Before you choose a direction · 5 min read
What career test can help a recent graduate decide what to try next?
Start with a free interest test, add a skills check that counts coursework and part-time work, then try two directions within a month.
The short answer
For a recent graduate, the most useful starting point is a free interest inventory such as the O*NET Interest Profiler, followed by a skills tool like CareerOneStop's Skills Matcher that counts skills from coursework, part-time jobs and volunteering. Together they give you a shortlist. Don't expect a test to name one right career. Pick two directions from the shortlist and try each within a month through a short project, a conversation or a few days of related work.
On this page 4 sections
Two tests worth your time
| Tool | What it does | Why it helps a graduate |
|---|---|---|
| O*NET Interest Profiler (via My Next Move) | Measures interests and links them to occupations | Widens the list beyond the jobs your degree points to |
| CareerOneStop Skills Matcher | Matches self-rated skills to occupations | Counts skills from study and part-time work, not just jobs |
What the tests won't do
They won't tell you which employer to apply to, whether you'll like the people, or whether you'd enjoy the work on a Wednesday. A test turns 'I have no idea' into a shortlist, and trying the work gives you the answer.
A month of testing
- Week 1: take both tests and pick two directions that make you curious.
- Week 2: read the daily tasks for each and message one person in each direction.
- Week 3: do a small project in each, such as a short analysis, a piece of writing or a mock brief.
- Week 4: compare your notes and apply for roles, short contracts or volunteer work in the direction you'd rather continue.
Questions people ask
- Is 16Personalities useful for graduates?
- It can help you talk about the kind of workplace you'd like, but it isn't built to match you to careers. Use an interest test for that.
- What if I don't have work experience to rate?
- Count coursework, dissertations, group projects, part-time jobs, societies and volunteering. Employers recognise skills from all of them.
- Should I take a job that doesn't match my test results?
- A first job can be research. Many graduates learn most about what they want from a job they took for other reasons. Note what you enjoy and what you'd drop.
- Can OffLadder help a graduate who doesn't know what to do?
- Yes. Laddie suggests directions from a few questions and gives you a small first test for each. Answer five quick questions, plus one optional. Before signing up, see your first direction, what in your answers points to it and the first step of an experiment. Create a free account to see the rest and save your read.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- O*NET Interest Profiler · O*NET Resource Center, U.S. Department of Labor
- My Next Move · U.S. Department of Labor
- Skills Matcher · CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.