Introduction to Assessment

Assessment is a critical tool in the career planning process because it gives students the information about themselves that they need to make informed choices about their future. Key things to remember about assessment:

• It is an ongoing process. Students should be assessing and re-assessing themselves throughout their careers, at least on a quarterly basis.
  
  
• It should be comprehensive, allowing young people to assess interests, aptitudes, strengths, values, skills, learning needs and styles, and readiness for job search and for employment.
  
  
• Assessment is something that is done WITH students so that they feel ownership of the assessment information and understand how to use it for their own career planning. It is NOT something that is done TO students to judge them or FOR them in order to complete paperwork.
  
  
• Assessment should include both formal and informal tools and processes.
  
  
• Students should have copies of all assessment information that they area able to maintain in a career portfolio as part of their career planning process.
  
  
• The results of the assessment process should drive the development of the student's career and service plan.What he/she learns during assessment should lead to an exploration of ALL options and allow the student to make an informed decision about the best strategies for achieving his/her career goals.

Here are documents that explain more:

The Seven Rules about Taking Career Tests

Holland's Theory of Career Choice

Youth Developmental Needs

Useful Assessment Diagram

Source