Failed a job personality evaluation test....

[enyce2k9]

The job was perfect for my situation, Pays $13.75 an hour, Full time, Phone customer service (Troubleshooting broadband internet problems from Cablevision) but my day came down when I was told that although I am a good candidate for the job I failed the personality test and that I should return in 90 days to retake it if interested.

I'm sure most of you guys have good jobs in the tech field, how hard can this be?

I am a friendly person that will be comfortable finding solutions to problems over the phone, don't know what I did wrong.

Any advice?

P.S. Google is not helping

 

[OCGuy]

You need a better personality.

 

[HN]

what was on the test? what did it consist of?

 

[Adam8281]

That was a test - they wanted to see how insistent and resilient you can be in the face of adversity. Unfortunately, you failed by docilely accepting the news that you had failed the test.

 

[ed21x]

maybe this is a good thing, and you probably would've hated the job as the personality test evaluated.

 

[TheoPetro]

There was going to be a mildly insulting post here regarding your personality but then I realized that you were turned down for a job based on your mental stability... I rethought the post so heres a monkey instead. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wi...Baby_ginger_monkey.jpg

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

On the page with the pictures of the kittens and the guns, which one did you draw a smiley face next to?

 

[RandomFool]

I always thought those tests were pretty easy since it's usually pretty clear which answer is the best one. I.e. don't put "Strongly Agree" for sometimes I get uncontrollably angry and want to punch people in the face.

I hate those tests. I got a job interview based solely on the personality test. They never even read my resume/cover letter in which I said I was looking for a summer job as a computer tech not a sales job for Christmas season.

 

[Cobalt]

If you can't pass those ridiculous personality tests you probably aren't qualified. It's a no brainer, just answer the questions with the obvious answer.

 

[Crono]

Originally posted by: TheoPetro
There was going to be a mildly insulting post here regarding your personality but then I realized that you were turned down for a job based on your mental stability... I rethought the post so heres a monkey instead. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wi...Baby_ginger_monkey.jpg

Aww, cute monkey

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Ocguy31
You need a better personality.

cable company phone operator?

perhaps OP should try being more of an asshole the next time?

...maybe they thought OP was too smart?

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: enyce2k9


I am a friendly person that will be comfortable finding solutions to problems over the phone, don't know what I did wrong.

Oh, exactly. You're not made for the cable company, then.

They only hire raging idiots.

 

[yhelothar]

I failed the one for best buy, and then looked up online what they look for.
Apparently for the ones that says strongly disagree, disagree, agree, strongly agree, you're supposed to choose the strongly one for as many as possible. They want to see that you're decisive and have character, especially for customer service.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

OMG, I cant believe people can actually fail those, I thought they were common sense.

 

[child of wonder]

Tell them that it's OK you failed the personality test because you have 4 more.

 

[OCGuy]

Basically they ask the same question over and over in a different way, and if you answer differently, you suck.


1. You can make good decisions when under a deadline - Strongly Agree

57. You handle pressure situations well - Disagree



FAIL

 

[Glavinsolo]

Originally posted by: enyce2k9
The job was perfect for my situation, Pays $13.75 an hour, Full time, Phone customer service (Troubleshooting broadband internet problems from Cablevision) but my day came down when I was told that although I am a good candidate for the job I failed the personality test and that I should return in 90 days to retake it if interested.

I'm sure most of you guys have good jobs in the tech field, how hard can this be?

I am a friendly person that will be comfortable finding solutions to problems over the phone, don't know what I did wrong.

Any advice?

P.S. Google is not helping

Didn't know people's personalities changed every 90 days

 

[torpid]

I thought this was going to be about a meyers briggs type test. I've never even seen a "personality" test for a job. That sounds possibly even more moronic than a meyers briggs test for a job.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: enyce2k9
The job was perfect for my situation, Pays $13.75 an hour, Full time, Phone customer service (Troubleshooting broadband internet problems from Cablevision) but my day came down when I was told that although I am a good candidate for the job I failed the personality test and that I should return in 90 days to retake it if interested.

I'm sure most of you guys have good jobs in the tech field, how hard can this be?

I am a friendly person that will be comfortable finding solutions to problems over the phone, don't know what I did wrong.

Any advice?

P.S. Google is not helping

Their loss

 

[ric1287]

they trick you with the "levels" of agree/disagree.

Always answer agree or disagree. Never use "strongly" cause if you get the question again and don't use strongly, you lose.

 

[sactoking]

Some industries, financial planning for example, thrive on these things. What they did was give tests to their most successful consultants/salespeople. Any prospective employees are forced to take the test, usually before applications or resumes are looked at. If you don't substantially match (95%+) the results of the successful people, they determine that you are "unlikely to be successful based on historical data" and throw your app away. THAT is how you get financial sector employees that don't understand the time value of money or some other basic concept.

My guess is that whatever company you applied to is doing something similar: they 'mapped' the personality of their best reps and will only hire clones.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: Ocguy31
Basically they ask the same question over and over in a different way, and if you answer differently, you suck.
1. You can make good decisions when under a deadline - Strongly Agree
57. You handle pressure situations well - Disagree

QFT. This is exactly what they are. TONS of people fail the ones I administrate, it is very sad.

 

[KLin]

Did you mark yes to the question asking about killing small animals and enjoying it?

 

[sactoking]

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: Ocguy31
Basically they ask the same question over and over in a different way, and if you answer differently, you suck.
1. You can make good decisions when under a deadline - Strongly Agree
57. You handle pressure situations well - Disagree

QFT. This is exactly what they are. TONS of people fail the ones I administrate, it is very sad.

The problem is, your test is WRONG or BAD. Or, since this isn't personal, tests like this are WRONG or BAD. For example, in the situation Ocguy gave, it is 100% reasonable to give the answers also in the example without contradicting yourself.

The inherent problem with these tests is that the people who write them don't understand anything about psychology. They ask 'the same thing two different ways', but in reality they ask TWO DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.

Just because you make good decisions when under a deadline does NOT mean you handle pressure well or vice versa. They are separate questions and to disqualify someone for giving two different answers is asinine.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: Ocguy31
Basically they ask the same question over and over in a different way, and if you answer differently, you suck.
1. You can make good decisions when under a deadline - Strongly Agree
57. You handle pressure situations well - Disagree

QFT. This is exactly what they are. TONS of people fail the ones I administrate, it is very sad.

Because those two questions are asking different things.

If you give me a deadline for a paper I'll probably wait until the last few days to do it.
If you put me in a warehouse to do a search for intruders I'll do very well.

It's NOT the same thing, despite what the test givers would have you believe. The real problem is that tests like this are incapable of accounting for people with creative perceptions, or exceptional intelligence, IF they answer truthfully. So either you lie to get the job, you're stupid to get the job, or you're anything else and fail the test.