Impossible numeracy test at interview

EL.Smith

I went to a job interview on friday, I had been informed that it would consist of two face to face interviews and literacy and numeracy tests. I thought both of the face to face interviews went well and the literacy test was straight forward.

But the numeracy test... was impossible. I did not understand it at all and I've always been quite confident with maths. There were other people there doing the same tests as the company is recuriting for several positions, when I spoke to some of the other people when we left the building it was the general opinion that the numeracy test did not make sense (we were given data and given a formula to put the data through) but the answers that came out were very different from the example answer (by several million!!).

Since telling my family about my concerns they have suggested that it was not a numeracy test at all but really a test to see if we would speak up and query the formula. When I was doing the test I felt that it must have been me not understanding the questions but now that I've had time to think about it I don't see how the formula could possibly have been correct. I'm sorry I can't be specific about what the questions were as I'm sure the company would not want their tests all over the internet.

My question is.... has anyone else ever had a situation like this when applying for a job?

I'm starting to wonder if I should contact the company and voice my concerns- if perhaps this is what they wanted us to do on the day? But then, what if it wasn't a trick question and contacting them just makes me sound stupid? I can't of got any questions right on the numeracy test so it's unlikely I'm going to be offered the position anyway (although it seems everyone had problems with it).

timmmers

Yes, I have had this.

I applied for an IT job at the council and all candidates had a similer test (it had a name but I couldn't remember it)....the guy who ran it was telling us that all people in the dept had done it and none of them ever got to see their results, just pass or fail. Even he didnt know and he was head.

We came to the conclusion over a pint afterwards that since there were maths and computing graduates there, and people with various IT and programming degrees ...that the test was a way for them to cherry pick without risking accusations of discriminating. At the time the dept had only white ethnic backgrounds and no ladies....and this was made clear in the ad for the role (particularly welcomed etc ).

Nothng we could do about it, but highly annoying at the time. I wish I could rememeber the name of the thing, but straight afterwards I couldn't find it online mentioned anywhere so it may have been total fiction anyway. :rolleyes:

t

dmg24

timmmers wrote: »

Yes, I have had this.

I applied for an IT job at the council and all candidates had a similer test (it had a name but I couldn't remember it)....the guy who ran it was telling us that all people in the dept had done it and none of them ever got to see their results, just pass or fail. Even he didnt know and he was head.

We came to the conclusion over a pint afterwards that since there were maths and computing graduates there, and people with various IT and programming degrees ...that the test was a way for them to cherry pick without risking accusations of discriminating. At the time the dept had only white ethnic backgrounds and no ladies....and this was made clear in the ad for the role (particularly welcomed etc ).

Nothng we could do about it, but highly annoying at the time. I wish I could rememeber the name of the thing, but straight afterwards I couldn't find it online mentioned anywhere so it may have been total fiction anyway. :rolleyes:

t

I am intrigued as to what constitutes a white ethnic background, or is this you talking nonsense again timmmers?

Serenity

dmg24 wrote: »

I am intrigued as to what constitutes a white ethnic background, or is this you talking nonsense again timmmers?

White British is an option in the ethnic background section of most application forms (i.e. in the equality section). I see where you are coming from but seeing as this is the way it is phrased in this situation it makes sense.

On a totally different scale to OP but same kinda thing - I had an interview at a retail outlet last week and I think there were 2 jobs going and 9 people being interviewed. Anyway they had us do a work trial and I was in the last group of three - they took me off to put some stock out. I started putting it on shelves, stock rotating, facing up etc and then noticed one of the sets of items she had given me to stock were out of date. I brought this up and was told "well done, you are the first to have noticed". So either I am competing against a group of idiots or they were too shy to speak up.

As to whether to contact them or not - I don't know!! I would say it is too late but maybe some people who actually work in HR will come along Good luck!
(Also wish I could see the question to check for myself!).

ETA: If you could just tell us the equation we would know as the results for any given input to certain equations can be astronomically different from any other input so the fact that your answer was a few million off the example doesn't, in itself, indicate anything.

dmg24

Serenity wrote: »

White British is an option in the ethnic background section of most application forms (i.e. in the equality section). I see where you are coming from but seeing as this is the way it is phrased in this situation it makes sense.

