On Yahoo News today, there was an article on Personality Tests. I was just wondering how many of you think taking a Personality Test to obtain a job would be a good or bad thing for Autistics?
How many of you have taken a Personality Test on the Job and do you believe these type of tests are a good way to decide whether a person is “management or administrator material” or do you think that they limit those that could be a good manager if given the chance?
How many of you believe you would do well taking a Personality Test?
This is just a partial condensed version of the article written by Ariana Eunjung Cha, Staff Writer for the Washington Post.
Employers Relying on Personality Tests to Screen Applicants
Even before the candidates had stepped through the door for the group interview, their fate had been largely determined by a computer.
Over the past few years, personality assessment tests have moved from the realm of experiment to standard practice at many of the nation's largest companies, including the Albertson's grocery chain and retailers such as Neiman Marcus and Target. A recent survey found that about 30 percent of all companies use personality tests in hiring.
To many companies, the tests are as important, if not more important, than an applicant's education, experience and recommendations.
Some firms give the computer the power to conduct the first screening of candidates and do not bother interviewing applicants unless they score above a certain level. Universal, however, prefers to put everyone through an interview on the chance that assessments are wrong.
Usually they aren't.
"In almost every case, the results of the test are what we see in their interviews," said Giles, who has been at his job for two years.
Universal said the online exams have made a measurable difference in the quality of its workforce. Employee retention and customer satisfaction levels are up, while absenteeism and theft are down.
But the growing use of employment exams worries some, who say many aptitude tests lack rigorous review by professionals in the field and are crafted too narrowly to accurately judge one's eventual performance.
"You are really doing a disservice to the complexity of human individuality," said Dan P. McAdams, a professor of psychology and human development at Northwestern University.
Psychologists have long debated whether personality can be reduced to a set of numbers, like a person's weight, shoe size or eyeglasses prescription. Extroversion and Openness Personality Inventory breaks personality down into five characteristics that some companies use to assess traits such as management potential.
Today, an estimated 2,500 U.S. firms offer assessments that are mostly variations on these main tests and are geared toward hiring.
"Just like they are trying to match up potential mates, we are basically making a prediction of whether someone is a good fit or not for a job," he said. The firm said its tests have been validated time and again by their success at companies.
I went for an interview once and had to do such a test, I never got any results, and I never got the job, so I have not had a positive experience there with them.
Discrimination pure and simple. Less than 1% of us have any chance in hell if passing such a test.
If there is an absolute need for certain personality traits where it is critical to safety or security (like for joining the police etc) then a test would probably be justified to some extent.
Otherwise it must be fought wherever it occurs. It is unfair and unwarranted. The only consequence is that people with intelligence and ability (i.e. us) get downtrodden in favour of some sleazy arse kissing weasel.
Making them aware of 'disabilities' isnt going to help either. There are plenty of NT's and not quite NT's who are more intelligent and less charismatic who would get the same treatment.
If I was told to take a "personality test" to get a job, I'd say "thanks for your time." and walk out!!!
Peace
If I was told to take a "personality test" to get a job, I'd say "thanks for your time." and walk out!!!
You wouldnt achieve much by doing that. You certainly wouldnt get the job. Personally I would try and take it to a tribunal.
If I was told to take a "personality test" to get a job, I'd say "thanks for your time." and walk out!!!
Peace
One problem with that is that in the UK if you are receiving help from the government to find work, you have to take an interview if offered and make an effort, otherwise they can stop your income and cut you off.
Good point!! Unfortunately, we don't have tribunal's here that would even look at the case. I suppose that if a hospital wanted me to take the test and IF I knew Doctor's had to take it. I probably would agree to take a personality test.
By personal experience, if they gave such tests to all Nurses and Doctor's, there would be a lot less nurses and doctor's employed! :lol:
Peace
A test of my personality? i would not want to work for someone who relied on such limiting criteria as responses to a test. i would rather live under a bridge. if i did work for someone who thought tests gave you all the information you needed to know then eventually something would happen that would turn the situation to custard.
what sort of criteria am i looking for in an employer? i wonder if they would take a test i presented them with? what do others want in an employer? i am not the simplest employee to have around i guess.
becca
Amy and Wolfy both made good points to my posts. What I said was my normal shoot from the hip rant and rave. Seriously, becca, I agree with you about these things. As far as I'm concerned, a test would only show a fraction of who we, as aspies really are!! I'm normally a congenial, relaxed person, but, under job stress, I get very focussed and very intense and with nursing that can happen quite often. I can and do come across as rude, abrupt, especially when interrupted in the middle of an emergency. I'v had my ass chewed by many an Administrator or Doctor, because I wasn't a sycophantic team player who could read minds.
Yeah it would be nice, to test the job, to see if it would fit US. But, in todays Pro-corporate world (and even hospitals are going that route in the USA) I'm afraid it's going to get worse before it gets better.
Peace
Here's a better question:
Why don't more companies give prospective employees general and/or job-related aptitude tests before hiring them? Seems like this would be a reasonable idea to me. Of course, I'm blindly assuming that most companies would prefer to have a relatively intelligent, competent workforce.
It would be interesting to be an employer to try out different employment strategies. I am currently having some difficulties in my workplace because of a communication problem. I am not great at communication if i am stressed, but my employer also has their own style.
