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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Susan47 on January 16, 2005, at 5:53:47
Nightmare one of the worst I've ever experienced. I can't talk about it because I know it would trigger so many people to go to so many bad places, it's unbelievable.
But what triggered the nightmare? Please let me tell you. Today I took a psychological test for a job placement. I had no idea it would be that type of test. I was told to go in for a "computer skills" test. Do you like being lied to? I don't. But that's not even the point. I went in. I started doing the "test". First screen, they had my phone number incorrectly entered. I fixed that, turned to the woman watching me, and said, "That's part of the test, isn't it?" At this point I still hadn't clued in. Anyway, I get to the instructions and I'm still not really clue-ing in. But I listen and I take my time - there's 150 questions, in five different formats. The questions repeat themselves in various ways in the different sections. I answer as honestly as I can, and believe me, sometimes it takes awhile because the answers are usually black and white. I'm a person who sees grey in almost everything. I'm one of those super-understanding types of people who always run into trouble with that when it comes to intractable personality types. Well, a test like this is has that type of personality.
I get to the second section of the test, and because it's a cashier position, it's about product-code recognition, memory, math, and till skills. I do it and it takes me longer than it should because by this time let me tell you I'm exhausted I'd had an exam in the morning as part of my college course and a full class - and I'm feelin it. So I know I didn't do my best. But that's not the worst part.
Posted by Susan47 on January 16, 2005, at 6:07:31
In reply to Can't Sleep - Terrible., posted by Susan47 on January 16, 2005, at 5:53:47
At the end of the test the last page says you're finished now, you've completed this part of the process, now you have several choices. You can phone somebody from the room you're in (if phone is available) to come and get you. You can go and find somebody. Or you can sit and wait.
Next the screen says, Don't leave the machine or touch the keyboard or you may end up erasing your test results and you'd have to take the test again.Am I insane? Well I came up with a solution that worked very well but when the woman came in I showed her the screen I was sitting at. Instead of answering, she was carrying a piece of paper that said I wasn't allowed to talk to anybody about the test, I wasn't allowed to write any of it down, (I'd been doing just that!!!) and she said I was supposed to have been given that paper Before the test was taken. I want to say here that she also expressed surprise when I showed her the last screen, as though she'd never seen it before and didn't know if its contents.
The firm was a large U.S. firm. I know this was a psychological game, the whole thing. I don't trust large firms like this, and now I know why. I would like to say that store will never Ever see me in it again, as a customer or otherwise. I hope that's true. They played with my mind, and they play with the minds of employees and customers every day. It's called Retail. It all sounds so innocent, but every time you fill out a customer survey or a product survey, you give ammunition to those who WILL take advantage of you.
I had the worst nightmare in years tonight, and it's because of that test. Before bed, I'd been reading about global warming and the U.S.'s intractability over their energy policies and their refusal to see the light, as it were. And Canada is just as bad, going to sell large volumes of natural gas to the US for "emissions credits". Hah. Credits my @ss. There should be no such thing. I'm so ashamed of humanity.
Mind game-playing is big business. BUt it hurts people like me.
I know this might sound confused to those who don't understand. But believe me, it's as real as this computer.
Posted by Susan47 on January 16, 2005, at 6:15:24
In reply to Re: Can't Sleep - Terrible., posted by Susan47 on January 16, 2005, at 6:07:31
And I need to say that I'm the most honest person anybody will ever meet. I'm super-honest, to the point that I'm almost an oxymoron. I'm also smart. And good. And to give somebody like me a test like that, was just plain stupid. And head-banging material, for me. As my nightmare will attest.
What a screwed-up, sick, disgusting world it is when firms feel they need shite like that test in order to dissect humanity - and then it backfires when they get somebody really good.BTW, my psychologist always gave me the same slimed feeling that test-taking did. Why? Was he pretending to be something he wasn't? He just reminded me so much of my first husband, (psychopathic).
Posted by Poet on January 16, 2005, at 23:28:21
In reply to Can't Sleep - Terrible., posted by Susan47 on January 16, 2005, at 5:53:47
Hi Susan47,
Having had over 100 job interviews (I am ashamed, but honest) I have done those horrid *computer skills* tests. The last one I burst out crying, wrote a paragraph on how I couldn't do the test, paid $10 for parking and wouldn't get the job anyway. I ran out the door crying.
I've done those psychological tests, too. The ones where they ask four different ways would you rat out a co-worker for stealing office supplies? Let's see, should I be the aggressive *hawk* or the passive *dove.* What type of *bird* are they looking for? (Seriously one classified the candidates as birds.)
I'm so busy analyazing what I think they want that most of the time I don't finish the test.
I wish no one had to go through this crud to get a job. Tests will not show what we really can offer. For me, they show my lack of confidence and need to be perfect and give the exact answer. Only I can't figure out what that is. Argh.
My sympathies.
Hawk for marketing jobs
Dove for administrative support jobs
Owl for accounting jobs
Peacock for public relations jobs
Poet (for no job, nobody hires poets)
Posted by Susan47 on January 17, 2005, at 0:04:56
In reply to Re: Can't Sleep - Terrible., posted by Poet on January 16, 2005, at 23:28:21
THank God you answered, Poet.
I knew Somebody would understand.
I needed your validation so much.
I'm so sorry you've gone through this cr@p too.
WHY DO THEY DO IT??? ARE WE ALL REALLY THAT BAD???
DO WE NEED TO BE DISSECTED SO INHUMANELY?
WHY WOULD WE WANT TO WORK FOR ANY EMPLOYER THAT does THAT CR@P TO GOOD PEOPLE?????
God, I'm so sorry to hear of all the mental anguish
you've suffered at the hands of these cr@p artists.
You know, people get paid to write those horrible tests.
What kind of people ARE THEY???
Posted by Poet on January 17, 2005, at 0:20:50
In reply to Re: Can't Sleep - Terrible. » Poet, posted by Susan47 on January 17, 2005, at 0:04:56
The tests must be for the same reason they ask for references up front, just a way to see how many hoops on fire we'll jump through to get a job.
After nine months I finally got a temp job, only because they didn't do tests of any kind. They just needed a warm body right away. When it ends in a month or so, I'm at the mercy of the test givers once again.
I have burns from all those hot hoops I've gotten stuck in.
Poet
Posted by Susan47 on January 18, 2005, at 0:04:31
In reply to Re: Can't Sleep - Terrible. » Susan47, posted by Poet on January 17, 2005, at 0:20:50
I'm so sorry about the hoops, Poet, and I'm sorry that your temp job ends soon. I'm looking for job #4 in less than six months. It takes an incredible amount of endurance to last through stuff like this, doesn't it? I dont' know how we manage to keep pulling ourselves up to the starting line. Sometimes it really feels like I can't, anymore. I wish you luck, a lot of good luck to find a great permanent job.
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