So what would you class as a white ethnic background, remembering that this was a written test?

timmmers

The FACT here is that the dept in question had no women (which you don't mention as it doesnt suit you) and nothing but white british workers...which at the time the council was advertising strongly welcoming ethnic groups (AND going out of their way to say so in those ads). Their view was the same as many other organisations, that they hadn't got a balance.

Many of the guys who I met doing that test were of non white ethnic backgrounds...and thought they had a good chance because of this, and also because they were pretty damn clever. They seemed to feel that getting a lady on board was the order of this day. I can see their point. It's not unknown for people to kick up a fuss when no successful at a job interview on the grounds of race or sex discrimination. We all thought this test was a way to avoid any chance of tis.

They ask about ethic origin on the forms...why do you think they do that? TO try and make sure they maintain a balanced ratio if possible...and aren't seen as favouring one group.

t

cazziebo

In a previous role I used to do a lot of psychometric testing. Most tests are very rigorously administered with expensive training and accreditation processes. The test providers I worked with all adhered to a very rigid code of practice and this would prohibit advertising a test as "numeracy" when in fact it was assessing some other skill "assertiveness" (?). Incidentally every provider I worked with stated that best practice dictated that all candidates should be offered feedback. It is very bad practice to put in "trick" questions and I don't believe a reputable tester would do so.
(Might be an urban myth but in the seventies one of the selection tests started with the instruction "read the paper in full" and ended with "write only your full name on the paper" 90% of candidates would launch straight into question one.)

It could have been a "homemade" test so quite possible there were errors in it. It could have been that there were complicated instructions. Perhaps, like everyone leaving an exam, candidates play down how they did.

You could phone the company or just wait and see. bear in mind that these tests are only tools and as such are a small part in the overall selection process. If numeracy isn't a big part of the role then the marks might not count for much.

Best of luck with your application.

Vader123

and nothing but white british workers...

Did you see their passports?

Vader

DVardysShadow

dmg24 wrote: »

So what would you class as a white ethnic background, remembering that this was a written test?

I think the accusation is that the test is sufficiently obscure that they were able to get away with giving a result according to ethnicity, thereby circumventing an obvious need to do something about equal opportunities.

Oh dear, I feel another one of those rows is looming where someone is accused and given a hard time for having anti-minority thoughts, merely for suggesting that other people might be having such thoughts

shikoku

cazziebo wrote: »

.
(Might be an urban myth but in the seventies one of the selection tests started with the instruction "read the paper in full" and ended with "write only your full name on the paper" 90% of candidates would launch straight into question one.)

I remember being given that one to do, in the nineties at a utility company (the one which is now German owned), I just wrote my name on the paper and sat back whilst everyone else in the room answered the questions.

I very much enjoyed the expression on the trainers face, !!!!ed that I had sussed it out so easily . :rotfl:

As to the ethnic origin question, part of my work now is to ask this question of candidates, 'White British' is one of the options, I personally NEVER answer the ethnicity question on application forms (or anything about age for that matter), it is optional after all - although not all potential employers state this; I am always pleased when someone declines to answer the question when I ask it.

I often think it might be more effective for a person who is not involved in the recruitment process to remove the name and sex from the application form and just have it under the header 'Candidate A' etc. at the selection process.

I understand there has been research undertaken which demonstrated that certain surnames were more successful than others at gaining interviews, and until this is not the case, there needs to be a 'blind' in place.

timmmers

Vader123 wrote: »

Did you see their passports?

Vader

No as I wasn't their employer...who did ask them on the app form as they did with us.

They key thing about being a smartass is to rememeber to be smart you know.

Oddly DVardysShadow managed to get the point right away.

cazziebo who has some experience and knowledge in this area also said that the testers should divulge results to those taking these tests...which was the part I found strange ..especially since all candidates were there to be told if they had reason to remain for stage 2 or not based on this test.

t