Do Career Assessments Really Work?

The answer to that question is: If they are good ones, they do. For many, the decision to attend college is the first step in the journey towards a fulfilling career. A big step in that process is deciding on the right major. It’s typically a very stressful, difficult decision and many college graduates feel as if they get it wrong. In fact, 61% of college graduates would change their majors if they could go back and do it again. Isn't it odd then, that we make college students pick a major right away without the really knowing what career or vocational path best fits them?

Since there are no do-overs,  I believe it's our duty as students, parents, college advisors and career counselors  to explore new technologies and alternative platforms. It's time to change then game and to move away from old career assessments that just haven't cut it, over the years. It's clear we need better ways to help individuals make the right choice, the first time. I personally believe the better way would be to first, use assessments to empower the learner to know who they are. Second, use those results to guide them to explore various career and vocation destinations where they will find the deepest sense of meaning when they live within the world of work. Then... and finally then... help that learner map the most efficient educational pathway to get there. That's the day, a student should pick a major.

We will all agree that, comprehensive career assessments backed by experts and vetted science can shed light on the right career path.  But given the outcome statistics, we all should also believe that aptitude and skills tests, or worse, those that simply label students, aren't really the right way to help a student know the best compass heading for their education to vocational life.

“I really want to pursue my passion…”. These are likely words you’ve heard uttered by countless students (and friends and family) over the years. Pursuing one’s passion may not feel like “never working a day in your life” as the old adage claims, but it certainly does make the 9 to 5 a little easier. And the generations entering college right now, aren’t really interested in doing anything without a purpose.  Having a haphazard or unclear career path is frustrating for anyone, but especially so for young, ambitious professionals eager to make their mark on the world. And that is Gen Z, to a T. These brilliant young minds want to ensure they are choosing correctly and spending their educational dollars the right way. With a university degree at its highest cost in history (adjusted for inflation) students (and their parents) are looking for an efficient education pathway that can avoid wasted semesters and frivolous credits that come with hefty fees. 

The latest student loan debt statistics for 2021 show that there are 45 million borrowers who collectively owe nearly $1.7 trillion in student loan debt in the U.S.  In Fact Student loan debt is now the second-highest consumer debt category — second only to mortgage debt and higher than debt for both credit cards and auto loans. At $1.7 trillion, U.S. student loan debt is now higher than it has ever been. Students considering postsecondary education in this environment should be attempting to garner a seamless, clear education process. Constantly changing majors or remaining undeclared too long is a tell-tale sign of indecision, and, in the current college environment, indecision is expensive. 

It’s no secret universities and colleges are under increasing pressure to show value in the current environment. Of all the students who walk through your doors (virtual, ivy-covered, or bulletin-board adjacent) just a smidge over 60% will graduate. For those that do (and the number may be higher among students who take longer to graduate), it’s imperative for career counseling and placement centers to show value and become a profit and proof center instead of a cost center. 

Bottom line? Choosing the right major the first time increases the odds that students will stay the course over the next four years, reducing attrition rates and supercharging matriculation. Students with purpose and passion for the next step stick around. And that’s a good thing, because whether you help students in community college or the Big 10, higher education is not cheap. You have a high bar to hit.  An institution using a reliable career assessment tool can boast about a concrete means of saving their students time and money.  Career counselors can use a comprehensive career assessment tool as an intake measure that will allow students and candidates to explicitly express and consider their options. Streamlining this process would save time for both advisors, administrators, and career professionals. 

What would you give to have started on your dream career path from the start?  What if we can help todays have access something better than what we had access to at the time, and give them the gift of clarity about better path to a job that suits their purpose, and lights them up inside.  As a founding partner in jobZology, the science behind careers that fit, I have to ask you. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? PathwayU is the logical next step for your university or any learner age fourteen to retirement to explore their future. Let us take you on a (virtual) tour and give you the inside scoop on lighting up the next generation.