Ever wonder what the heck an aptitude test can do for you? It's a mystery to a lot of people. Simply stated, aptitude tests assess a range of mental abilities that you use almost every day. Usually they're more practical than IQ tests and they can include spelling and math problem solving, for example.

It's rare that someone has across-the-board strengths in all career areas. Fortunately, aptitude tests allow you to assess your relative strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge can point out a career path that plays to your strengths and avoids your weaknesses.

My favorite comes from a site called Analyze My Career. Read on to find out way I consider it worth your attention -- or, click here to try their Online Assessments now.

Like all the tests I recommend on this site, the aptitude tests can be taken on-line and scored immediately. Therefore it's important that the tests you select provide some built-in features:

First, it should provide a feedback document that "interprets" your score and provides a range of career paths related to your overall aptitude strengths and weakness. The more of these the better, since the biggest problem with most tests is that they can type-cast you into a very limited role.

Second, it must be credible. Make sure the test designer is qualified. Aptitude and IQ test design is as close to rocket science as psychology gets. The designer requires at least a PhD degree. Accept no substitutes!

Third, make sure the test has a track record (yes, you've read that elsewhere on this site!) There are too many "free" tests on the internet without any depth and credible "norms." It takes years to develop good norms - the context used to compare your scores with those of other people.

There are some good aptitude tests on line, but the one I recommend is from Analyze My Career. They successfully answer the three issues listed above:

They provide 1,000s of career 'leads' related to their tests. The tests are developed by Dr. C. Lankford and based on over 20 years' experience as a Careers Guidance Counselor.

Analyze My Career offers seven different aptitude tests, which uniquely identify your aptitude ability: numerical reasoning, mechanical reasoning, abstract reasoning, spatial relations, verbal reasoning, language usage and spelling. On completion of each aptitude assessment, you will be given a detailed career guidance report and a description of careers. Each test offers a free preview so you can assess if it's really what you want.

In addition to a solid seven-bank aptitude test, Analyze My Career delivers a personality test, occupational interest inventory and their unique "entrepreneurship index." You'll find them all described elsewhere on this site!

Frankly, I think this company has done a great job - not only with aptitude testing, but also with the above-mentioned "companion tests." They've also had the good sense to create an "expert function" that interprets all four tests as a unit - and points out a variety of careers based on the combined tests.

Click here to try out the Online Assessments from AnalyzeMyCareer.