Discover Your Natural Strengths and How You Approach Projects
Think about the last time you were assigned a project.
Did you cruise through it without a single issue? Was it a struggle with numerous obstacles? Or was it something in between?
Your natural approach to work is like a fingerprint: totally unique, filled with twists and turns, and not subject to change. Your natural approach may not be perfect, but it’s how you prefer to get things done, also known as conative behavior.
Employers, career counseling centers, and universities use career aptitude tests to gain a better understanding of what makes a person tick and the workplace scenarios they are most likely to thrive. Job aptitude tests usually focus on how you think, feel, and your personal preferences, but not so much how you take action.
However, one unique assessment – the Kolbe A™ Index – focuses on your instinctive problem-solving approach rather than learned skills or personality traits. This makes it an excellent tool for gaining self-awareness and finding roles that match your distinct career fingerprint.
What Is the Kolbe A™ Index?
The Kolbe A™ Index uses a series of questions that evaluate your natural instincts and approach to tasks. Developed by Kathy Kolbe, this assessment uses four distinct Action Modes® to categorize people:
- Fact Finder: How you gather and share information.
- Follow Thru: How you organize and design.
- Quick Start: How you deal with risk and uncertainty.
- Implementor: How you handle space and tangibles.
After taking the Kolbe A™ Index, you will receive a one-out-of-ten score for each Action Mode®, painting a picture of your instinctive way of working. The insights into how you naturally approach projects, make decisions, and collaborate with others is valuable information most career assessment aptitude tests don’t provide. With this information, you can:
- Capitalize on your unique strengths.
- Identify what counteracts your process.
- Adjust processes to suit your approach to work.
- Gain a better understanding of team dynamics.
For example, a person that leads in Quick Start may excel in brainstorming sessions and fast-paced environments, but struggle with detailed planning or lengthy, complex processes. Pairing them with a Follow Thru lead who naturally excels at structuring processes creates a highly effective team dynamic.
Why People Use the Kolbe A™ Index As a Career Aptitude Test
One of the most valuable aspects of the Kolbe A™ Index is its ability to identify careers that align with your natural approach to work. Because the assessment gauges how you take action rather than your skills, preferences, or knowledge, it can help you identify workplace environments and roles that align with your natural process.
Here are some examples of how the Kolbe A™ Index can be used as a career assessment aptitude test:
- Fact Finders are natural-born researchers and collectors of information. They are best suited for careers in data analysis, journalism, law, and research.
- A Follow Thru lead has a knack for creating processes and workflow systems. They are a natural fit for careers in project management, operations, financial planning, and administrative roles, where organization and structure are key.
- Quick Starts are dynamic individuals with a talent for creation and innovation. Their adaptability and willingness to take risks makes them a good fit for entrepreneurship, marketing, sales, and creative roles in arts and entertainment.
- Implementors prefer to engage with the physical space and tangible objects around them. Their knack for hands-on problem-solving makes them a natural fit for careers in engineering, construction, product design, and clinical healthcare.
The Benefits Of Using the Kolbe A™ Index As a Job Aptitude Test
Most people don’t self-analyze their natural instincts. Similar to breathing and blinking, certain aspects of you are automatic, including how you respond to work and problem-solving.
But when you take the time to understand your unique approach, you can become more self aware and improve your experience in the workplace. You can:
- Choose a career that best aligns with your natural instincts, reducing the likelihood of burnout.
- Improve productivity by adjusting processes to suit your strengths and tendencies.
- Enhance teamwork by recognizing how your natural approach aligns or misaligns with others.
Discover a New Approach to Career Aptitude Tests
The Kolbe A™ Index goes beyond other aptitude tests that focus purely on the cognitive and affective parts of your brain. By exploring your conative side – your natural instincts and how you take action – the Kolbe A™ Index provides insights you can apply during your career search.
If you decide to take the Kolbe A™ Index or plan to use it to assess someone else, it’s highly recommended to work with Kolbe-certified consultants who can explain the results. The consultation process ensures nothing is lost in translation and enables you to ask your Kolbe consultant about the real-world applications of your leading Action Modes®.
