Employment Tests

[bphgravity]

I recently had a discussion with a new electrician that claimed his company gave him a personality and character test before employment. He was not given the results of the test and it was never discussed with him.

Some of the questions he could remember were basic questions of how much risk he would take, if he would report someone else breaking a law or company policy, even one that asked if he would continue working with the company if he were to win the lottery.

I did some internet research on the topic and found tons of these tests. Apparently some big companies use these to determine employee compatibility with their philosophies and values. Its pretty interesting, yet it never really explains how these are graded and by whom?

Can a 20 question test really determine how a person would act or react to a situation? Are any of you out there using one of these tests for employment considerations? Perhaps the moderators here should give one of these before you are permitted to post or register.

 

[iwire]

Re: Employment Tests

Originally posted by bphgravity:
even one that asked if he would continue working with the company if he were to win the lottery.

How much of a win?

I like my job but....

 

[George Stolz]

Re: Employment Tests

They have an automated one of these when you apply at Home Depot. I failed it.

 

[iwire]

Re: Employment Tests

Originally posted by georgestolz:
They have an automated one of these when you apply at Home Depot. I failed it.

 

[growler]

Re: Employment Tests

Isn't a certain amount of lying required to get a job. If people told the truth, no one would ever be hired. How many of our leaders got their jobs by being honest. I peronally think these test are stupid and useless. If you read these test you can see what they are going for, a suck-up and a brown nose. If you want the job, just give the answers that they expect to see. By the time you win the lottery it's too late ( I think this question is a test to see if you were lying on the others, no one works at Home Depot after winning the lottery ).

 

[jeff43222]

Re: Employment Tests

Originally posted by growler:
... I think this question is a test to see if you were lying on the others, no one works at Home Depot after winning the lottery ...

Untrue! There are several multimillion-dollar lottery winners working at the Home Depot near my house. They stay because they love providing expert advice to homeowners.

Also, every employee in the electrical department is a licensed master electrician with at least 10 years of experience. Their mastery of code minutiae is impressive, to say the least.

Oops -- forgot to take my antisarcasm pills...

 

[dillon3c]

Re: Employment Tests

I respectfully agree,to disagree..

I just don't think lying could be the correct answer.On the other hand,maybe this is why I'm not succeeding lately.

I still hold belief,of honesty being best policy.Maybe not always as candid in offering personal beliefs,peoples politics can differ so.But I know I'd would dislike working for someone,who would stretch the truth to me,regarding something I cared about.

I'f I had to be out-right dishonest to get in the door,then would have to evaluate, if I really needed to be there in the first place.

 

[growler]

Re: Employment Tests

Dillon, I can admire your stand on morals. But we are taking about a test to determine if you wish to become an automaton marching in lock step behind the other little automatons with a stupid grin on your face. I don't think that anyone can give honest answers and still be considered. It's much like politics, if a politician doesn't lie no one will vote for him. People just don't like the truth. The next time your wife ask if she is getting fat put my theory to the test. We can't even tell the truth to those closest to us. It's just a game that's played. If you vote for me I promise not to raise taxes ( people still believe it). I didn't invent the system but I'm a realist.

 

[petersonra]

Re: Employment Tests

Years ago I worked for a security guard company while going to school. We used these type of tests on prospective supervisors. I was already a supervisor but managed to pass with reasonably high scores. One supervisor failed it pretty badly. I was not surprised.

At the time it was kind of pricey because computers did not exist in a form where they where especially usable. But it was much less expensive than polygraph tests which are not reliable at all.

What the people who put out the test told us what that it was designed to determine basic honesty. This test had maybe 100 questions on it. Several of them asked the same type of thing in several different ways. I suspect the idea was to determine if you were trying to pass the test or be honest.

My advice is to be honest when taking the test. I think you will score better than trying to game it.

I think they are a reasonable screening tool but probably not something that should be used as the only criteria for basing an offer of employment on. A good background check is essential.

 

[charlie b]

Re: Employment Tests

I think the employer who uses such a test would be on shaky ground. It is not clear to me that it would be legal. By that I mean that a person who took the test and was not hired might be able to successfully sue the employer for discrimination. The employer is not likely to have hired the services of a professional in the psychology arena to select the test questions and to evaluate the results. A person who was not hired could claim that the person who was hired lied on the exam, and they were the victim of discrimination against the honest.

