Theorists maintain that self-awareness and self-concept are at the core of an individual’s career development. Students are better able to project or visualize themselves in a particular career when they have been encouraged and guided in gathering and understanding information about themselves through the school years. Eventual career choice and relevant planning are enhanced by the student’s awareness and exploration of personal characteristics such as interests, skills, work personality and career related values. In order to comprehend the relationship between the individual and the world of work, students need to understand who they are, where they are going and how they will get there. Effective career guidance programming suggests that a variety of career assessments be available at each grade level to facilitate career development. Typically, elementary students complete checklists, surveys or matching exercises to informally assess their career interests. More formal career assessments usually appear during middle or high school when students are able to comprehend the purpose and use of the results.

It is critical for students and parents to understand what career assessment is and how it is used in K-12 career guidance. Career assessments, whether formal or informal, are not tests in the sense of right or wrong answers, used for “tracking” of students or used for assigning or eliminating specific career possibilities. Career assessment is not a magic wand for eventual career selection, only a tool in the process. The purpose of any career assessment is to generate information useful in: obtaining career specific data, promoting discussions about careers, selecting appropriate career related experiences and developing educational and career plans.

Counselors know that appropriateness, training requirements and ethical standards guide them in the selection, administration and interpretation of career assessments in grades 6-8. Counselors are trained to use career assessment results in conjunction with other relevant information provided by students and their parents. The Counselors Guide to Career Assessment Instruments (Fourth Edition), published by the National Career Development Association, is a valuable resource for providing thorough critiques, evaluations and research on hundreds of widely used career assessments. Professional publications such as The Journal of Career Development provide information to counselors regarding the selection, administration and interpretation of career assessments. Ethical standards related to career assessment have been addressed by professional organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and National Career Development Association (NCDA) to promote the use of career assessments which provide the most appropriate information for students, parents, and counselors involved in the career development process.

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