Workplace Personality Inventory test
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R. Giskard Reventlov wrote:
You have to give them the answers they are looking for.
One of my favorite questions was "Have you ever lied to your employer?" Marc
Imperative to Functional Programming Succinctly Contributors Wanted for Higher Order Programming Project!
Related question to someone, already a manager, aspiring for a senior management role: "Have you ever lied to your subordinate?"
if (yes) {
You are in
} else {
Remain wherever you are :-)
} -
"unlikely to set challenging work goals, and may exert a low level of effort toward achievement of goals" The best developer is a lazy programmer - why create more work for yourself when you can design systems that are easy to maintain and easy to scale(eurgh horrible buzzword!). "may not persist when faced with difficulties or obstacles, or when success seems unlikely" Why keep banging your head against a wall when they are alternative ways of doing things such as using google? "have little interest in volunteering for or taking on new work responsibilities or challenges" As if a developer has any time to take on anything else. "Appear to have little or no interest in taking charge, or directing and leading others; may be hesitant to offer opinions" Opinions in the software development world are cheap and it's rare for someone to listen to our opinions because,after all, they know all about how to design software. "May not be consistently pleasant, good-natured, or cooperative" See point above...
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
GuyThiebaut wrote:
The best developer is a lazy programmer
Agreed (and on the rest), and that's the thing, I answered the questions based not just on context but the lessons learned over 35+ years of programming. Marc
Imperative to Functional Programming Succinctly Contributors Wanted for Higher Order Programming Project!
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Perhaps it reflected the state of mind you had at the time, and you weren’t really interested in the job to start with when you took the said stupid test.
ledtech3 wrote:
Perhaps it reflected the state of mind you had at the time, and you weren’t really interested in the job to start with when you took the said stupid test.
No, I answered the questions quite honestly -- not just honestly, but based on real world experience. So, when there's a question like "you are happy to drop what you are doing and immediately help a coworker that is having a problem", my answer was "disagree", because it depends on what I'm doing, and whether the coworker can figure it out on their own and learn something, but they're just asking me because they know I know the answer (happens all the time!) But because I "disagree", I'm now marked as an antisocial cretin. ;) Marc
Imperative to Functional Programming Succinctly Contributors Wanted for Higher Order Programming Project!
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So, I took this test as part of an application process. This is what it came up with: I am "unlikely to set challenging work goals, and may exert a low level of effort toward achievement of goals" I "may not persist when faced with difficulties or obstacles, or when success seems unlikely" I "have little interest in volunteering for or taking on new work responsibilities or challenges" I "Appear to have little or no interest in taking charge, or directing and leading others; may be hesitant to offer opinions" I "May not be consistently pleasant, good-natured, or cooperative" The one thing it failed to mention: "I will be contacting a lawyer to sue Pearson, the creator of this test." I kid you not. These personality tests are utter bullshit. Marc
Imperative to Functional Programming Succinctly Contributors Wanted for Higher Order Programming Project!
Was this for an interview at Capital One by chance? Looks pretty much like the same stupid SAT-like test they expected me to take. I refused.
"Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music." -- Marcus Brigstocke, British Comedian
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ledtech3 wrote:
Perhaps it reflected the state of mind you had at the time, and you weren’t really interested in the job to start with when you took the said stupid test.
No, I answered the questions quite honestly -- not just honestly, but based on real world experience. So, when there's a question like "you are happy to drop what you are doing and immediately help a coworker that is having a problem", my answer was "disagree", because it depends on what I'm doing, and whether the coworker can figure it out on their own and learn something, but they're just asking me because they know I know the answer (happens all the time!) But because I "disagree", I'm now marked as an antisocial cretin. ;) Marc
Imperative to Functional Programming Succinctly Contributors Wanted for Higher Order Programming Project!
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Nelek wrote:
was it online? I now am curious...
Yeah, google Pearson "Workplace Personality Inventory" test. You have to pay $29 if you want to take it yourself. Marc
Imperative to Functional Programming Succinctly Contributors Wanted for Higher Order Programming Project!
Marc Clifton wrote:
You have to pay $29 if you want to take it yourself.
So I've to part away with cold-cash on BS :rolleyes: not that surprise me X|
Yusuf May I help you?