There are a number of questions that a prospective employer is not ?allowed? to ask a prospective employee. I put the word ?allowed? in quotes, because I am not certain of the true legal status of this constraint. I don?t think an employer can go to jail for having ask one of these questions. But an employer can place the company at risk of a lawsuit. Among the questions are, ?Are you married?? ?Are you homosexual?? ?Are you an American Citizen?? Basically, anything of a personal nature that did not have a direct impact on your ability to do the job.

In an earlier period of my life, I had to take a psychological profile test, before I could be hired for a specific industry (nuclear power generation). So too did everyone else who wanted a job in this industry. The test was developed by psychological professionals over a period of many decades of study. The test results were evaluated by a psychological professional. This situation differs from the one Bryan described, in that the employer was required by law to conduct this test, everyone had to take it, everyone knew that everyone had to take it, and it was handled by professionals.

 

[dillon3c]

Re: Employment Tests

growler,
I've been following your postings lately and I see large amounts of wisdom in your words in each posting.And would never,and didn't mean,and don't mean to imply dishonesty in anyones nature,and exspecially yours sir.My hat, is off to you. I'm not trying to imply,I sit upon pedestal above others either .But my morals, are mine.And hard price to put apon.I had not long ago walked away from fine opportunity,because I seen conflict of my morals.

*But as far as this testing,I guess my stand in matter would be "pro-quo" for it,and would welcome it.

*Not that I'd fully agree,in defence of this testing.But in knowing my time or theirs, would no longer be wasted afterwards in mixed morals or beliefs.

I'll continue to stand in my morals distilled in me, even if means losing all..I will still be me..Just another loser.

 

[growler]

Re: Employment Tests

Thanks for the kind words Dillon. I wish I knew more people with morals but I don't. As far as psychological profile test are concerned I would like to know why they are given to people in nuclear power generation and not to the not to the man in a position to blow up the world ( The President ). How many test were given to the scientist & physicist that gave nuclear secrets to the Russians & chinese. If they were given, they weren't very accurate. I think such test are just another form of mind control ( no personal thoughts ). I became an independent contractor to get away from such games. Don't worry in the future they'll just check you DNA and do a brain scan. Your employer will know more about you than Santa Claus.

 

[jeff43222]

Re: Employment Tests

Just be thankful they can't make you take a polygraph exam. It's illegal under federal law (Employee Polygraph Protection Act) except for certain sensitive jobs or under certain narrow circumstances.

I took one once as part of a federal employment application, and I'll never take one again. Now I know why they aren't admissible in court.

 

[petersonra]

Re: Employment Tests

polygraphs are one of the great scams of all time. there is no scientific evidence that they are any better at predicting truth than an informed guess.

most good polygraph examiners are actually just good interrogators and use the polygraph mostly as a tool to intimidate the subject into believing the examiner can tell when the subject is truthful.

this is often useful in getting admissions from the subject regardless of what the lines on the machine show.

[ July 06, 2005, 01:49 PM: Message edited by: petersonra ]

 

[mdshunk]

Re: Employment Tests

I think a test would have more value if it had the person draw a 3 wire stop/start circuit or bend some pipe or somthing along those lines. Any monkey should be able to put down what they want to hear on a personality test.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

Re: Employment Tests

Originally posted by growler:
As far as psychological profile test are concerned I would like to know why they are given to people in nuclear power generation and not to the not to the man in a position to blow up the world ( The President ).

LMAO,..... G1

 

[George Stolz]

Re: Employment Tests

Originally posted by iwire:
George, my guess is that you question authority to much for their taste.

I fight authority, authority always wins.
When I fight authority, authority always wins.
I've been doin' it since I was a youngin' and Icomeourighnow,
I fight authority, authority always wins....

-John Mellencamp

See related threads for details.

Jeff4322niner-alphatango:
Oops -- forgot to take my antisarcasm pills...

That was awesome, well done!

 

[bphgravity]

Re: Employment Tests

I had the opportunity to speak with the contractor today that gives out the test. He claims he doesn't even read it and only uses it to make the potential employee think the company checks for honesty and personal integrity and has a strong policy against theft.

He claims the test is not designed to be graded, but just throw out topics for the applicant to think about and perhaps prevent them from doing any of the things questioned on the test.

He didn't have a copy on hand when I brought up the subject but he said he would get one to me. I will post some of the interesting ones.