1 . Aptitude Tests Recommendations
Aptitude tests are helpful to job seekers of all ages. While career quizzes explore your values and work style, aptitude tests provide a more objective evaluation of your skills, helping you select a career you’re most likely to succeed in. Below are some of the best aptitude tests out there.
Clifton Strengths
The Clifton Strengths program was created based on research around leadership. The research in question pointed to common strengths among successful leaders, like strategic thinking, adaptability and communication. To complete the test, you must answer around 150 questions, each within 20 seconds. Allen Cheung, a tech blogger, notes that CliftonStrengths is more valuable than your average career test because it includes “tricky questions which aren’t as easily gamed”.
Red Bull Wingfinder
Developed and tested out by psychology experts, the Red Bull Wingfinder assesses your thinking under pressure. Questions include image sorting, logic puzzles and leadership-related questions. Once you complete the test, you’ll receive a nine-page report and career coaching tailored to your results.
SEI Development Report
The SEI Development Report is an extensive EQ aptitude test that has timed right-and-wrong answers that assess eight fundamentals, including emotional literacy, emotional management and empathy. At the end, you’ll receive a 20-page report with recommended courses on workplace EQ development.
CareerOneStop
While it only takes a few minutes to complete, the CareerOneStop Skills Assessment will help you rank both your technical and soft skills. The career suggestions at the end can be sorted by relevance, annual wages, and job outlook, coupled with with professional coaching or consultation improve your skills.
1. What do aptitude tests mainly assess for job seekers?| A．Their work ethics. | B．Their career interest. |
| C．Their preferred work style. | D．Their professional competence. |
| A．It evaluates leadership skills. | B．It is developed by experts. |
| C．It includes challenging questions. | D．It offers a comprehensive report. |
| A．Clift on Strengths | B．Red Bull Wingfinder |
| C．SEI Development Report | D．CareerOneStop |
2 . 
Q: Should I target my Application to a specific Job Opening (JO)?
A: Yes. Naturally, a customized cover note will also help you focus on the key aspects of your Application that relate to the JO, but it is also in your interest to target the Application according to the responsibilities and competencies of the position.
Q: What’s the difference between duties and achievements?
A: Duties describe the specific responsibilities of your job. They accurately reflect what you are doing or have done in each of your previous jobs. In other words, it is the “what you do” of your job. Achievements describe in specific terms “how well” you did in your job.
Q: Many of my achievements are team-based, how do I draft them in my Application?
A: You should include your team-based achievements in your Application. Indicate that you were part of a team, and describe your specific role in reaching the goal.
FAQs on general Application guidelines
Q: Can I save my Application?
A: Yes. You should save your Application when you make changes and/or update it. It is recommended that you save different versions of your Application in Word format and then edit the Application online according to the post for which you are applying.
Q: Can I update my Application to apply for a new JO?
A: Yes. Each time you apply for a new JO, we recommend that you review your Application and update it, if appropriate, or target it to better reflect your suitability for the new JO. Your updates will not affect the content of Applications previously submitted against other JOs.
Q: Must I use up all the available characters in each section of my Application?
A: No. In fact, doing so may result in an unnecessary lengthy Application. Unless you have an enormous range of experiences, there is no reason to use up all the space given. Applicants are encouraged to list their duties and achievements in a clear and brief manner.
| A．I’ve developed various interests, ranging from oil painting to designing model. |
| B．I’m good at creating proposals for new product ideas aimed at a specific market. |
| C．I’m in charge of the clearance, production and distribution of information material. |
| D．I succeeded in directing a video presentation, assisting our group to win the first prize. |
| A．target your focus on your interest in the JO |
| B．save your latest application in Word format |
| C．prepare one application with all your competencies |
| D．update your application to match new requirements |
| A．introduce what JOs they have previously applied to |
| B．list the greatest achievements they have made in detail |
| C．give key information about their experiences and achievements |
| D．provide the results of their tests, assessments and examinations |
3 . Do you need a career launch plan? It isn’t absolutely essential but it can be extremely helpful! A well-created plan is not just about landing a job; it is about entering the professional field with a competitive edge. Beyond that, it’s a strategy.
Develop relevant skills. Once you’ve identified the qualifications and skills demanded in your ideal profession, it’s time to acquire them! Sign up for courses, pursue certifications, or gain hands-on experience to enhance your skill set.
Start your job hunt. Your approach to job applications should be more like a precision strike than a messy explosion of arrows in all directions.
Stay flexible and agile (机敏的). The job market is changing, and being adaptable is an invaluable ability.
| A．Set your goals. |
| B．Research your options. |
| C．So, what should you do to deal with it? |
| D．To achieve this, develop a systematic approach to your job search. |
| E．By doing these, you’re essentially improving your techniques! |
| F．The job market can be a jungle, especially when you’re just starting. |
| G．The goal is to create a foundation that’ll guide your career decisions. |
4 . Both my parents worked for 30-plus years for their employers — they had lifelong careers at a single company. Growing up, they taught me the importance of “loyalty” and “commitment”.
