Website Evaluation Tips
Check out these tips when deciding to use an online source. Always be skeptical.
- Authority: Who is responsible for creating the web page? Is there a publisher or sponsor of the web page? Can you find information about the author and publisher?
- Audience: Who is this web site created for? Is the content geared towards an age group or population group?
- Accuracy: How does the information compare to other sources?
- Content: What is the content of the web site: images, articles, a blog? The type of domain (.edu, .gov, .org) may provide some clues about the information. Can you detect a bias? Are there cited references?
- Currency: How recent is the web site? Is there information on when it was last updated?
Recommended Web Resources
Assessment tools used by career counselors examine various factors, such as the client's interests, abilities, and values. Below is a list of common assessment tools.
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O*Net Career Exploration ToolsA set of self-directed career exploration/assessment tools. These instruments help individuals identify their work-related interests, what they consider important on the job, and their abilities in order to explore occupations that relate most closely to those attributes.
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Self-Directed SearchA career interest test that asks questions about aspirations, activities, skills, and interests in different jobs to assess a person's resemblance to each of John Holland's vocational personality types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional (RIASEC). Recommends suitable occupations based on test results.
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Campbell Interest and Skills SurveyAssessment tool often used with college-age individuals to help them identify their skills and interests and make future educational and occupational plans.
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Strong Interest InventoryMeasures career and leisure interests in four main categories of scales: General Occupational Themes, Basic Interest Scales, Personal Style Scales, and Occupational Scales. Based on John Holland's vocational personality types (RIASEC).
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Ability ExplorerRanks a person’s strengths in 12 vocationally relevant abilities: Artistic, Clerical, Interpersonal, Language, Leadership/Persuasive, Manual/Technical, Musical/Dramatic, Numerical/Mathematical, Organizational, Scientific, Social, and Spatial. Matches users' results to occupations with a bright outlook, including a special emphasis on STEM careers.
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Career Ability Placement SurveyA multidimensional ability assessment tool designed to measure eight vocationally relevant abilities: mechanical reasoning, spatial relations, verbal reasoning, numerical ability, language usage, word knowledge, perceptual speed and accuracy, and manual speed and dexterity. Appropriate for individuals ranging from sixth grade through adulthood.
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Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS-II)A widely used personality instrument that helps individuals discover their personality type. Additional materials recommend job types suitable for each of the four temperaments.
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Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)A personality inventory based on Carl Jung's theory of psychological types. Explores four pairs of psychological preferences to place an individual in one of 16 personality types.
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CareerOneStop: Resources for Career AdvisorsProvides links to resources frequently used by career advisors. Includes a section on in-depth career resources for special populations such as older workers and individuals with disabilities. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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O*Net OnlineO*NET Online is an interactive application for exploring and searching occupations. The database also includes information on skills, abilities, knowledges, work activities, and interests associated with occupations, which can be used to facilitate career exploration and vocational counseling.
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Occupational Outlook HandbookThe Occupational Outlook Handbook is produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The profiles featured here cover hundreds of occupations and describe What They Do, Work Environment, How to Become One, Pay, Job Outlook, and more.
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CareerOneStop: Labor Market InformationFind labor market information by state. Website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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Career OutlookAn online publication by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, replacing the Occupational Outlook Quarterly. Read the latest information on jobs and careers. Articles are written in straightforward, non-technical language and cover a wide variety of career and work-related topics such as new and emerging occupations, training opportunities, salary trends, and results of new studies from the BLS. Written for a target audience of students, career counselors, job seekers, and researchers. Also includes Quick Tip links to helpful websites for more career and education information.
Career Counseling as a Profession
Associations for Career Counselors
Below is a list of associations for professional counselors. Click on the links to visit each association's website to find information about careers in counseling, networking, professional development, and other resources.