Companies are using absurd personality tests in hiring — one is leaving everyone stunned

You might have had interviews where you were asked to share your educational background, skill sets, etc., but have you ever had a recruiter ask you to take a personality test? Well, some companies are asking their candidates to take a personality test where they are thrown situational-based questions, apparently testing their efficiency and potential. An anonymous person, who goes by u/connor-the-beast on Reddit, shared a screenshot of the bizarre test and was shocked to realize that they weren't alone in this. 

Apparently, three of the companies they had applied to quizzed them with about 50-100 AI-generated slides. Each slide had a situational-based question where they had to choose between "me" or "not me." Frustrated, the person wrote, "[I] Have absolutely no idea what the purpose of it is, [and] how it could be used or what it means, but it’s really stupid and has to be a waste of time." They also called out the "mindless" CEO and their obsession with AI. The companies are also becoming increasingly insensitive towards mental health issues, the person explained. "One of the questions was 'depressed' with an AI image looking sad. They’re quite literally screening out people with disabilities. Welcome to George Orwell's 1984!" they wrote.

Personality tests during hiring are apparently not something new; Ryne A. Sherman, PhD, an author and researcher, says they have been in corporate America for years. The Chief Science Officer of Hogan Assessments reported that his company has been handing out these tests to the candidates since the late 1980s. "Are they going to be easy to get along with? Are they going to work hard? Can they pick up new skills quickly? Those are the kinds of things you can pick up with a personality test that you don’t really see on a resume," he said, explaining how the recruiters use the results of the personality tests. It has become so famous now that nearly 80 million people are taking a personality test each year, and it is expected to be a $6.5 billion industry by 2027. Reportedly, a majority (80%) of Fortune 500 companies are currently using personality assessments for hiring.

Meanwhile, reacting to the Reddit post, u/Ispellditwrong commented, "Just fast click 'not me' from start to finish. If they complain, tell them you're here to work hard, not waste time. BOOM, instant middle manager." Similarly, u/kubbee83 shared, "It’s just another personality test. I took a written one last year and was told I was a 'blue 8,' which made me highly desirable for the company. Within 3 seconds, I was told I wasn’t a fit for the team, though, because I was “too positive.” I was tempted to show the hiring manager how negative I could be, but it wasn’t worth it." u/gallent96 commented, "It's basically a shi**y personality test meant to filter out people who are neurologically atypical. In other words, it is a legal way to discriminate."

On the other hand, u/musichearted said, "Nope. I've gotten pretty far in applying, but the moment I see shit like this, I close the tab and go back to scrolling job boards. These tests only ever mean two things, neither of which is good for the employee. It's either a fake job listing, or they're looking for the most stupid, airheaded, unaware people they can find and run them ragged until they either burn out or wise up. Neither is worth engaging with."

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