Career inspiration doesn’t always come naturally, and CareerExplorer is one of the many career tests that claim to help. It’s one of the few assessments with a free report and tailored career recommendations, but does it actually make a difference?
To find out, I tried CareerExplorer and recorded my experience, from taking the test to reviewing my results. In this article, I’ll share my genuine first hand impressions and what I liked and didn’t, helping you decide if it’s worth your time.
Our Review Methodology
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We are committed to providing unbiased, thorough, and transparent reviews of career assessment services, turning your trust into actionable advice for your career journey.
CareerExplorer Career Test Overview
CareerExplorer analyzes personality traits and what career fields correspond to them (and which ones don’t). After taking the assessment, I discovered my top five personality characteristics, career matches, and degrees.
Pros
- Free basic report
- Personalized career recommendations
- Innovative platform
- Access to a Discord community
Cons
- It takes at least 30 minutes to complete the test
- Asks for sensitive personal information
- The test has a few bugs
Bottom Line: CareerExplorer gives decent recommendations for a free test, but the report goes into less detail than other paid career tests despite taking longer, and I found only some of the results relevant.
Why Did I Try CareerExplorer?
After graduating college, I knew that I wanted to keep writing and researching in my career. However, I still wonder how else I can apply my abilities and whether I’ve chosen the right path. After exploring the best career tests, I found CareerExplorer and was impressed with its interface and real-time updates. With no cost and only time to lose, I gave CareerExplorer a try to see how it worked.
My Experience with CareerExplorer
CareerExplorer feels like a premium product with unique features. The website looks clean and organized, on par with the top career tests. After entering my email address, I began the test and started answering questions right away.
Registration and Preparation
Although the initial registration only required my email, I had to enter several fields of personal information about halfway through the test, including my:
- Name
- Age
- Gender
- Ethnicity
- Highest level of education (including school name)
- Current income
- Parents’ education level
CareerExplorer claims it uses personal data to make informed judgments and reduce algorithm discrimination, but I was still surprised. Most of the career tests I’ve taken only ask for name, age, and maybe income or education. Nonetheless, I entered my information and otherwise had no issues registering.
CareerExplorer doesn’t offer pre-assessment guides or resources, but the test walked me through each section and question type.
Test Procedure and User Interface
The career test takes about 30 to 40 minutes, and I finished closer to the 40-minute mark. I could revisit previous questions and change my answers, and I had the option to skip questions.
The user interface is creative and unique, featuring a progress bar on the right of the screen with an estimated completion timer. The test has five sections (at least 100 questions, by my estimate) and checkpoints that award characteristic trait badges based on how I answered in the previous section (my traits: mastermind, candid, well-tempered, modest, and maximizing).
While these weren’t game-changing features, I still appreciated the small updates throughout the test, especially because of the length.
Question Types and Clarity
A majority of the questions were Linkert scales that asked me how I would rank certain activities, jobs, and degrees on a scale from one to five. I also answered questions about how I react in given scenarios, such as if I prefer listening or speaking first, using a similar scale system.
All the questions were easy to understand, but I ran into some bugs that delayed my progress. When I was prompted to enter additional personal details at the halfway mark, the text boxes had preset instructions that wouldn’t disappear when I started typing. It became so cluttered that I couldn’t see the dropdown option list and what I was typing. Another question was missing its career description, which was surprising given the career test’s attention to detail.
Privacy and Data Handling
Although CareerExplorer asks for several pieces of personal information, it claims it never sells user data to third parties on its website. However, the privacy policy states they may share personal information with third parties “…who offer products or services we believe may be of value to you.” As a result, it needs to be clarified to what extent they protect personal information and who it’s shared with.
Customer Support
CareerExplorer has an email address for general inquiries (contact@sokanu.com) but doesn’t appear to have dedicated customer support with regular availability. The website also has a general help FAQ page that covers basic account troubleshooting tips and background information.
What Did My Results Show?
After answering the questions honestly, I finished the test and waited for my results to generate. I didn’t encounter an unexpected paywall and immediately got access within a few seconds.
Report Delivery
I viewed my report on CareerExplorer’s website, which is the only way to access them. They also emailed me a link that brings me back to the website, or I can make an account to access it later on.
Presentation and Depth
The report presentation is well-organized and coherent. I have no issues viewing the report or finding what information I’m looking for, partially because of the small size. The report mainly focuses on my ideal career and degree matches rather than detailing my work personality traits.
While my results include two personalized reports covering my career traits and personality, they are less valuable and useful. It feels like a classification of how I answered the questions, but it doesn’t go deep into detail and tell me what these traits mean other than the basic talking points.
Relevance and Usability
My top career recommendations were interesting but not all that relevant. For example, my responses indicated that I love to cook, and I consequently received several food service industry recommendations. While this seems to make sense, I strictly enjoy cooking at home as a hobby and wouldn’t want to work in a restaurant.
I did receive a few realistic options, but as a whole, they weren’t the most relevant compared to other services. I also don’t plan on returning to school, so I don’t need the degree or sponsored career pathway program recommendations, some of which are entirely different from my career matches.
The report is easy to use but lacks depth and gives a surface-level overview of the major points. It’s alright since the career test is free, but I’d rather pay a fair price to get a clearer picture with accurate results.
Post-Test Support and Resources
In addition to career pathway training courses, CareerExplorer has a few sponsored programs with its partners, like student loan assistance and tuition savings. CareerExplorer also has a Discord community to discuss test results and career topics.
Do I Recommend CareerExplorer?
CareerExplorer is a unique assessment that can help boost your career search at no cost. It provides valuable insights and personalized recommendations but doesn’t meet all my needs. The personality and trait report was relatively basic compared to the best career tests, and I still want more information about myself for future exploration.
Based on my experience, I recommend you try JobTest.org for more comprehensive insights. Although it costs nearly $30, JobTest.org has a better personality and career path analysis, not to mention personalized and actionable feedback. JobTest.org is also substantially shorter than CareerExplorer yet delivers better results.
Ultimately, I recommend you save time and effort and go with the career test that delivers the best results. But if you have a different experience with JobTest.org than mine, there’s no risk because they offer a satisfaction guarantee.
| JobTest.org | CareerExplorer | |
|---|---|---|
| Work Personality Assessment | ||
| Career Recommendations | ||
| Personalized Feedback | ||
| Industry Expertise | ||
| Work Environment Matching | ||
| User Experience | ||
| Multiple Languages | ||
| Post-Test Resources | ||
| Career Change Assistance | ||
| Dedicated Customer Support | ||
| Learn More | Learn More |
After working in last-mile logistics, Miles transitioned to a career as a content developer and editor, contributing to various digital publications. He frequently writes about topics concerning nutrition, health, education, and career development, among others. When away from his keyboard, Miles enjoys delving into works related to artificial intelligence and metaphysics, stemming from his studies as a philosophy major at the University of Tampa. You can also find Miles spending time with his dog, Biggie, or experimenting with a new recipe at home with friends and family.
