Personality test determines my employment

Nurses Job Hunt

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So, I got an email from HR saying they want me to take a test online to determine if I can move forward in the recruitment process. From my research, I have discovered that this is some sort of personality test and people have been denied employment because they failed it.

Any advice for me as I attempt to jump through flaming hoop number#5 to get a job as a new grad? Do I answer what I think they want to hear or do I go the super honest route?

Any insight is sincerely appreciated!

noyesno

Specializes in OR.

I have had to take many of those tests and I found out the secret to one of them from an HR lady. The test I took had questions like "I am assertive with my opinions," or "I am late for work" and you answer either: never, sometimes, usually, or always. According to my HR friend, for every answer you put either "never" or "always", depending on the question. The reason being if you put "sometimes" or "usually" your score reflects that you are wishy-washy. She said to always answer 100% always or 100% never.

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Specializes in Family Medicine.

Wow, you guys are awesome. I got a lot of great tips and insight. Thank you all so much!

I'll be checking this until tomorrow afternoon (right before I take the test) so feel free to keep posting.

Immediately following the test, I find out if I passed or failed. I will post the outcome sometime tomorrow evening.

Thanks again everyone!

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What's your goal? Get employed or what?

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Specializes in Family Medicine.
What's your goal? Get employed or what?

My goal (new year's resolution) is to get employed.

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Specializes in Addiction / Pain Management.

I hate those things. They're crutch to allow overpaid HR morons the opportunity to practice CYA.

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Specializes in LTC.
Just don't tick "Yes" to the inevitable "Have you ever had any urges to eat kittens alive and turn into a psychopathic Ninja killing machine?" and you should do fine

;)

You would want me to lie?

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Specializes in chemical dependency detox/psych.
Just don't tick "Yes" to the inevitable "Have you ever had any urges to eat kittens alive and turn into a psychopathic Ninja killing machine?" and you should do fine

;)

Your comment made me think of this funny blog post that I recently read:

UPDATED: My new years resolutions. â€" TheBloggess.com

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Specializes in L&D.

That sounds ridiculous! Answer the best you can. That's all you can do, really.

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Specializes in CVICU, Obs/Gyn, Derm, NICU.
dmoney,

Funny I failed one quite a while ago, and recently got to redo it. It had a 6 month wait period before you would be allowed to apply again to any job with that network :eek: My problem was opposite of yours, I took the test with a natural "experienced" approach... yes people do come to me for help - often. yes I am comfortable working on my own, etc. These were wrong answers as far as they were concerned. I was not applying for MANAGEMENT, you see?! I was applying for a staff nurse position (little indian). Nursing is my second career. In my first career I was often (chief), so I answered truthfully, but for this position, wrong. So the second time I took the exam I answered like a (little indian) and I passed. Big hint!!!!!

Exactly.

Particularly when the staff nurse job involves lot of training ... eg cath lab.

They will be leery of someone who will be less likely to stay

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Specializes in Medical Surgical Orthopedic.

I'm still not sure how I passed my personality test, because a lot of nursing hopefuls who applied at my hospital have failed it. I've heard that they're looking for consistency more than anything....but that's just what I've heard. My test had really annoying questons, like this one:

What would you do if a patient was dying?

a. call the physician

b. call the patient's family

c. stay with the patient

d. control the patient's pain

The questions required you to make a LOT of assumptions about the situation. Trauma? Dying that second? Terminal illness and dying is six months? Expected death? Full code? Are we in a nursing home? Home health? A hospital floor? An ER? Are we "calling" the physician on an intercom (code blue), or does "call" refer only to the phone? Is anyone available to assist? What does the patient want?

And the best part was that you had just a few seconds to answer each question before the program skipped ahead to the next!

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

I filled out one of those questionnaires and got a speedy rejection the next day. I don't know what showed up in my profile based on my responses. It kept asking questions like "are you the person that everyone turns to for support and advice?" "Do you know intuitively what people are thinking or feeling?" It was very hard for me to answer such questions honestly even though I could see where they were heading...

I think if they make you take the test and base hiring decisions on them you should also be allowed to see the results. I wonder if there is a way to legally compel them to do that...

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My opinion is that it is best to answer the questions honestly. It's not that I have compunctions about gaming the test, but rather if I were to "fail". If I were not hired due to the test and I gave answers based on what I thought they wanted to see rather than how I felt, I would always wonder how I would have done if I answer honestly. If I answer honestly and they don't hire me, at least I don't have to wonder "what if". Plus, maybe, just maybe, it really wouldn't have been a good fit and the test saved both parties' time and energy. I know the job market is not the greatest right now, but this, too, shall pass, contrary to many chicken littles. Keep your head up and give it your best. Good luck.

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