A weird interview exercise; and how interviews have changed: for the Worse!

Nurses General Nursing

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Well, the interviews continue (I'm actually getting good at them, I THINK)

The latest one had me doing the requisite PERSONALITY TEST (hate), and then something i have NOT encountered in nursing interview before:

A TIMED TYPING TEST. I'm not talking about just a small sampling to show you can use the keyboard; I am talking about the exact typing tests I remember from learning to type in the 8th grade. A sample entry (with lots and lots of proper names, geography places etc), that has to be typed accurately and is TIMED> They had a TIMER on the left side of the screen.

This was presented to me in the test about general office software and email software that was after the personality "Test". There was one, and then the second=-to-last question, there was a SECOND , timed test.

What gives? I was not interviewing for Admin. Asst. or other office job.

( I didnt make time on the second test for sure, and I can't remember if I did on test 1)

And in these interviews, they want you to fill out all sorts of disclosures and agree to this and that and give them your SS# for several things, and take these tests , BEFORE you EVER speak to a manager or before you, the potential employee, even decide for yourSELF whether you WANT that job ! IE: before any salary info, benefit info, shift info, etc. Sometimes, I've even had to submit a urine , before I've ever set foot in to a hiring manager's office.

Why?

Hey I attended many interviews in my day (before my last job which was my longest-term job). That was when you: filled out an app (no internet), got a call "Can you come in for an interview?", attended interview WITH the manager or decision-maker, then went home and waited for a call, or not. Perhaps a reject letter would arrive, in the U.S. mail. At some point in the interview you usually would be told the salary. There was no "ask HR about that", or "Oh--you need to ask your hiring manager about that..."

NO PERSONALITY "tests", either!

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I tend to agree.

By the way, can anyone who has the ear of an HR person tell me what exactly they're looking for with the personality tests when applied to staff RNs? I'm guessing it basically boils down to looking for a combination of conscientiousness and agreeableness as the big 5 personality traits go, maybe low neuroticism too. Or maybe just to screen out certain types? Anyone know?

Also, why no IQ tests, seeing as HR thinks everything else is fair game?

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I tend to agree.

By the way, can anyone who has the ear of an HR person tell me what exactly they're looking for with the personality tests when applied to staff RNs? I'm guessing it basically boils down to looking for a combination of conscientiousness and agreeableness as the big 5 personality traits go, maybe low neuroticism too. Or maybe just to screen out certain types? Anyone know?

Also, why no IQ tests, seeing as HR thinks everything else is fair game?

It would be interesting to know what they're looking for. One of my employers started testing shortly before I was hired. What I noticed about the tested compared to the untested if that the tested seemed much more direct. I guess different employers could be looking for different things, though.

Maybe I'm cynical, but I think the typing test may be to weed out "oldies" who have poor computer skills in general? I don't know, but that was my first thought.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Those personality tests are a step above completely useless. A company I worked for used them saying I was a poor fit. I did exceedingly well.

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I've also been wondering if they are looking for exclusively Extroverts. I finally just did a google, and extroverts are , supposedly, " 50-74% of the population" (US? World?) unclear

so let's say its 60%. And that these experts are wanting only the extroverts. They are automatically excluding and discounting 40% of the population that could be applying to them: that means, they lose all the skills and gifts that that 40% could /would bring to the field of nursing and to their "organization." Why?

I am introvert , BUT, can operate in an extrovert world. Meaning, while on a job I can interact responsibly with others and socialize appropriately. As can most other introverts, I would venture. So why would They want to exclude all introverts??

That is, IF this is what They are doing. It's all very cloak and dagger and yes, can an HR person that perhaps stumbles across this, make some headway about it. ?

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Specializes in Home Health (PDN), Camp Nursing.

So my position is that they are sending a very clear message about what they value and how they seek it out. You have to remember the interview and application process is as much about them as it is about you. You can end an interview or application at anytime if it feel like it's not a good fit, and you should.

Job candidate fires interviewers - all of them - Ask The Headhunter®

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I've also been wondering if they are looking for exclusively Extroverts. I finally just did a google, and extroverts are , supposedly, " 50-74% of the population" (US? World?) unclear

so let's say its 60%. And that these experts are wanting only the extroverts. They are automatically excluding and discounting 40% of the population that could be applying to them: that means, they lose all the skills and gifts that that 40% could /would bring to the field of nursing and to their "organization." Why?

I am introvert , BUT, can operate in an extrovert world. Meaning, while on a job I can interact responsibly with others and socialize appropriately. As can most other introverts, I would venture. So why would They want to exclude all introverts??

That is, IF this is what They are doing. It's all very cloak and dagger and yes, can an HR person that perhaps stumbles across this, make some headway about it. ?

I'm extremely introverted, but also very assertive and direct. I didn't get the impression they were trying to staff with all extroverts, but I've only had one job that tested that way, thank goodness.

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They could probably ditch half of that, and put applicants in a room with no bathroom, have them jog in place, subject them to foul odors, and see how long they make it.

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Specializes in L&D, OBED, NICU, Lactation.

If you haven't figured out how to beat the personality tests, you should learn. They are extremely easy and ask the same questions multiple ways to look for consistency in answers. For hospitals that use the Hartman Value Profile, there are "right" answers to the questions, at least in terms of ranking. The best part about all of this is that there is no evidence supporting the belief that personality tests can predict job performance. Many of them use a modified Myers-Briggs type test which is so incredibly unreliable (only something like 75% of retakes get 3 out of 4 of the same letter results...not spectacular). Really though, if you don't like their process, don't apply or work for them. If you want to work with, learn how to beat the tests and get past it.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Maybe I'm cynical, but I think the typing test may be to weed out "oldies" who have poor computer skills in general? I don't know, but that was my first thought.

Having learned to type on the IBM Selectric myself, I think I'm still a better typist (or "keyboardist" or whatever) than a lot of kids who grew up with computers.

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Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.
If you haven't figured out how to beat the personality tests, you should learn. They are extremely easy and ask the same questions multiple ways to look for consistency in answers. For hospitals that use the Hartman Value Profile, there are "right" answers to the questions, at least in terms of ranking. The best part about all of this is that there is no evidence supporting the belief that personality tests can predict job performance. Many of them use a modified Myers-Briggs type test which is so incredibly unreliable (only something like 75% of retakes get 3 out of 4 of the same letter results...not spectacular). Really though, if you don't like their process, don't apply or work for them. If you want to work with, learn how to beat the tests and get past it.

Not only that, the Myers-Briggs test changes as you get older. When I took Psychology in college, we did this exam and that's something we were told before. And I have seen it change since I was 19.

The only time I did a personality test was when I was applying for a camping job and I get why, I mean it's harder to understand a personality by just one or two interviews over Skype.

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And that's exactly what I did.( ended the process)

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