Six Steps to Switch to New Career - Start with Free Career Test

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Maria Verven, Assessment.com

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Six Steps to Switching to A New Career

A Career Test Can Help When You’re Looking for a Job or Want to Change Careers

Edina, Minn – Aug. 20, 2010 – With unemployment at an all-time high, many people who are unhappy in their jobs may feel stuck. They want to switch to a new career, but are afraid they don’t stand a chance, given today’s competitive job market. Plus, many have no idea how to go about making the career shift.

“Most people have several different careers during their lifetimes,” said Henry Neils, president of Assessment.com. “As a result, we have to be on a perpetual learning curve, acquiring new knowledge and skills all the time. Gone are the days when we went to school, learned what we needed to and stopped learning when we landed a job.”

Neils said that switching careers requires an even greater commitment to learning and growing, and at a much-accelerated pace. “It may be a steep learning curve, but it’s worth it if you find a career you are passionate about,” he said.

A good place to start in finding the right career fit is to take the free MAPP career test, available at www.assessment.com. Over 7 million people in nearly every country in the world have taken the MAPP test, the first and most comprehensive online career test for consumers. Everyone who takes the MAPP test receives a free partial career assessment and five career matches, and can upgrade to a more complete “Career Seeker” package for a flat fee of $39.95.

These six tips will help you quickly hop on the learning curve and a path to your new career:

· Dedicate a set amount of time every day or week to study your future job or industry.

· Access the wealth of online information about that job or industry. Become familiar with the “insider” vocabulary of the people in that area. Find out what issues are important to them and what challenges their industries are facing.

· News changes fast – subscribe to industry-related blogs and news sources to stay on top of industry trends, find out who the players are and discover where the job opportunities are expected to grow.

Join job- or industry-related organizations and online groups. Follow or participate in the discussions, so your name gets known.

· Look at formal education options – seminars, conferences, degree programs. Descriptions of degree programs will tell you exactly what kind of training is expected for someone entering that industry.

· Once you’re up to speed, start networking with people who are working in that job or industry. You’ll be able to ask intelligent questions and speak knowledgeably with them. Stay in touch so they’ll think of you when a job opens up that fits your skills.

For more information on how to switch into a career you love, go to www.assessment.com. The 71-question MAPP career test takes roughly 15 minutes to complete, and the resulting free assessment identifies the user’s work interests, talents and motivations. Since there are so many different combinations of answers, there are literally more than a trillion trillion different test results – more than there are people in the world.

The MAPP test has undergone extensive reliability and validity testing by a number of psychologists, including correlating the results to the Strong Interest Inventory.^® However, the MAPP can be taken and read by consumers without having to engage the services of a professional.

Assessment.com is the home of the MAPP (Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential), the first and most comprehensive online career test for consumers. The MAPP assessment, which has undergone extensive validity and reliability testing, comprises 71 statement triads that ultimately define the test-taker’s interest, temperament, aptitude, and motivation toward various jobs and tasks. Over 7 million people in nearly every county in the world have logged in to take the free MAPP career test, and it is also offered through 3,500 affiliate partners, including corporate psychologists, human resource managers, outplacement firms and career counselors. For more information, visit http://www.assessment.com.