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I am sure I speak for the vast majority of job hunters here when I say that these stupid psychometric tests that a lot of these employers are using now to sift through candidates should be banned. They are not a reliable and sensible method of recruiting, and serve no useful purpose at all. In fact, they are only exacerbating the plight of the jobseeker.

I mean, come ON - why do you need to have a Krypton Factor-like brain to work on a till???

I ask you.

Let's launch a campaign to lobby the government to scrap these stupid tests now.
Some years ago I had an interview with such questions as "Who's your hero and why?" - "What's your favourite food and why?" etc, etc.
and one question I will always remember and regret not giving them (two women interviewing me)an answer they deserved "What do you really like doing!!!!"
Huh, typical idiocy from employers. "Who's your hero?" they asked. Well, my hero would be the person who could give me a job!
Originally Posted by Jobneeded67
Huh, typical idiocy from employers. "Who's your hero?" they asked. Well, my hero would be the person who could give me a job!

Just don't put Hitler shifty
Talking to an old mate of mine at the weekend, he ended up applying for a job as the RAF Weather Man out in Cyprus. He told me he was asked what he would be bringing to the job out there and he said "flip flops". He got the job and has just got back after a nice 2 year tour. He is a funny bloke though.
Originally Posted by Jobneeded67
I am sure I speak for the vast majority of job hunters here when I say that these stupid psychometric tests that a lot of these employers are using now to sift through candidates should be banned. They are not a reliable and sensible method of recruiting, and serve no useful purpose at all. In fact, they are only exacerbating the plight of the jobseeker.

I mean, come ON - why do you need to have a Krypton Factor-like brain to work on a till???

I ask you.

Let's launch a campaign to lobby the government to scrap these stupid tests now.


If that's your opinion then you don't understand what they are about. They tell you more about someone than you would think. If that's your reaction to them you will keep falling at the first hurdle. I suggest you read up on them and understand what they are about, then when you take one you will let your good points come out and hopefully get a job.

If I can help (because I am not criticising you directly) some of the simpler tests look to see if you are task oriented or people oriented. Another looks at whether you are introvert or extrovert, or a doer or a thinker. It is worth reading up on these types of tests and understanding what they are about. It can help you too. If you can see what type of qualities a firm is looking for in their test and you don't agrre with the answers which lead that way, then the job's not for you.
Originally Posted by Jobneeded67
I am sure I speak for the vast majority of job hunters here when I say that these stupid psychometric tests that a lot of these employers are using now to sift through candidates should be banned. They are not a reliable and sensible method of recruiting, and serve no useful purpose at all. In fact, they are only exacerbating the plight of the jobseeker.

I mean, come ON - why do you need to have a Krypton Factor-like brain to work on a till???

I ask you.

Let's launch a campaign to lobby the government to scrap these stupid tests now.

They must be reliable or sensible if they are still being used. Personally, they don't bother me. It's nothing to do with the Government so I very much doubt they'd get involved in what private employers do in order to sort the wheat from the chaff so to speak.

I think they're a good idea - if I was an employer, I'd rather have someone with specific qualities as found by them alongside application forms than sifting through piles of badly written application forms with poor grammar, spelling etc. Having said that, poor application forms would automatically be binned. JMPO.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychometrics#Testing_standards

If anyone can explain this in plain English I'd like to hear it. It sounds like something made up by a Goebbels Professor Of Shiteology at the University Of Pleaseyourself, California.

CVs are a bad enough idea. Psychometrics are about as relevant as astrology. I long ago decided to refuse to fill in anything until someone actually calls me in for a chat. mad
I have 2 do 1 a year grrr
Well said! I don't blame you for your aversion towards these stupid tests.
I have 2 have a yearly medical from next year as well as the phsyco test
Posted By: Anonymous Re: These STUPID Psychometric Tests Should Be Banned! - 5th Aug 2011 8:59am
Employers want to know if you will fit in with the ethos of the company and how you will work with your colleague, whether you will be proactive on your own or whether you will need micro management. What fits with one company may not fit with another and there are no right or wrong answers, they just want the right person for the job. Nothing wrong with that.

.
Originally Posted by mercysmith
You are wrong Jobneeded67. Psychometric tests are self-evident that are used for selecting a people who are better at doing a job. Psychometric tests are mainly used for maintain human resources for an organization. Psychometric tests deals with human brain so it analyze that how an employee interact with other employee, how an employee will be fit in company environment, is that person is good for an organization or not, that person has confidence or not and can that person survive in company environment.



tbh i agree with mercysmith
Agreed that the Wikipedia item is not helpful or especially useful. It was obviously written by an academic (who would probably totally fail the sort of psychometric test used by normal employers).

That said the tests ARE useful to employers. In the past I have used them. In my experience they are NOT, repeat NOT, used at an initial screening stage. They are used as a supplementary test to help decide how an individual will (a) get on with colleagues (b) support the objectives of the company (c) is able to think and plan for the future.

Snod
http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/2009/09/testing-psychometrics/#more-246

I maintain that it's utter sh*te and they might as well ask to read your palm or do a tarot reading.
Originally Posted by philmch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychometrics#Testing_standards

If anyone can explain this in plain English I'd like to hear it. It sounds like something made up by a Goebbels Professor Of Shiteology at the University Of Pleaseyourself, California.

CVs are a bad enough idea. Psychometrics are about as relevant as astrology. I long ago decided to refuse to fill in anything until someone actually calls me in for a chat. mad


Think about this, your compulsive aversion to the testing says more about you than doing the test probably would. If you refused to answer an interviewers question because you said it was stupid, the interviewer is not going to give you the job and it is no different with these tests. Some interviewers make you jump through hoops because they can. If you want the job, you have to do it.
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