Employment Personality Profile Testing
 

Anyone ever take one of these? I took one for the first time on Monday. It was a set of 50 statements that you had to place a positive or negative value on and then rank in order from good to bad. This in turn has generated a 40 page report on my behaviors, motivations and works styles. They gave me the entire report to review. It is SCARY. 99% is right on target. Tell me your experiences.

I've walked out of many a job interview that attempts that on me. I just don't want to work for companies that think like that.

They're total crap, along with drug testing. They're just the first step an employer takes to make sure you know that you're not entering a formal agreement, but rather that you are submitting to them before you're even hired.

i usually just tell them what they want to hear on those types of things. theyre stupid.

I've done the test with the 500+ T/F questions. That one is scary accurate.

This was sort of interesting the way it went down. I interviewed with them back in January and was CERTAIN I had the position. It ended up dead in the water after 4 weeks. They just contacted me again this weekend. This is when I took the test, but after they knew they wanted me to join the organization. I asked them if they saw me differently now that they have the profile but wanted me before I ever took it. The impression I got was that they knew what would be in there before the results were ever in hand. I do know that some employers use it as a tool for hiring purposes. This was not the case here. I do feel incredibly violated. Especially since it was so accurate. I knew what was going to be in there, but I didn't want THEM to know. As far as the drug testing, I recommend synthetic products. I am a satisfied consumer.

I am a firm believer that you do not know how any employee will work out until they have been in the job. I also believe that companies should celebrate diversity, though that is so often not the case. If they want to know my strengths, my weaknesses, my foibles, my regrets, they only need ask. I know myself better than anyone, and am very honest and up front about who I am. If that's not what they want, then to hell with them.

Having said that, I am reminded of Steven Wright who said when he was asked in a job interview if he had any questions for them he said "Yes, I do. If you were travelling in a car at the speed of light, and you turned your lights on, would anything happen?"

The interviewer replied he did not know.

"Then I don't want to work for you."

Afrayedknot, your 50 question personality profile was as accurate as your astrological chart and birth reading, and you think it is for exactly the same reasons.

I had to take one after working for a company for several years. It said I was the ultimate team player, whateverthehell that means. I believe it was used to identify those employees that would be black-balled. I should have taken it when I was stoned, just to fuck with them.

I really hate those types of test. Just another hoop to jump through.

Posturing. Letting you know that "we dont need you nearly as much as you will benefit from our position" and otherwise setting the tone.

It has always seemed to me that an incoming employee should also have the benefit of having those same items from management that they demand from the employee, drug test, credit report, criminal background, etc, etc.

Doesnt it make sense that an employee might be harmed in some way by an employer that doesnt have all those items in good standing? Who has all the control within the office? It's not the employee. Who has more ability to damage the other?

We should have them fill out the same silly effing BS that they would like us to.

The interview might go something like.....

Slang: Ok, looks like we've gone through your BS systems and processes to make me think that I'm not truly worthy of working here and that you are the best thing since night baseball.....(unwinds the clasp on a large manila file as seen in the Matrix )....Let's review some of YOUR personal stats.

another great reason why I am self employed.

when I "interview" a prospective employee, I always feel intrusive and control/authorative when asking the basic questions, like yrs of experience, special skills, drug/alcohol abuse, reference employers, etc.
I can tell within the first 24 hours of employment whether or not the person is a 'keeper'. So I avoid the 20 question thingie and put them to work on a trial basis. That is what really provides the accurate skill/personality info anyway IMO. Anyone can B/S anybody on paper. Person to person interaction will tell the tale. If the prospective employee doesn't pan out, you've lost the wages paid. And you don't have the burden of calling him a lying bullshitter of a fucktard when you terminate him. Also you don't have to spank yourself about the old 'damn, this cat really had me fooled' deal.

A friend of mine that recently got a job with local government was warned to not have any alcoholic drinks 48 hours prior to his drug test. Yes, they flagged for it and it was a determining factor in employment that screwed over several other people before him that decided to celebrate getting the job after the offer letter was mailed out.

I took one of those damn fool things to get this office management position. If you can't figure out what answers they are looking for, you probably shouldn't take one, because t'aint hard.

They didn't show me my results, but they gave me the job. I'm still trying to decide if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I'm not starving and we have insurance and I live indoors. Guess its a good thing.

I've taken several of the personality tests and always come out the same.
Basically, I have no soul. The testers always look at me as though I just grew antenna and my supervisors never treat me the same.
On the one with the colors I came-out 97% Green. The tester said she has never heard of anyone with a score over 93% anything.
I hated taking the tests and considered lying on them to avoid the "look", it was very hurtful.

So....how long have you been in engineering management? :)

How can they deny you work for doing something that is legal, and you aren't doing at work?

I have had to take several blood tests to be employed at hospitals. They tell you that they are checking for vaccination titers, but I have a feeling they are also checking for hiv and hep c without your knowledge or consent. This could be just the conspiracy theorist coming out in me. I would love to know from an "insider" whether this is really taking place.

I have never had to take any blood tests for employment, although I probably should have my HepB titer checked.

