Psychological Tests Becoming Big at Work

A recent study states that one in three employers is using these tests in the hiring process. ABCNews has the details... And here's a quote from the article:

Long popular in Europe, the tests are now becoming more common among U.S. and multi-national firms keen on determining what kind of workers their employees are, how well they'll get a long with others and whether or not they're suited for a particular job.

Some other headings in the article include

• Top to the Bottom Testing, which talks about how these tests are being administered for CEO candidates as well as sales associates for a retail chain;
• Seeking the Emotionally Intelligent, which describes how tests are being done to assess a candidates disposition and how he or she may work with others;
• The Writing's on the Application, which shares how some companies are using handwriting analysis to "help weed out applicants who might be untrustworthy, or to hire people who have qualities like integrity or reliability."

For the job seeker this presents some challenges. When I went through job outplacement, I was taught how to answer interviewing questions in a way that would project a positive impression of myself to the interviewer. For example, one of the common questions was about my biggest weakness. The way to answer this question is to talk about a weakness and turn it into a potential strength.

I would think that the best strategy for these psychological tests is to be completely honest in answering the questions. Trying to answer a question based on what you think the employer wants to hear may not be in your best interest. In addition, it's difficult to discern how a potential employer will use the results of such tests. They may perceive answers to questions differently from how you do, for example.

Just be honest and do your best.