But in a rapidly changing world, the concept of a job for life has become as rare as a dial-up internet connection. This shift from stable, long-term employment and single-employer careers to a world where frequent job changes are the norm comes directly from globalisation, rapid technological advancements and the changing ideas about work.
Globalisation has turned the world economy into a giant, interconnected web. This has made job markets fiercely competitive and talent and opportunities in the labour market more diverse and digitally accessible.
Jobs can be widely publicised and explored online and are no longer tied to your city of birth. Add to this the rapid technological progress. We now live in a world where the skills you learned yesterday might not be enough for today’s job market.
The job market is transforming, with new careers emerging as automation and artificial intelligence (AI) advances. Risks and price policies can be efficiently assessed using AI, making insurance underwriters redundant while advanced software in banking and finance mean data analysis can be automated.
Online booking has reduced demand for travel agents and desktop publishers are being replaced by user-friendly software, which allows people to create their own materials. These changes highlight the need for professionals to update their skills and adapt to a technologically evolving job market.
As a result, career paths have become fluid and multi-directional. It’s no longer just about climbing the corporate ladder and getting a regular paycheck; it’s about exploring different paths, switching jobs and industries and sometimes even venturing into freelancing and the gig economy.
Loyalty is defined as an employee’s commitment to their organisation and its goals. It means a willingness to put in extra effort and to uphold the company’s values and objectives. Loyal workers often identify strongly with their workplace, are reliable and view the organisation positively, even during tough times.
When long-term employees change workplaces, it does not mean they are disloyal. It signifies a change in priorities and a redefined loyalty bond. Employees are loyal to their employer and its interests while working there. But they also seek mutual growth and expect to be recognised and rewarded.
Career paths are now a kaleidoscope (万花筒) of experiences and opportunities. Instead of a career identity being about a company brand, it is about skills, experiences and the meaningfulness of the work. This transformation means career decision-making is more intricate, considering personal aspirations, market trends and family considerations.
1. What factors have contributed to the shift in job market dynamics?| A．Increased reliance on desktop publishing software. |
| B．Changing ideas about loyalty and commitment. |
| C．The decreasing demand for travel agents due to online booking systems. |
| D．Globalization, rapid technological advancements, and evolving work concepts. |
| A．Skills related to desktop publishing. |
| B．Skills that were relevant yesterday. |
| C．Skills in data analysis and adaptability. |
| D．Skills in insurance underwriting. |
| A．By remaining with a single employer for their entire career. |
| B．By prioritizing personal growth and recognition. |
| C．By relying on traditional definitions of loyalty. |
| D．By avoiding job changes to maintain loyalty. |
| A．Forget About a Job for Life |
| B．Learn More as Much as You Can |
| C．Benefit from Long-term Employment |
| D．The Impact of Globalization |
5 . If you’re considering changing careers, here are some steps to guide you through a change in your career path.
Take a personal inventory (清单). Consider your reactions to your current job and how they impact your job satisfaction.
Decide if you want to change industries.
Make an action plan. Creating your action plan means defining a clear goal and milestones (里程碑) to complete it. By this point, you’ve done all the research and should be able to narrow your career change to a specific occupation.
| A．Research potential job matches |
| B．Ask others in your professional network |
| C．It’s time to consider what it will take to get there |
| D．Write down notable events and how they make you feel |
| E．This will help you decide if the industry or field is a good fit |
| F．You should also define in what way you want to change career paths |
| G．For example, if you’re into IT industry, talk to those who are experts in this area |
6 . A new research from the University of Michigan stated, “People tend to have one of three beliefs about the meaning of work and which category you fall into largely depends on your parents.” Workers who are job-oriented (有工作倾向的) are those just trying to make a living who much prefer the activities they pursue outside of the office. Career-oriented adults value the social status and fame that comes with professional achievement. Calling-oriented people do work that they are passionate about because they want to have a positive impact on the world.
In the first study into how these orientations originate, researchers found that how teenagers perceive their parents’ work habit is central to the development of their own work attitudes. It’s not a straightforward transfer of values. People who perceive their father to have a strong career-orientation are more likely to be career-oriented themselves-but career-determined mothers have no effect on their kids’ work orientation. The researchers owed this to generational gender norms. When the study’s participants were teenagers, mostly in the1980s, men were more commonly employed outside of the home and were more likely than women to hold “career” jobs with opportunity for advancement. Mothers do have a notable effect on whether children have a job-orientation mentality. Teenagers who are close to their mothers are less likely to view work as just a job when they grow up, probably because they’ve been raised to value social, rather than instrumental life experiences.
