Strange - Handwriting Analysis for Job Application
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Last week I had quite a successful telephonic interview with a company. They want me back to meet the technical directory as soon as I'm back in Johannesburg, but meanwhile they have asked me to submit a handwriting sample for analysis. I have no issue with this, I just find it kind of strange. especially for a development job.
Red flag! I think you just wrote the first line of a daily WTF article...
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Reminds me of Dilbert at the firing range :laugh:
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ely_bob wrote:
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 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.
Except of course that missing a payment is part of a physical objective reality. While claiming that personality is exposed via handwriting has nothing to do with physical objective reality. You might as well be asked to submit a "feng shui" arrangement of office furniture to determine your suitability.
jschell wrote:
physical objective reality
meta-physical subjective perspective of reality... reasons to miss a payment: (all of which fall into the Unforeseen category) A: Auto repair. B: Medical Expense ( even if you have coverage you probably don't have 100% coverage) C: A client Backs out. D: The Economy goes into Recession, and revenue slips. E: You Loose your job F: After college you fail to get a job immediately. G: You're Robbed. H: any combination of the above. So If none of these things has ever happened to you .. just wait they will... Does any of the above tell an employer that you are not a valid candidate? the answer is unequivocally NO, it says your human. --- coincidently the FBI/CIA..etc.. use handwriting analysis to determine the physical and mental nature/stability of applicants, terrorists, and serial killers.... I'm guessing that is just a waste of the tax payers money then? ;P
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jschell wrote:
physical objective reality
meta-physical subjective perspective of reality... reasons to miss a payment: (all of which fall into the Unforeseen category) A: Auto repair. B: Medical Expense ( even if you have coverage you probably don't have 100% coverage) C: A client Backs out. D: The Economy goes into Recession, and revenue slips. E: You Loose your job F: After college you fail to get a job immediately. G: You're Robbed. H: any combination of the above. So If none of these things has ever happened to you .. just wait they will... Does any of the above tell an employer that you are not a valid candidate? the answer is unequivocally NO, it says your human. --- coincidently the FBI/CIA..etc.. use handwriting analysis to determine the physical and mental nature/stability of applicants, terrorists, and serial killers.... I'm guessing that is just a waste of the tax payers money then? ;P
ely_bob wrote:
meta-physical subjective perspective of reality... reasons to miss a payment: (all of which fall into the Unforeseen category) A: Auto repair. B: Medical Expense ( even if you have coverage you probably don't have 100% coverage) C: A client Backs out. D: The Economy goes into Recession, and revenue slips. E: You Loose your job F: After college you fail to get a job immediately. G: You're Robbed. H: any combination of the above. So If none of these things has ever happened to you .. just wait they will... Does any of the above tell an employer that you are not a valid candidate? the answer is unequivocally NO, it says your human.
I didn't claim that is was a reasonable measure of apptitude - what I said was that it was measurable.
ely_bob wrote:
--- coincidently the FBI/CIA..etc.. use handwriting analysis to determine the physical and mental nature/stability of applicants, terrorists, and serial killers.... I'm guessing that is just a waste of the tax payers money then?
Provide a source that says that either of those agencies have used that tool recently to profile the personality of an individual. That process of course is distinct from comparing samples to determine who authored a particular document. And I am certain that those agencies use it to determine authorship.
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ely_bob wrote:
meta-physical subjective perspective of reality... reasons to miss a payment: (all of which fall into the Unforeseen category) A: Auto repair. B: Medical Expense ( even if you have coverage you probably don't have 100% coverage) C: A client Backs out. D: The Economy goes into Recession, and revenue slips. E: You Loose your job F: After college you fail to get a job immediately. G: You're Robbed. H: any combination of the above. So If none of these things has ever happened to you .. just wait they will... Does any of the above tell an employer that you are not a valid candidate? the answer is unequivocally NO, it says your human.
I didn't claim that is was a reasonable measure of apptitude - what I said was that it was measurable.
ely_bob wrote:
--- coincidently the FBI/CIA..etc.. use handwriting analysis to determine the physical and mental nature/stability of applicants, terrorists, and serial killers.... I'm guessing that is just a waste of the tax payers money then?
Provide a source that says that either of those agencies have used that tool recently to profile the personality of an individual. That process of course is distinct from comparing samples to determine who authored a particular document. And I am certain that those agencies use it to determine authorship.
jschell wrote:
Provide a source that says that either of those agencies have used that tool recently to profile the personality of an individual. That process of course is distinct from comparing samples to determine who authored a particular document. And I am certain that those agencies use it to determine authorship.
hmm. apparently not quite so "public knowledge" as one might think... A proposal: https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/kent-csi/vol3no3/html/v03i3a03p_0001.htm Here is A book about it... Allegedly. I'm still looking.....
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jschell wrote:
Provide a source that says that either of those agencies have used that tool recently to profile the personality of an individual. That process of course is distinct from comparing samples to determine who authored a particular document. And I am certain that those agencies use it to determine authorship.
hmm. apparently not quite so "public knowledge" as one might think... A proposal: https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/kent-csi/vol3no3/html/v03i3a03p_0001.htm Here is A book about it... Allegedly. I'm still looking.....
ely_bob wrote:
hmm. apparently not quite so "public knowledge" as one might think... A proposal: https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/kent-csi/vol3no3/html/v03i3a03p\_0001.htm
Interesting in that it is a proposal to actually validate whether there is any objective way to use it. I wouldn't have been surprised in that period if they had just jumped on board with less than formal trials.
ely_bob wrote:
Here is A book about it... Allegedly.
The review, just the first part quoted in that link, probably encapsulates the book entirely.
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Last week I had quite a successful telephonic interview with a company. They want me back to meet the technical directory as soon as I'm back in Johannesburg, but meanwhile they have asked me to submit a handwriting sample for analysis. I have no issue with this, I just find it kind of strange. especially for a development job.
It's possible that it may be simply that they want to check your handwriting for legibility. I mean, if you're gonna be working in South Africa, Language barriers will be present (since many other employees will not be native English-speakers). Perhaps they're just looking to reduce Lexicographical barriers as well :P
"Silently laughing at silly people is much more satisfying in the long run than rolling around with them in a dusty street, trying to knock out all their teeth. If nothing else, it's better on the clothes." - Belgarath (David Eddings)