Free career aptitude test

Is the career aptitude test really free?

Yes: the Career Office career aptitude test is free for anyone in South Africa, you do not need to sign in or create an account, and nothing you answer is saved.

It is for you if you are not sure what kind of work or study suits you, whether you have just finished school, left school early, or have been working for a while and want a change. You answer on your phone, one question at a time, and your result appears straight away on the same screen.

There are no right or wrong answers. Go with your first thought, and pick the answer that sounds most like you on a normal day, not the one you think sounds best.

What the twenty questions ask

The test is in three parts. Each question gives you six answers, and you choose the one closest to you.

Part 1: What you enjoy (seven questions)

What you like doing most, where you feel comfortable, what people come to you for help with, and what matters most to you about work. For example: if you could try one job for a day, would it be a repair, a science lab, a design, helping customers, running a small business or organising records?

Part 2: How you learn (seven questions)

What helps something new click for you: talking it through, finding the steps, seeing a picture, trying it yourself, thinking quietly on your own, or reading and writing about it.

Part 3: How you like to work (six questions)

What you do first when you start a task, what role you take in a team, what you do when plans change, and what gives you energy or drains it.

After the twenty, there are two short questions about where you are now: the highest grade you passed, and whether you are older than 21. If a question does not feel right, you can choose "I would rather not answer" and move on. You can also go back and change an answer.

What does the aptitude test result show?

Your result shows three things: a profile of what you enjoy, how you learn and how you like to work; the study path you qualify for; and courses that fit both.

1. Your profile. Each part of the test gets its own section, with a short bar chart of your answers and a name you might recognise yourself in, such as "The hands-on doer", "The people person" or "The organiser". It explains what that means, the kinds of work it often suits, what to try next, and a tip you can use on your CV or in an interview.
2. What you can study next. Worked out from the grade you passed and your age, with a line saying exactly what you told the test, so you can see why.
3. Courses that could suit you. Put together from what you enjoy and the path you qualify for. Each course shows the qualification and its entry requirements, with a link to the course page, so you can read more and check the fees before you decide anything.

You can take the test again whenever you like, and answering differently will give you a different result.

Do I need matric to take the aptitude test?

No: anyone can take the test, and your grade only decides which study path your result points to.

The path is set by a simple rule based on the two questions at the end:

You passed grade 12 or matric

Your result points to accredited courses, such as business and office administration, bookkeeping or HR.

You passed grade 11

Your result points to an accredited Early Childhood Development (ECD) course, for work in creches, preschools and early learning centres.

You passed grade 9 and you are over 21

Your result points to Adult Matric, so you can finish your matric and open up more options.

You passed grade 9 and you are 21 or younger, or you did not finish school

Your result points to skills courses, which teach practical, job-ready skills and do not need matric to start.

This is about which courses you can enrol for. It says nothing about how capable you are.

What to do with your result

A result is most useful when you do something with it the same week. A few ideas:

1. Read the "What to try next" line in each part of your profile, and pick one thing to do this week.
2. Use your profile's words on your CV. If you came out as an organiser, say so in your profile section and give an example of something you kept in order.
3. Take the tip into your next interview. Each part of the result has one, such as having a story ready about something you fixed, made or organised.
4. Open the courses that fit and read each course page, including the entry requirements and the fees, before you apply for anything.
5. Talk it over with someone who knows you. They may see strengths you did not notice.

Questions people ask

How long does the career aptitude test take?

About five minutes. There are twenty questions and two short ones about you, one at a time on the screen.

Do I need to register or give my email address?

No. There is no sign-in and no form to fill in. You open the test and start.

Is my information saved?

No. Nothing you answer in the aptitude test is saved. The privacy notice explains what the Career Office does keep in its other tools.

Is this the same as an aptitude test an employer asks me to write?

No. Some employers set their own tests as part of hiring. This test is for you: it helps you think about what kind of work and study suits you.