Lightbulb drawn on a sticky note

Formal assessments

To order a formal assessment, visit Elevate and select "Order — Formal Assessment" from the Connect with Career Services menu.

Book an assessment on Elevate

Get to know yourself with an assessment

What is a formal assessment?

Formal assessments can help you make important academic and career decisions and can help you better understand yourself.

Career Services offers two of the most commonly used inventories today, the Strong Interest Inventory® and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI).  We also offer the Career Values Scale®, Work Personality Index®, CliftonStrengths® and SkillScan® assessments.

What are the differences between these assessment tools? Read on to find out! If you have any questions about an assessment, email csstdnt@ucalgary.ca.

CliftonStrengths®

CliftonStrengths® is based on positive psychology and focuses solely on your unique strengths, and in particular your “Top 5” themes of talent. It helps to identify the sources of your strengths, to understand behaviours and to consider how your strengths contribute to your personal brand. It also gives the opportunity to build on your greatest talents, and develop an individualized plan to discover and develop strengths for your academics, career and beyond.

How to register: Visit Elevate and book a Strengths appointment with a Career Development Specialist. Then email csstdnt@ucalgary.ca with your appointment details to receive assessment code and instructions.

Cost: Free for UCalgary students

The Strong Interest Inventory®

The Strong Interest Inventory® is used to measure and describe interests in a broad range of occupations, work and leisure activities and educational subjects. It helps you gain a greater understanding of your preferences, and helps in identifying potential career paths and education or training in-line with your interests. It also identifies academic or work environments that may be a good fit. 

What will my results look like? Check out a sample report.

How to register: To register, visit Elevate to select the assessment(s) and pay via credit card. If you are unable to pay by credit card, email csstdnt@ucalgary.ca to make alternate arrangements. The fee is to cover the costs of the formal report and any accompanying material.

Cost: $40 CAD +GST

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) Step II

Description: The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) is used to measure and describe your individual preferences for how you like to get information, make decisions and orient your life. The MBTI Step II report provides insight into facets of your unique personality, allowing you to understand how you approach communication, conflict, decision making and change, ultimately allowing you to communicate and collaborate with others more effectively.

What will my results look like? Check out a sample report.

How to register: To register, visit Elevate to select the assessment(s) and pay via credit card. If you are unable to pay by credit card, email csstdnt@ucalgary.ca to make alternate arrangements. The fee is to cover the costs of the formal report and any accompanying material.

Cost: $80 CAD +GST

Career Values Scale

Research has shown that people who are most satisfied with their work or jobs are in careers where most of their values are met. The Career Values Scale will provide you with information about what is important to you; this information can help you in career planning and career exploration. Also, it will describe how your values are critical in the understanding of satisfaction and dissatisfaction that you may experience in a particular job.

What will my results look like? Check out a sample report.

How to register: To register, visit Elevate to select the assessment(s) and pay via credit card. If you are unable to pay by credit card, email csstdnt@ucalgary.ca to make alternate arrangements. The fee is to cover the costs of the formal report and any accompanying material.

Cost: $25 CAD +GST

Work Personality Index®

The Work Personality Index assessment provides you with a clear framework for understanding the impact of your personality in the workplace. Unlike other personality assessments the Work Personality Index assessment only measures personality traits that are directly related to the work environment and job performance. Also, this assessment will describe your individual style in terms of job related strengths and weaknesses.

What will my results look like? Check out a sample report.

How to register: To register, visit Elevate to select the assessment(s) and pay via credit card. If you are unable to pay by credit card, email csstdnt@ucalgary.ca to make alternate arrangements. The fee is to cover the costs of the formal report and any accompanying material.

Cost: $30 CAD +GST

SkillScan

Not sure what your top skills are? SkillScan will help you identify your transferable skills - the essential building blocks for every stage of career development; from planning a first career to making a transition to self-marketing in the job search. Your report will contain:

  • Personal Skill Chart – a detailed view of strengths and preferences in 6 broad areas of strength
  • Skill Set Portfolio – a portrait of specific strengths within 4 broad areas of strength
  • Career Guides – suggested career and educational options that optimize the person’s unique skill sets
  • Skill Development – a profile of high potential skills, skills the individual is motivated to develop (with suggested development ideas)
  • Strategic Skill Portfolio – an at-a-glance view of the most marketable skills to enhance focus and exploration
  • Next Steps – personalized career development strategies for different career stages: Launchers, Transitioners, Advancers and Retirees

What will my results look like? Check out a sample report.

How to register: Visit SkillScan to create an account and purchase the assessment. See our How to Register for the SkillScan Drive Assessment document for steps on registering.

Cost: $12.95 USD (use coupon code UCalgary)