Answers to the Unicru Application Personality Test

these tests are horrid... the above research project is great, but also consider how it relates to most oldschool paper applications.

there's usually some clause at the end of paper applications that says something to the effect of "if we find you lied on this application, we can fire you instantly". do these personality test questions (many that have little to do with actually working) qualify as grounds for termination if you say something offhand that contradicts your responses on your old app?

can an employee who doesn't see eye-to-eye w/ a new manager, for example, be made to retake the test, and be fired if inconsistent w/ their original application?

if i'm taking this test to begin with, i probably don't have better job offers beating down my door at the moment, and could use honest consideration by a capable hiring manager; to determine if my personality/demeanor/skills are so lacking i can't stock cvs shelves or scan barcodes at best buy.

the last thing i'd need is a computer program trashing my application before even talking to a human being. if one manager chose to use this program, it would likely be seen as lazy or the definition of antisocial... when whole chains do it, it's "progress". companies that choose to use this system want yes-men. they get them, lose people willing to think critically at any level, and everybody suffers.

too corporate for human beings, too big to succeed.

somebody bail'em out already.

[DranoK]

Good points. Of course, whenever cheating, it's never wise to be [i]too[i] perfect ;)

[liekkisusi]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

these tests are horrid... the above research project is great, but also consider how it relates to most oldschool paper applications.

there's usually some clause at the end of paper applications that says something to the effect of "if we find you lied on this application, we can fire you instantly". do these personality test questions (many that have little to do with actually working) qualify as grounds for termination if you say something offhand that contradicts your responses on your old app?

can an employee who doesn't see eye-to-eye w/ a new manager, for example, be made to retake the test, and be fired if inconsistent w/ their original application?

if i'm taking this test to begin with, i probably don't have better job offers beating down my door at the moment, and could use honest consideration by a capable hiring manager; to determine if my personality/demeanor/skills are so lacking i can't stock cvs shelves or scan barcodes at best buy.

the last thing i'd need is a computer program trashing my application before even talking to a human being. if one manager chose to use this program, it would likely be seen as lazy or the definition of antisocial... when whole chains do it, it's "progress". companies that choose to use this system want yes-men. they get them, lose people willing to think critically at any level, and everybody suffers.

too corporate for human beings, too big to succeed.

somebody bail'em out already.

Very interesting indeed. What is even more interesting I find is that these same corporations want us to give them as much information as possible about our lives and personalities, yet when it comes the the specifics on what your job is they will often lie about details of the job. They want people who will go along with whatever they say and not question why things are done a certain way even what it's to the company's own detriment.

I've always consider the whole idea of "a person as a corporation" as a bullshit philosophy that came out of some judge's ass in the 1800s. Ironically the ruling wasn't even constitution and the fact it still stands today is a measure of just how far back the deep corporate corruption of government goes. Then again, it really should not be a surprise to anyone who as studied American history and observed the schism in economic philosophy that was occurring around the time of the Civil War. Now, those corporate "people" are telling the real people how we should act, what we should like, what we should buy, and what we can and cannot say. Generally, when a regular person does that and does it in a forceful manner we call it by names such as fraud, extortion, blackmail, thievery, harassment, assault, amongst other things. Yet, when these corporate "people" do the same things was call it "business as usual" and make up all sort of excuses as to why it is okay for them to do great harm to the public at large. In reality, this corporate "person" should really be locked up or awaiting his execution.

In this sense, Unicru is furthering that agenda by allowing certain types of people to be able to land a job at most large employers. In reality, this test will even fail in this goal as people discover how to game the system to their advantage. Once that happens the applicant list will swell from the unqualified to the downright criminal in addition to normal people like you and I who have discovered what we need to do in order to get a job. The fact is that if I need a job bad enough, I'm going to answer the interviewers questions in the way he wants to hear it -- yes I can lift 100 lb bags of cement 8 hours a day (even though i weight 125), and yes I deal with loud noises (even though I'm prone to migraines and have difficulty hearing people in loud environments). The problem is that these tests are not sane and there isn't anyway short of using inside information to truly ensure that one passes.

Also, I've updated my guide to include the changes and I will be sending it out to as many independent media organizations as I can think of.

This is all just 'leverage' and it is being handed to any employer: if you let it stay in place, it will continue to screen you. Personally, I believe we gotta figure out a way to go around it, and most of my friends did just that and got hired. I haven't a strong personality so if I try to go around these tests, I get pushed back, mostly because I'm too meek to, as I call it, ARGUE.

