7 no or low-cost resources to assess yourself

Confession time: until I’d had some feedback and done a series of assessments, I was pretty much in the dark about what I was good at – and what my weaknesses were. Of course I had an idea – but it was just that, with incomplete evidence. So the first time I did an assessment centre and was told I was good at maths, I a) laughed out loud, having been a maths flunker at school, and b) felt pretty good about myself. And then there was the ‘need to improve’ section…

You don’t have to wait for someone else to decide your skills are going to be assessed. You can find out online for yourself, and at no or low cost.

1. BBC skillswise offers numeracy and literacy tests.
2. Mensa– ‘The high IQ Society’. So you can probably guess the kind of test on offer (for a small fee).
3. National Careers Service. This is a great site for people of all ages and academic levels. To access the skills assessments, choose Skills Health Check and select tests appropriate for your education level (it goes up to PhD, so there are some pretty stiff tests). There’s a range of tools, including working with numbers, solving abstract problems and working with written information. Free access and downloadable reports.
4. Elevate. Of course, there’s an app for that. Elevate offers free brain training in clear, concise writing, grammar and vocabulary as well as maths. Habit-forming – or dangerously addictive? You decide. Click here for an intro video.
5. CEB-SHL is a global talent assessment company, offering free and paid-for practice tests.
6. Institute of Psychometric Coaching. This site has free practice psychometric assessments and aptitude tests. They also sell online courses offering more in-depth practice and help for those about to take assessments. By the way, if you’re doing psychometric assessments with a lot at stake, for example when applying for a job, I recommend you first visit the British Psychological Society. Their Psychological Testing Centre provides information for the public, which includes resources such as ‘How should I approach a test session?’
7. University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center. This great site offers heaps of free questionnaires. Registration required. I recommend the VIA Survey.