Monday, August 6, 2007

The Definitive Job Hunt – Part 4

Rowan Manahan, from Fortify Your Oasis, has tapped me to be part of his online collaboration: “The Definitive Guide to Clearing Job Hunt Hurdles”. Today's installment:

Step 4: Pre- Employment Testing (it's more than just fill this specimen jar these days!)

First, I want to say that although there is much more to pre-employment testing than just the standard drug screen; clearly you should avoid failing your drug screen.

When it comes to drug screens, also avoid:
  1. Asking, "It’s just a urinalysis, right?" (uhm – are you saying you’d fail another type?)
  2. Trying to “fool” the drug screen in any number of creative, yet disgusting, ways. You're going to get caught - no really, you are! (unless you're interviewing with Major League Baseball, then maybe not!)

But enough on that. There are many other types of pre-employment testing, psychological evaluations, sales testing, personality assessments, etc.

If you allow the test to make you nervous you’ll probably do worse than you would normally.

It’s good to know the test is coming, and you may want to find out as much as possible able the testing involved, but as a rule, you can’t “fool” these tests.

Keep in mind that there is a reason the company is asking you to take or endure whatever test, they believe it works; if the test says you won’t be a personality fit in the organization, do you really want to work there anyway?

For example, I once (in a moment of utter insanity) applied for a job at a financial services firm. I did not know it when I scheduled the interview, but this was a sales (read as “telemarketing”) job. I was asked to take a computerized “assessment test” that asked me all sorts of questions about my willingness to bend the rules, and whether I thought ethics were “flexible”. I’m pretty sure I failed the test, because I didn’t even talk to anyone before being told “we don’t think this is the right fit for you”. I thought, if my answers to those questions were not the ones they wanted, I don’t think this is a fit either!

These tests are becoming more and more commonplace in the job hunt market – I guess we just have to live with it.

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