Job Application Test

joeypesci

I applied for a job recently and had a phone interview. The nature of the job they then wanted me to come in for a few hours to take a test. No problem as the role it is in, its understandable.

However, I'm bad at tests and didn't do well so the process isn't going further, which is fine.

My question is, and I'm sure I've seen it on the Freedom Of Information site before but now can't find it. Is that I'm entitled, because the tests had my name on them, for copies of my scores?

Is this correct?

Sauasage_Roll

Have you asked them directly..they might be willing to help you understand where you didn't do as well as others.

Its only feedback after all...cant see the harm in asking.

[Deleted User]

https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/personal-information/

joeypesci

Thanks for the reply. I'm asking them nicely first. I only ask because a company I asked the same question of over 2 years ago said "It's not company policy to give out that information". I did say I'd request it under FOI and did have the section in FOI were this was stated, but have since lost it. I eventually couldn't be bothered to chase the other company.

Didn't finish posting this before I went out quickly. Not I think I've found the section in FOI that relates to my question.

section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000

The other option, if I understand the FOI section above is to request a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act.

I'm well aware moves like this would get me blacklisted, that's not the question. The question is, is it a legal write to ask for the results to a test?

I also noted on the application form that needed to be filled in was Date of Birth (optional) section. This is against the discrimination act according to this link

https://www.gov.uk/employer-preventing-discrimination/recruitment

Asking for a date of birth

You can only ask for someone’s date of birth on an application form if they must be a certain age to do the job, eg selling alcohol.
You can ask someone their date of birth on a separate equality monitoring form. You shouldn’t let the person selecting or interviewing candidates see this form.

The role didn't require a certain age so in my eyes, they shouldn't be asking it on the form.

joeypesci

_shel wrote: »

https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/personal-information/

Thanks. That's what I was looking for

marliepanda

It was optional?

I appreciate you wanting some feedback, but this doesn't seem to be what you're after?

Nitpicking about asking for your dob (which has been on most application forms I've seen to be honest) and the way you're asking for feedback seems OTT. You know you're bad at tests, and you failed it. Asking for feedback on it is great, going overboard is pointless

fairy_lights

Maybe it wasn't even your test results that lost you the job, they might have just decided you weren't a good fit?

agrinnall

Highly unlikely that FOI would ever apply to this sort of data, even if the organisation itself is subject to FOI legislation, the SAR route is the one to use if you do want to pursue it.

jackandcoke

Maybe they knew you'd be trouble. Some people give off that vibe during interviews.

joeypesci

agrinnall wrote: »

Highly unlikely that FOI would ever apply to this sort of data, even if the organisation itself is subject to FOI legislation, the SAR route is the one to use if you do want to pursue it.

Thanks. This is the type of reply we like to see and I like to give, along with the link from _shel. To the point and just answering the question asked. Instead of judging the posters motives or personality.

I do appreciate replies but, as others have said elsewhere on these forums, most people just want an answer to their question, not comments like "maybe it wasn't you failing the test that was the issue" or "Maybe they knew you'd be trouble.".

Not that I need to respond to those replies but I need to say, I know it was the test as there was several questions I should of known the answers to but didn't so I skipped them. I was left in the room on my own to do the test so no judgement could of been made "during the interview". There was a minor phone interview that was fine (if it wasn't, I wouldn't of been invited to the test). The practical test I also missed bits out and there were parts I really should of known but didn't.

The main point is, I'd quite like to know my results so I can see if the answers to the questions I did answer, were actually correct or not. I'd use it to study more on the areas I screwed up.

Regarding the DOB question. You may regard it as "nitpicking" but appears the government disagrees with you as the link stated in my last post.

Anyway, thanks to the people that were to the point and just answered the question instead of judging. People use forums to just get quick answers to questions, not to be judged. No doubt, this post will be taken the wrong way. It's why I've always said faceless text is crap for expressing emotions, unless of course you're a writer which I am clearly not.

marliepanda

Your results may not give you any information. They could simply give you a score out of ten. They don't have to give you their marking scheme or the marks they gave you. Just your own paper. You know you skipped things you should have known so either you bombed the whole thing, which seems unlikely if you applied and got an interview, or you simply didn't have the knowledge required to the extend they needed it

You are being nitpicky about the dob. Do you need to be over 18 for the work? Who knows. You didn't have to answer it. Most application forms I have done in the last five years have had sections which ask for my age, gender, sexual preference, marital status. All optional. It's very unimportant.