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Career Anchors Test: What Will You Not Give Up At Work?

Thirty-two statements reveal your main career anchor out of eight, from technical expertise to lifestyle, based on Edgar Schein's research.

  • 32 questions
  • About 6 min
  • Free, no sign-up
  • Based on Edgar Schein's career anchors

32 questions, about 6 min

Think about what you would refuse to give up in a job. If you have not worked yet, think about what you would want from your future career.

32 statements, 5 answer options. You get your main career anchor, a score for all eight and what each means for your choices.

What This Test Measures

A career anchor is the one thing you would not give up when you have to make a hard career choice. It might be freedom, security, expertise or a cause you believe in. This test measures how strongly each of eight anchors holds you.

AnchorYou would not give up…
Technical and functional expertiseBeing an expert in your field
General managementLeading and being responsible for results
Autonomy and independenceWorking your own way
Security and stabilityA predictable, secure career
Entrepreneurial creativityBuilding something of your own
Service and dedication to a causeWork that reflects your values
Pure challengeTough problems and competition
Lifestyle integrationBalance between work and the rest of life

How The Test Works And How It Is Scored

You rate 32 statements, four for each anchor, from “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree”. Many statements describe trade-offs, such as turning down a promotion or accepting lower pay, because an anchor shows itself most clearly when you have to choose.

Each answer scores 0 to 4. Each anchor is shown as a percentage, and your highest is your main career anchor.

Sample statement (Lifestyle): “I would move to a less senior role to get flexible hours.” Strong agreement adds 4 points to Lifestyle.

The statements were written by PrismaTest. They follow Schein’s published descriptions of the anchors but are not taken from his copyrighted Career Orientations Inventory.

The Model Behind It

Edgar Schein, a professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, developed the career anchors concept from a long-term study of 44 MIT graduates in the 1960s and 1970s. He found that as people gained work experience, each developed a clear self-image of their talents, motives and values, which then anchored their career decisions. He first described five anchors and later expanded them to the eight used here.

What The Research Says

Career anchors are widely used in career counselling and leadership development. Studies have broadly supported the eight-anchor structure, and research finds that people whose jobs match their anchor tend to be more satisfied and more committed. Schein originally argued that each person has only one true anchor, but later research suggests many people have two or three strong ones.

Anchors are clearest after a few years of work. If you are a student, treat your result as a forecast that may sharpen with experience.

All Possible Results

Technical And Functional Expertise

You want to master a field and be valued as an expert. Specialist career paths suit you better than general management.

General Management

You want to lead, integrate others’ work and own the results. You thrive on growing responsibility.

Autonomy And Independence

You need freedom over how and when you work. Freelancing, consulting and remote roles often suit you.

Security And Stability

You value predictable pay, benefits and long-term employment. Stable organisations suit you.

Entrepreneurial Creativity

You want to create something of your own and see it grow. Founding or launching new ventures excites you.

Service And Dedication To A Cause

You want your work to reflect your values. Mission-driven organisations suit you.

Pure Challenge

You want hard problems and tough competition. Routine work bores you quickly.

Lifestyle Integration

You want a career that fits around family, health and personal life. Flexibility matters most.

How To Use Your Result

  1. Check your current job against your top anchor. Does it give you what you would not give up?
  2. Look at your top two anchors together. Autonomy plus challenge suggests consulting; service plus security suggests public healthcare or education.
  3. Use your anchor in negotiations. If lifestyle is your anchor, flexible hours may be worth more to you than a raise.
  4. Notice conflicts. If your top anchors pull in opposite directions, such as entrepreneurship and security, you may need to sequence them over your career.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Schein’s eight career anchors?

Technical and functional expertise, general management, autonomy and independence, security and stability, entrepreneurial creativity, service and dedication to a cause, pure challenge, and lifestyle integration.

Can I have more than one career anchor?

Schein originally said one, but later studies show many people have two or three strong anchors. Your top two are the most useful to look at.

Do career anchors change?

They tend to stabilise after five to ten years of work experience. Major life events, such as having children, can shift priorities, especially toward lifestyle.

How is this different from the Holland code test?

The Holland code test measures what kind of work you enjoy. Career anchors measure what you need from a job, such as security or freedom, whatever the field.

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A career reflection tool, not a professional career assessment. See how we build our tests.