The U.S. Department of Labor has introduced a suite of self-guided career exploration and assessment tools designed to empower individuals in their career journeys. These resources are invaluable for workers contemplating career changes, planning their professional growth, and for students navigating the transition from education to employment. The newly available Interest Profiler and Work Importance Locator are key components of this initiative.
These tools are built upon a holistic assessment philosophy, enabling users to gain deeper insights into their work-related interests, workplace values, and abilities. By utilizing these tools, individuals can identify occupations that closely align with their personal attributes. Furthermore, users can seamlessly connect to the O*NET database, which features detailed information on over 900 occupations, and to CareerOneStop, a platform offering comprehensive career resources. This integration facilitates a smooth transition from self-assessment to understanding the skill requirements of jobs within their local labor market.
For those seeking more in-depth knowledge, O*NET Resource Center offers a series of Testing & Assessment Guides. Among these resources is Testing and Assessment: An Employer’s Guide to Good Practices. This guide is an essential resource for managers and workforce development professionals seeking to effectively utilize employment testing and assessment practices to achieve organizational human resources objectives. It provides clear explanations of crucial employment testing concepts.
Another valuable guide, Tests and Other Assessments: Helping You Make Better Career Decisions, is specifically designed to assist individuals in understanding the various types of career assessments and how to apply them effectively in their career decision-making process.
Additionally, Testing and Assessment: A Guide to Good Practices for Workforce Investment Professionals (December 2007) is tailored for workforce development professionals. This guide provides insights into leveraging assessment instruments to foster talent development. The appropriate use of assessments empowers professionals to guide clients in exploring career paths, pinpointing skill gaps and educational needs, applying for suitable job opportunities, and acquiring industry-recognized credentials. This guide enables users to:
- Evaluate and select assessment tools and procedures for career exploration, skill identification, knowledge demands, and career readiness.
- Understand the administration and scoring of assessment tools to address business and individual client needs.
- Interpret assessment results with accuracy and effectiveness.
- Grasp professional and legal standards pertaining to assessment use in career counseling, training, and other talent development activities.
More detailed information about the Career Exploration Tools can be accessed at the O*NET Resource Center tools page. Further information on the testing and assessment guides is available from the O*NET Resource Center Reports page.
