Are you navigating career changes and searching for career coaching services in Atlanta, or are you starting fresh and needing an Atlanta career coach? These 15 free tools can help you gain clarity, confidence, and personalized direction before you pay to work with an expert. From personality assessments to career planning and interview preparation, these platforms provide powerful insights—at no cost. I have tinkered with some of these tools, and others are “on my to-do list,” so to speak, but here are some thoughts:
Google Career Dreamer
Designed for career dreamers at any stage, this new tool from Google helps users clarify their goals by identifying meaningful career directions based on their interests and values. You’ll answer questions about what you care about and enjoy doing, and Career Dreamer will suggest career paths that align with your answers. It’s a guided experience perfect for those early in their journey or reevaluating mid-career. I have not tinkered with this one much since it is relatively new, but it will be fascinating to see how Google evolves this tool.
LinkedIn Interview Prep
This tool helps job seekers prepare for interviews by offering commonly asked questions by job title and industry and AI-powered feedback on their recorded answers. You can practice answering questions on video, receive tips from hiring managers, and get suggestions to improve your responses—great for building confidence and sharpening your storytelling skills. I suggest spending time with this tool to hone your interviewing skills.
O*NET Interest Profiler
Run by the U.S. Department of Labor, this tool identifies and connects your work-related interests to possible careers. You’ll receive a profile with suggested job families and see how your results align with different types of work. Here’s what’s included in the report. It takes time to digest all of the information, but when you get your final report, it will have scales and charts that are easier to read.
My Next Move
Explore careers by industry, activity, or keyword. This interactive tool integrates with O*NET to provide detailed job descriptions, required skills, salary data, and educational pathways. I love this website and recommend it to all clients, especially when combined with the Birkman Method Job Families and Titles report. Notice that the report is interactive and built specifically for your personality in concert with My Next Move. You can click the job titles for more information on each career path.
CareerExplorer
This comprehensive career test uses AI to match you with careers based on your interests, values, personality, and workplace preferences. You’ll receive an in-depth breakdown of strengths, suitable careers, and areas for growth. While I have not taken this assessment, I like how the website’s user interface clearly illustrates the process for completing the test and the results, as you can see here.
CareerOneStop
Sponsored by the Department of Labor, this resource includes self-assessments, career profiles, salary comparisons, and educational opportunities to support every stage of career development. The Department of Labor provides a lot of great resources, and this is definitely one to check out. I like how their home page is set up to show you activities and tasks at the top and then resources for various roles (e.g., 55+) just underneath the top navigation. Check out this image.
16 Personalities
Based on the Myers-Briggs framework, this personality assessment provides insights into your communication style, decision-making, and ideal work environments. It also provides career recommendations tailored to your personality type. Most people have heard others talk about their four letters. Are you an ENTJ or an INFP? Here’s a sample of the career report from 16 personalities, but I’m unsure if this one is free. There are options out there to figure your personality type with the four letters that cost you nothing.
CareerFitter
It provides a free work personality test that focuses on your strengths, ideal work environments, and suitable job types. It is a great starting point for aligning personality with career options. After you take the free version, they will try to upsell you to the premium version for an additional $20. If you scroll down to the middle of this page, you can see what you get with the free version vs. the premium version of the test.
Glassdoor Career Explorer
Discover careers based on job titles, salaries, and company culture. This resource includes genuine employee reviews and interview tips to help you vet workplaces that match your values. It is an excellent tool for learning how current and past employees feel about their company. I like going into schools and sharing this free resource while also giving the students a glimpse of how their teachers or professors have rated the school as an employer. When you make it personal for a student, it opens their eyes a bit.
Career Girls
This unique platform, aimed at young women, features hundreds of video interviews with female professionals in diverse careers. It inspires and educates with relatable role models and career guidance. I have not used this one since it doesn’t fit my gender, but I have suggested it to some young women I worked with for career coaching in Atlanta. They offer a free career quiz to help you narrow your career choices, but I didn’t take it.
iPersonic Career Test
Quick and insightful, this personality-based career test offers career recommendations matched to your character traits. It’s practical for fast personal insights. I took this one to see what it would tell me, and essentially, the results identify your personality type and then try to sell you on more reports. My type is a groundbreaking thinker. Click here to see all the various types of reports.
Big Five Personality Test
Assess yourself across the five core traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism). This test highlights ideal job environments and areas for personal development. The Big Five personality traits are the basis for many different personality assessments. Here is a sample report for your viewing pleasure.
MAPP Career Assessment Test
Focuses on your motivations and preferences to align you with fulfilling careers. You’ll get a breakdown of vocational areas suited to your personality. I have not taken this one, but it says it only takes 15 minutes to complete. Here is a sample report for your viewing pleasure.
Truity
Offers a wide range of personality and career tests, including Enneagram, Holland Code, and TypeFinder. Includes both free and paid versions with comprehensive reports. Truity even offers a student discount option if you are still in school and have a .edu email address. See here for more information. https://www.truity.com/form/student-discount
LiveCareer
LiveCareer offers robust career development tools, including a resume and cover letter builder, a job search engine, and a career advice hub. It also features skill-building and interview prep resources, helping job seekers present their best selves to employers. While LiveCareer offers a free resume builder and other free tools, its resume-building service and premium features are not entirely free and require a paid subscription. The free resume builder lets you create and download your resume as a simple .txt file. They also offer a free ATS Resume Checker and resume test report. It’s not a bad place to start, but many people will need to pay for resume assistance.
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These tools are free (or partially free), easy to access, and designed to help you find clarity and confidence in your career journey. Remember that while these tools can be helpful, they are just one part of the career exploration process. Combining these assessments with informational interviews, networking, and real-world experiences is essential to make informed decisions about your career.
If you want the personal attention of an Atlanta career coach who offers tailored career coaching services, give us a call at Career Upside. We’ll help you reach your potential or upside. Or, schedule a free consultation to start your pathway to success.
