pre-employment personality tests (Full Version)

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defiantbadgirl -> pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 3:19:58 PM)

I understand why companies feel the need to have them, but I don't understand the trick questions or having a computer score them. Here's an example: "Do you know someone who steals?" Most people do (although they make it a point not to be friends with that person) so they would answer yes. The correct answer is no because the underlying question is: Are you friends with thieves? If a person conducted the tests, at least applicants could explain why they answered certain questions the way they did (ex. yes I know someone that steals but I stay away from them). If you admit to crying during sad movies, you could be seen as a compassionate perfect fit or too over emotional. From what I've read, they always want answers on one extreme or the other (strongly agree or strongly disagree). Who else hates these things - especially the computer scored ones?



CalifChick -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 4:39:56 PM)

There is no "correct" answer and you are incorrect in your assessment of them.



SylvereApLeanan -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 5:07:45 PM)

Technically, there are right answers although the company might not admit it. I applied for a job at Walmart in high school. When they called me for an interview, I had to explain some of my answers because the computer had flagged them. (I was told this in the interview.) Whether or not the rest of the OP's assessment is accurate, I have no idea.



MasterJohnSteed -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 5:22:26 PM)

I had the same experience with Wal mart. and a security guard company. Both of them told me that the test indicated that I was going to steal. BULLSHIT, there is no test that is going to predict that you are going to do anything of the sort.

I was raised by a minister and his wife. I was a summer missionary, I attended church unless I was sick for over 30 years with out missing a Sunday. I was raised with a very strict moral and ethical upbringing

there is no test that can say that I am going to rob you blind.



tj444 -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 5:48:23 PM)

When i was in my mid-20s, a US company was expanding into Canada and in addition to an interview, they had a test, it took many forms, multiple choice, written answers, they supposedly sent the tests to a shrink that analyzed your answers.. but I suspect they also had handwritting analysis done also.. I was one of the few that was called back but I would not tell them what they wanted to hear cuz I couldnt.. they basically wanted me to guarantee that I would stay working there and not quit 6 months into it.. But how can you guarantee that when you dont know what life might throw at you??? I doubt I would have enjoyed working there, when i read on the test that the interview would be recorded, that totally pissed me off.. I just went thru the rest of it out of curiousity at the process and results, it turned into a game to me.. The interviewer had the hots for me (he asked me out for a drink after the first interview, which i politely turned down) so I dont really know how much he influenced the results to get the second interview.. Him wanting to date me & working there wouldnt have turned out well anyway.. those things never do..

Apart from applying to work at the Post Office, that was the only other time I took a pre-employment test.. The tests given by the Post Office were more to decide what time of job you would do best at..



kalikshama -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 5:53:01 PM)

quote:

There is no "correct" answer and you are incorrect in your assessment of them.


I think she nailed this interpretation and am curious as to why you disagree:

quote:

Here's an example: "Do you know someone who steals?" Most people do (although they make it a point not to be friends with that person) so they would answer yes. The correct answer is no because the underlying question is: Are you friends with thieves?



JstAnotherSub -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 6:05:24 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: MasterJohnSteed

I had the same experience with Wal mart. and a security guard company. Both of them told me that the test indicated that I was going to steal. BULLSHIT, there is no test that is going to predict that you are going to do anything of the sort.

I was raised by a minister and his wife. I was a summer missionary, I attended church unless I was sick for over 30 years with out missing a Sunday. I was raised with a very strict moral and ethical upbringing

there is no test that can say that I am going to rob you blind.

I gotta say, as someone who is involved in the hiring process quite a bit, I find it hard to believe that any company would say such a thing to you.

Even if I know someone to be a thief, they get a polite letter of rejection, with a thanks for your interest.

As for the moral upbringing, every preachers son and daughter I ever knew were the wildest kids on the block.

The tests in general amuse me. I only had to take one, years ago, when I was desperate for a job and went to apply ay KMart. They hired me, and honestly, the answers I gave on that test were so totally honest that I figured they would burn it in some ceremony and never even allow me back in to the store-lol.



JstAnotherSub -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 6:07:03 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: kalikshama

quote:

There is no "correct" answer and you are incorrect in your assessment of them.


I think she nailed this interpretation and am curious as to why you disagree:

quote:

Here's an example: "Do you know someone who steals?" Most people do (although they make it a point not to be friends with that person) so they would answer yes. The correct answer is no because the underlying question is: Are you friends with thieves?


I would think that anyone who told me they don't know anyone who steals is a liar.



mummyman321 -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 6:39:26 PM)

A lot of the personality tests will ask the same question or type of question multiple times to see if you answer consistantly. In the case of the question "Do you know someone who steals?" you should answer the question as no, whether you do or not. What they really want to know is if you think stealing is okay.

