Pay Someone To Do Psychometric Tests?

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Chuckberry
Chuckberry Posts: 2 Newbie
in Employment, jobseeking & training
Think the title is self-explanatory here (essentially, a morally questionable way to pass psychometric)

Please don't construe that this is something i'm considering but I wanted to see if anyone has, or knows someone who has, and their outcome.

Personally, I'm aware of a couple of people who have effectively cheat online/psychometric tests (particularly numeracy/numerical reasoning tests) either through the help of friends or online services. FYI the outcome was favourable for both.

Want to get a feel for how prevalent this is. Thanks!
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  • ViolaLass
    ViolaLass Posts: 5,764 Forumite
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    A handful of strangers answering will be too small a sample size to give you a real idea.
  • ElefantEd
    ElefantEd Posts: 1,189 Forumite
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    ViolaLass wrote: »
    A handful of strangers answering will be too small a sample size to give you a real idea.

    Though the results would be as accurate and useful as psychometric tests.
  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 32,735 Forumite
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    edited 16 April 2018 at 9:05AM
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    You also have to know what the tests are looking for. My last organisation did personality profiles because they were looking for specific types and the type they wanted was on the face of it counter-intuitive. You wouldn't be able to work out what was wanted and be able to fiddle it.

    Personally I thought they were as much help as last week's chip paper but we had to take them into account when interviewing. Or at least ask questions about them. Then ignore them. :)
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

    Pedant alert - it's could have, not could of.
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 46,960 Ambassador
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    I asked my kids (both in their 20s) if this happened. They said it was very, very prevalent. Mainly friends helping each other out, rather than paying services.
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  • shortcrust
    shortcrust Posts: 2,697 Forumite
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    I think it depends on what the tests are used for. Often they're just part of a tick list and no one really cares too much. They're not measuring anything that seems relevant to the job. If no one cares then cheating will often be quite easy. Where they're taken seriously cheating is much more difficult. I've done psychometric tests with an interviewer sitting right next too me.

    Keep in mind that people quickly realise if you've overstated skills or experience. I once had to sack someone at the end of his first week because he simply couldn't do the things he said he could.
  • nicechap
    nicechap Posts: 2,852 Forumite
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    Chuckberry wrote: »
    Think the title is self-explanatory here (essentially, a morally questionable way to pass psychometric)

    Please don't construe that this is something i'm considering but I wanted to see if anyone has, or knows someone who has, and their outcome.

    Personally, I'm aware of a couple of people who have effectively cheat online/psychometric tests (particularly numeracy/numerical reasoning tests) either through the help of friends or online services. FYI the outcome was favourable for both.

    Want to get a feel for how prevalent this is. Thanks!



    What a surprise, after the deleted benefits letter thread, another moral conundrum!!


    As violetlass says, the sample size of replies will be too small to give a real idea, plus there's no actual poll, ho hum.


    I'd suggest the OP sticks to Tinder and finds out how prevalent getting other people to fill out their profile as the results are likely to be as useful.
    Originally Posted by shortcrust
    "Contact the Ministry of Fairness....If sufficient evidence of unfairness is discovered you’ll get an apology, a permanent contract with backdated benefits, a ‘Let’s Make it Fair!’ tshirt and mug, and those guilty of unfairness will be sent on a Fairness Awareness course."
  • Loanranger
    Loanranger Posts: 2,439 Forumite
    edited 16 April 2018 at 5:17PM
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    I'm a British Psychological Society qualified tester.
    Most employers who offer testing online and off site will ensure that their shortlisted candidates sit the tests again on site.
    What's the point of cheating to get a job that may well turn out to be too difficult for your abilities?
  • Chuckberry
    Chuckberry Posts: 2 Newbie
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    ViolaLass wrote: »
    A handful of strangers answering will be too small a sample size to give you a real idea.

    Granted. Asking out of curiosity.
    silvercar wrote: »
    I asked my kids (both in their 20s) if this happened. They said it was very, very prevalent. Mainly friends helping each other out, rather than paying services.

    Thank you for asking and to all others for their replies.
  • jacksouth
    jacksouth Posts: 6 Forumite
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    I used to work in HR. Companies know cheating happens, both a mixture of friends helping friends and people using paid services. The paid services are usually pretty scammy IMO.

    As a poster above said, we usually ensure candidates sit psychometrics again on site, where cheating is extremely hard to do. If candidates have elevated their results first time round, it's unlikely they'll be able to second time around.

    This is a good article about all the different ways you can cheat, and ultimately why you shouldn't: couldn't post link :(. Ultimately, people cheat, be it in tests, in jobs, in life. As an employer you try to minimise the number of people cheating but some people will. That's why IMO it's beneficial to have a number of different assessments for each candidate.
  • ohreally
    ohreally Posts: 7,525 Forumite
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    Holly thread resurrection
    Don’t be a can’t, be a can.
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