Test publishers validate an applicant’s score by measuring the consistency of their responses to similar questions with slightly different or reverse wording. On the other hand, being overly tolerant of deceptive behaviors could show proclivity to bend the rules or that you can’t be trusted with sensitive data or company information. For example, you may be asked whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, are neutral, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with this statement : “I have never been untruthful, even to save someone’s feelings.” Since you’ve probably told a white lie at some point, strongly disagreeing with this and similar statements may cast doubt on the honesty of your answers. Watch out for tricky “control” questions that are specifically designed to flush out fakers. Improve your score by modifying your answers.
On the other hand, programmers need to temper their answers to social interaction questions, to make sure they demonstrate a strong preference for independent work but don’t come off as isolationists. For example, a system analyst or project lead has more interaction with stakeholders than a programmer, so they need a high score on social interaction. While you want to make a good impression, casting extreme answers to every question may actually hurt your chances. Once you’ve determined the desirable traits take several practice tests (see links below) to see how you stack up. For example, a desired trait for programmers is conscientiousness, so you may be asked whether you agree or disagree with these statements, which measure related behaviors such as diligence and reliability: 1: Understand the Desired Traitsĭetermine the desired traits and personality for someone in your role, since you can improve your score by supplying appropriate answers to questions that assess critical characteristics. Most people have fibbed at one time or another, but should you come clean on a pre-hire personality test? The good news is that it’s possible to be honest and still ace the test as long as you follow these tips.