During this depression, this is an employers market, because there are a hundred applications coming from people with Masters degrees in Advanced Basket Weaving, and Bachelors of Liberal Arts, and those folks are obviously more qualified no matter how many years experience we have in any position for which we are applying.

Most hiring managers couldn't be bothered to think up, much less ask, 1/10th of the questions in the unicru battery and thus, as seen from above, hiring managers could possibly hire people that would ultimately screw up. In any event, hiring managers are now able to choose the 'better' candidates since the screening is already being done by unicru (as opposed to not using unicru and the hiring managers get fooled by applicants holding those important degrees I cited above).

In fact, some of these hiring managers (with a mail order degree in ... oh, I dunno, lets say "Classical Irish Clogging") were, themselves, promoted from within, and thus rose from floor sweeper to being promoted to department manager during the times when the employer had fewer advantages in selecting candidate employees.

Employer says: lesson learned.

It is maddening when the court lets guilty criminals go free SA

This is a shitty question. Who is to say that these supposed criminals are guilty. a jury of peers decides the the outcome of the case. if these criminals are let goes its only because the have been found innocent.

[DranoK]

The question doesn't even make sense. If a court doesn't convict someone they are not guilty.

The question should read, "It is maddening when the court lets someone I think in my random spoon-fed opinion is guilty go free."

Been unemployed for about a year now, smack in a suburban sprawl where nearly every place I could work at right now has this test. I have never recieved a follow-up phone call after filling out an application that had this test following it. I hold my honesty and integrity in high regard, and agreeing with one of the posts in here by the brain monster guy, I feel as though I labeled myself as chivalrous while young. I like stopping my car for pedestrians and waving them on. I help people clean up messes that I didn't help create, pick up dropped books just like in saved by the bell etc.

I WILL NOT compromise my honesty for this stupid test. Even enjoying those things I just listed, you know what? I hate concerts. Large groups of people make me ill, as their collective I.Q. doesn't seem to accumulate so much as halve itself. Having said that I do actually love customer service. I don't actually deal with 70 people at once, I deal with the one right in front of me at that moment. I like the fact that I can smile real big and ask someone a question not canned from a company form. "Howdy! How's your day goin' so far sir?" or whatever contextual question/comment I come up with. I am an excellent salesman, and my redneck voice hollering "howdy" has helped sell many a cup of dip n' dot to help pay for college.

Currently pretty screwed. Unable to continue college due to lack of funds, debt is piling up as quickly as it can, and last night's budget showed that my girlfriend and I will be $2,500 behind on bills this year (if unemployment continues) without even budgeting in food or fuel. I've placed a lot of applications that have had this test tied to them. If you need petition signatures or anything like that to help get rid of this crappy thing I'm all for it. ~_~

I built my first computer from a barebones kit when I was 16, but I don't like concerts so I can't work at geek squad -_- Can't put bread on a store shelf at Farm Fresh because I sometimes like to be alone. Doesn't matter that I'm a self trained artist who enjoys quiet while I draw, liking being alone means I must play with matches while plotting on people >_<; gwah!

[DranoK]

I think it's perfectly ethical to respond dishonestly to a dishonest scenario that's forced upon you. I'd suggest just jumping through their hoops to land a job. You would be in a better position to protest it after =P

I feel like I\'m a lot like this anonymous guy that posted before me since through my college career I wasn\'t really able to get any job that had these bullshit questions. My problem was never keeping a job, it was always just getting one in the first place that was the problem.

I\'m introverted, realistic, and even cynical. I despise high pressure sales, but I am great in making genuine connections with people in low pressure sales or any other customer service where the goal is to help people out and provide a good experience. I\'ve often been mistaken for an employee in stores because I\'m so helpful to people.

It\'s so wrong to exclude good people out just because they\'re more free thinking and don\'t fit the mold than the drones they want. I feel like crap in so many applications I fill because I have to either lie to even be considered or be humble and honest and not even be given a second glance. Screwed either way anyway.

I\'m copying and studying this intimately for whenever I have to put up with another stupid test like this. Screw the HR people that believe this crap; they\'re a cancer on society on the same level as Scientology lawyers and people who believe in astrology.

[DranoK]

Good luck to you =)