All of the test providers that I've reviewed on this site offer free career tests or free career test previews -- or both. On this page I'll summarize some of the free tests and previews so you can decide the best place to begin your own career assessment.

Before we move on, I want to make a few comments about the world's number-one marketing come-on, the word "free." First, remember what your grandmother told you: "Nothing — NOTHING — is free."

Second, when it comes to value, you get what you pay for. This is true whether you're buying a new car or a career test analysis. Any valid, reliable test designers will take years to develop the test instrument and the norms required to give the test relative meaning. It takes money to develop these important test components and only by charging a fee can the test providers maintain robust test measures.

Third, consider this advice about career tests from the world-renowned career author, Richard Bolles on page eight of his book, "Job-Hunting on the Internet": "On the Net information for free is inherently less valuable or useful than information paid for."

Now that you're prepared, let's summarize the best of our free and preview tests!

Certification tests. Over 30 completely free certification tests designed to certify your skills to help you win a promotion and/or earn a raise. Offered by the only ISO 9001 certified online skills testing and certification service in the world: BrainBench. Click here to Pump up your resume. Take a FREE online Brainbench Certification Exam.

Intelligence Tests. In this era of "multiple intelligence" you can determine if your dominate IQ tends to be creative, social or rational. Tickle.com offers a range of career intelligence tests — all of them for free. Click on the "Career" section of Tickle's site — unless you also want to try out their astrology and matching-making tests. What is your IQ? Free IQ Test and Report

Motivational Tests. Designed to assess your motivation to succeed across a range of career possibilities. This entire test, offered by MAPP, is free. MAPP has nine categories of worker trait outcomes and job ratings including job aptitude and temperament, mathematical applications, language usage, and relationships to data, people, things and reasoning. Take the FREE MAPP Assessment

Practice and admission tests. Geared for people who want to qualify for standard admission tests (like the SAT or GED), these tests are provided by Peterson's. They offer free practice SAT, and the CLEP (College Level Examination Program) test. Practice Makes Perfect! Visit Peterson's for all of your test prep needs. Courses, Practice Tests, and More!

Aptitude tests: A bank of seven different tests with a free preview.
Personality tests: Free preview of the test that determines where you fall within 16 personality types.
Occupational Interest tests: Another free preview of a test based on 1500 different career themes.
All three tests above - and two more -- are available at Analyze My Career. Find your vocation in life at AnalyzeMyCareer.com