Assessment Tips

The traditional career path used to be straightforward: choose a subject in school, pick a matching degree, get a job, switch employers a few times, and eventually retire.

But today, more and more people are rethinking that path. And why not? Why stick with a career that no longer fits—just because you made a choice years ago, often at a very young age?

A career test can help you take a step back and reflect. It gives you fresh insight into your strengths, interests, and what kind of work truly suits you. Whether you're feeling stuck, considering a career change, or simply curious about what else is out there, a good career test offers clarity and direction—so you can make a move that actually feels right.

Something different in your career

Imagine someone who spent years working in banking. On paper, everything looked great—good salary, steady career, clear path ahead. But deep down, something didn’t feel right.

There had always been another dream. Something completely different from meetings and financial reports. Eventually, the feeling of "this isn’t it" became too strong to ignore. So, they decided to make a change. Not all at once, but step by step—taking courses, learning something new, and exploring what truly gave them energy.

This is exactly what career choice for adults is about: taking a moment to reflect, reassess your direction, and consciously choose a path that fits who you are now, not who you were years ago.

Now, they’re in a completely different field. Doing something that feels right. Not because it was part of the original plan, but because it fits who they are now. And it all started with one small question: What if I tried something else?

Sometimes it is clear, sometimes not

Some people know from a young age exactly what they want to do. But what if that’s not you?

Maybe you’ve been working in the same field for years—let’s say finance or something equally structured—and the idea of doing this until retirement fills you with dread. You’re good at your job, sure, but something's missing. And when you try to imagine what would make you happy, you come up blank. That’s exactly where an assessment tool for outplacement can help, offering direction and new perspectives when it’s time to rethink your career.

In moments like that, you might catch yourself wishing you could go back and choose a different path entirely—starting from high school.

If that sounds familiar, you're far from alone. Many people reach a point in their careers where they start questioning if this is really it. And that’s okay. The important thing is to start exploring what else is possible.

A career that actually fits

If you're not sure what kind of job would truly suit you, you're not alone. Luckily, a cognitive ability test and a Big Five personality test can help point you in the right direction. The cognitive test gives you insight into how you think, learn, and solve problems—things that matter in almost every job. The personality test helps you understand how you naturally work, communicate, and deal with challenges.

A career test provides real answers

You can't go back to high school for a proper conversation with the dean. But what you can do is take an online career test. Do not opt for a free test, but instead for a holistic one that not only looks at your skills and competencies, but also at your personality and motives.

TestGroup developed, together with scientists and professionals in the field, the online career test “The Bridge Career”. This professional career test at mbo/college/wo level uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help make career choices and answer important career questions.

The test is based on proven scientific test-theoretic techniques. It has been extensively tested and validated, so you can be confident that the results are correct.

Its popularity among experts underlines this: every day, more than 5,000 HR professionals use the test to survey together (in over 20 languages) 250,000 participants per year. That the test produces satisfied customers is evident from the figures it produces: 94% of customers recommend The Bridge Career.

The Bridge Career's online career test is the most comprehensive occupational choice and career test in the Netherlands, while being priced more competitively than many alternatives. It also provides clear career advice in 30 minutes, helping users quickly move forward with confident decisions.

No socially desirable answers

One of the weaknesses of many online tests is that the answers almost literally match what you filled out with the questions. In addition to this, many tests prove easy to steer in a specific direction. Socially-desirable answers can lead you to a new career path, but this is no more the right path for you than the one you were already following.

The Bridge Career Test uses advanced statistical techniques such as Normative-Ipsative Splits. This technique signals when you give (potentially) controlling answers. In addition, the algorithms read between the lines, giving the report more depth.

What can you do with the results?

The Bridge Career Test report follows two scientific career models, the RIASEC codes (Holland) and Schein's 8 career anchors. The first model tells you something about the type of work that suits you, while the second indicates how you want to deal with your work and what drives you.

The profile that emerges from the test is compared to more than 200 professions and studies at different educational levels. This allows you to immediately see which professions suit you (and which do not).

How do you take the online career test?

Order your career test from the order page and the test will be ready for you within 30 minutes. After that, it is up to you to decide where and when to take the career test. We recommend that you take it in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. The test takes about 35 minutes.

Thanks to smart algorithms, the report of your career test is available within a few minutes after you send the answers. That means that (in theory) you will have your results in your hands within an hour and a half after your order.