“So what?” you ask. Well, these tests a little different than the knowledge-based examinations you might already be taking during an interview process. They’re to measure cultural fit, and the catch is that you might not even know you’re taking one.
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For example, Katy Sampson of RightFit Plus tells Career Bliss that one of her clients leaves a candy wrapper outside the door of the interview room. The test is whether or not candidates pick up the wrapper, or leave it be.
In theory, a test like this measures whether the person takes responsibility for things in his or her environment, or figures it’s someone else’s job. Bad news for folks who might assume that they’d look obsessive or critical, cleaning someone else’s office.
Not all the tests are that sneaky. Some are more similar to the word problems you used to do in math class, but with a twist: there’s no right answer, given the information you’ve received. The trick to these tests is to see what your thought process is and to gauge your problem solving ability.
Why do employers give these tests? They’re not being mean. They’re trying to figure out something that they can’t learn from your CV.
“Here’s the thing: common, rehearsed interview questions aren’t exactly the best way to gauge your personality and values,” writes Ritika Trikha at Career Bliss. “They already like your resume. What they’re looking to see is if you’re as great in person as you are on paper.”
In fact, they might be doing you a favor. After all, if you’re a bad fit for their company, you won’t be any happier working there than they will be to have you.
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