Career Placement Test

Posts Tagged ‘take’

When was the last time you looked at your life and said, “How in the world did I get here?” A month ago? Last week? This morning? Sometimes you can wonder that in a good way as if you’ve had a great fortune in love, life and work. Other times, it’s not thought of in such a positive light.

When it comes to your career, is it ever too late to ‘go back?’ It depends on each person’s own circumstances but in more cases than not, it can be done. And sometimes it doesn’t even have to be a complete reversal. Maybe a little side trip is all you need.

What were your dreams?

As a child, teenager and young adult, you had your dreams. What were they? Once you take a trip down memory lane, think about why they were your dreams. Did you want lots of money and acclaim? Did you want to try to save the world – one person at a time?

If you’re like a lot of people, what you actually ended up doing for a living is something completely different than what you planned. And that’s okay. Life doesn’t always have to go according to plan. That’s a part of life that makes things interesting.

However, if you want to dip your toes into a new pool, there are ways to do it successfully – without risking what you already have.

Take on a part-time gig

What? Why take a part-time job when you’re already employed with a full-time one? This can be very useful if you think you want to completely change your career path. For example, you can be an accountant during the day but a pharmacist’s assistant at night. (One note: be sure to clear any second jobs with your current employer. Many companies have policies regarding those situations.)

Take some classes or training

If you are curious whether or not you have what it takes to make it big in another career, start studying. Simply take some online classes, read up on necessary qualifications that you would need to earn and find out if it ‘fits you.’ This is a quick way to test the waters before taking the big plunge.

So before you resign yourself to the fact that you’re in a career that you dislike forever, take the time to discover if there’s something better out there for you. It doesn’t have to be risky; take it ultra-slow at first, and if it feels right, continue down the path to a new, more rewarding career.

I’ve already graduated high school and i am completely unsure of what i want to do. I figure a test could give me an idea of where i want to go from here.

Every time the economy expands or dips, executives who are tired, bored, displaced, or in search of above-market earnings come out of the barn in droves looking for “greener pastures”. They frequently assume that their experiences running a “real” company qualify them to provide insight and expertise as a consultant to other companies.

Meanwhile, consultants looking for financial stability have thoughts of going corporate. Consultants are often confident of their abilities to lead organizations. Who could be better qualified than them to run a company from the inside? After all, they have been the guiding hand for many companies strategic, financial and technology direction. They have been trusted counsel for their top executives.

Unfortunately, grazing in the other “greener” pasture is more complicated that it seems on the surface.

What Life as a Consultant is Like

The defining characteristics of the consulting environment are remarkably similar from firm to firm, regardless of whether it is a large global firm or a small local firm. First and foremost, at a senior level, success is based on the generation of sales revenue. Dollars equal power.

As a consultant, engagements are driven by thought leadership and strategy. Your clients typically have a list of problems that need to be solved — and the list changes frequently. Corporate decision-makers assure that consultants have special access to people and resources. After all, they have already or will shortly write a very large check for their services.

From a delivery perspective, work is often standardized and methodology-based. Engagements have a beginning, an end, and a defined scope. Often little or no responsibility for implementation or outcomes is specified.

But, there are some exceptions. Certain contractual arrangements have shared responsibility for results and that is reflected in the fee. Secondly, the consultant handles implementation of a system or process. However, once it is “done,” the consultant still leaves and doesn’t have to live with the consequences. Supervision and personnel responsibility is usually limited to performance on the project by the team members.

Should You Be a Consultant?

* Are you energized by smart people doing interesting work?
* Do you enjoy a continuously shifting landscape of new problems to solve?
* Are you easily bored?
* Do you like providing “advice and counsel” with little responsibility for operational activities or outcomes?
* Is selling fun? Do you like the thrill of the chase?
* Do you enjoy socializing and building a network of contacts?

What Life as a Corporate Executive is Like

In corporations, whether public or private, profitability and shareholder value are the bottom line. For most executives, success is based on contribution to operating results.

Organizational leadership, from vision to planning through execution, drives performance. Decision-making and risk taking, with accountability for choices, is fundamental. Outcomes are everything. Activities are heavily implementation and results driven. Few projects are intellectually stimulating.

Most of the work of the organization is continuous and predominantly operational. Much is policy and procedurally based. There is a broad distribution of people in a corporation, with a tendency to gather around the mean in intelligence, motivation and interest in their work. Comprehensive personnel management is required by line and most staff executives to maximize the contribution of all employees in the company.

Should You Become a Corporate Executive?

* Do you like being on the front lines, directing others, making choices?
* Do you like to see things through to the end?
* Do you gain personal satisfaction from positive, measurable results that you had a significant role in delivering?
* Can you keep focus on the long-term while dealing with tactical and operational concerns?
* Are you willing to stand behind your decisions and be accountable for and part of outcomes with continuing consequences?
* As an insider, can you gain the respect of others for your business acumen?
* Are you energized by motivating and leading groups of people to successful achievement of common goals?
* Do others follow you and support you?

How to Align Yourself with the Career Choice You Make

If you are a consultant and still think you are a candidate for a change to a corporation, consider whether you are most suited for a consulting-like role or for an operating leadership position. Your business acumen, facilitation ability, and communication skills are key skills that will be valuable in a corporate role.

If you are an executive and still want to try your hand at consulting, consider whether you are most suited for a partner (translate that sales) role or for delivery management (translate that project or multiple projects). Your experience of making things work in the real world and your ability to negotiate complex organizations will be helpful in a consulting role.

Remember, both consulting and executive roles have challenges and rewards. Neither is as easy as it looks from the outside, looking in. As long as you find the one that works for you, you will be where the grass is greenest.

I’m a junior in high school and i really need to start cracking down on college decisions. The problem is i don’t have a clue what i want to do or major in so i can’t really narrow down a list of colleges. So i thought i would try an aptitude test but i can’t seem to find any good, reliable, or FREE ones.
Any suggestions?

I graduated high school in 1980. I am an empty nester now and feel it is time for me to work towards a career I have aways wanted. I have a problem with “tests” I need a help in locating the proper training tools to prepare. Also, does anyone know if there are government grants for the old folks like myself? THANKS

like so i could see what im good at & what would be a good career choice.
PLEASE MAKE THE WEBSITE FREE !
please&&thanks !

Hi, everyone.
I need to take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or MBTI test. What website offers this test for free.
Thanks for all your help.
Ruthie

the ones i look at on google are silly
I want a career aptitude test for jobs where you will get payed alot

I was taking a career placement test and it said I would be best a a stockbroker or bondbroker (idk what they’re called) so what courses would I ned to take in highschool and college?

career searching
college to get a major
what you enjoy
what are you good at