The only time they ask for drug tests here is when a staff member is suspected of being "impaired" while working, like the time we had a nurse pass out and immediately respond to an opiate antagonist.

Quality control... actually, for an insurance company... and a professional actor.:p

quit acting like a QC...heehee.....

Say, wolf, I'd like to know more about that test. Do you have any follow on links for example? I took one like that once, but the results were not shared with me. I think it would be a *marvelous* tool for self examination. I would really appreciate any further information you have about tracking down a such a test. Thanks in advance.

It's called the MMPI-2 (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Profile, 2nd ed.). I haven't had a copy of the test since gradual school, unfortunately. It tests for some serious pathology, as well as determines whether you're lying to make yourself look good or bad. Even though it's a fill in the circle scansheet, and a big printout pops out of the scoring computer, it has to be administered and interpreted by a psychologist. It's about the $$.

The usual 'personality typing' tests are called "Myers-Briggs" or "Jung" Type tests.

Here are some to get you started.

I have your results:
You enjoy spending time in an on-line community. You are relatively happy with your life, although you get really pissed off at government overstepping its authority. You will meet new and interesting people. ;)

I've taken this type of test for fun once...when the place I work was "trying it on for size". The next thing I know, when I wanted to move up a position, I was taking the test for real only with a different set of questions. One of the questions they actually had the inclination to ask was, "If you were at a party, and everyone left, would you help clean up?" My response was "depends on how good the party was." Nevertheless, I didn't get the position...with hindsight, as it always is, I am glad that I didn't.

So....do you act as if you have no soul or does it come naturally?

I'll need to know this and many other things before I can hire you. Have your titers ready for inspection too, while we're at it.

I have no soul... I act as if I do. You can look but touching will cost you a trip to the Caymans.

Just for touching?!?!?!?! Gosh, I can touch myself for free, and enjoy it just as much.

:eek: Well, then how about a peek?

I think I need to make a call....

Its hard for me to find suitable mates these days. -Signed Souless in Tampa:D

I live near you in Winter Haven.

You can look, but touching will cost you a trip to the Caymans;)

Dang.

"Well, if everyone left, I wouldn't be there to help clean up, now would I?"

That is why I am self employed. At one of my last jobs workin' for the man, I went right into his office and said "I hear there is gonna be drug testing at this place. If that's the case, I'd like to test the mushrooms."

Turns out it was a rumor and there wasn't gonna be any drug testing, but he knew where I stood.

Congrats, you're in a database if you took one of those tests.

WaPo Article
Rense
Underreported cache

Almost makes you want to support small business doesn't it?

Thanks for the effort wolf; but, that test states "(do not draw outside the frame!). Clearly, it would not be an appropriate diagnostic tool for NoBoxes! :lol:

Seriously though, as managerial and human resources positions are increasingly being filled by people with generic qualifications (degrees and/or licensure without industry specific experience) they become more reliant upon outsourcing their recruiting evaluations to professional profilers. Many people in hiring positions lack the assessment skills necessary to ensure good job to people matches.

The corporate assessments I've seen appear to have been geared towards determining how many additional responsibilities, outside of their primary position, salaried workers would be willing to accept and how much work hourly workers would be willing to do off the clock. This information is elicited in questions that seemingly address team spirit and customer service. The profiling almost always seems to reflect management's perspective (providing for the bottom line) rather than that of those in the disciplines/jobs being profiled (aptitude and personality match).

I've been through only one assessment that seemed to be geared towards both management and the discipline/job involved: that was for a specialized assignment in the military. I went through an extensive battery of psychological exams (incl. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Profile) and personal interviews by both the immediate supervisor for the position and the unit psychologist who himself had to be interviewed and approved for his position by the psychologist to the President [there was a psychological chain of authority just as there is a medical chain of authority in hospitals]. I've not yet seen such an interdisciplinary approach to hiring in corporate America. I suspect that most corporate profiling is easily defeated by anyone with experience in the work force.

Most jobs don't give you the ability to launch a nuclear strike. I understand the military's desire to be careful. Or did you carry the football?

Except for the technical positions in "Corporate America", they're only concerned with finding cooperative serfs. They plan on instructing every employee exactly what and how they want them to perform. It's my way or the highway, so uncooperative people are a waste of their time and money.:yelgreedy

My situation is the opposite. It basically says I will resist authority and clash with traditional processes. I want to do things my way and I lack basic tact. These things don't seem to bother them. In fact, as a small update to my original post..Not only do I have the position they are paying to relocate me. I'm ecstatic about this.

The company that relies on this sort of test is not the company that deserves the benefit of my experience.

The corporations have a lot of power when they can micromanage the life of the average worker in such ways.

Congratulations, you must have skills, maybe they want someone to lead them.:D
Where ya moving to?

I'll tell you after it happens. I'm slightly superstitious.

Yes, even if that particular way conflicts with every known standard that the rest of the world may be using and will surely cost them much more money in the long run working in that way.

Absolutely, "managements right to manage" takes precedent over reason...... always.:(