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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think most psychometric tests are a pile of toss?

36 replies

NomDeOrdinateur · 14/03/2013 18:54

I'm completing some practice isometric tests, as I've been informed by recruiters that several of the companies I have applied to will use them as a litmus test for whether or not to bother interviewing a candidate. One has literally confirmed to me that if I don't "pass" the test, I won't get an interview regardless of the fact that my CV is excellent.

I'm using some tests from a package recommended by a university careers adviser, which is apparently very good and representative, and they seem to assess two things:

a) whether you ever received coaching for the 11 plus (and can therefore apply exactly the same strategies to more difficult problems);
b) whether you understand some very vague and wooly, not-properly-opposing-but-intended-to-be-dichotomous terms well enough to place yourself on the "desirable" end of the spectrum (e.g. "I work with flair/thoroughness" or "Land/Sky"/"I like to do leisure activities on my own/with other people [but no option for 'with just my partner' which would be my true preference]").

Other examples, not chosen for ridiculousness but just because they have come up while I've been typing this:
"I have enormous respect for people who are prepared to take control of a situation [like Hitler?] (Score 1-5)";
"We should respect the views of others regardless of whether we share them [again, including Hitler?] (Score 1-5)";
"I enjoy influencing others [regardless of whether it is appropriate and ethical?] (Score 1-5)";
"I can accept doing things I don't value as long as I am highly paid [isn't that what jobs are?] (Score -5)";
"It is essential to be open and honest with myself and all other people [two very different qualities with very different consequences IME] (Score 1-5)".

NB - The above examples are all paraphrased in case I'd be infringing something by copying the exact wording, but I have been very careful to render the meaning fairly.

I really believe that my education has made it impossible for me to feel comfortable with any of the possible answers, as the questions just seem too wooly to me. Also, I'm a very independent and insular person but I am nonetheless happy to work as part of a team (and have a great deal of evidence to show that I have been instrumental to the success of team projects, and have developed good working relationships with my co-workers) - surely that won't be reflected if I'm answering questions on leisure activities with "on my own"/"reading"/"privacy" etc...?

So, AIBU to think that recruiters would probably be as likely to pass over excellent candidates by chucking decent-looking CVs away at random as they are by blindly following the scores on most of these tests?

OP posts:

Mrsdavidcaruso · 14/03/2013 18:59

When I was unemployed an old work colleague put me in touch with his company for a job, I had one of those tests.

A couple of day later he phoned me to let me know that I hadn't passed the test, however says he there are a pile of shit and you start Monday - he was actually in HR

Mrsdavidcaruso · 14/03/2013 19:00

sorry they are

Original poster

NomDeOrdinateur · 14/03/2013 19:03

Gosh, Mrsdavidcaruso - I wonder why his company used the tests, if they were prepared to give jobs to good candidates who failed them? I presume they cost quite a bit of money...

I really am totally perplexed by this - I can see how the tests would be helpful for filtering out really hopeless candidates, but I'd imagine CVs and references would do that equally well and have the added benefit of highlighting really good candidates.

It never bothered me until I found out that some companies won't interview you if you fail the test, but I'm genuinely worried now!

OP posts:

conantg · 14/03/2013 19:05

They are indeed a pile of old rope and Myers Briggs has been comprehensively trashed on that website that looks at fake science.

Pigsmummy · 14/03/2013 19:05

I though that until I tried cheating one, I was bored waiting for a candidate to do theirs so did one, then another when I didn't like the results. I did all of them then sat back and questioned myself deeply.

Osmiornica · 14/03/2013 19:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bumply · 14/03/2013 19:08

I did these tests for an interview several years ago. Left them flummoxed as I got the best score ever, but they couldn't see how I would fit into the company in any role currently open. They were very apologetic.
Didn't bother me. I just have a brain tuned in to those types of tests, but it doesn't prove anything other than that fact.

PlentyOfPubeGardens · 14/03/2013 19:10

I lie on them. I put 3 for most things, sometimes 2 or 4, skewing things slightly towards extravert answers and never ever put 1 or 5. It's worked so far.

Original poster

NomDeOrdinateur · 14/03/2013 19:13

Osmoirnica - sorry, you're right, I should have phrased my title: "AIBU to think that pscyhometric tests shouldn't be used for recruitment purposes?" I was just in a Very Bad Mood when I wrote it .

The questions on the one I've just done seem bonkers to me - I wouldn't mind so much if they were more clear-cut, although I still think that the answers to the ones about how my personality influences my use of leisure time would not be a good reflection of my approach to work.

Contang - good to know!

Pigsmummy - what happened when you cheated/answered honestly? And what do the results actually "say" to recruiters about you?

OP posts:

Original poster

NomDeOrdinateur · 14/03/2013 19:16

Bumply - how do you approach the wooly questions (i.e. the ones with serious sources of ambiguity which would affect your answer profoundly)?

