Personality Profiles

[highquality]

Recently I took a 500 question Personality Profile to be considered for a management position. Companies live and die by these things. It's really pretty tricky because they'll ask the same question in a different way multiple times.

A typical question might be, "Do you care what people think about you?". Well, the "right" answer to obtain a management position in sales is usually NO. Yet, isn't this total BS? I don't think there's a person alive who can honestly say they don't care what people think about them. At some basic level everyone needs acceptance from the group.

If I "fail" the personality profile, I absolutely won't be considered for the job. So, even though the test is presented as a harmless evaluation of my personality type, it will most definitely make or break me. The company never bothers to tell a candidate the ramifications, but I've administered enough of these tests to know.

Personally I find the whole practice to be largely discriminatory. I can attest I've seen more than a few highly qualified applicants fail to make it past this unsympathetic gatekeeper. It's also a sad testimony of a company's nonexistent faith in their managers to recruit talented individuals.

I just don't like it.

[Zemo]

Recently I took a 500 question Personality Profile to be considered for a management position. Companies live and die by these things. It's really pretty tricky because they'll ask the same question in a different way multiple times.

A typical question might be, "Do you care what people think about you?". Well, the "right" answer to obtain a management position in sales is usually NO. Yet, isn't this total BS? I don't think there's a person alive who can honestly say they don't care what people think about them. At some basic level everyone needs acceptance from the group.

If I "fail" the personality profile, I absolutely won't be considered for the job. So, even though the test is presented as a harmless evaluation of my personality type, it will most definitely make or break me. The company never bothers to tell a candidate the ramifications, but I've administered enough of these tests to know.

Personally I find the whole practice to be largely discriminatory. I can attest I've seen more than a few highly qualified applicants fail to make it past this unsympathetic gatekeeper. It's also a sad testimony of a company's nonexistent faith in their managers to recruit talented individuals.

I just don't like it.

Yea, when those types of questions are put in a yes or no answer,it's bad.

[Orion]

I know where you are coming from. I've been subjected to those in the past and didn't really enjoy the experience at all. It became tedious answering questions like this: "You are approaching a yellow caution light. Do you: a) slow down b) speed up c) run over the kid crossing the street or d) stop."

[livnxxxl]

That test sounds simple enough to ace. If you would ordinarily answer the question with a yes out of common sense then put down no instead. Test passed and problem solved! j/k

[Random Axe]

My company just started doing these for potential management candidates a couple of weeks ago. I've only seen one applicant scored and it's pretty detailed in the results. I'd be interested in doing it just to see what it shows, though I'm pretty confident I know myself and my own personal opportunities pretty well.

It would be pretty daunting to have to fill this out to be considered for a job since employment is hard to some by. That's some pressure there.

Scott

[cjefferys]

Wow, what a load of crap. Especially since most people won't answer honestly, but rather choose answers they think the company wants to hear. How does that help to ensure they hire the best possible candidates for the job?

[highquality]

Wow, what a load of crap. Especially since most people won't answer honestly, but rather choose answers they think the company wants to hear. How does that help to ensure they hire the best possible candidates for the job?

Exactly Chris. I assert it's only there to discriminate against "free thinkers". It's no wonder our economy is in a slump. Companies say they want people to "think outside of the box", but do they really? Or would they rather have tons of "Yes Men and Women" clones who are finely strained through this filter?

[cjefferys]

Heh, I almost added that this method would only result in the hiring of a bunch of yes men. You're right, this is one reason why things are in such bad shape these days, companies don't think outside the box, they just take the easy, "safe" way and keep making the same mistakes and bad judgment over and over.

If I took a test like that, I'd probably have to answer the opposite of my real opinion on most of the questions if I wanted a shot at the job. I'm definitely too much of a free thinker and don't like to blindly toe the line if I think it's wrong.

[BlackKnight]

That test sounds simple enough to ace. If you would ordinarily answer the question with a yes out of common sense then put down no instead. Test passed and problem solved! j/k

This Actually does work to some Degree. Alcholic and Drug addict questions work the same.

[Captain]

I hate these stupid things....To the point where I refuse to take them. They seem pointless, and I cant/wont work for a company that relies on garbage like this to make a decision. In fact, I have in the past told a HR director at a company I worked for that wanted us to take one of these, and some other stupid thing that ended up assigning a color to a persons personality and then teaching the co-workers who dealt with those people how to treat that color (some office poindexters wore these stupid colored dots on their shirts for weeks)...Well, I told him I had no faith in any company that based decisions on such banality. In fact I figure a company only goes this route for two reasons...One...they dont think for themselves, but instead follow trends...and two, because they dont have the intestinal fortitude to make a decision by themselves. they use these tests as a scapegoat to cover there butts!! HR dude wasnt impressed and never spoke to me again. Lucky me!! I heard he wanted me fired too, but I was the senior field guy then so they really couldnt touch me without one hell of a good reason...and colored dots werent it!

Did I mention I hate this kinda garbage!

[Brazoo]

Wow, what a load of crap. Especially since most people won't answer honestly, but rather choose answers they think the company wants to hear. How does that help to ensure they hire the best possible candidates for the job?

TOTALLY - I think the honesty thing is suppose to be addressed by the fact that they repeat the same questions with different wording. They also need to add complexity to their nonsense theory to support their claims, because the claims they're making are actually so simplistic and naive almost any reasonable person would instantly realize it's crap without it.

It's a shame that there is so much money going into this crap - it's basically modern day phrenology.

[ctc]

>I find the whole practice to be largely discriminatory.

It's actually IN-descriminatory. That is, it doesn't accurately measure what it's supposed to:

6 Bizarre Forms of Discrimination That Can Lose You a Job | Cracked.com

>they dont think for themselves, but instead follow trends

In Japan it used to be called "Manual Disease." The predeliction to follow the advice of the current big name self-help guru.

>they dont have the intestinal fortitude to make a decision by themselves. they use these tests as a scapegoat to cover there butts!!

Yeah, it's all about passing the buck. "But he scored 85% on the Company Compatability and Sunshine test!" It's also laziness and cheapness: ANYONE can administer one of these things in a short time. Actual interviews and a selections process takes time.

Don C.

[mitchedwards]

Sounds like they gave you a DISC test. This stands for

* Dominance – relating to control, power and assertiveness
* Influence – relating to social situations and communication
* Steadiness – relating to patience, persistence, and thoughtfulness
* Conscientiousness – relating to structure and organization

Basically they indicate if your a good fit for the position. If they need a take no prisoners manager and you rate a S then, in their eyes, your not a good fit.

If you dont get the position based on the test, you can always arrange a meeting with HR and show them from past performance you were able to do the job required.

[Brazoo]

6 Bizarre Forms of Discrimination That Can Lose You a Job | Cracked.com
.

Great article.

I can totally see why companies want these evaluations to be real, the same way I can see why kids want Santa to be real - they both seem equally plausible to me.

[generic]

I am so glad that I don't work in that kind of environment...yet.