Employee personality profile..has anyone had to do this?

One of my friends had to do it where he used to work, and I think he said that he just recently had to do it where he's working now.

Personally, I think it's BS. It doesn't make sense, if they want to know what other people think of you they should have everyone do the test about everyone else, then lump those together and put people into categories - although since there is favouritism and what not in every workplace I'm sure that wouldn't even work.

Many companies are doing that now. It's supposed to about making you self aware of how others perceive you so that you can work on any faults that you have.

Yep, had to do it.... Mine was huge though.... Definitely a sales person and NOT into following procedures - right on the money!
P.S. - I loved it though, the HR sent me a copy at hiring, I still have it somewhere... We had a group discussion in my department and it was incredible how the profiles fit each one of us so well. I forgot what the name for this Personality Profile is, but a lot of Companies are doing it to make sure they are hiring the right people to the right positions ;-)

I think we're going to be doing something similar to this in the very near future...we all just received an email about it, requesting our full support, etc. Although part of what we have to do, too, is compile a list of the tasks we perform from day to day. They pretty much said they're going to use these questionaires when working out the budget for next year, so it doesn't sound good from our perspective. We are going to fill out the papers, then we have to go through an interview with an independent firm following the paperwork.

You have to fill one out to get a job at Toys R Us, even as a truck driver! They won't tell you what the parameters are (of course), but they did give me some hints to pass on to anyone I referred.

1. Be honest. There are double-checks in the program to find out those who are trying to game the system.

2. Be fairly moderate. Anyone who checks a LOT of items fully to one end or the other of the spectrum won't pass it.

On anything like that and also the annual employee survey about the workplace I have always been moderate. The surveys are supposed to be anonymous but they are done online with a logon so of course they aren't really anonymous. I am honest but if its a negative or a positive I always just go one or two away from the middle.

We do them every few years as the teams change up and move around. Since we work in close teams and with the public, it helps to know what you can expect in the way of strengths from your co-workers. Personally, I find them fun and they do help with some communication tricks for people who you're drastically different from...and for what it's worth, mine hasn't changed in about 15 years.

I've had to do those sorts of test in most of the jobs I've had in the last 10-15 years.

The tests tell the company much about you and your specific personality and where you might fit better in the organization. I consider them to be very positive as they can often get you into a job that is more suited to your personality and which can make you a happier employee.

It's very important how your customers perceive you both internally and externally especially in a customer service job.

Yes I've had to do one before, but my situation was different and if I had the ability to see into the future, I would have LIED for mine. We had to do the "Now Discover Your Strengths" test and read the book. My number one strength was Harmony, which states, "People strong in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don't enjoy conflict; rather, they seek areas of agreement."

The woman who made us all do this was high-handed and if she felt anyone was a threat, she would have them fired. Well, I work for a university and it's not that easy, even in a right-to-work state. She tried to get me fired, and used the quiz to find ways to undermine my strengths. For example, I mentioned Harmony, so she would find ways to make sure that drama followed me, and that caused my performance to drop. She even told my manager that she couldn't believe that was my strength since I have the propensity to be right in the middle of all the drama.

All that said and done, I still have my job and she was escorted by campus police from her office many years ago.

I only mention this because if you have any inkling that it might be used against you, it might be best to fudge the results. That's just my opinion.

Years ago, I interviewed a company that did pre-employment testing. We needed a system our stores could use in their hiring, and as part of the selection process, I took their test and reviewed my own results with the company representative. It was fascinating.

Like most of these tests, this one was full of questions for which there was no good answer... and also the same questions over and over, posed in slightly different ways. It seemed as if the test was just not very well designed -- but in fact, it's all intentional. These tests reveal inconsistency, deception, and efforts to answer in the way you think they want you to, rather than as you would naturally.

The particular test I took revealed even more, predicting behaviors that I was, indeed, prone to, and giving me one huge insight into my own demeanor that's been very useful to me ever since. I'm not sure all these tests are that insightful, but this one certainly had me figured out!

So although I hate the idea of being assessed this way instead of through a personal interview, I do recognize that an employer receiving a hundred applications for a position can't possibly interview everyone. By using a test like this, he can winnow the pool down to a more manageable group of people whose tests show that they have the underlying character and attitude he's looking for.

Don't let the tests intimidate you... just answer as your best self, and be as consistent as the available answers allow you to be.

