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Career
Schein Career Anchors Test
The Schein Career Anchors Test identifies your key motivations for career decisions and professional growth. It helps you understand what truly drives you at work and can guide career planning or transitions. The test measures 8 anchors: Technical Competence, Management, Autonomy, Security, Service, Challenge, Lifestyle Integration, and Entrepreneurship.
questions
40
Time
12 min
Method
COI
Rating
4.6
What you'll learn
Your dominant career anchor out of 8 possible anchors
A complete profile of all career orientations based on Schein's method
Which professional values drive your career decisions
Recommendations for choosing the right work environment and role
A comparative analysis of your career motivations
Key facts
40
Questions
10–15 min
Time
COI
Method
4.6/5
Rating
History & development
1978
Beginning of the longitudinal study of MIT Sloan graduates
1985
Publication of the first Career Orientations Inventory
1990
Release of 'Career Anchors: Discovering Your Real Values'
2013
Updated edition co-authored with John Van Maanen
About the methodology
The career anchor concept was developed by Edgar Schein during the 1970s–1980s through an extensive longitudinal study of 44 graduates from the MIT Sloan School of Management master's program.
Schein discovered that professionals' career decisions are guided by stable internal orientations he called 'career anchors.' These anchors form based on self-perceived talents, motives, and values.
The Career Orientations Inventory (COI) has undergone numerous validity and reliability studies across different countries and cultures, and is widely used in career counseling, coaching, and organizational development programs worldwide.
Scientific references
Edgar H. Schein (1990)
Edgar H. Schein (1996)
Edgar H. Schein, John Van Maanen (2013)
Frequently asked questions
What are career anchors?
Career anchors are stable professional orientations that guide your career choices and development. The concept was developed by Edgar Schein and includes 8 anchors: technical competence, management, autonomy, security, entrepreneurship, service, challenge, and lifestyle integration.
How long does it take?
The test includes 40 statements and takes 10–15 minutes. It is important to answer intuitively without overthinking each question.
How accurate are the results?
The Career Orientations Inventory has undergone numerous reliability and validity studies. Test-retest reliability ranges from 0.75 to 0.85, which is considered high for personality questionnaires.
Can my anchor change over time?
Career anchors typically form during the first 5–10 years of professional activity and remain relatively stable. However, life circumstances, significant experiences, or value reassessment can shift the dominant anchor.
How can I use the results?
Results help you understand your deep career motivations. Use them for career planning, choosing between job offers, discussions with career counselors, or deciding on a career change.
Instructions
Rate each statement on a scale from 1 (not at all important) to 6 (extremely important). Answer honestly based on your real experience and feelings.
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