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I applied for a software role at FedEx and was asked to take a personality test

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Re: I applied for a software role at FedEx and was asked to take a personality test

#131

Post by mihaaly »

I completed interviews with my intended manager and HR about work conditions and salary, we had agreement on the particulars including dates, then the organization (multinational corporation purchased a Europan unit I applied to) mandated aptitude test, composed of some sort of mental abilities test and a personality test. "All employee must take the same test and reach a threshold". All from some external party sold their aptitude test services, used by the company for about 2 years as I understood (being a recently researched and perfected technique as I recall). I had a chance to see a practice test before completing the real one. The mental abilities test had generic IQ test like 'complete the sequence' but about half was 'calculate the sales figures of the hypothetical organization based on given situation' kind of tasks, in overall way too much for the allocated time, impossible to complete (testing the endurance against stress, ability to balance accuracy and pace I take, but I only reached about 1/4 being unpracticed in the topic). What?! Engineering position is tested by fast financial calculation? Then came the personality test, similarly with quicker than comfortable pace selecting most relevant answer of the three choices. But all were important depending on the circumstances (which was unspecified) and actually could, and in most cases should coexist (like what is more important to you, choose one: honesty, completing allocated tasks, client satisfaction).

I contacted HR saying that this is not a test that could measure me reliablty considering I have no practice in very fast financial calculations (can do slowly, but they emphasized the importance of pace with accuracy) and that I am forced to give random answers in the personality part, depending on what is my mood at the moment (basicaly mad about these idiotic tests). They told I must complete it and this is 'the base of allocating responsibilities and determining advancements in the company'.

I chose to withdraw my application instead (despite being without job for some months and the position looked promising). I do not want to work somewhere where they make this kind of across the board uniform and abstract tests the base of my evaluation (even if they just claim they do, since it is very difficult to imagine they could reliably do so).

Re: I applied for a software role at FedEx and was asked to take a personality test

#132

Post by Brananarchy »

kube-system wrote: post #111
bluefirebrand wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems to me that what you are getting is people who are both decently clever and fairly dishonest. Which is an awful combination to select for, imo

Does social filtering constitute dishonesty or professionalism? This question itself might be a good interview question.

Both. The entire concept of "professionalism" is based around the idea that certain people should be dishonest about themselves in public, for the sake of others' comfort.

Re: I applied for a software role at FedEx and was asked to take a personality test

#133

Post by bitwize »

Personality tests like this are par for the course in domains like retail. They have right/wrong answers, no matter what the test administrators tell you. When given the option, always Strongly Disagree with anything that might worry your boss and Strongly Agree with anything that would make your boss happy. A single wrong answer could mean you're a risky hire; two or more may disqualify you on the spot. Don't mess with Mr. Inbetween; Agree, Disagree, and Not Sure are wrong answers.

Re: I applied for a software role at FedEx and was asked to take a personality test

#134

Post by mihaaly »

ejb999 wrote: post #3
billy99k wrote: post #2

I once had a SW interview with a job that had a 2-hour long personality test. No tech questions. Just random questions to test my personality. It started out simple, like 'what was the last book you read' to more in-depth situations that had nothing to do with the job. The manager interviewing me (who admit he basically just started managing a month prior) told me he just read a 'great book on management' and wanted…

Yep - companies will continue to use these bizarre hiring criteria/tests unless or until enough people refuse to participate; but as long as their is a line of people behind you willing to do 'whatever' for the chance at the job, not much will change.

I did my part: refused a job because of these kind of mandatory weird tests.

Re: I applied for a software role at FedEx and was asked to take a personality test

#135

Post by anigbrowl »

ipaddr wrote: post #69
bluefirebrand wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems to me that what you are getting is people who are both decently clever and fairly dishonest. Which is an awful combination to select for, imo

Realizing the desired outcome a company may desire isn't dishonest. Being agreeable enough to play the game by the rules isn't dishonest. You'd rather clever enough but defiant employees? Or not clever and some other combo? Being honest is realizing your situation and making tradeoffs to prioritize what's important. Pretending that your ability to call out weaknesses in the interview process makes you the best candid…

You're conflating honesty with humility.