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Marc Clifton wrote:
I "May not be consistently pleasant, good-natured, or cooperative"
Marc Clifton wrote:
bullsh*t
I don't know...seems quite accurate.
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Oo! Oo! Let's give one to MM on a Saturday night! :laugh:
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
After watching 2 hours of the shreiker playing tennis :laugh:
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
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Slacker007 wrote:
If a company made me take this test as part of the application/interview process, I would not.
I think mainly because I was curious, the company contacted me, and I really don't need any more work anyways, I figured, what the hell, let's dance. It was very educational, and now I know what not to do in the future. :) Marc
Imperative to Functional Programming Succinctly Contributors Wanted for Higher Order Programming Project!
Looks familiar. Did the test involve answering the same questions several times only phrased slightly differently. I took a test like that a few years ago and got the impression I scored zero but my manager wouldn't discuss it with me. Your analysis seems to match mine. I may not last forever but the mess I leave behind certainly will.
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R. Giskard Reventlov wrote:
You have to give them the answers they are looking for.
One of my favorite questions was "Have you ever lied to your employer?" Marc
Imperative to Functional Programming Succinctly Contributors Wanted for Higher Order Programming Project!
Surely it should've asked two questions, have you lied to your employer for your own benefit; have you lied to your employer for their benefit? The answer's still yes to both, but at least it differentiates between the intents. lol. Who seriously could get through one of those tests successfully, except for a sociopath?
Er, I can't think of a funny signature right now. How about a good fart to break the silence?
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"unlikely to set challenging work goals, and may exert a low level of effort toward achievement of goals" The best developer is a lazy programmer - why create more work for yourself when you can design systems that are easy to maintain and easy to scale(eurgh horrible buzzword!). "may not persist when faced with difficulties or obstacles, or when success seems unlikely" Why keep banging your head against a wall when they are alternative ways of doing things such as using google? "have little interest in volunteering for or taking on new work responsibilities or challenges" As if a developer has any time to take on anything else. "Appear to have little or no interest in taking charge, or directing and leading others; may be hesitant to offer opinions" Opinions in the software development world are cheap and it's rare for someone to listen to our opinions because,after all, they know all about how to design software. "May not be consistently pleasant, good-natured, or cooperative" See point above...
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
Good points well made, definitely not appropriate questions to ask a developer! Developers don't work like the other meat sacks. Our brains have been repeatedly smashed by trying to solve the riddles of obscure programming languages and code written by others...
Er, I can't think of a funny signature right now. How about a good fart to break the silence?
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Looks familiar. Did the test involve answering the same questions several times only phrased slightly differently. I took a test like that a few years ago and got the impression I scored zero but my manager wouldn't discuss it with me. Your analysis seems to match mine. I may not last forever but the mess I leave behind certainly will.
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One of the results is an "honesty" result. If your questions show an overly-positive attitude your whole test is flagged as probably being false. Damned if you do, damned if you don't :)
As someone knowledgeable about personality test profiles; to get good results, decide the kind (type) of person that would be a "good" employee, then answer each question as he/she would. Don't try to psyche out the test (e.g.; try to answer very similar questions the same way.) Many of these personality inventories (e.g.; MMPI) are criteria referenced and therefore almost impossible to skew unless (or, perhaps, even if) you are a sophisticated psychologist/psychiatrist. These inventories were not developed for screening applicants for employment; used in the right situation they can be very helpful. Hopefully this post will further my objective of thwarting the use of psychological testing this way.
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So, I took this test as part of an application process. This is what it came up with: I am "unlikely to set challenging work goals, and may exert a low level of effort toward achievement of goals" I "may not persist when faced with difficulties or obstacles, or when success seems unlikely" I "have little interest in volunteering for or taking on new work responsibilities or challenges" I "Appear to have little or no interest in taking charge, or directing and leading others; may be hesitant to offer opinions" I "May not be consistently pleasant, good-natured, or cooperative" The one thing it failed to mention: "I will be contacting a lawyer to sue Pearson, the creator of this test." I kid you not. These personality tests are utter bullshit. Marc
Imperative to Functional Programming Succinctly Contributors Wanted for Higher Order Programming Project!
Sounds like you were applying to some unionized civil service department. The questions I remember (resource industry) were: - Do you prefer a clean desk or looking at a pretty girl - How much do you drink per week Don't remember the rest, but got the job.
