Choosing the Right Career for Multi-Passionate Creatives: Talent vs. Interest Testing
Are you a multi-passionate creative person? If so, talent tests might not be the best way to decide what career choices to make. You may want to try "interest testing" instead. Why? Because as multi-passionate creatives, or creative generalists, talent tests might tell you a lot about what you're good at (which tends to be a lot) but not so much about what you want to do. Overlooking our desires can leave us feeling confused and mismatched with our jobs.
Interest testing might be much better suited to help us decide what career we should pursue, especially if we want to get up in the morning looking forward to work that is fulfilling and matches our interests or passions. This article will explore how following your interests can be one of the most critical ingredients in helping multi-passionate creatives find or create their dream careers.
Talent testing vs. Interest testing
What is talent testing?
Talent testing is a process of understanding what talent you have and how it can translate into valuable skills in the workforce. The talent could be anything, such as a musical ear, a keen eye for structure, or drawing well. Whatever talent(s) people possess, there's usually an industry for it - so no matter if someone has a natural talent for singing or if they're more mechanically inclined, talent testing will tell them what they're (potentially) good at.
If you'd like to discover your talents, there are several great resources out there. There's also the option to in-depth talent testing with personality, cognitive and aptitude assessments such as a Talent Strengths, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or the Enneagram.
A talent test will help you figure out what your natural talents are. Here's a great article with a list of 11 personality tests similar to Myers-Briggs. These can give you insights into where your strengths lie regarding creativity, analytical thinking, and more.
What is interest testing?
Interest tests are a type of assessment that will show you what activities and tasks interest you the most, so in turn, this information can be an indication to lead people into careers that suit them. This type of testing allows people to explore the crossroads where their talents, interests, and outlook on life in general meet and find out what they enjoy the most, which can often lead to a career that suits them - certainly if they're multi-passionate creatives - more.
How to test for interests?
Interest tests can be found on a variety of websites and are typically simple to take. All you have to do is answer questions that will show you what types of activities or tasks interest you the most. There are many different types of interest tests to explore, such as the Strong Interest Inventory Tool.
But online tests only take you so far. Interests may change across time and context, so quiz results will not tell the whole story, maybe even just a tiny part of it! It's essential to recognize that creative generalists tend to have a fluid and ever-changing relationship with their interests (even when they circle back around to them regularly).
Luckily, there are many things you can do on your own that will help you figure out what your interests are. I've used these activities many times to clarify what I wanted to do, and I know they're helpful for many clients.
So here are a few things that can help you to discover your interests:
Don't wait for clarity to strike. To figure out your interests, you must at least pick something or choose a direction. This way, you'll be able to test things out.
Grow your self-knowledge. Learning more about yourself will help you to figure out what you like and what your interests are.
Don't get stuck on your choices. Allow yourself to change your mind when you realize the thing you thought you liked.
Don't plan every minute of your future. Instead, iterate by testing things out and learning from them.
Remember this powerful truth: it's not because you're good at something that you should do it. Talents should not decide what you spend your life doing; you should do that.
Focusing on your interests instead of your talents can be a great way to figure out what career or business to pursue, or at least give you a hint at the ingredients that the work you'll do every day needs to have.
Why interests should come first
Talent tests might not always work for people with multiple interests (or different talents, for that matter) who don't know which one to focus on. This type of assessment will often tell them they need to hone in on a specific talent instead of further exploring the complexity of who they are.
That's why I believe interest testing might be a better alternative for creative generalists because it gives you the freedom to explore your interests and find out what you enjoy the most without the pressure of having to monetize your natural abilities or the skills you've learned.
It's risky to commit a talent without knowing what you want to do with your life. We're not robots; we change as we evolve and grow. Making decisions about your entire life based on the talents you have today might not be your best bet once you realize how much your interests and preferences change over time. You might think you're the same person you were six months, a year, or three years ago, but I guarantee you that you're not.
If you've always been good at drawing, doing administrative work, or laying colors down in a particular order, chances are you won't lose the ability over time. You might even enjoy doing some of those things today (except for the admin stuff), but does it mean you should make it your job? Of course not!
Knowing what your talents are is powerful
Talent tests can be a great help to understand more of what you're good at, but they should not decide your career. Once you know what interests you, knowledge about your talents can be invaluable to do a good job. It allows you to perfect the skills you already have, learn vital skills, or find critical people to delegate specific tasks. Still, diving deep into your interests and preferences should always come first.
Interests should inform your career choices the most. Talents can always come later, once you know what you like.
If you start with what you're good at (which is plenty anyway, since you a multi-passionate creative with an entrepreneurial spirit!), you could end up miles away from your dream career and life.
You're a creative generalist, and you know it.
But the problem is that you have too many interests and don't know how to make them work together. That's where I come in. I help creative generalists figure out what they want to do with their lives by giving them personalized guidance, feedback, and accountability.
My clients love learning new things but don't know where to start or how to find time for it all. They might be feeling stuck in their careers or need some direction on what they should be doing next. If this sounds like you, we need to talk!
