[NT] NTs-Would you alter your personality test to get a job?

[sculpting]

Ifyou were very interested in getting a job and If you had to take a personality test to get it, would you answer authentically or would you attempt to answer the test the way you thought the people who were hiring you wanted you to answer?

Would you refuse to take the test?

 

[Nicodemus]

That depends on the test, the job, the firm, my level of interest in the job, my level of my confidence in knowing what the job demands better than the people hiring for it; in other words: it depends on too many variables to give the kind of answer you were probably looking for.

/Not good at online communication either.

 

[Coriolis]

Ifyou were very interested in getting a job and If you had to take a personality test to get it, would you answer authentically or would you attempt to answer the test the way you thought the people who were hiring you wanted you to answer?

Would you refuse to take the test?

First, it is my understanding that using MBTI in this way is considered unethical, especially by the people who administer it. I would have no compunction about answering inauthentically if my main goal was just to get the job. I might ask how the results would be used, especially if it were more of a career situation than just a job to pay the bills, and I wanted to have a better understanding of what kind of organization I would be getting into.

 

[Society]

without hesitation - i pretty much do that instinctively in job interviews anyway...

 

[FDG]

Just in very small doses, otherwise it'll be pointless to be stuck in a position that doesn't fit you.

 

[Society]

Just in very small doses, otherwise it'll be pointless to be stuck in a position that doesn't fit you.

honestly, i find that most jobs are tolerable as long as you find people around you whose company you enjoy... and most people just get whatever job they can to pay the bill, so all you need is a job that you tolerate. unless you are aiming for something specific - a career you think can be self-fulfilling - i don't know if there's merit to "how fitting you are for the job" personality wise (as long as your competent at it in terms of skills).

 

[WhoCares]

What would be the point? You're on the job performance will reveal all. Either you are good at the job or you arent. If they are shopping for a certain type then chances are excellent it will be an environment you hate rather than one that accomodates you. Move on. Theres no point winning a prize that turns into a nightmare. I havent got the time nor energy to pretend and keep up a pretence.

 

[FDG]

honestly, i find that most jobs are tolerable as long as you find people around you whose company you enjoy... and most people just get whatever job they can to pay the bill, so all you need is a job that you tolerate. unless you are aiming for something specific - a career you think can be self-fulfilling - i don't know if there's merit to "how fitting you are for the job" personality wise (as long as your competent at it in terms of skills).

Well, I'm always aiming for a career I think can be self-fulfilling. How could I do otherwise?

 

[93JC]

I would be very suspicious of any job application process that required me to submit to a personality test. Frankly my interest in the job would wane dramatically the moment the interviewer proffered the test.

I'd probably take the test as earnestly as possible, and if as a result I didn't get the job I wouldn't be disappointed. I wouldn't want to work for a company that made its hiring decisions based on the results of personality tests.

 

[sculpting]

without hesitation - i pretty much do that instinctively in job interviews anyway...

This explains a great deal actually! (not about you-about why my entp friend didnt get hired )

First, it is my understanding that using MBTI in this way is considered unethical, especially by the people who administer it. I would have no compunction about answering inauthentically if my main goal was just to get the job. I might ask how the results would be used, especially if it were more of a career situation than just a job to pay the bills, and I wanted to have a better understanding of what kind of organization I would be getting into.

the folks who sell MBTI, request that it not be used for this purpose and see it as unethical.

However there are a variety of companies that make tests of this sort for screening of applicants. Our company uses one that has a math, problem solving, and analytical reasoning sections, then follow with a personality profile which appears to be loosely based upon the five factors tool.

The tool was put in use after the company was acquired by a larger company. Folks who are pre-acquisition or folks who acquired as part of tuck ins to our company are representative of the personality type distribution you'd expect in IT or the world at large.

However folks who come in through our recruiting team and who are screened using tool are totally skewed. In our dev/QA team we have about 40% INTJ/40% INTP/10% ENFP. In all other teams-sales, support, Product management, Dev/QA management, docs, training, professional services, HR- we are close to 90% ENFP. We have 1 ISFJ, 1 ENFJ, 1 ENTJ, 1 INFJ, 1 ENTP, 1 INFP....but the rest are ENFPs everywhere.

I couldnt figure out how on earth they were screening so heavily towards a particular type of person and excluding others.

