Are Job Seekers Going to Extremes?

Now, I know the economy is bad — OK, it’s really bad. (We’ll know the latest damange when the BLS publishes the newest unemployment numbers tomorrow morning. Stay tuned.) But is it so bad that job seekers have reduced themselves to lying and cheating to get a job? And on something as seemingly cheat-proof as a personality test?

Apparently, it is. Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal published an article about online personality tests that are commonly given to job applicants of retail stores. The tests are designed to help employers narrow down the candidate pool to help find the best match for the job. Job seekers have caught on, however, and rather than answering questions about themselves honestly, they either answer how they think the store would want them to, find answer keys to the tests online, take the test multiple times or some even have friends take the test for them.

Unicru, the test producer, says they see no evidence that users are cheating the system. Some employers, however, have said that it’s obvious when someone has lied on his or her personality test because of work performance.

Though many retail stores, like CVS and Best Buy, are pleased with the employees that come through the screening, other companies aren’t so satisfied. According to the Wall Street Journal:

“Whole Foods Market Inc. dropped the test, partly because applicants for jobs preparing foods ‘would pass the screening test and then get on the job and did not have the skills to prepare basic sauces,’ says a spokeswoman. Kronos says its assessments ‘are personality-based, not skills-based.’”

Job seekers, take heed: Nothing good comes out of lying in your job search, especially when you do it in an interview. Answer questions — on tests and in person — openly and honestly. I know it’s a frustrating job market but trust me — nothing is worse than landing a job where you don’t fit in or can’t do the work to the best of your abilities. And the lying will catch up to you; it always does. Try to be patient until you find a career match and until then, keep coming back to see us for some great advice.