Re: I applied for a software role at FedEx and was asked to take a personality test

#136

Post by Symbiote »

jabroni_salad wrote: post #63
neon_electro wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What does “putting humans through the mud” achieve?

I took such a test at my first ever job, and it was only two topics repeated 15 times: 1. what is the value of these coins 2. is it ok to steal If you can't count money or think it is ok to steal then you cannot work in retail.

I took a more general test at a job agency, as there was warehouse work, cleaning, assembly line and so on available.

I argued at the end that I had 100%, since 295 × 3 (or something) could not possibly be the answer given on the answer sheet, as the last digit wasn't 5.

They eventually found a calculator and found their answer sheet was wrong. Supposedly, no-one had noticed before, though now I wonder if it's possible it was a test of personality.

Probably not, as many people probably would find that question difficult on a test with questions like "Put Smith, Jones and Patel in alphabetical order".

Re: I applied for a software role at FedEx and was asked to take a personality test

#137

Post by chaosharmonic »

I recently withdrew an application for the first time, after a recruiter connected me w Fidelity, bc their initial "interview" was a 1-way video screen that expected me to devote an hour of my time and gave me 24 hours to do that.

Normally an interview is supposed to enable you to find out more about how the company operates, but honestly that alone was pretty telling.

Re: I applied for a software role at FedEx and was asked to take a personality test

#138

Post by Clubber »

zooq_ai wrote: post #126
Clubber wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"we'll hire overseas for a fraction of the cost, darn" The ones at a fraction of the cost aren't very good. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

That's a naive argument. Intelligence / Competence more or less has the same distribution curve. With the access of knowledge now widely available, A country with 1.5B people will always have more competent people than countries that have 50 Million in population. And these countries have cheap labor. US has always poo-pooed Japanese, Chinese and Indian workers as low quality. That's only because you didn't filter we…

>That's a naive argument.

No, it's an experienced one.

>Intelligence / Competence more or less has the same distribution curve. With the access of knowledge now widely available, A country with 1.5B people will always have more competent people than countries that have 50 Million in population.

That is only a fraction of what it takes to produce good software developers. You have to include quality of the educational systems, living conditions and all that. Any offshore developer worth their salt gets paid market rates or near market rates.

>And these countries have cheap labor. US has always poo-pooed Japanese, Chinese and Indian workers as low quality. That's only because you didn't filter well

It's not their nationality, it's the price they are charging for. I bet you can't find a quality US worker for $30K a year either.

Re: I applied for a software role at FedEx and was asked to take a personality test

#139

Post by jakupovic »

zooq_ai wrote: post #126
Clubber wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"we'll hire overseas for a fraction of the cost, darn" The ones at a fraction of the cost aren't very good. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

That's a naive argument. Intelligence / Competence more or less has the same distribution curve. With the access of knowledge now widely available, A country with 1.5B people will always have more competent people than countries that have 50 Million in population. And these countries have cheap labor. US has always poo-pooed Japanese, Chinese and Indian workers as low quality. That's only because you didn't filter we…

I work with IDC folks a lot and just like you said there is no difference in quality but the time difference and being US centric makes a difference. The US side makes the decisions and the ither sides has to follow. I personally try to give as much independence as possible but it's just how it is based on where the money comes from.

Re: I applied for a software role at FedEx and was asked to take a personality test

#140

Post by htrp »

neilv wrote: post #112
awo34oaw4u wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got asked "what was the last book you read" in a SW startup interview once. I told them and then the interviewers started arguing amongst themselves about whether or not they liked the book, based on what I had told them about it, instead of asking me what I thought about it and what I learned from it. That was one of about thirty red flags. I left without completing the interview.

In imagination-land, it could've been a higher echelon of test. Despite the dynamic in which you were the one being tag-teamed in an interview, would your catalyst presence bring the interview back on track, with subtle grace? At the end of a series of "bad interview loop" tests, you learn that they secretly weren't interviewing you to be a coder, and now you are the next chosen-one CEO of Lego.

> Despite the dynamic in which you were the one being tag-teamed in an interview, would your catalyst presence bring the interview back on track, with subtle grace?

Said no company ever....

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