Beyond “Test and Tell:” A Fresh Approach to Assessment in Career Development Practice

Presenters

• Dr. Roberta Borgen (Neault), CCC, CCDP, President of Life Strategies Ltd.
• Cassie Taylor, BAA, Managing Director, Life Strategies Ltd.

Date and time

• April 3, 10 & 17, 2025 – 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm ET (Check your time zone)

Price

• PAID webinar series

Language

• This webinar series is presented in English

Accessibility

• This webinar series offers AI-generated live captions available in multiple languages

Assessment is an ongoing process, involving a variety of formal and informal tools and techniques. It guides career development professionals (CDPs) in supporting increasingly complex clients within a rapidly shifting employment landscape, amidst unrelenting pressure to meet service delivery targets and outcomes.  

Most CDPs have moved beyond a “test-and-tell” approach; however, some continue to rely on familiar assessment tools and techniques that they’ve used for years. Although such resources may be readily available, reasonably priced, easy to administer and fit nicely into current program delivery, they may not always be relevant to the client’s current context or goals. Without taking a step back to consider a client’s unique situation, assessment may simply become an item on a checklist just waiting to be marked complete, rather than a thoughtful, reflective and empowering client-centred process. Further, some CDPs may avoid using tools or tests altogether, due to limited experience and/or knowledge of the full spectrum of options available to them or seeing them as irrelevant, restrictive or perhaps even harmful.  

This webinar series will address these challenges by providing CDPs with the skills to integrate diverse information-gathering strategies. By embracing a more holistic approach towards assessment, CDPs are better positioned to support clients in a more nuanced understanding of themselves, ultimately leading to more effective career development support. 

Through this series, your assessment practices and assumptions will be challenged and enhanced. With a more nuanced understanding of “assessment” as a process, you will be equipped to expand your career, education and wellness assessment toolkit, considering both formal, published tools and informal approaches. We will discuss the importance of integrating assessment results from multiple sources, rather than relying on standardized, computer or AI-generated assessment reports. Finally, we will examine the connections between various types of assessments, labour market information, and the growing role of AI, while addressing the ethical considerations involved in their use. By the end of the webinar series, you will be better equipped to incorporate assessment results into meaningful career conversations, create tailored reports for individuals or third parties and develop action plans for next steps in career development. 

By attending the series, you will not only gain access to a comprehensive list of assessment tools and resources curated by the Life Strategies team but also engage in a practical and interactive learning experience. You will be invited to collaborate on a shared resource of recommended assessment tools, strategies and approaches, and will receive access to practical assessment-related resources (e.g., tip sheets, videos, case examples). Finally, you will receive practical tips and strategies to extend and integrate your learning into real-world practice. 

• Examine the historical evolution of assessment within career practice 
• Expand your understanding of “assessment” as a holistic, ongoing and dynamic process for diverse clients across cultures, capabilities and contexts 
• Familiarize yourself with diverse career, educational and personal wellness assessment tools across a variety of contexts  
• Critically reflect on your own assessment approach and comfort with technology and AI, integrating current trends and contextual factors 

• Align assessment selection with client goals  
• Navigate logistical constraints (e.g., time, budget, available resources and training levels) 
• Understand how theoretical background, scope and limitations impact assessment tools 
• Explore how to handle contradictions, missing information and/or biases 

• Develop strategies to identify themes/patterns, enhancing clients’ self-awareness 
• Integrate “test” results with other sources of information to empower clients to develop a comprehensive and actional career plan 
• Explore reporting considerations (e.g., written vs. verbal) in culturally responsive and trauma-informed ways 
• Address ethical considerations (e.g., confidentiality, cultural suitability, CDP qualifications) to maintain a safe and effective client partnership

Dr. Roberta Borgen (Neault), CCC, CCDP, is the President, Life Strategies Ltd. and an award-winning career development thought leader in Canada/internationally. She trains career development professionals and counsellors in the effective and ethical use of career assessments and has supported employment services, governments and corporations with effective use of career assessment.  

Cassie Taylor, BAA, Managing Director, Life Strategies Ltd. has 15+ years of experience in supporting a wide array of assessment–related projects for individuals, career/employment programs and corporations. She trains others in ethical use of assessments and selects, administers, scores and interprets a variety of tests/tools.   

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