If i were to do a test that highlighted my areas of skill so the employer could best fit me and my postition, that might be helpful. But i may be able to provide the answers that i know are going to fit, or the tests might highlight areas that i struggle in.
i know i am very good doing my job, but i need to have instructions written down, not just verbalised. This makes more work for my employer. If I were them and I was stressed, I could not be bothered doing that extra bit. My employer is an equal opportunities employer. A ibrary is proud of the diversity in the community and reflects that in its staff.
How diverse can a system be allowed to become before it breaks down? How monocultured and controlled can a system be before it breaks down?
I am thinking about the old game Civilisation and the critical mass of systems that run through our society.
I function well in a diverse system that provokes my growth and allows for my oddities. Some people and workplaces do not.
becca
One problem I have with tests like that is half the time I don't quite understand the question.
I am currently gathering information (informally) about how interviewers use personality testing (also called psychometric testing) to screen applicants. I might have to stop since it is making me feel very angry and discriminated against.
Do you ever notice how you will apply for a position that you are highly qualified for and get an primary interview with a human resources person who seems to ask silly questions? They ask you questions like "when you go to a restaurant do you order the same meal or try different things?" "What do you see yourself doing in ten years?" Usually they ask a lot more silly questions that are neither technical nor seem to have any relavance to the position.
There is a reason why they ask these questions. I have determined that they are trying to figure out the applicants Myers-Briggs personality score. They are not trying to give you a personality test but they are using its principles. Instead of using an official test and qualified person to do the testing they are trying to use less than a dozen questions to make unqualified opinions on your personality.
The Myers Briggs test uses a four letter score with 16 possible combinations. It divides people into extroverts/introverts and three other sorting catagory. The US military even have an ideal personality type they call the "natural born killer" (ENTP), also in common with psychopaths. Most Aspies fall into the INTP type Want to know more; do your own websearch.
The problem is if you are not the "type" of personality they are looking for they will throw your application out. You will not get a second interview with the department people who appreciate your technical skills and knowledge. Therefore, you will not get employment. They might send you a rejection letter stating that you "weren't a good fit for their organization" or that they hired "a more qualified applicant (who has less experience and education than you)."
Most websites that offer help to job seekers with ideas about what to say and do at interviews will say to answer all these questions as honestly as possible. And that, apparently, personality tests have no right or wrong answers. But if answering them honestly will not get you the job you want, someone ought to question that. Sure everyone would like a job that makes them happy and where they feel like they fit in. The reality of it is that most people I talk to hate their jobs and work because they need to make a living. An aspies reality might be that they will get work that they are over qualified for and hate and don't feel they fit in or no employment whatsoever.
The problem I have with personality profiling is that I am not so sure that it is much better than handwriting analysis, astrology or any other malarky that the so called science of psychology pushes at people. (some branches of psychology actually do use good scientific principles) For example how can someone claim to determine a deceased person's personality profile. If personality testing is done after a person is hired, it can be a useful tool to determine people's communication style and better ways to deal with them. It should not be used to discriminate against people in job interviews.
Psychometrics are constantly being used to screen applicants for even the most menial employment at such places as fast food, stores. For example an applicant applying for a temp job filing was interviewed by two people who asked about their "time management skills". The position was just filing, all day, nothing else. The supposed reason to ask all these questions was that the applicant "might" apply for another job somewhere else in the company.
Is someone collecting statistics on how Aspies are being discriminated in job interviews? Is it legal to do so? I guess it would be if Asperger's was considered a disability? Aspies do very poorly in job interviews without the psychometric profiling put on them.
I think those tests are discriminatory, and I haven't had to deal with this situation. My main problem is the interview, my quirks have me comming across as "rude" so I don't usually get the job. This was the reason I was "diagnosed" with this personality trait, was the interview problem. I hate being labeled because I don't consider myself as having a disability, I just have a different personality than the NT's. Because of past bullying, I don't disclose that I have AS when interviewing for a job. Too often, NT's think of the severe cases of Autism when they hear about the spectrum, unaware that us Aspies are capable of being a dependable employee.
Yes, but more and more companies are using personality testing in job applicant screening. If you refuse to take the test, you will not get hired.
My main concern is that can these tests tell if someone has AS, executive dysfunction, non-verbal communication defecits? If they do, then I am being discriminated against. I recently had this experience. I was asked to take the on-line personality quizzes even before an interview. I was told that someone "better suited to "their needs was hired. I asked for a report on my tests but I got no answer.
I did phone the human rights commission. They told me that if they ask all the candidates to take the test, it is not discriminatory. I only do not know if the test results could tell if I have a disabililty. Then I would be discriminated against.
Next time, I will ask if all candidates are required to take the test and if I can be a copy of the results.
As for lying, really I am so desparate for a job, I would do just about anything. But really when the question is "Do you insult people?" and the answers are very often, often, sometimes, never? What do you think I should put. Yes, I often do insult people though not intentionally. Really do you think that anyone would say yes to that?
I did print out most of the questions on the tests if anyone is interested. The math and logic questions were really easy. I thought most of the other stuff like "would you rather read a story to children, work on a research project or go to a cocktail party were really stupid.