Wouldn’t it be great if you could take a shortcut from all that pesky “what is my career bliss” questioning and just know, without a doubt, what you were supposed to be doing with your life? What a great way to most efficiently jump into your perfect vocation! If only such a shortcut existed.
But wait, my friends; you’re in luck! The Dewey Color System — “the world’s first and only validated, color-based personality testing instrument” — and CareerBuilder have collaborated to create the Color Career Counselor, a free test that purports to base your suitability for certain careers on your affinity for particular colors.
Like yellow, green, or white? You’re a designer who makes products, systems, services, or environments to fit others’ needs. Ideal careers: interior design, real estate, computer programming, travel planning, or career counseling. For the latter position, presumably, all you’d need are various swatches of colors.
If you prefer blue, green, and brown, you’re a “dream maker.” You like to support people through periods of crisis and enjoy fixing things. Ideal careers: medical professional, corporate trainer, carpenter, or forest ranger. (Smokey the Bear probably likes brown, don’t you think?)
If you’re drawn to red, orange, and black, you’re an evaluator; you examine, in detail, the most efficient way to accomplish tasks and use facts to build strong opinions. Ideal careers: banking, operational support, computer repair, or child care. Or, with those colors in your sweet spot, maybe you could be a roadie for Marilyn Manson.
No word on what your ideal career should be if you’re color blind.
I’m obviously a little skeptical about career affinity tests that seem overly simplistic. Is this one on the money? My jury is out. I took the the three-minute online test and forced my unwilling husband to do the same. It actually nailed me pretty well, suggesting I’d enjoy being a reporter or editor and that I have an interest in organization (well, duh — if you’re reading this blog, you know all that).
On the other hand, my better half laughed out loud at his results, which were approximately 180 degrees removed from his actual personality and preferences.
So this probably isn’t a magic bullet if you’re looking to change jobs. Then again, it might be a fun way to waste a little online time, and who knows? You might gain some insights into your psyche. If you decide to give it all up and become a forest ranger, let me know.
(image by Capture Queen via Flickr, CC 2.0)
