Strange - Handwriting Analysis for Job Application

[AspDotNetDev]

Have they asked you to do a push-ups test yet? You know, to measure the level of upper body endurance you have (you're going to need it, after all, for all that C# code they're gonna have you type). A candidate incapable of doing at least 50 push-ups should never be considered for heavy coding tasks. By the way, how are you going to do that sample? Cursive? Sloppily like you usually write (at least, how I usually write)? Or slow and steady to impress them with your l337 penmanship? I could see wanting to test ability to write, but testing penmanship just seems (as you said) strange. Perhaps they had a lunatic work for them and they're trying to see if you are one by profiling your penmanship. Or perhaps they want to judge your other attributes, such as determination and willingness to compromise. Still, seems like there would be better (read: valid) methods for testing that stuff.

Visual Studio is an excellent GUIIDE.

[dmitri_sps]

Reminds me of Dilbert at the firing range :laugh:

[joindotnet]

I think you should join this company. It seems to have extra time and money to spare on employees. :-D

[Mario Luis]

Thats rather a strange request. I can understand a form of comprehension test to ensure that a candidate can follow instructions but hand writing? I know my handwriting suffers badly but I also only ever use it to sign pretty much.

[CurtainDog]

Just do it and ask them about it in the interview. It'll give you a good talking point and let you gauge if they're truly nuts or not.

[AnthonyLondon]

I'm not sure where you are based but in some countries this is quite common. Less now than it used to be because most people submit their CV/Resume by email these days but when you had to send it by post with a cover letter it wasn't unusual (in some European countries) to have your hand writing analysed. Not sure if it's very scientific or not but it can tell if you're shy or not etc so basically they can get an idea of your personality without even having met you yet.

[Member 4593559]

There's no compiler! you've got to write all the code out on paper! :laugh: :laugh:

[jsc42]

If they do not say what specifically you have to write about, write a diatribe about how unscientific things like graphology are.

[Lost User]

Brady Kelly wrote:

I have no issue with this, I just find it kind of strange. especially for a development job.

Personality profiling, just a tool in (the) HR (armaments). Some companies have been doing this for years. They claim it helps to identify whether people will fit in to the company culture, be a team player etc. Largely garbage, but hey ho, they are the ones offering employment. I had an interview a few years ago where I had to fill in a long questionnaire. When I did not get the job I tried to find out whether I had failed the technical bit or the questionnaire, but they wouldn't respond. :((

[Media2r]

By the sounds of it, that should run on most cell phones nowadays... ;P

[charlieg]

That's just WEIRD.

Charlie Gilley You're going to tell me what I want to know, or I'm going to beat you to death in your own house. "Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783

[Chris Maunder]

Oh gawd... Someone at HR has decided that handwriting analysis is a sure fire way of detecting personality issues in potential employees. We're developers. We're all a little odd. Why not just pick someone who is good for the job? Crazy idea, but...

cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

[Yves Tkaczyk]

Even thought I believe it has been made illegal, it is actually a very common thing in France. This is why it is always a good thing to send a handwritten cover letter there. Another one is signature analysis. Personality tests are a better way to go.

Yves Tkaczyk (http://www.clearsquareassociates.com)

[Ghislain Hivon]

Try this one, is free http://www.fontcapture.com/

[agolddog]

I'm curious, you didn't ask them why they wan tyou to submit a handwriting sample? I'd be curious to see what purpose they think this is going to serve. As someone else mentioned, if they responded "Well, it helps us find the bad people," I'd progress very cautiously. If that's the level of logic they use to run their busienss, it can't be too stable a place.

[Lilith C]

Comes under the heading of communication skills.

I'm not a programmer but I play one at the office

[Koolski]

Or better yet entirely in Courier New, 10 pt. ;P

[ely_bob]

Odd yes, however this could be a way to test your psychological makeup.. Handwriting can be used as an estimate of your attention to detail, creativity, personality querks :omg: and the like. I know that the last time my handwriting was analyzed(not by a professional.. but at a seminar) I was told I am creative, devilishly good looking and well endowed.. *dramatic pause*.... mentally :-\ it is very similar in essence to the credit check that you would get in the US, missing a payment or two should have no bearing on how well one can complete a line of code. yet for some this is a apparently important.:confused:

[fglenn]

A credit check, I can understand. It's a measure of how responsible you are. What I cannot understand is something like you would possibly encounter in Japan where (for some reason) you might be asked to provide your blood-type (as a measure of your intelligence/ability).

Fletcher Glenn

[Matthew Barnett]

You should ask them for a sample of their handwriting for analysis.