2. Career and Occupational Assessments  Helps to determine interests and skills  Appropriate career and occupations for individuals  Completed during transition ages in life

3. Type of Assessments  Interest Inventories  Multiple Aptitude Tests  Special Aptitude tests

4. Interest Inventories  Most common career assessment administered each year  Successful in predicting career paths and job satisfaction  Individuals are more likely to be satisfied with their career if it matches their interests

5. Strong Interest Inventory  One of the most commonly used assessments  Administered for 16 years and older  Quick Administration  Uses a Likert scoring system throughout the assessment

6. Likert Scale  Rating scale  Fixed responding scale usually composed of the extent a person agrees or disagrees with various statements

7. Likert Scale

8. Strong Inventory Results  Sometimes expressed in General Occupation Theme Code  Holland’s Hexagon Model  See Figure 8.1

9. Strong Inventory Results  Lets explore some sample results  4 scoring sections  Basic Interest Scales  Occupational Scales  Personal Style Scales  Response Summary

10. Self Directed Search (SDS)  Based on Holland’s Hexagon  Self administered, Self Scored, Self Interpreted  Obtain a career code that can be compared to Occupation Finder

11. SDS Brief Example  Complete the brief quiz and inform the class of the results  Question: Did the results of your quiz seem accurate?

12. COPSystem  3 insturments  Designed for individuals 7 th grade-adult

13. COPSystem Career Cluster This is based on interests and is used to guide individuals toward appropriate careers.

14. CAPS  Measure of abilities across 8 dimensions  Relates to COPS  Shows a relationship between individuals skills set and appropriate careers

15. COPES  Assessment of Values

16. Multiple Aptitude Tests  Measures several different abilities at one time  Determines career options based on abilities  Uses factor analysis to measure construct validity  Question: Why would it be necessary to measure construct validity for this type of test?

17. Armed Service Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)  Most widely used multiple aptitude test in the world  Used for placement in different job in the military  Consists of aptitude test and interest inventory Find Your Interests (FYI)  Consists of 8 “power tests”

18. ASVAB Scores  Scores in 4 main composite areas:  Verbal Skills  Math Skills  Science  Technical Skills  Individual areas appear more important than general scores  US Department and Labor provides access to this type of assessment

19. Different Aptitude Tests (DATS)  Administered to students grades 7-12  Measures vocational aptitudes  Interpreted by school counselors  Correlation between DAT scores and high school performance limited evidence to show predictive validity in job performance  Question: What do you think about performing these types of tests in middle and high school?

20. Special Aptitude Testing  Used to predict success in specific vocational areas  Used to determine someone’s potential ability to perform or excel at a certain job

21. Clerical Aptitude Test  Includes:  Verbal Reasoning  Numerical Ability  Clerical Checking  Spelling  Typing  Filing  Examples: US Postal Service Exam, Minnesota Clerical Assessment Battery

22. Other Special Aptitude  Mechanical Aptitude Tests  Artistic Aptitude Test  Musical Aptitude Test

23. Final Thoughts  “The test discussed in this chapter can be fundamental in helping an individual make important decisions regarding occupational assessments and career choices. However, as with all testing, occupational and career assessments should not been done in a vacuum.” (Neukrug & Faucett, 2010)  Question: What does this mean? How can this be applied to the application of these tests in the “real” world?