EDIT: Having said that, I should add that the idea of making ANY aspect of the test public knowledge is WRONG! Displaying your "color code" at your desk? No, no, no... it sounds like your company is doing something far different from what I've seen. That's like making you wear a badge that says, "Hi, I'm Susie! I'm shy and easily intimidated, so if you need a scapegoat, you can probably get by with blaming me for everything that goes wrong!" AUGH!

At TRU, once you're hired, the results of the test are not available to anyone except those who might be evaluating the effectiveness and accuracy of the program years down the road.

That said, management says they have found it to be pretty accurate, especially since they administered the test for quite a while before they actually started considering it.

The results of my tests were only available me, HR and the person hiring me. Upon agreeing, the Sales management team had a meeting where we had an open discussion about our tests - which to me was pretty cool. It was interesting to see how the sales mangers had almost identical profiles, while our boss had a different one which fit exactly like how we perceived her.
There was no judging, but much more of understanding. None of us were obligated to do it, we agreed to do so, and we loved it.
As sales mangers, we are not that shy anyways, and are pretty upfront - you ask me a question I ask, so I had no problems whatsoever.
I loved taking the test, and if I could I would take it again periodically. I think it is a great tool at hiring.

Is this supposed to work as a replacement for management that is inept at hiring?

What happened to a good old fashioned interview? You get asked a bunch of questions, and they tend to be more honest when they are off the cuff and worked into normal conversation with followup questions where necessary.

Plus, you can learn so much not just from WHAT the person answered with, but the manner in which they answered it. Did the question make them uncomfortable? Were they looking away and meekly answering that others believe them to have strong leadership abilities?

This is an added step, not a replacement - my "test" (i don't really consider a test, as there is not really a right or wrong), was really long and complex... IMHO it is a great tool for hiring in making sure the employee will fit well the position they are being hired for. Some types of personalities fit better customer service, while others fit better Sales, or management, etc. This is a personality Profile test. This is not to see if you are qualified, or lying or verify your resume. This is a personality profile, all it is. I had several interviews in addition to this - not only this test. This was one step of many....

Some employers give stuff like that to people they are interviewing! They have questions that will trick you too. Like if you answer too many positive things you pretty much get discarded because no one is that perfect. They want honest answers...or do they?

Personally I think it's discriminatory. When i saw a copy of one of these things it was when I worked for a company that helps people with disabilities get jobs. The employer that was using them (it's been several years) was not a place you need much brains to work at.... I do believe it took some convincing that the disabled person they were looking at hiring needed and had a right to help completing the questionnaire.

When will these, probably college educated (which I am myself so I'm not exactly putting everyone in a box there), geniuses that come up with stuff learn not everyone can be or should be put in a box? All the best managers I know have been ones who can use their heads on their own....and have been allowed to do so! Thanks for reminding me why I don't miss working.

Oh wait! They want you to display the results at your desk?!!! OMG! That's insane! I'd go to the manager and tell them that you are uncomfortable about that issue and that you feel the results should be kept confidential within the Human Resources Department.

If they squak at that, my next call would be to the Labour Board and tell them what the problem is. I think their take on it would be that it should be kept confidential too.

I had to do one once during a job interview, but it was not placed in the open - just used solely for the interview.

I had a friend who worked for a call center and she had to take one of those as well. It was a temp job and she ended up not getting to stay permanently. She blamed the personality assessment - I think it really was because she was pregnant and they certainly weren't going to offer permanent employment to someone who'd be on maternity leave within a month.

I think they are a waste of time also. And having to publicly display your results at your desk is absolutely insane.

Ick...I didn't realize you had to display them.

When we did it, it was entirely up to you if you wanted to share. I'm on a small-ish team, so most of us did, but I'd resent the heck out of being forced to share...especially because, no matter how accurate, these things are generalizations.

I've spent the last two and a half years creating, implementing and teaching Learning and Career Development-related initiatives, and I consider these assessments to be a hugely beneficial tool for learning more about oneself. This is important because it facilitates the search for your "perfect job" by helping you identify your innate talents, passions (sometimes), behavior patterns, and priorities.

Do you like to lead? Do you crave stability? Is a high level of visibility important to you? Are you more comfortable working on your own or in a group?

All of these are pieces to the puzzle that is each of us, and learning what those pieces look like can go a long way toward understanding why one particular job "works" for you over another. For instance, what if you're given the choice between two jobs with identical salaries and other benefits and you're having trouble choosing which one will make you the happiest and most successful? These assessments will help you pick that right one based on your task preferences and current priorities.

