I failed the interview personality test/survey!

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Specializes in EC, IMU, LTAC.

I applied to a prestigious hospital as a CNA/PCT/Student nurse, and I made it to the 2nd round, which was a computerized personality test with the choices Strongly Agree, Moderately Agree, Slightly Agree, Slightly Disagree, Moderately Disagree, Strongly Disagree. It didn't occur to me until after I had completed it that I should have answered what they wanted. I just received an email stating that I would not be suited for their workplace.

I think that the place that I messed up was the questions along the vein of, "When following safety precautions, all accidents can be avoided?" "I attribute lack of injury to luck," and "Healthcare workers are stressed and overworked because of administrators." I worked LTC and can absolutely state that even with the best safety precautions, injuries are still unavoidable sometimes.

I'm not too fazed about this rejection, as I saw that they're all about customer service. In fact, during the personality test, they never once said patient, it was always about the customer. Hmmm...

Yes, I strongly agree that rude people are always right and should be treated with respect.

Yes, I strongly agree that even when extremely busy, I can still take the time to explain something to somebody of get something for them.

Yes, I strongly agree that any accidents are at the fault of the careless person because s/he did not follow safety procedures.

(Yes, these were actual questions. I answered correctly on these b/c they were thinly disguised).

For pete's sake, there was a gift shop in the lobby that sold Rolex watches! I'm currently waiting tables, and the customer service I do now is less obsequious than the job expectations at this hospital!

The moral of this story: When they say that there is no right or wrong answer with these personality tests, it's bullcrap. Answer the way they want you to in order to get your foot in the door.

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March 2003--Interview #1 (only one) Personality Q: If a someone were to verbally attack you: you would

1. Try to calm the person down by talking in a calm manner.

2. Yell louder than the person.

3. Defend yourself verbally and report it to supervisor.

4. Stay quiet and do nothing.

March 2006--FIRED: Reason: Argument instigated by co-worker. (I chose #3 then and now)

I don't like personality tests.....

BTW-I was told I scored exceptionally high on my personality test during the interview in 2003!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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The moral of this story: When they say that there is no right or wrong answer with these personality tests, it's bullcrap. Answer the way they want you to in order to get your foot in the door.

Nah, the moral of this story is, "Before you pick the PC answers that will get your foot in the door, slap yourself :trout: really hard and consider whether or not you want to live with what's on the other side."

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Specializes in EC, IMU, LTAC.

^PC answers my glutes. They're the answers or a true proletariet who wouldn't dream of ruining some rich administrator's quest to own the world using a philanthropic facade.

Yeah, good point. My psych major friend says that these tests are a subliminal hint of stuff that they expect you to do that would be illegal otherwise.

Maybe the Rolex shop was a hint to bribe the Human Resources people for a job.

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Specializes in Case Management, Home Health, UM.
The moral of this story: When they say that there is no right or wrong answer with these personality tests, it's bullcrap. Answer the way they want you to in order to get your foot in the door.

I just completed two of these personality tests for PetSmart and Home Depot. A total crock of hooey, for sure. :madface:

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PeachPie,

Don't let the results of that one personality test worry you too much. From what you said about it, they actually did you a big favor by letting you know in advance that you probably wouldn't be too happy working there.

I have taken a number of those personality tests over the years, and the only one I ever passed "with flying colors" (as one interviewer said) was the one that an oil company used to discover candidates suitable for training as dynamite handlers. I found it rather amusing to think about that at times when the patient call lights were lighting up like Christmas decorations, and balance that against the thought that just one more admission to our already understaffed unit would be enough to cause total meltdown.

Nursing was always more interesting to me because of some of the skills I learned through experiences I had on other jobs.

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Specializes in Pain Management.

I almost became a cop in Las Vegas. They accepted 150 applicants out of 3500, and I was number 161. I would have been lower but I almost failed their personality test [passed by half a percent] which was much along the veins of the ones you are all talking about.

The questions were just plain ridiculous. It was obvious what the "correct" answer was, but I refuse to play stupid human tricks just to get a job. My liason officer for the LVPD told me that they asked the questions of 1000 people that they viewed as "successful", and our answers were determined to be correct if they followed that pattern.

BTW, the whole "client / customer thing" is another stupid human trick I refuse to follow. Medical autonomy might be a great way to make money but it is not what I signed up for.

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

I've been in the corporate world since 1984 (and now waiting for my letter that will hopefully say I'm in nursing school in January). Having been subjected to Quality Circles, Total Quality Management, the 7 Habits, and the recent Customer Retention craze, let me share a few things....

1) It truly is "management initiative du jour" -- some moron who had probably never had any contact with the public (or worked in your field) writes a book, does a bunch of seminars, makes a bunch of money, and we have to implement it...no kidding, it doesn't work...?

2) 99 percent of the time, these "management initiatives" die a quiet death within 5-7 years, and are replaced by an equally useless and insane management initiative. Never, ever, under any circumstances point out that this was tried before and failed miserably. You've just given a pencil head a challenge, and they will be determined to make the unworkable work...at your expense.

3) The only thing more deadly (in a corporate sense) than vocally being for this BS is being vocally against it. Remember, the function of management no matter where you work is to confuse motion with achievement. As in, we're going in circles, but we're making great time...

4) Right now, the thing is the personality tests (and you'll continue to get Myers Briggs kinds of things once hired, probably, where I work we all have our grid hanging outside our cubes saying what works for us). I'd talk to the people you'd actually be working with to find out if the implementation is actually interfering with working with patients. If it is, go somewhere else. If not, and you want to work there, give the BS answers they want, not the way you'd really be.

5) And finally...if push comes to shove, and management's really gone bonkers (and you've already got a place ready to go, FIRST)...point out to your management that you are their (management's) customer, and you do not feel like you are getting adequate service. You are resigning due to their absolute failure to maintain an adequate customer focus, flawed quality controls, whatever management phrases they are most fond of using. Turn greater strength (or in this case, stronger BS) back on itself.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Cardiothoracics, VADs.

The title of this thread cracked me up.. I thought "how can you *fail* a personality test"? Don't worry about it unless you don't have one!

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My interview at Kohl's department store went well but when it came to the personality test, I can remember the associate putting the scoring key on top of my answers, then getting a few people to look at it. They were all ina huddle, frowning & one of them asked who's test was it. The guy pointed to me and they "sort of" snickered.---They called me up to the desk & said "you'll hear from us" I left feeling like crap ----standardized personality tests should NEVER replace the good judgement of the interviewer.... I'ts all pretty lame.

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Specializes in Accepted...Master's Entry Program, 2008!.
I almost became a cop in Las Vegas. They accepted 150 applicants out of 3500, and I was number 161. I would have been lower but I almost failed their personality test [passed by half a percent] which was much along the veins of the ones you are all talking about.

The same is true for me. Except in Chicago. Actually I DID fail their personality test. What I was told is that they take your scores, compare it to the scores of currently working police officers, and based on your closeness to that, you pass/fail. Based on the number of questions, I have no idea what they are looking for. No joke: One question was if I fantasized about having sex with a squirrel.

It's a complete joke. I wouldn't put any faith in the test. I think it's likely that you DID do yourself a favor by "not passing". You'd only be miserable there.

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Specializes in home health, neuro, palliative care.

I'm not too fazed about this rejection, as I saw that they're all about customer service. In fact, during the personality test, they never once said patient, it was always about the customer. Hmmm...

While I agree that personality tests can be outrageous, 'customer service' is not a dirty phrase. Our patients ARE our customers.

~Mel'

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