Employers turn to tests to weed out job seekers (employees, job application, applying)

[RedJacket]

Here’s a sampling of questions:

• People do a lot of things that make you angry.
• There’s no use having close friends; they always let you down.
• Many people cannot be trusted.
• You are unsure of what to say when you meet someone.

• While you are on break, a customer spills a large drink in a busy area of the restaurant. Cleaning the floors is the job of another team member, but he is taking a customer's order. What would you do?
• I am sometimes unkind to others.
• I often lose my patience with others.
• I dislike having several things to do on the same day.

Employers making more use of hiring tests - Business - Personal finance - Careers - msnbc.com

I'll add one more: When you were a kid, did you ever put up a NO girls allowed or NO boys allowed sign on your treehouse?

That question will weed out all the job candidates who have cooties.

[moved]

And the tests also weed out the good employees.

[MSchemist80]

Originally Posted by moved

And the tests also weed out the good employees.

and people with any dignity.

I've said it before putting more and more hoops doesn't select for better employees just more desperate ones. If my skills were in demand and a company asked me to take a 2 hour psych profile test, multiple day long interviews, and an insanely long job application, chances are I will say F-you and go right to your competitor and add value to them.

The same goes for using temp agencies. Noone accepts a temp/contract job unless they are desperate and unemployed and then leaves once the find an FTE.

The same goes for long behavioral interviews. They select for good BSers.

If companies would select the most qualified candidates and just interview them to make sure they are competent and employable they'd save themselves a lot of grief.

[Ihatespoiledbrattypeople]

these tests prevent honest people from getting jobs

[Sherifftruman]

I had to take one of these earlier this year. They asked me about 20 different ways if I was violent or had ever physcially fought someone. This job was not for a MMA fighter, so I guess they are assuming that the violent people are also too stupid to realize how to answer?

[hnsq]

Good questions. Those questions would do a pretty good job of weeding out people who are too self-involved (or are simply a**holes) to be team players.

More often than not, a person's personality is more important than technical skills.

[MSchemist80]

Originally Posted by hnsq

Good questions. Those questions would do a pretty good job of weeding out people who are too self-involved (or are simply a**holes) to be team players.

Assuming the said person is dumb enough to answer truthfully. Most people do not act like Jim Carey in the movie Liar Liar.

[hnsq]

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

Assuming the said person is dumb enough to answer truthfully.

It is easy to see when people lie on these things. They leave inconsistencies all over the place, especially between test answers and answers to interview questions.

Here is the thing though: not everyone has to lie on that test. Some people are actually decent people.

[MSchemist80]

Originally Posted by hnsq

It is easy to see when people lie on these things. They leave inconsistencies all over the place, especially between test answers and answers to interview questions.

Here is the thing though: not everyone has to lie on that test. Some people are actually decent people.

I'd venture that everyone is occasionally unkind to people when they are annoyed by that person or in a bad mood.

Also people do a lot of things that anger most people.

However, when applying for a job or taking that dumb test, they are going to portray themselves in the best possible light. That means they will not be completely honest on that test. Most people aren't the Dalai Lama.

[yellowsnow]

Just give them the 'correct' answer. Remember they are looking for malleable people with no strong feelings or emotions.