Rosofy wins:

If I ever become an employer, I might use this strategy to eliminate the cheaters. Depending on the position.

i found out yesterday, they actually dont screen out based on the answers to the tool, so your actual personality has little impact ....instead they use an algorithm to analyze for consistency in responses, and repeated extreme answers, to screen out the cheaters. Only 1 out of 100 people make it through the screening process.

I did consider altering my answers on the profiling tool to match what I thought they wanted, but at the time I was so miserable trying to fit in with the company I was at, that my general attitude towards a new company was "fuck them, if they dont like who i really am, I dont want to work there"

My INTP mercenary used to work in recruiting and he said huge numbers of people cheat and get excluded. However he, like Rasofy, said he didnt cheat because he thought it would be obvious that they were looking for cheaters.

 

[HongDou]

Rosofy wins:

i found out yesterday, they actually dont screen out based on the answers to the tool, so your actual personality has little impact ....instead they use an algorithm to analyze for consistency in responses, and repeated extreme answers, to screen out the cheaters. Only 1 out of 100 people make it through the screening process.

I did consider altering my answers on the profiling tool to match what I thought they wanted, but at the time I was so miserable trying to fit in with the company I was at, that my general attitude towards a new company was "fuck them, if they dont like who i really am, I dont want to work there"

My INTP mercenary used to work in recruiting and he said huge numbers of people cheat and get excluded. However he, like Rasofy, said he didnt cheat because he thought it would be obvious that they were looking for cheaters.

So the lesson we learned today is that honesty is the best policy.

 

[Infinite Bubble]

Absolutely, but not to the extent that it would be completely opposite to my actual personality.

 

[Salomé]

I'm a little offended that you think we 'd have to...given that we're so desirable. At least to employers...

 

[Coriolis]

Rosofy wins:

i found out yesterday, they actually dont screen out based on the answers to the tool, so your actual personality has little impact ....instead they use an algorithm to analyze for consistency in responses, and repeated extreme answers, to screen out the cheaters. Only 1 out of 100 people make it through the screening process.

Why do they care if someone cheats on an unethical test whose results aren't even used to select certain types over others?? And how can they tell a cheater from someone who just doesn't understand the questions, or answers in a "work" mindset, or as they would like to be, all honest mistakes often made on these tests?

 

[Lark]

No, I wouldnt.

 

[INTP]

i think its misuse of MBTI to hire based on type, not to mention that its morally wrong. so yes i would(and easily could) if it gave me some advantage

 

[five sounds]

I'm a little offended that you think we 'd have to...given that we're so desirable. At least to employers...

That was my initial reaction to the title of this thread. NT is a great combo!

 

[Rasofy]

Rosofy(sic) wins:

i found out yesterday, they actually dont screen out based on the answers to the tool, so your actual personality has little impact ....instead they use an algorithm to analyze for consistency in responses, and repeated extreme answers, to screen out the cheaters. Only 1 out of 100 people make it through the screening process.

Interesting. I assumed a sophisticated company would do something similar.

I did consider altering my answers on the profiling tool to match what I thought they wanted, but at the time I was so miserable trying to fit in with the company I was at, that my general attitude towards a new company was "fuck them, if they dont like who i really am, I dont want to work there"

Hah. That reminded me of this classic scene:

I suppose a good head hunter would be interested in people who have learned to recognize their shortcomings (that's huge, and quite rare).

No "I'm too perfectionist" bullshit.

Besides, when there are tons of supposedly "very hardworking"+"very disciplined"+"very cooperative"+"excellent at managing"+"excelent at whatever" people applying, using some calculated honesty becomes the best option to stand out.

My INTP mercenary used to work in recruiting and he said huge numbers of people cheat and get excluded. However he, like Rasofy, said he didnt cheat because he thought it would be obvious that they were looking for cheaters.

Nice.

 

[Bibliophile]

Just in very small doses, otherwise it'll be pointless to be stuck in a position that doesn't fit you.

It would also be troublesome to have your employer eventually find out that your results do not fit your real personality at all. So, I concur with you. I would alter it if I felt it was necessary, but I would do it in very small doses.

 

[Society]

Why do they care if someone cheats on an unethical test whose results aren't even used to select certain types over others??

wait... if they aren't used for selection, how are the tests still unethical?

another question: if mbti tested for development -how well developed is a certain cognitive ability - rather than preference, would it still be unethical? how would that be different from wanting to know your mathematical aptitude or linguistic ability?