Career assessments are designed to help you understand how your personal attributes impact potential success and satisfaction with different career options and work environments.
While no assessment can perfectly capture who you are or predict what occupation you’ll pursue, they can help you narrow choices and discover options you may not have considered. Taking an assessment is a first step in the career exploration process.
Use the "Explore Careers" section to take free career assessments and learn more about different careers that suit you. You will also find other helpful resources within different sections and tabs of this website.
Focus 2 is a free assessment comprised of five short inventories examining your interests, skills, personality, and values.
Review and research majors and careers that best match your profile. Note: Access code for our school is "Hawks".
This free tool helps you learn about your interests, how they relate to the world of work, and possible careers you can explore. Once there, click the "start" button under “I’m not really sure” to take the O*NET Interest Profiler.
Discover what makes you unique with this free online assessment with 16 separate "brain game" exercises identifying both your interests and aptitudes.
Allow 1.5 - 2 hours to complete the assessment; results are provided within 12 hours.
careeronestop Quick Links
careeronestop Quick Links
Exploring Majors
Choosing a major can be a difficult task! Iowa offers over 200 majors, minors, and certificates - but how do you determine which one is the best fit for you?
- Visit with a Career Coach to discuss the options and/or take a career or interest assessment
- Talk with someone who is currently in that major, professors teaching in that major or friends/parents/alumni who have graduated with that major - here is a guide to Informational Interviewing
- Take classes in different areas to see what you are interested in
- Explore volunteer opportunities, internships or other experiences in those areas to see if it is something you want to pursue.
The General Catalog provides information about academic programs at the University of Iowa.
Discover career fields that you didn’t even know existed! Industry professionals share their job descriptions, backgrounds and career prep advice.
Learn from “Get Hired” advice videos covering interviewing, resume writing, networking and many more topics to help you land that job!
Whether you’re exploring majors or searching for information about your chosen field, this website will help you connect majors to careers.
Take a free assessment that identifies your best fit when choosing a major at the University of Iowa based upon your academic aptitudes, interests, and personality.
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Career Exploration Worksheet
This worksheet will help you reflect on what's important to you, which is the first step to understanding what to look for in a job or career. In this document, you will gather what you are good at, experiences you have had, what you would like to improve or learn and what is important to you.
Gaining Experience Worksheet
Looking to explore careers? Consider getting involved in experiences. There are many benefits to engaging with activities on and off campus. Find your fit by rating your goals in each column.
Below are free resources you can use to learn more about different career fields. Explore types of jobs available in different fields, what a job entails, if the field is growing, educational requirements, salary ranges and other helpful information.
O*Net
Look up occupations to discover tasks, skills, values, work activities, educational requirements, salary ranges and other fun facts associated with different careers. Explore tools to help you match skills, experiences and interests to occupations and plan your next move.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Find career information on duties, education and training, pay and outlook for hundreds of occupations.
FirstHand for UI Users
Be sure to log in from this link or bookmark to access the UI portal for FirstHand. This allows you free access to services you would otherwise pay for as an independent user.
Browse, career & industry guides for many different fields within business, non-profit and government sectors. Learn what jobs are associated with different careers and what you’d do in those positions. Research companies, see employer rankings and view internship/job postings.
Guide to Government Careers
Learn what government jobs offer, the types of jobs available, job search resources, how to apply and information on tuition assistance and loan forgiveness for government employees.
Career Profiles
Another good source of career information, salaries, and educational preparation.
Buzzfile
Locate potential employers by state and/or major.