In my case, I like to lead but I don't like to manage, and I thrive on roles that are highly visible with a lot of responsibility and risk. Knowing this, I stay away from roles that require me to manage other employees, and pounce on projects that allow me to lead teams, especially if they're short-term and high-priority.

Same thing when different opportunities come your way. These assessments will help you identify which ones to pursue and which ones to pass on. And the results of assessments will change over the years as your circumstances and professional experiences change; an employee with a young and growing family may choose the work/life balance as being their highest priority today, but make it one of their lowest once the children are grown and out of the house.

You can take these assessment results a step further and learn to identify all the personality types and - more importantly - how to work with them given your own personality. This is great for anyone who needs to interact with all levels of the company hierarchy (such as Administrative Professionals), and for anyone who deals with the public.

Knowledge is power, and knowing oneself is, in my opinion, one of the most powerful tools of all. I think it's a touch unusual to order employees to post their profiles, but I personally wouldn't find it degrading. Every "type" has a unique and vital part to play in an organization and not one of them is worth more than another.

The mediator role, as mentioned by the OP, is actually a highly sought after trait. I make it a point to pull in mediator types whenever I have the opportunity to create my own teams because they are often the ones who can bring the different sides together to find a viable solution.

Yeesh, I wrote way more than I intended, but this topic is actually one that is near and dear to my heart. I love helping employees come to understand and value their professional selves, whichever "box" they happen to fall in!

AC

P.S. Keirsey.com, TypeLogic.com, Enneagram.net

I think they are the worst invention brought to the employment realm since universal drug testing ( I'm fine with drug testing where safety is an issue like drivers and working with heavy machinery) and are regularly abused and used in discriminatory ways.

I think if you want to do one on your own time because you lack self awareness be my guest.

I've never taken one in the context of a job interview and I purposely screen out such places if I can.

Yeesh.

The older I get and the more I learn, the more I realize just how little I really know. There is always room for greater understanding and self-improvement.

Throwing this out just for fun - on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator scale, I assess as an INTJ, as does about 1% of America's population. ;-)

AC

Having worked in HR I know first hand how valuable a tool these tests can be in assessing a candidates strengths and weaknesses and a way for HR to work with those assessments to get the best fit for both employee and employer.

LOL yes I have...but only because I was a guinea pig. My sis is an HR director and they were testing a new testing system and she asked me to take the test she was quite suprised at the results

The last time I took one of these I came out as a Guardian Protector. I don't remember what the letters were except that I was introverted and feeling. I was supposed to be easily taken for granted because of being introverted, don't like being in the limelight, and want to keep the peace. I do tend to prefer to stay on the sidelines and quietly work.

Every assessment type I'm familiar with uses a bunch of very similar questions phrased slightly differently for the purpose of identifying one's personality traits at some point along a left to right line, with each of the end points being the "extremes" of whatever trait being assessed.

They aren't meant to measure "strengths" and "weaknesses" but to identify and assess the strength (i.e. slight/moderate/clear) of traits inherent to your personality type. If the only question asked is, "What do you think your coworkers think of you?", then this isn't really a personality or career type assessment. If, however, that question is one among many, then it's likely it's just one of those "rephrased" questions that assesses where along your "how are you energized" line - with extroverts on the far left and introverts on the far right - you lie.

And, contrary to the expectations of many, being an introvert does NOT mean you are shy, it just means you exert energy in group situations and recharge your energy when you are alone. I am an introvert, but there's not a person alive who would call me shy.

Again, personality assessments aren't intended to be used to identify strengths and weaknesses. And - please take this to heart - every single personality type in existence has inherent value. Not one of them is "worth more" or "worth less" than any other.

Knowing your inherent tendencies allows you to understand where some of your thoughts and behaviors come from. This gives you the insight to both moderate those reactions when you think the situation calls for it, and capitalize on those you wish to build upon.

For instance, when people of my personality type sign a contract with someone, we inherently believe the subject is closed, the deal struck, and that's the end of the matter. However, the confidence I feel at that moment - while based upon the contract - is bolstered by a non-logical certainty that things will go exactly as they've been planned. When the situation DOESN'T go smoothly, we suffer that much more because we held such a strong assurance it wouldn't.

Knowing this, I am forewarned to not take things as personally as I "feel" them when, inevitably, a contract is broken. (I say "inevitably" because all contracts involve people and, somewhere along the way, someone is going to breach some contract or agreement.)

And having an inherent belief that people will do what they say they'll do and that events will proceed as they've been planned to proceed is neither a strength nor a weakness, it's just part of who I am.

Does that help a bit?

AC