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RE: Evaluating Candidates Using Tests, Logic Questions, and Similar
Subject:RE: Evaluating Candidates Using Tests, Logic Questions, and Similar From:"Dori Green" <dgreen -at- associatedbrands -dot- com> To:<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Fri, 17 Nov 2006 13:05:34 -0500
Anne Robotti wrote: "Okay, I don't care about the writing test, but this
would weird me out."
I have maybe half an hour to avoid adding a depressed sociopath to my
well-functioning team (or into my life at all). This test is certainly not
the only determinant in my hiring decision -- for a short-term project
without much interaction with other people I might hire a depressed
sociopath who could come up to speed on technical functions quickly and
write well. They'll be a dim memory within the near future and they might be
worth the risk. I would also check with my legal department if I'm doing
the hiring for a corporation -- and in fact, now that I think of it, I think
I'll put this question out for my attorney to look at. My desire to protect
myself and my team from the hassles of dealing with a difficult person can't
be allowed to tread on ADA. Hmm.
An EQ quiz gives me a quick picture of a candidate's social abilities (or
lack thereof). I encourage them to be truthful in their answers, stress
that it's just an aid to help me get a feel for the way they approach things
and not a determining factor for my hiring decision. I also let them read
the report and add notations and choose whether or not they want to share it
with me after they have done this.
If you have never shared a closet office with a depressed sociopath who
carries a gun in her purse and delights in showing it to you, please do not
be too critical of my strong preference never to repeat the experience.
Because they are also evaluating me (or should be), I offer to let them see
the results report from my own EQ quiz. I am careful to let them know that
these are the results for that day and might be different today, and again
ten minutes from now, and they will not know all about all of the wonderful
depths that are me just because they read it. If they have never heard of
"Emotional Quotient" I don't necessarily hold that against them but do sort
of wonder where they've been hiding for the past ten or fifteen years and
how much interest they have in self-development of people skills.
If an EQ quiz is too "touchee feelee" for them, they probably would not be
applying at my not-for-profit Center for Sustainable Alternatives in the
first place -- but one never knows. When I started my job here I did EQ
quizzes with a few of my co-workers and they provided the springboard for
some discussions that helped us to bond very quickly.
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