What is a Strong Interest Inventory® Assessment and Why Is the New Year a Perfect Time to Take It?
What you will find in this blog:
- What is a Strong Interest Inventory assessment?
- Why use the Strong Interest Inventory?
- Why you need a certified practitioner
- Why the new year is the perfect time to take the assessment
- Take the Strong Interest Inventory
Starting a job search is a big task. It could be you are just out of college, but not quite sure where to utilize your degree. Or, you may have already started a career but are realizing the industry or your role are not the right fit. Perhaps you have been in the military and are now transitioning to a civilian role.
Whatever is bringing you to your job search, if you are not quite sure what you want, the Strong Interest Inventory® assessment by The Myers-Briggs Company is a great place to start.
What is a Strong Interest Inventory assessment?
The Strong Interest Inventory is an online assessment. Topics include interest level on occupations, subject areas, activities, and leisure. There are no right answers, you just indicate what is interesting to you or not.
The assessment is entirely self-paced and usually takes about thirty to forty minutes to complete. Once completed, it will give a list of suggested occupations based on your responses. A certified practitioner can then use these suggestions as a starting point to help you explore different careers and pathways that should provide long-term career satisfaction.
Sample topics may include occupation activities, school subjects, types of people and work environments, and personal characteristics. The assessment asks you to rate each item on a scale. For example, the scale might be from “Strongly Like” to “Strongly Dislike.”
Why use the Strong Interest Inventory?
The Myers-Briggs Company shares that the assessment is backed by research, provides actionable and data-driven insights, is trusted by thousands of career counselors and educators, and complements other tools for a more comprehensive and holistic view.
Image credit: The Myers-Briggs Company
Why you need a certified practitioner
The Myers-Briggs Company certifies practitioners, those qualified to administer the test, to ensure the highest quality application of the results. A certified practitioner will be able to not only administer the test but then interpret the results, access additional tools, and lead effective career conversations to guide your career exploration.
When seeking out a career coach, it can be a good idea to find someone who is a certified practitioner. That way if you decide you want to utilize the Strong Interest Inventory to guide your job search, that person is already qualified to lead you through that step.
Why the new year is the perfect time to take this assessment
You can take the Strong Interest Inventory at any time. It is a wonderful evaluation and can uncover deep insights into your career pathways. The new year is a good time to consider taking the assessment simply because so many people have New Year’s resolutions that include finding a new job or discovering a passion.
Additionally, after the holiday slowdown, the new year is a time when many companies are refocused on filling vacant roles, have the yearly budget solidified, and resume placement efforts. That means that it is an ideal time to start applying for new opportunities.
Take the Strong Interest Inventory
If you have ever wondered where your natural interests and career options intersect, the Strong Interest Inventory assessment makes that connection clear. It identifies what you love to do, and then links those interests to actual careers and educational opportunities where people with similar preferences have found true career satisfaction. Consider it if you want a personalized guide for career discovery.
Think the Strong Interest Inventory is right for you? Connect with me to discuss taking the assessment and engaging in career path exploration. I am a Myers-Briggs certified practitioner!