If you've served in the armed forces for a while, it might be a challenge to determine what kind of career best suits you when you leave the military. Or maybe you're interested in shifting gears and taking on a civilian career that's different than the types of jobs you had in the military. In helping to narrow down your job search, a career assessment can be a valuable tool.

An assessment focuses on specific areas that apply to your career, including skills, interests or values. When you take an assessment, you will answer questions about what you like, don't like, what's important to you and what your strengths are. Experts recommend that you take more than one assessment to broaden your ideas before you make a decision.