $79.99 price tag required to take the company's full range of tests.
Pros
- Uses advanced technology to generate answers
- Partners with psychologists to ensure scientific accuracy
- Clean, modern interface and website design
- Solid customer reviews
Cons
- Separates tests into six portions instead of one complete experience
- Pulls results from a fixed database rather than real-time data
- Requires users to combine multiple sets of results
Bottom Line
More than perhaps any other career test on the market, we acknowledge CareerHunter as a direct competitor and a company that deserves both success and respect. Their enthusiastic embrace of technology and modern psychology sets them apart from other, less modern services. Still, their choice to separate their tests into six segments rather than one cohesive whole may add unnecessary confusion to the mix.
3. Truity
Unlike our process, which combines the best parts of different subcategories of career tests, Truity chooses to separate its services into more than a dozen different tests, four of which it advertises as career-related. While this provides a less comprehensive assessment, it also allows greater flexibility for those seeking a more narrow view of specific qualities. Truity's four career tests are:
- Career Personality Profiler: Using both the Holland Codes and Big Fives psychological theories of personality, Truity's Career Personality Profiler evaluates your skills and personality type to suggest a potential career path.
- TypeFinder: This test uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to assign you a 4-letter personality type, then cross-references that type with general career paths which might suit you.
- Holland Code Career Test: Functionally similar to both the TypeFinder and Personality Profiler, this test sorts you into one of six occupational themes with a general career field tied to each.
- Photo Career Quiz: This novel approach to career testing uses a flashcard-style process to determine different subjects and job types you might be interested in, then provides basic feedback.
In addition to these four career-related assessments, Truity also offers nearly a dozen personality quizzes of varying intensities to help you explore your preferences and predispositions. While none of these are specifically advertised for career growth, they may nonetheless provide useful insights for those looking to change careers.
Pros
- Diverse assortment of specific tests
- Clean, well-built website
- Bases its tests on proven psychological foundations
- Provides several free (though limited) options
Cons
- Users must combine several tests to gain truly useful information
- Extremely limited post-assessment guidance
- Locks its most useful results behind a paywall
Bottom Line
For those seeking a more casual, low-investment look into their personality, Truity delivers time-tested psychology in a relatively modern package. Because they separate their offerings into individual tests, people with more specific goals may find results. Still, their relatively outdated technology and lack of actionable post-assessment resources mean actual career progress may be unlikely.
4. Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS)
Often spoken of in the same breath as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter was first developed by psychologist David Keirsey in the 1940s following an extensive period of research. More so than simple personality traits, however, the KTS examines a person's behavior—both deliberate and instinctual.
Specifically, the KTS seeks to help users understand the behaviors and roles that best align with their natural predispositions. By doing so, the test promises to reduce stress and improve overall satisfaction. Rather than explaining these behavioral patterns in dense psychological terms, however, the KTS sorts users into one of four categories, which are:
- Artisan
- Guardian
- Rational
- Idealist
Each of these, in turn, is then broken out into four distinct subcategories, all of which include general career paths that may coincide with their values.
For many, this format is more approachable than standard psychoanalysis, and many users have found success by working to align their daily responsibilities with the "type" assigned to them by the Keirsey Temperament Sorter.
Still, this service functions less as a goal-oriented career test and more as a self-awareness exercise, though that still may be immensely valuable to some. Often, individuals will pair a service like the KTS with another more practical test to gain a broader perspective.
Pros
- Breaks results into interesting, digestible categories
- Offers extensive free, basic testing
- Uses established, trustworthy psychological research
Cons
- Convoluted pricing for anything beyond the most basic results
- Offers few skill-building suggestions or resources
- Limits its results to mostly personality and behavioral profiles
Bottom Line
While the Keirsey Temperament Sorter functions mainly as a tool for self-reflection and personal development, it nonetheless has some overlap for those looking to change careers. Even if you choose a more goal-oriented service, finding time to take the KTS may prove both valuable and entertaining.
5. 123Test
Compared to JobTest.org or CareerHunter, the career assessment offered by 123Test.com is a simple, bare-bones evaluation of your basic personality and how it might relate to various common jobs. And, for a free test, it does an admirable job of laying out the basic facts and factors you may want to consider when deciding whether to change careers.
Over the course of ten minutes, users are guided through a basic, well-built test exploring their preferences and personality traits. Then, the site provides a short list of careers or roles that match your answers.
Pros
- Completely free basic testing
- Site offers various other tests
- Presents information in a clear, simple way
Cons
- Lacks post-assessment resources to achieve actual results
- Far less comprehensive than paid tests
- Provides fewer, less detailed job matches
Bottom Line
If you're looking for a casual way to spend ten minutes, the career test at 123Test.com is better than most free assessments you'll find online. Still, those looking for more guidance and better results may ultimately want to graduate to a more advanced assessment.
How We Evaluated Each Company
We know better than most how much work goes into creating an effective career assessment. And, while we won't go into the minutiae of neural networks or data mining, there are some general metrics by which you can judge any online career test you encounter. In our experience, the things that matter most to a good testing experience are:
Data-Gathering Methods
In the past, an individual's career matches were left entirely to the mercy of pre-determined lists and outdated archives of job descriptions. With the advent of the 21st century, however, there is no excuse for a testing company to use anything less than real-time job data.
Especially in the most competitive fields, open positions don't stay open long, so having to-the-minute information can mean the difference between landing the right career or missing your opportunity altogether.
Science-Based Foundations
As a tech-minded company, we strongly believe in the value of modern technology in improving career tests. Still, even the most technologically advanced tests should incorporate science-backed methods and techniques like those set forth by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or the Holland Codes.
Whichever test you choose, make sure it has a real, scientific basis for its results and not just well-packaged pseudoscience.
Post-Assessment Resources
This is our favorite topic but only because the vast majority of career tests don't give it the attention it deserves. Self-awareness, self-reflection, and perspective are invaluable on their own but rarely lead to real change unless combined with action.
No matter how well a test evaluates your interests or strengths, it means nothing without goal-oriented resources to help you start putting that evaluation into motion. Always look for a test that provides suggestions about further education, certifications, or specific career fields to explore.
Why Should You Trust JobTest.Org?
As a company that has dedicated itself to helping people achieve greater professional success, we know that finding the right career centers around having the right information, in the right frame of reference, at the right time. For some of you, JobTest.org's services may have everything you need, but you aren't quite ready to make the jump—and that's alright.
In the meantime, we fully support anyone looking to expand their understanding of themselves and their opportunities, which is why we highly suggest taking advantage of one of the free tests on our list. While they don't offer the same in-depth assessment as our services, they can still help you take the next step toward a better future.
Still, when you are ready to take a test with real, goal-oriented results and step-by-step support, we're here. And if you're ready now? Head over to our industry-leading career test, and in twenty minutes, you'll see why more than three million professionals have trusted us to help with their career decisions. Want to take it a step further? Get guidance and a personalized career development plan with one of our professional career coaches.
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