Some tests are good

Once past class IX, students are overloaded with tests and more tests, raising their anxiety levels, including that of their parents. The enormously difficult choices of which stream to opt for, and what careers to target further compounds the situation.
Of late some tests to help students understand their interests and aptitudes have been devised.
How can career tests help?
Most students broadly want two kinds of help in planning their careers.One, to be sure that the career they are aiming for is right, and two, to be certain that they have not overlooked any other more suitable option. The latter, incidentally, is a real risk in today’s fast changing world where new industries and professions are coming up every day. It is here that carefully chosen assessment tests backed with skilful and well-informed career counselling can help in making career options.
How career tests work
All tests seek to assess your interests and aptitudes and match them with the recorded interests and aptitudes of people in various professions. For instance, a career test will seek to match your interests to professions where people with similar interests are successful.
There are always some doubts on how accurate, how up-to-date and how applicable the underlying data about each profession is; and also the problem of selecting the right test to use. Inappropriate career tests can confuse more than help. As career tests are based on aggregates and averages, it is better to focus on its value for helping to expand horizons of career options. One must combine this with relevant information about career prospects to choose a suitable option.
Successful career plan
The formula for a successful career plan consists of a good assessment test carefully conducted, selected and interpreted by an experienced career counsellor.
The author is Director, Caring, Career Guidance India E-mail:pervin-et@careerguidanceindia.com