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There may be multiple answers that can be "right" to you, but apparently not to the company or that question would not have been used.
Those types of questions are vetted with supervisors of the position, managers of the supervisors, etc. Then they are taken by all the people in the role. They are only used if the way they are answered differentiates high performers from low performers.
If you see 10 questions like that on an assessment you take to get a job somewhere, they likely started with 20-25 and the other 10-15 weren't differentiating and/or were situations where supervisors/managers said there were multiple or no correct responses.
Then add to that that these questions are not scored in a binary format. It's not all or nothing. Typically one is assigned the highest value (say, 3). Then the next best is assigned 2, the third best assigned 1, and the worst is assigned 0.
There is no wasted space in an assessment. They are cognizant of an individuals seat time. If the question doesn't predict performance or something they deem important (safety, absenteeism, turnover, etc.) they will not use it. The pilot versions are typically double the length of the final version.
Every time I build a question like that it is built from people who do the job. I will sit down with 4-5 of the individuals that management has identified as top performers. Then I will ask them to discuss incidents or things that have happened at work where someone either went above and beyond for customer service or offered poor customer service (Customer service is just an example of a competency to use). We discuss the scenario as a group and discuss potential responses to the scenario. That is how the questions and responses are developed.
The problem is there are people like you who do the due diligence to go with company values and individuals. Others just look to what the testing agency does and outsource it to them without the values. It's not a one-sized fits all. That question that is my "favorite" is fairly common in retail "skills assessments." So while I don't disagree with you and actually like what you do, it's not how all companies do this.
Here's food for thought: the better assessment tools have a built-in reliability measure, aka a "Lie Scale". If you try to make yourself look/sound different than you are, it'll probably show up. If your "Lie Scale" score is significant, bye-bye opportunity. One common technique is to ask the same question in several different ways using several synonyms. Some questions are direct, and some are quite subtle. Be on the lookout for 'em. Or better still, be truthful.
Also, I wouldn't just assume that every item on the assessment was hand-picked and -validated for the company that uses it. Distressingly often, some line manager finds one (frequently in an in-flight magazine) and says, "Hey, let's try THIS ONE!"
Never pick in the answers in the middle, this just shows you are unsure. If the question is something with answers like:
Always
Sometimes always
Neutral
Sometimes never
Never
You pick always or never, it shows assurance and you take a side.
It also shows you to be a binary, this-OR-that, rigid and possibly unimaginative, thinker. In some jobs, such a trait greatly limits effectiveness.
Folks, trying to "game" an assessment instrument is foolhardy. You're much better off just being honest. Here's the thing: Let's assume that you (a) successfully "game" the instrument, (b) fool the company into thinking you're different than you really are, and (c) land the job. How long do you think you can keep up the charade? How long can you continue to fool your managers, colleagues, subordinates and customers?
Last edited by Nighteyes; 05-14-2014 at 11:50 AM..
The problem is there are people like you who do the due diligence to go with company values and individuals. Others just look to what the testing agency does and outsource it to them without the values. It's not a one-sized fits all. That question that is my "favorite" is fairly common in retail "skills assessments." So while I don't disagree with you and actually like what you do, it's not how all companies do this.
I would agree with this. Some companies do just work with off-the-shelf "tests" I think this is becoming far less common as lawsuits on pre-employment testing pick up, but it does still happen. Then there is the issue of re-validating. Some companies will develop an assessment in 2004 and not re-visit it again.
They go through all that and have a high turn over rate. The two indicators of job stability are the type of cars in the parking lot and if you see any old heads working there. If you see clunkers and all young people at an established employer start looking for another job.
This +1, seriously if there are 30 year old's making near min wage full time run the hell out of the building.
I would agree with this. Some companies do just work with off-the-shelf "tests" I think this is becoming far less common as lawsuits on pre-employment testing pick up, but it does still happen. Then there is the issue of re-validating. Some companies will develop an assessment in 2004 and not re-visit it again.
Smaller companies are more likely to use off-the-shelf assessments that may, or may not, measure what they purport to measure. Larger, more 'mature' and profitable companies (who are more likely to be targets for the lawsuits you mentioned) generally use assessments that have been validated -- proven to measure necessary job-related factors. And you're correct -- these assessments absolutely have to be periodically re-validated.
Either way if I do make it to the interview,they'll probably see within a short time that I'm nothing like the answers I gave anyway
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