Personnality Test before Interview

[Hotel2Tango]

:cry:

I've got an interview on friday for two jobs at Kraft Foods (my first job interview ever :( ), and I've got an online personnality test to do before then.

I havent had a look at it yet, as I suspect it may be a 1 shot thing, and dont want to cock it up.


I'm not 100% sure what the jobs are as it is through an agency and they just told me that they were sending my CV to them, then phoned me today to say I've got an interview. It is some kind of lab technician job though. They suggested that in the interview I should try not to come across as totally unambitious, but then it is only a technician job so I shouldnt look over-ambitious. The agency is sending me the details as soon as.



Does anyone have any experience with this type of personnality test thingy, or the test-company in particular? http://www.thomasinternational.net/

How do I answer the questions? Do I make myself look like a smart go-getter? Or answer truthfully?

[Pellet]

You'll probably find that there is " no wrong answer " as they're fond of pointing out before you start.
Answer truthfully imo.

[cuthbert]

Do you know what the test is actually called ?

Just done some personality tests for A-Level - Eysencks/Cattells personality tests.

http://similarminds.com/eysenck.html <--- Eysencks Personality Test

http://similarminds.com/cattell-16-factor.html <--- Cattells Test.

They should be pretty similar to what you'll be doing so you might wanna give them a run through.

[Hotel2Tango]

The company that makes the test is called Thomas International, and it is their PPA test (something like personnal profile analysis, or proffessional profile). I think the test may be proprietry, so I dont think there are online examples because the company wants to protect their copyright so cant really have it for free on the net. I guess.

This test uses the DISC test or something. Been doing some research on it today, but cant find out much. I think Pellet may be right about it. No wrong answers.

Problem is that I am crap at this kind of test. I've been doing lots of 'what career suits you?' tests recently and I just get insane answers. I think I must keep contradicting myself all the time or selecting the middle/neutral options too much in 1-5 (strongly agree-disagree) type tests. "How important is teamwork to you in your ideal job?" I dont know, I dont care, if it has teamwork great, if it is solo work fine.

[Martigan]

H2T That is EXACTLY the test I have just given the final 3 candidates for the role of my assistant.
Don't worry its not a win/loose type test, it's just provides a bit more colour.

For example on of that candidates explained she was frustrated in her job, as it didn't challenge her. From her "personality test" answers alone, ther report said her answers indicated a frustration in her curent job, where she lacked direction.

You are best being honest, as what they will be looking for is to see a test which matches how you come across in the interview. Faking the test will just make contradictions in the test, and will generate a negetive impression.

[Hotel2Tango]

My worry is that my crazy ability to produce random and useless results from such tests will generate a negative opinion whatever. :(

My 'interview personnality' will not match my 'test personality', raising suspicions.


I've probably thought too much about it now :(

[Martigan]

You are - chill out and be yourself.

To me the test was to get confirmation of the type of person we were looking at. As some people are better at Bullshiting in interviews than others. - I HATE bullshiters...

[Hotel2Tango]

Hmm that was wierd. Is this what your test was like Marty?

The question was the same for each of the 24 questions, something like 'Which of these four words most and least accurately describes you at work'. Then you select out of four seemingly random words which most/least describes you. The words were really weird because they never seemed to be related, like campassionate, life-of-the-party, fearful, gentle.


Odd. Very odd.

[Inertiaman]

They're like that for very specific reasons - as mentioned above if you don't answer honestly they throw up very obvious contradictions. When I first did one I thought exactly the same - but was well impressed with the eventual report/evaluation. It was so bang on it was scary. Both in terms of positives and negatives that you'd never admit to given an ordinary interview. Good tool imo.

[_]

I love personality tests. It's a chance to be opinionated and nobody can argue back!

edit: And as you can see, I have my bartle and keirsey personality test results in my sig ;-)

[Martigan]

Hmm that was wierd. Is this what your test was like Marty?

The question was the same for each of the 24 questions, something like 'Which of these four words most and least accurately describes you at work'. Then you select out of four seemingly random words which most/least describes you. The words were really weird because they never seemed to be related, like campassionate, life-of-the-party, fearful, gentle.


Odd. Very odd.

Yes that was the test that we used on them. The HR lass was trying to get me to do it to, so she could have a giggle at my results. I declined the offer.

But the results o the three were very in sync with their interviews.

[Hotel2Tango]

Phew.

I will tell you how it all worked out tomorrow after my interview.


Cheers for your help people.

[Hotel2Tango]

Hmmm lots of the result was accurate, but quite a bit wasnt (or at least it might be but it is something I didnt know about myself).

The HR woman interviewing me paid a bit too much attention to the test and less to my opinion. The test was fact and I was quibbling with it, rather than me being fact and the test an abstract attempt at describing me. It generally seemed to go ok with her though. I tried to agree with the mistakes that made me look good, and disagree with the less favourable stuff, or make her explain it in a different way that sounds better.

It was the technical interview with the project leaders who were doing the recruiting went less well. I was late, it is a big site, and I went to the wrong entrance first :( And they were asking me questions about the company like "high many employees do we have". I knew you were supposed to do a bit of research on the company first, but that's just daft. Mostly it went ok though.


I find out late next week apparently.

[Sonic Samurai]

hope it's a really good job and not some bloody factory floor thing, for all the pissing about ...

[Hotel2Tango]

Hahah 'pissing about'. Very apt. If I get the job there are 10 days of medical tests before I can start. They are a food company so I cant have any nasty diseases. :S

Seems a pretty good job. Working in the second largest food company in the world. In their world coffee R&D department. All Kraft coffee brands are and will be developed in these labs.

[Sonic Samurai]

cool. please keep us informed on the best coffees to go for (and please NOT the one that was on the beeb website recently, which is apparently made from beans eaten and subsequently shat out by some cat like animal)

[Orange]

Kraft foods eh? Quite the revolutionary aren't we?

[Hotel2Tango]

Subverting the system from within ;)

[Hotel2Tango]

Bastards didnt want me >:(

The agency wont/cant tell me why.

nm

[D33]

:cry:

[Martigan]

Hard luck - The agency would probably tell you if they know. (Unless they are usless gits)