Bogus psychometric tests

kafkathecat

lukieboy96 wrote: »

So yet more money being wasted! Why do a test like this, where you put in different answers and get the same result!! Spend the money on helping people get back into work. But they won't, of course

Don't worry about that. It will surely come from benefit sanctions.

MissMoneypenny

ILW wrote: »

I'll fill it in for £71.00

I fill them out for fun:D

With benefits: he who pays the piper, calls the tune.

I think we are going to see more 'jumping through hoops' for all the many benefits, in the not too distant future.

weeta_bix

Is this test issued by the Jobcentre or are they talking about the work readiness test issued by the work programme? If I recall that was a 50 question multiple choice telephone interview, then followed it up with a face to face interview and 6 more paper questionnaires. Or is this yet another one? I am trying to work out if I have done it or not yet.

ILW

Still cannot see why anyone sees this as a problem.
Fill it in, get given free money.

Dogger69

animalhouse wrote: »

It's not just an online test that people are being asked to do:

The "Jobseeker's Direction" from the local Jobcentre Plus letter advised "Maggie" that she must complete a set of tasks or else face "sanction" – the loss of her benefits.

The letter told Maggie that she must research 15 companies, identify and write about their ethos and how it best fit her skills; register with three employment agencies and apply for jobs through them; complete a 48-question psychometric test online – all in the space of about three days before a set appointment at which she had to report on what she had done and the results.

I'm computer literate and do not think that I could achieve all this in less than 3 days.

It would take me about two hours. How difficult is it to look at a few 'About us' pages and make a few notes?

missapril75 wrote: »

Something that's been happening for many a year.

Literacy tests were introduced for all new claims in 2003. I assume they or something similar continued after I left the DWP.

I can't speak for all areas, but in mine they are only done if the advisor feels there may be an issue. Many people cover up literacy problems very well.

weeta_bix

ILW wrote: »

Still cannot see why anyone sees this as a problem.
Fill it in, get given free money.

I'm not sure that is really the problem. I have no problem filling in questionnaires for DWP, but what is the point if all combinations of answers lead to the same result? Surely that is a waste of time and money and DWP's money. It's not actually testing anything, it's just using up time.

weeta_bix

Dogger69 wrote: »

It would take me about two hours. How difficult is it to look at a few 'About us' pages and make a few notes?

I can't speak for all areas, but in mine they are only done if the advisor feels there may be an issue. Many people cover up literacy problems very well.

Say for example, each question takes at least 30 seconds. The questionnaire would take roughly half an hour. That leaves 1.5 hours of the two hours you think it would take. If you spent 10 minutes researching each company and writing about how your skills fit their needs, that would then be another 2.5 hours just between those two. If you are taking less than 10 minutes per company, I am not sure you are doing it well enough to be worth anything.

Then you still have to stack on all the extra agency stuff, which often requires going out in person to meet these people and register. I think you may be exaggerating a little.

Perhaps it can be done in 3 days, but I think it is really pushing it to do it well. If you are not doing it well, how is it going to help you get a job?

Dogger69

weeta_bix wrote: »

I'm not sure that is really the problem. I have no problem filling in questionnaires for DWP, but what is the point if all combinations of answers lead to the same result? Surely that is a waste of time and money and DWP's money. It's not actually testing anything, it's just using up time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nudge_theory

weeta_bix

Dogger69 wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nudge_theory

That's very interesting, I haven't heard of this before. I assume it can only work if you are not aware that is happening? I can see how it might be quite effective, but it also feels a little dishonest and manipulative. I will read more about this, thanks.

Dogger69

weeta_bix wrote: »

Say for example, each question takes at least 30 seconds. The questionnaire would take roughly half an hour. That leaves 1.5 hours of the two hours you think it would take. If you spent 10 minutes researching each company and writing about how your skills fit their needs, that would then be another 2.5 hours just between those two. If you are taking less than 10 minutes per company, I am not sure you are doing it well enough to be worth anything.

Then you still have to stack on all the extra agency stuff, which often requires going out in person to meet these people and register. I think you may be exaggerating a little.

Perhaps it can be done in 3 days, but I think it is really pushing it to do it well. If you are not doing it well, how is it going to help you get a job?

The questions should take you about ten seconds each. They want your instant answer, not for you to ponder it for hours. So we're looking at ten minutes in total.

You can do the initial registration for most agencies online, they'll call you in if they want to know more. Then, as you will already have a cv and various template letters ready it will take you next to no time to to do a few decent applications. Twenty minutes?

That leaves an hour and a half to research the ethos of fifteen companies, so six minutes each. How long does it take to find out that John Lewis has a team based approach, everyone is a partner and that is something you feel you would enjoy? Or Amazon is very customer centric, and places a great emphasis on reliability and efficiency?

If you can't do that in a few hours, half a day at the most, then you definitely need extra support.