when employers give you a personality test

Courtney · #1 (**permalink**) May 08, 07

ok..i'm all for them and i'm sure some of them work out great.
But...I had the WEIRDEST one......

So there was about 20 q's
with 4 statements each
I was intructed to put M for what was most like me and L for what was least like me...

but I think it was ridiculous because basically if i said one thing it made me look like i'm bad at the other

here's an example of what the q's were like:

1. I follow directions well
2. I am a kind person
3. I listen to others
4. I am trustworthy

So OBVIOUSLY I feel that I am a kind person and a trustworthy person over following directions anf listening but that doesnt mean I DON't!!!

do you think this is a fair test? i really don't think so

.Promoter · #2 (**permalink**) May 08, 07

sounds a little over simplified, they are looking for people who will be their bitches and follow orders, so the make it very clear who does and doesnt have an opinion on things

Kandyapple · #3 (**permalink**) May 08, 07

We had to do something similar at our work a while back. The questions were very redundant, and just seemed to go on forever. I guess they were trying to make sure you were actually reading the questions, so they would ask the same question three different ways.

One was pretty funny though, about half way through the test, it asks are you literate?

I'm thinking why would you even ask this?
No I'm illiterate, I don't even know what the fuck this test is asking me, I'm just randomly circling shit. In fact I don't even know why you hired me. I just surf the internet all day looking at pretty pictures because I can’t read. But I sure do enjoy collecting a pay cheque at the end of every second week. lol

.Promoter · #4 (**permalink**) May 08, 07

They throw those in for curve balls, they get you all rilled up and you dunno whats goin on

Courtney · #5 (**permalink**) May 08, 07

Quote:

Originally Posted by .Promoter

sounds a little over simplified, they are looking for people who will be their bitches and follow orders, so the make it very clear who does and doesnt have an opinion on things

yeah I don't wanna work like a place like that anyway i guess

prozac · #6 (**permalink**) May 08, 07

I did one of those for my most recent job.

The point is that they are all positive things...nothing is something people obviously wouldn't want to say about themselves so you are forced to choose what TRULY says the MOST about yourself, instead of what seems like the best or is what they most want to hear. It's designed that way.

Ours also had a reverse portion where you had to choose which was least like yourself:

a)selfish
b)ignorant

etc....

I see why they do it. I think you get more legitimate results by forcing people to answer as honestly as possible since you give them no option to tell you what you want to hear.

Kandyapple · #7 (**permalink**) May 08, 07

I can understand questions like that, because they are just trying to get a feel for what kind of person you are, and what your strengths are.
But then you get some random questions, that if you answer them a certain way, you end up looking like you aren't even capable of doing the job.

I don't really mind, I just can't help but find it a little amusing.

prozac · #8 (**permalink**) May 08, 07

^I don't know about other places but I had a long talk with my trainer about those tests.

It's not about whether you can do the job or whether you should be hired. That's what your resume/the interview/your references are for.

Personality tests are supposed to be used to indicate where you might best fit in within the company, how you can contribute to the social dynamic, what "soft skills" you can bring to the table, what your learning style is like, etc.

Kandyapple · #9 (**permalink**) May 08, 07

Oh I understand the purpose of the test as a whole.

It's just a question such as "are you literate?" just seems a bit funny. Because if you were illiterate why would you be doing the test. And at least in the case with my company, how would they know where to place you, if every position requires you to at least have some level of literacy. It just seems like a funny question to add in that's all.

I guess I sound like I'm making a big deal out of this one question. It was just the only one I remembered clearly from the test, and I got a giggle out of it. I was very tempted to pick the illiterate option.

prozac · #10 (**permalink**) May 08, 07

oh lol I missed that the first time I read the thread. weird.

NinjaBoy · #11 (**permalink**) May 09, 07

Back when I worked at home depot we had one. It had similar questions, and hypothetical situations. Like would you turn $5 you found on the ground to lost and found, if you answered yes you would not be hired because it meant you are lying.

Revolver · #12 (**permalink**) May 09, 07

i just took one of those too...

pain in the ass if you ask me.

but i understand why companies do it.

tiedye · #13 (**permalink**) May 09, 07

The secret to those is to jump between humble and confident without being inconsistent. Read each question and try to apply it to a very general, every day life scenario.

The ones that always crack me up are when they ask you the same question in a different way to see if you're honest.