Job application personality tests

[Huggo]

Ok, so you know those tests you have to take for a job application right? Typically it's limited to retail jobs, or just about any job that has an internet application such as Best Buy or Gamestop.

Now, I've heard that the questions are meant to weed out potential shoplifting employees. I remember one time I heard that one of the questions: "I consider myself a thrillseeker" then you pick agree/disagree, strongly agree/disagree. And they take an agree on that question to mean that you plan on shoplifting.

Has anybody else seen this or know what I'm talking about?

[Lbelle]

I know the personality tests your talking about, but I don't really think they take them that much to heart. I mean, I doubt an employer who saw a fantastic application would look at the personality test and say, "OH MAN HE IS A THRILLSEEKER, NEVERMIND, THROW THAT ONE IN THE TRASH."

[Septimus]

I wouldn't want to work for a company that put too much merit into those kinds of tests.

[Isiolia]

Best Buy actually wouldn't interview me based on responses to one of those...or that I took too long filling it out, or something. Considering past experiences, I had a great resume for working there. They really do just use them as an easy way to lower their applicant pool I think.
The irony is, I was basically hired on the spot for my current job, and make like twice as much as I would have there. All just from an actual interview >_>

IMO, they prove nothing other than that you know how to tell people what they want to hear.

[Mufferino]

I had to take one for best buy, I just lied my fuckin ass off and on my interview date they kept saying how high i scored and how I already had the job as long as I passed the drug test.

I personally love those tests for some of the questions."Do you get along well with others" NO AND THATS WHY IM APPLYING FOR FUCKIN RETAIL

1) Fill out app
2) Lie on test for top score
3) Have the 'right stuff' during the interview
4) Then fuck around and be your normal self at work

90% of the people who pass those tests lie out their ass :/

[pimpp]

if u get flagged on questions like those, its to let them know ur a retard.

"if u see an employee acting suspiciously w/ merchandise, would u a)report them b)question them c)help them put the flat screen in the back of their truck"

[Misterjingles]

And those are the best workers, of course you can always see productivity in the state... opps.

[Remyo]

coincidently this was part of my criminology class today.

Its called the Minnesota Multifaceted Personality Inventory (MMPI). Its used by many careers, including military, law enforcement, retail, etc. The main focus is to decipher potential criminal behavior, also to see consistency in answering, and to weed out those that are trying to answer the way they think the employers want them too. The type & quantity of questions vary. The older corrections & police ones had a lot of religous questions on them, also some about voices and to see if you would protect someone if you had to sacrifice your own well being for them. I think there were like 500 questions on the police one. The retail ones have about 100 and talk about theft and how you would handle such and such situation.

there is another ,California Personality Inventory (CPI), used on children.


the questions about thrill seeking and such is based on a theory that deviant/criminal behavior has certain personality traits:
Adventurousness
Stubborness
Problems with authority
Uncontrollable urges and desires
Aggression
etc.

the critiques of this theory is that it can be used to describe many people at any given time, but it is correct most of the time, because no theory is 100% correct in predicting criminal behavior because it is an anomaly.


why is submit giving me a preview?? 3 fucking times.

[Stilgar]

I just took one of those tests the other day. It was like 100+ questions, but really it was only 25 questions, each repeated 3 times with a different wording. I think of it as the retard strainer.

[Remyo]

I just took one of those tests the other day. It was like 100+ questions, but really it was only 25 questions, each repeated 3 times with a different wording. I think of it as the retard strainer.

its to ensure your consistency in answering. Lets them know you aren't fucking off on the test.

god damn submit keeps giving me a preview!

[Quicklet]

Submit has been re-designed to make the forums feel more immersive in the FFXI environment.

When you click on the Submit button now, like with popping AV, you have a % chance to actually post your reply. If your post does not succeed, you must continue to submit to previews until your post goes through.

[Carbon]

I just took one of those tests the other day. It was like 100+ questions, but really it was only 25 questions, each repeated 3 times with a different wording. I think of it as the retard strainer.

Same when I took one of these. And I thought it was the dumbest fucking thing I'd ever wasted my time on in my entire life.

[Devek]

I don't trust these or see how they are legal.

[Remyo]

I don't trust these or see how they are legal.

they're legal because they test you to see if you are a potential criminal. I don't think anyone read my post.

[The Blackrose]

I just took one of those tests the other day. It was like 100+ questions, but really it was only 25 questions, each repeated 3 times with a different wording. I think of it as the retard strainer.

its to ensure your consistency in answering. Lets them know you aren't fucking off on the test.

god damn submit keeps giving me a preview!

Sounds like half the fucking questionnaires I've ever filled out. Same five questions asked ad nauseum with just a little bit of a twist each time one of the five is asked. I know it's supposed to be for consistency's sake, but Christ, I think after the second or third iteration I end up beating my head into the table.

[Stilgar]

I don't trust these or see how they are legal.

yeah, but... why exactly would be be illegal?

It's just a series of hypothetical questions. It's not like they're personal or questions about your age or sexuality. Hell, even a 5 minute interview will give you a more intimate picture of an applicant.

If an employer wants to base their hiring decision on it, who's to say they can't? I could see it being an issue if there was one standardized test used nationwide that every business referred to, but that's not the case.

It's idiotic, but like the guy after my other post said, it's just designed to make sure answers are consistent (and therefore more likely to be truthful).

[Jujubie]

I had to take one of those when I applied for a job as a waitress (about 10 years ago). I think it was also to evaluate how you deal with people in a customer service type industry.

[Demosthenes]

there is only one solutuion! LIE!

[blud]

Where i work you have to take one of those while applying and if you score less then 50% in any of the categories they throw your application out immediately.

[Akanei]

Some places gauge you in other areas that are described in the tests, not just in the basis of "is this guy gonna be a troublemaker."

My friend who worked for OfficeMax pretty much explained you'd get looked at if you were like.. a Yellow|Green or Green|Green or Green|Yellow and I wanted to smack him for explaining it like that.