Employers are increasingly using personality-style tests to try to predict how an applicant, once employed, might conduct themselves in the workplace. In this context the employer is trying to identify the potential employee who might have the wrong approach to, for example: health and safety, equal opportunities, the handling of a grievance or someone in a position of authority.
You need to approach these questions slightly differently. In particular, you must avoid the wrong answers. By this I mean the suggested answers that could imply that you would act inappropriately in work and so should not be employed.
In your current work you may well have a contract of employment and a number of policy documents that form a part of that contract. Read these documents before you complete a personality-style test of this sort as they will help you understand the responsibilities of an employee and what it is reasonable for an employer to expect of you. For example, the grievance procedure should state that you should at the fi rst opportunity inform your manager of any issue that you are feeling unhappy about. The equal oppor- tunities policy will describe how every employee can expect to work in an environment free of the fear of discrimination on the grounds of race, gender or disability and that it is every employee’s responsibility to help ensure such an environment. The health and safety policy will require all employees to report immediately anything they consider to represent a danger. These conditions of employment are very similar across all employers.
Use the following questions to decide how you would respond to this style of question in a personality test. Think of the questions from the employer’s perspective and ask yourself whether or not a particular suggested answer would present you as a suitable employee.
79. A rude customer cannot expect the same level of service as one who is nice.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
80. Sometimes you cannot properly make a point without raising your voice.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
81. In work it is sometimes necessary to tell a little lie. A. Agree strongly
B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
82. If a personal problem arose that affected my performance at work I would inform my line manager straight away.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
83. There are some types of people you just know you are not going to get on with.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
84. At work you should avoid upsetting people by telling them something they do not want to hear.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
85. When something goes wrong it is best to put it right and then report it. A. Agree strongly
B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
86. I prefer to give orders rather than receive them. A. Agree strongly
B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
87. I do not worry too much if a job might be dangerous. A. Agree strongly
B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
88. If someone keeps upsetting me then sooner or later I will get them back.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
89. If I witnessed someone being bullied I would inform my supervisor. A. Agree strongly
B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
90. A joke at work is normal but some people can’t take them and they need to lighten up a bit.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
91. It’s a fact of nature that some jobs women do better than men and others men do better than women.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
92. Taking a few pens or some paper home from work for the children is something everyone does and it is not really stealing.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
93. If someone is not pulling their weight then they are being unfair to their colleagues.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
94. If a customer was angry and unhappy about the service they had received I would listen carefully to their complaint, tell them what I was going to do and report back to them when I had done what I said. A. Agree strongly
B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
95. If I found that I regularly could not complete all my jobs I would stay late to get the job done.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
96. If I found I could complete all my tasks with time to spare I would offer to help a colleague who was busy.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
97. I do not think it is right if I am asked to do something that is not in my job description.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
98. If I choose to have a drink of alcohol at lunch time it is none of my employer’s business.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
99. If I saw something that I considered dangerous I would go out of my way to inform someone in authority.
A. Agree strongly B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree
E. Disagree strongly
100. I am prepared to argue my corner until I am blue in the face. A. Agree strongly
B. Agree
C. Do not agree or disagree Answer D. Disagree