Career Exploration – Free Career Assessment Resources

Career development is a lifelong process, but most career practitioners have access to a limited number of career exploration assessments. Moreover, for most not-for-profit career services, the time and cost of administering a full battery of tests is prohibitive. The good news is that there are plenty of free career exploration and personality assessment resources available online.

In the past, career exploration was used primarily during secondary or post-secondary education. The goal was to guide and assist students in making informed choices when preparing to enter the work world. But these days, most adult workers recognize the long-term benefits of becoming lifelong learners as they deal with multiple career transitions.

The Ontario Curriculum for Guidance and Career Education is very much geared to emphasizing lifelong learning and continuous career planning. Teachers in Ontario make use of the Creating Pathways to Success program which encourages students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 to assess, plan, and adapt to continual career development.

The following career exploration resources list presents a variety of free, online self-assessments to assist individuals struggling with awareness of their skills, temperament, and abilities. The list was originally compiled in July of 2014 and it has been checked and updated as of June 2022 to ensure that all links are working. Some sites may require registration prior to completing a test.

Free Career Exploration Resources

Please note that we have done our best to provide a list of free resources. If you know of any new free assessments, or if you notice that any of these assessments now have a fee, please let us know and we will edit the list.

• 123test – A variety of tests related to IQ, personality, and career assessment.
• Alberta Look for Work – Online downloads and links to help with career exploration.
• Assessment.com MAAP – Assessment to help find the right career fit.
• Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) Entrepreneurial Potential Assessment – A test to assess fit for an entrepreneurial career path.
• Career Cruising – Skills, knowledge, and career exploration to help people achieve their potential in school, career, and life.
• CareerExplorer – Free test with the option to upgrade.
• CareerFitter – Discover careers that fit your personality, skills, strengths, and interests.
• CareerPerfect – InSight™ values and work characteristics inventory test.
• CareerTest.net – Personality type assessment and associated career choices.
• Government of Canada Job Bank: Career Planning – Quizzes to help choose, change, or develop your career.
• Government of Canada: Skills for Success – Provides Canadians with everyday skills needed for work, learning, and life.
• Humanmetrics Jung Typology Test – Personality assessment based on Carl Jung’s and Isabel Briggs Myers’ typological approach .
• Keirsey Temperament Sorter – Discover your temperament type; artisan, guardian, idealist, or rational.
• Life Values Inventory – Assessment to determine values profile and help plan next steps.
• Memorial University: Explore Your Career – Tests to assess your interests, values, and aptitude.
• MyFuture – Build your career profile and get career matches.
• MyIDP – A very specific test to assess the best path when pursuing a career in the field of science.
• Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) – Quiz to help you find the right career.
• Novorésumé – 10 top career aptitude tests you can take for free.
• O*NET OnLine – Career exploration and job analysis tool.
• Ontario WorkinfoNet (OnWIN) – Education, career, and life planning resources.
• Open Colleges – Provides an understanding of personality type and the career areas best suited to each type.
• The Holland Occupational Themes Test – This website provides a variety of personality tests, including the Holland Code (RIASEC) career test.
• PersonalityPage – A variety of personality and career exploration questionnaires.
• Prospects – An online career planner.
• Rasmussen College – A career aptitude test that matches you to a career based on skills and interests.
• Rogue Community College Holland Code Quiz – Short checkbox quiz to determine Holland Code and associated career path.
• University of Toronto – On-line self-assessment tool covering skills, personal qualities, interests, and values.
• WikiJob – Offers a variety of psychometric and aptitude tests.
• WorkBC Free Career Assessments – Discover potential career paths.

Clients who complete online assessments and aptitude tests will benefit from a debrief with a trusted career professional. Lack of post-assessment follow up may lead to confusion and uncertainty. Taking time to dialogue with clients builds stronger relationships, provides clarity, and positively affects employment outcomes. For many individuals, knowing their strengths and weaknesses opens the door to a wider range of employment possibilities.

In a rapidly changing economy where permanent positions have become rare, it has never been more important to be able to identify career possibilities. These career exploration resources can give participants a fresh look at their personalities, temperaments, skills, and possible career avenues.

If you’d like to learn current techniques, concepts, and strategies that you can use to support your clients’ employment goals, consider earning your Certified Career Strategist (CCS) credential through Career Professionals of Canada.

Pat Shepherd trained as a Career and Work Counsellor (CWC) at George Brown College and also has a B.Ed. in Special Education. As a certified Career and Employment Information Specialist (CEIS), she is passionate about providing the best research and resources for her clients. Pat is known for her commitment to discovering the unique skills and accomplishments of each individual. 

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