Having both parents display the same work ethic (行为准则) has a strong influence, but only in the case of calling-oriented offspring (子女). As the society nowadays favors money and professional achievement, a child with two calling-oriented parents is more likely to have the confidence to ignore these societal pressures and pursue her dreams. Children can affect their parents’ work ethic, too. Allowing people to bring their children into the office has been shown to boost efficiency and productivity and could help raise that next generation of career-oriented workers.
1. What motivates calling-oriented people to do work they like?| A．To achieve social status and fame. | B．To pursue activities outside the office. |
| C．To believe they can earn them much money. | D．To make a positive contribution to the world. |
| A．Peer pressure. | B．Personal preferences. |
| C．Educational background. | D．Awareness of parents’ work habits. |
| A．Because mothers value social life experiences. |
| B．Because mothers focus on instrumental life experiences. |
| C．Because mothers tend to have a stronger career orientation. |
| D．Because mothers emphasize the importance of work as just a job. |
| A．The influence of societal pressures on work beliefs. |
| B．The preferences of workers in different occupations. |
| C．The impact of parental work habits on teenagers’ attitudes. |
| D．The relationship between money and professional achievement. |
7 . Advice on Choosing Your Career
You probably are very much concerned about which direction you take in your career, but before working through the process of generating and refining specific career choices, helicopter up to 10,000 feet from where you can view your overall career map, answer the big questions and set your overall direction.
Having laid out your overall map, set boundaries and defined your personal targets, you can then turn to practical issues.
Over time you can start to narrow down your choices and then choose one.
In 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set off with a compass and direction, and a general destination of mapping the new Louisiana territories in America. But they had no exact map.
| A．Where, roughly, are you going? |
| B．Their successful expedition took two years. |
| C．In any event, you have a few years to explore. |
| D．Identify what you are good at, based on your skills and experiences. |
| E．That way, you’ll be more focused and thus more likely to achieve your goal. |
| F．You are looking for a match to what might suit you now, but that changes over time. |
| G．Your career project might take some time, as now you are probably short of information. |
8 . You can assess your opportunities and see the big picture by reflecting on the following questions:
What are your hard and soft skills? Hard skills are teachable abilities and skill sets that are fairly easy to quantify. In contrast, soft skills are interpersonal skills or people skills.
What kind of work-life balance are you aiming for? Some people are happy to work 9, 10, or even 12 hours a day for the sake of advancing their careers. Others need more time to spend with their families and friends, on their studies, or on other ventures.
What industries interest you? Once you have a list of industries that arouse your interest, start seeking out opportunities within those sectors. Ensure that they agree with your preferred work-life balance and skill set as well.
| A．What is your current educational level? |
| B．What kind of education is suitable for you? |
| C．So don’t get too hung up on a specific title or industry. |
| D．In turn, this makes you more competitive in the overall job market. |
| E．Then, take opportunities that can provide the balance you are looking for. |
| F．Consider the type of work-life balance that suits your needs and preferences. |
| G．Identifying your hard and soft skills will help you measure available opportunities. |
9 . Quick facts about OPT
Year after year, international students from around the world come to the US in pursuit of one of the best educational offers in the world.
What is OPT?
It is also important to note that students studying in the STEM fields get a 24-month extension in addition to the normal 12 months for a total of 36 months.
However, OPT only gives international students 12 months of employment. In the long run, foreigners would seek an H1-B visa in order to work in the US for the long term.
Why not go straight for an H1-B after graduation?
As stated previously, a company is required to sponsor you in order for you to be eligible (合格的) for an H1-B visa. This means that if you break the law, then the company sponsoring you will share responsibility in one way or another. Some companies might view sponsoring an international student as a legal responsibility.
| A．They wish to give others a hand. |
| B．How can you apply for a suitable college? |
| C．Thus they may not want to go that extra mile. |
| D．OPT simply stands for Optional Practical Training. |
| E．What if you want to work in the US for longer than that? |
| F．Many students plan to make use of their degrees back home. |
| G．Similar to applying for universities, there are requirements to apply for an H1-B visa. |
10 . Choosing a career first means learning as much as you can about yourself, your goals and the larger con text of work. Use the list below to help you begin that process.
What you enjoy doing and what you value can be helpful indicators about how you’d like to spend your working time. We’re not talking about finding and following your passion.
Reflect on your motivations
Ask yourself what are your motivations for working. Perhaps you want a career that will pay a higher entry-level salary than comparable occupations, or one that promises more flexibility so you can work from anywhere. But not all the careers will feature everything you like.
Think about your long-term goals
Research career options
You’ve likely gathered a lot of information by now.
| A．Examine yourself |
| B．Make a list of your long-term goals |
| C．Find out the reason why you are moved |
| D．Once you have a bigger picture of yourself |
| E．So it’s important to understand your priority |
| F．That approach could be misleading and confusing |
| G．Unless you think deeply about what is your real aim |
