You failed your employer's personality test. Now that? (2023)

Thanks for writing about it. It is very difficult to find information about it. I was never asked to take a personality test before this year and now it seems every employer uses it. And if you fail, you will be automatically eliminated. I keep hearing that the US has a hard time finding skilled workers (I'm in tech) but they keep putting up all these ridiculous barriers to hiring skilled workers.

This "personality test" to secure the job simply offers a disturbing loophole for discrimination of all kinds. Modern eugenics. You probably shouldn't be making people take a test based on a system created by a racist. For personal development, you have a choice. However, relying on a test to make a living is very disruptive and should be illegal during the hiring process. There are many high functioning people living with mental health issues. Don't they deserve to feed themselves or their families because of the systemically biased test?

This was interesting reading. I am so disappointed that I can be highly qualified for a role and not even get an interview based on a personality test that identifies strengths and weaknesses that can often be seen as appropriate for the culture or role. I am very humble and I probably didn't express it on the test, but I was very successful and submitted an excellent CV which should speak for itself. I lacked longevity and success in a field that involved relationship building and a proven track record of achieving a high sales rank among my peers due to personality issues. These achievements required strategy and a combination of many natural and adaptive personality traits to best fit my client's personalities. In fact, my performance was based on how well I could adapt to the personality of others. This may be a passing sign of the times, but I have a feeling employers will start to realize that they've embraced the idea of ​​a personality survey, which isn't the most effective approach to weeding out candidates. I understand how HR wants to evolve with new tools, but an old school interview process and CV review gives you a much better view of a candidate. I didn't even get a chance to introduce myself and give my elevator pitch. Just a total rejection of the interview process.

I was invited to a second interview after an initial video interview with the contractor, plus a dpt. Specialist (engineer) and recruiter for an engineering position in a large pharmaceutical company. In the meantime, they sent me a personality test and a logic test to take before meeting them for the interview. On the way to the company almost 2 hours driving time. This time the director was there instead of the specialist of the department. So 2 women, project manager and HR employee and head of department, one woman. First, the HR woman showed all the test results, we spent about 10 minutes talking about logic, which was average, and almost 1 hour asking weird questions about the personality test. When I was younger I started studying biomedicine at university, after the first semester they realized that it was too much theory for me. I studied automation in technical school as a teenager, so naturally I quickly made the decision to go back to something I knew would be great. The interviewer asked me. Didn't you feel tired or something when you changed your path? I said no. I establish the real reasons why I decided to devote myself to automation engineering. The first thing I mentioned was the lack of hands-on approach in biomedicine, especially early in your career. 2º I said the lack of market and employment opportunities where I lived at the time for this area. Finally, I said that I think it was the right choice because I graduated with good grades and some experience. I asked each of them intelligent questions in turn. When they asked me about the salary, I replied that I'd rather look up the full offer (vacation, health insurance, etc.) first so I wouldn't give them a rude answer. I sent each of them a short and concise letter of thanks that same day. The project manager quickly replied that she would give him an answer shortly. Then 6 days later he called me on a Friday at 4pm. M. to tell me that they would switch with another candidate. I asked why? He answered my personality test, they couldn't figure out a few things. I said what exactly. She said this career change question, she said. When you said you just made the decision to change and had no feelings, I thought about it. I laughed. I noticed that they were not paying attention in the middle of the conversation. First, I'll name not one, but three different reasons why I made this decision. Second, does the company that says incorporating values ​​exclude a candidate because they are honest? WTF. Just so you know, this "Pride" month, they have already put a colored flag on their company flag on their social networks. Yes I am a man. If you're really looking for a pimp, you'd better look elsewhere. Men and women have different characteristics that are unique to everyone. Men are generally more logical. We rationalize our decisions more, we tend to show less emotion when it's not necessary. Women are often the complete opposite, but they don't decrease or increase based on cognitive ability, personality, or decision-making. I feel that all of the comments here in this section share some similarity in that. I have nothing against anyone, I treat everyone with decency and respect. But hey, welcome to Agenda 21 of private enterprise. Buckle up before it all blows you up!!

Are you asking about the results? That's ideal. I can't even get an answer after an interview let alone a pre-interview rating.

Once I've found a job that interests me, I research the hiring process, especially if personality tests are included. If not, I won't apply because I don't want to work for companies that can't interview without them.

Interviewers should conduct personality tests to see if they are a "good fit" and the right person to interview a qualified candidate, not just looking for a reason to ignore a candidate. Looking for potential employees. They try to disqualify as many as possible unless a personality test says otherwise.

Just to share my recent experience with the personality testing process. First, a recruiter approached me directly through Linked in for a middle management position in my field. I agreed to proceed with the interview because the job was in the industry I was interested in and I had a lot of experience in that field. I had to do face-to-face zoom interviews with one of the stakeholders and a hiring manager. According to the applicant, both interviews went very well. So they asked me to pass an online personality test. Here was a surprise: when I entered the test provider's website and entered my personal data, in addition to the personality test (SHL), another test, the interactive version of the general ability test (numerical, inductive and deductive resonance), was blocked in the process. Here's an important disclaimer: I haven't taken algebra or calculus since I graduated from high school. As a lawyer by profession, I have worked most of my career on verbal reasoning. Not surprisingly I failed this test, to top it off, it was also timed (36 minutes/24 questions full of graphs, calculations, calendars, patterns). The personality test seemed to be going well (at least that's my impression). After a week of silence, the recruiter came back and said there was a problem with one test (without specifying which one) and the company decided not to proceed. No specific report or feedback on the actual problem, just like that, with a test not relevant to my skills and job, which I felt really inadequate for.

I interviewed a forklift company in the southeastern United States. The interviews went very well. I was asked to take a cognitive/analytical assessment test that also included a personality test. I'm pretty sure I did pretty well on the cognitive test, even though the test took a couple of HOURS. There were many questions across the logical spectrum. I took the test on a Saturday to keep my head fresh instead of after work. I found out on Monday that someone else had already been offered the job before I called! I applied on Saturday, the candidate accepted on Monday. From what I've seen on LinkedIn, it looks like they offered it to an internal candidate! All the learning, time and stress was a WASTE. They never bothered to tell me, nor did the recruiter I worked with. In the end I got the message from your HR department. And...they refused to give me my test results. It is "his" property. Simply put, I wouldn't recommend taking any of these things unless the company agrees to provide the results. Also, for an average company, I wouldn't bother with them if they had to. If it's Microsoft or Google, then yes, take the hits. But for a forklift company in the field? Give it a while. They probably couldn't get through it alone.

I can't seem to pass a pre-evaluation for any position I'm applying for. All tests are based on my personality or whether I'm fit for the job as they call it. But the questions are repetitive and totally irrelevant and ridiculous.
After going through this for months, I feel inadequate and hopeless.