Advantages & Disadvantages of Computerized Assessment in Career Counseling

Computerized assessments for career counseling provide fast but sometimes inaccurate results.

Deciding on a career can be difficult for any individual, and some people use career counseling to guide them. Career counseling centers tend to use computerized assessments as a starting point in a career search. Computerized assessments have advantages and disadvantages. The results can come back faster and sometimes be valid. On the other hand, the results can also be too generalized and fail to account for factors such as gender and ethnicity.

Validity

The biggest advantage to computerized assessments is the reliability and validity that they can provide. According to Human Resources Guide to the Internet, testing results show that the verbal reasoning and numerical tests have a high validity for a wide range of jobs when taken by individuals. The test results also gain validity with the complexity of the job being considered. Further, the computerized assessments can combine a few career counseling tests at one time to give individuals a better estimate of their career goals.

Fast

The biggest advantage to computerized assessment testing for career counseling is that the tests can be given quickly and results received almost instantaneously. Individuals can sit at a computer and answer questions in a computerized assessment program. Once their answers are submitted into the system, the computer can automatically print the results. The career counselor can then go over the answers with the individual in the same meeting instead of waiting another few days or weeks. This can speed the process of the individual deciding on a career path.

Computer Error

One disadvantage to computerized assessments for career counseling is computer error. This can include human error when an individual types the wrong answers because he does not understand the questions. It can also include when an individual fails to understand how to use a computer. Another problem is that the computer program can be created wrong. The developer of the program could have mistyped the questions or written questions that were not pertinent to career counseling. All of these issues can cause problems with the career counseling process.

Other Factors

Another disadvantage to computerized assessments is that they fail to take into account an individual's gender and ethnicity. Both of these factors can skew the results of a standard computerized test. According to Human Resources Guide to the Internet, women may inherently score lower then men in math questions. This does not mean that a woman should ignore the career path of becoming an engineer because her math scores in career aptitude are lower. Computerized assessments fail to take into account these other factors when recommending career choices.

References

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: Computer Based Testing in Vocational Assessment and Evaluation: A Primer for Rehabilitation Professionals
• University of Minnesota: Computerizing Statewide Educational
• New Oceans: What Is Myers-Briggs?
• HR Guide to the Internet: Personnel Selection: Methods: Cognitive Ability Measures