Take a Skills Matcher Test

You might remember taking a test as a kid that predicted which career you might have as an adult. How have your interests changed? What new skills have you developed, and how can taking a new test help you now?

When it comes to finding work, there are certain things you should know beforehand. One of those things is knowing what kind of work you want and are able to do. Not everyone has a clear vision for what they want to pursue when it comes to employment. Or some may be looking to switch up their career. Luckily, there are resources available.

In previous blogs, we have learned about soft skills vs. hard or technical skills that are needed for a job. But what if you don't know which skills you possess? One way to find out is by taking a skills matcher test. Rather than answering math or logic questions, these assessments are meant to determine which career you are more suited for based on the skills and personal characteristics you possess.

Questions could include:

• How well do you handle customer's needs?
• How many words can you type per minute?
• Do you feel you work better in an individual setting or in a team setting?

These tests can take anywhere from as little to five minutes to as long as 60 minutes depending on how detailed you want your results to be. Once you are finished with the test, the program will then process the answers and give you options for career fields or positions within that field based on what you answered for your values, personal characteristics, and soft and hard skills.

Here are some things to keep in mind while taking a skills test:

• You do NOT have to choose a career based on the results of these tests. They are simply resources to guide you, just like any other resource. They help you decide what career or field you may want to pursue or research further based on your results.
• The test may ask for an email address. Like with any online form these days, a skills test may ask for some personal information. This is so the full results can be emailed to you later so you can have more time to read and fully understand what they are.
• Answer the test accurately and be honest with yourself. If you go in with a pre-conceived notion of what you WANT to be or what field you want to be in rather than what field you are most suited for, the test will skew results in your favor toward that field. If you want to be a marine biologist but have had no education related to marine biology and have never had experience with animals, you should not answer that you have had experience with animals.

Finally, remember that this is not the be-all end-all to your career search. Once you've found a career that you feel suits you, do some more research into that field or position. If you have friends or family who have been in that field or know someone in that field, ask if you can talk to them and find out what it is like.

Additional Resources

• CareerOneStop Skills Matcher Assessment
  Find what career you're suited for based on what skills you already possess.
• CareerOneStop Work Values Matcher
  Identify what you value most in a job (helping others, working independently, etc.) to see which career cluster you are suited for.
• Career Explorer – Free Test
  Take this free career explorer test to see which career cluster most suits you.

How Can Ticket to Work Help?

Social Security's Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI) and want to work. The Ticket Program is free and voluntary. The Ticket Program connects you with free employment services to help you decide if working is right for you, prepare for work, find a job or be successful while you are working.

The Ticket Program can connect you with service providers who offer a wide variety of employment services to people with disabilities in all stages of their employment journey, including preparing to enter the workforce for the first time. An Employment Network (EN) can also help you find skills tests.

Taking a job skills test to see what type of career you might want to pursue is only the beginning. Connect with a service provider today to find the additional support you may need to help you achieve your goals on the path to financial independence through work.

Learn More

Visit the Choose Work website and use our Find Help Tool to start building your employment team. Or call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.