Here is a link to an article that explains some of the questions and what the employers are looking for. This article can do a much better job of explaining it versus me:
http://www.oocities.org/monkeyboysmith69/targethiring.htm



defiantbadgirl -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 6:40:39 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: JstAnotherSub

I would think that anyone who told me they don't know anyone who steals is a liar.


I know someone who has stolen something.
()True
()False

Of course everyone knows someone who has stolen something, be it a friend, a co-worker, or a shady uncle. So, the average test-taker would think, "Of course I do, everyone does, but what does that have to do with me getting a job here and today? Besides, they must think that if I put 'false' I'll be lying." and answer "True." But since these tests are designed by people who are completely out of touch with reality, they assume that a quality candidate will truly not know ANYONE who has stolen anything, or if the candidate does, he or she pretends to not know about it. The real question they're asking here is:

I hang out with thieves.
()True
()False

copied from:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4446746_pass-preemployment-personality-test.html




LookieNoNookie -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 6:58:25 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: defiantbadgirl

I understand why companies feel the need to have them, but I don't understand the trick questions or having a computer score them. Here's an example: "Do you know someone who steals?" Most people do (although they make it a point not to be friends with that person) so they would answer yes. The correct answer is no because the underlying question is: Are you friends with thieves? If a person conducted the tests, at least applicants could explain why they answered certain questions the way they did (ex. yes I know someone that steals but I stay away from them). If you admit to crying during sad movies, you could be seen as a compassionate perfect fit or too over emotional. From what I've read, they always want answers on one extreme or the other (strongly agree or strongly disagree). Who else hates these things - especially the computer scored ones?


I would have answered that question thusly:

"I like to farm large crops on small acreage. Occasionally I hit a big rock, wherein which I stop and take notice of things and have a beer".



LizDeluxe -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 7:31:07 PM)

I took a pre-employment test once with Delta Airlines. The written test was just a basic aptitude test which was then followed by an interview with a psychologist. His job was to ask you about yourself, find something in your answers to pick at you about and commence to doing so to see if he could get you upset or angry. About 90 seconds into the interview I picked up on the strategy. About 115 seconds into the interview he figured out that I knew what he was up to. He jotted a quick note in my folder, closed it and then we had a nice casual chat for the remainder of the interview.




slaveluci -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 7:40:19 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: JstAnotherSub
I would think that anyone who told me they don't know anyone who steals is a liar.

Agreed. I also feel this way about people who swear they never lie. LIARS!
luci



littlewonder -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 7:48:21 PM)

I've had to take them when I was applying for jobs in the health field. It never bothered me to take them. I never got a job at any of them and it didn't bother me. I just figured I wasn't what they were were looking for. Why would I want to work for a company where we disagreed on things? It wouldn't be worth it to me.



kalikshama -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 7:50:10 PM)

quote:

The real question they're asking here is:

I hang out with thieves.
()True
()False



defiantbadgirl -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 7:54:11 PM)

I'd probably feel the same way if I already had a job and was looking for another.



littlewonder -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 8:03:14 PM)

I'm not working and still don't mind the questionnaires. I just recently interviewed for a job where I had to take such a test. I didn't get the job. Oh well...so I move on to another. Like I said, I wouldn't want to work someplace where we disagreed on even the basic ideologies.



stef -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/12/2012 8:34:01 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: defiantbadgirl

Who else hates these things - especially the computer scored ones?

I dislike them on principal but I've never had to take one before. If I was told I needed to take one to be considered for a position I would decline.



Ishtarr -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/13/2012 12:12:34 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: MasterJohnSteed

I was raised by a minister and his wife. I was a summer missionary, I attended church unless I was sick for over 30 years with out missing a Sunday. I was raised with a very strict moral and ethical upbringing

there is no test that can say that I am going to rob you blind.


What is hilarious though, is that you seem to think that giving those qualifications gives people ANY indication whatsoever about whether or not you would or would not steal sometime.

You don't seem to realize that it's very possible for a person to be a thief despite having the upbringing you mentioned; and that the fact that you don't actually state that your current personal moral and ethical dictates that you would/wouldn't steal leaves people with no indication whatsoever about what your personal feelings around theft even are.

Hell, from what you've just states, people could readily jump to the conclusion that you're a professional thief.



ClassIsInSession -> RE: pre-employment personality tests (7/13/2012 12:24:30 AM)

As someone who has studied temperaments pretty deeply, the major flaw I see in screening applicants with personality tests, like the Myers/Briggs is that people have a decidedly skewed perception of themselves. In other words, people don't answer honestly and it gives inaccurate results. I'm not even suggesting that people do this intentionally, but it's a fact that it happens often.

I have to disagree with you Ishtarr, and agree with MasterJohnSteed. There is no way to prove a negative. The reference to upbringing was an inference to a high degree of integrity and perhaps you are more literal biased in your deductive reasoning. That, too, is a developmental/temperament bias.




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