And PlentyOfPubeGardens - that sounds like a good approach! Just one question - which would you consider to be the "extrovert" answer out of Land/Sky, for instance? That one really flummoxed me, I still don't understand what they intend for it to connote since there are so many different associations one could make.

OP posts:

Original poster

NomDeOrdinateur · 14/03/2013 19:18

And oops, I've just noticed that my autocorrect changed "psychometric" to "isometric" in my first line - how odd...

OP posts:

ChairmanWow · 14/03/2013 19:19

They are deeply suspect I think. Nobody does them thinking 'I'll be as honest as possible', more like 'I'll answer how I think they'll want me to and swear.'

Sadly they're being used more and more. I think they're a new toy for recruitment HR officers to play with. Be interested to see some research on whether employers end up happier with the candidates they've selected when they've used PTs than without.

ChairmanWow · 14/03/2013 19:20

answer not and swear!

Original poster

NomDeOrdinateur · 14/03/2013 19:24

ChairmanWow - that's my thinking too. I have a feeling that they're primarily used as a time-saving measure for HR departments who are inundated with good applications, which is why I suggested the arbitrary disposal of CVs from the "good but not exceptional" pile...

OP posts:

PlentyOfPubeGardens · 14/03/2013 19:47

Land/Sky - haven't a clue, I'd put 3 probably. I think it might be about whether you're an ideas person or a practical person so you could skew it slightly depending on the job. If it was for advertising creative I'd skew towards sky, if it was admin, land.

It's all bollox though. A company that relied heavily on such tests wouldn't be the place for me.

Bonsoir · 14/03/2013 19:53

Psychometric tests are generally very reliable. There is no point at all in analysing separate questions - all the questions need to be answered and sythesised.

Original poster

NomDeOrdinateur · 14/03/2013 19:54

Plenty - that's interesting, for me the immediate associations with sky/land were ambitious/unambitious (thinking about the "sky's the limit" mentality vs sticking to comfort zones and stability)... Just shows how nebulous all this stuff really is, I suppose! I think 3 shall be my mantra for the next few months .

OP posts:

Taffeta · 14/03/2013 19:58

It depends what they are used in conjunction with. If used with a similarly plotted job role, and as a consideration together with cv, interview etc I think they can be effective.

FrancesFarmer · 14/03/2013 20:01

I always get weird results on tests like that - I don't interpret things like a typical person, it would seem. However, they can be "gamed" - there are lots of sites online that show you how to succeed. I like the idea of getting one over on HR drones :)

Chandon · 14/03/2013 20:07

I agree OP! But I always see these test as a kind of game or challenge, and try to balance the truth with what would be a desirable answer.

I wish you could put "( like Hitler?!)" on the answer sheet, as that made me laugh and shows you have a sense of the absurd.

It is absurd after all, just don't be too honest, without actually lying, iyswim.

Don't take it too seriously, it IS mostly tosh, just another hoop to jump through....

PeriPathetic · 14/03/2013 20:10

I did one about 20 years ago. 2 weeks later I was made redundant
DH did one a few weeks ago and got a new job with promotion.
I told him to ignore all my answers when he asked my opinion!

Original poster

NomDeOrdinateur · 14/03/2013 20:32

Taffeta - you're probably right about that, it's the idea of using the tests as a hurdle you have to cross before they'll consider you for an interview that bothers me. I really hope that not too many HR departments do that, as I'm sure I'm much better in person and on paper than I come out as in these tests!

Bonsoir - my problem with the questions isn't what the individual answers mean, it's that what they're asking isn't clear enough for me to feel comfortable giving any answer. My answers may result in a trend, but that's only because I'm defining terms for myself (potentially very differently from how the test designers intended) and using those definitions consistently throughout. Anybody's answers may mean something completely different to them from what they mean to the tester, surely?

Chandon - I really wish they did add comment boxes to the tests, it would make the whole process much less frustrating!

OP posts:

PlentyOfPubeGardens · 14/03/2013 21:04

Probably best not to put 'Hitler' in all the comment boxes though

BlueberryHill · 14/03/2013 21:15

We should respect the views of others regardless of whether we share them [again, including Hitler?] (Score 1-5)";

I agree with you, I thought they were supposed to be used as an aid to recruitment / development rather than a pass or fail. I thought that you couldn't pass or fail them. In regards to the above sentence I agree, I would usually listen to someones opinion and respect it, however if they advocate female circumcision, no, I would completely disregard it and them.

Mrsdavidcaruso · 14/03/2013 21:19

Nonde - they had only just stated using them, my results basically said i was a bloody minded loner who cant work in a team???

The Guy who gave me the job had worked with me before so knew results were not accurate

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