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A reader writes:
Earlier than I signed on for my new job, I agreed to do a few persona checks. My new employer stated it was to get a way of methods to work with me and my strengths and weaknesses. They burdened that my hiring wouldn’t rely upon the outcome and didn’t ship the checks by way of till I signed the supply.
One persona check was what they stated it might be, however the second … oh boy, I bought a foul feeling when the very first query primarily requested if I had a historical past of melancholy (“do you’re feeling blue generally?”).
It solely bought worse from there. The outcomes I bought principally stated that I used to be lazy and “blamed exterior circumstances,” that I used to be “neurotic” and “risky,” that I used to be “extremely prone to lash out” but in addition that I’m a doormat. It wasn’t about strengths or weaknesses, it was an goal evaluation on my psychological stability and work ethic.
I significantly reconsidered whether or not or not I needed to undergo with this job due to the outcomes. I do know they’re not true.
The check stated I used to be within the high 1% of introversion, however I’ve a customer support job and I’m consistently placing up heat conversations with sufferers and their households. It stated I used to be lazy, however after we had a problem with an exterior contractor’s stories not going by way of routinely, I volunteered to do extra time for weeks to manually proofread and approve them; the nationwide director stated I used to be the one individual aside from himself that he trusted to do this. Once I had appointments, I typically made up my hours as a substitute of utilizing sick depart. Once we had a affected person disregarded by a health care provider, I referred to as round to a number of locations to see who would give her the psychological well being analysis she wanted. I do know I’m a greater individual than this check stated and I’ll be damned if I’ve to show it proper out the beginning gate.
I discussed in my responding electronic mail that I used to be shocked on the outcomes and my new employer simply stated they seemed ahead to discussing it after I began, so that they haven’t run away but, however I’m nonetheless fairly rattled. The employer was speaking up the check and the way “correct” it was earlier than they despatched it, by way of.
I ended up deciding to nonetheless undergo with the job due to private causes, however I begin in two weeks and I’m dreading this terrible outcome following me round my entire time there. It’s a tiny family-owned firm. I don’t need to be micromanaged as a result of the check stated I’m lazy, or my issues to be disregarded as a result of I bought a foul outcome, or to be handled like a bomb about to go off after I’ve by no means had greater than a minor battle with a colleague (which was resolved with out animosity).
How do I tackle this with my new employer with out trying like I’m simply salty I bought outcomes I didn’t like?
WTF! That’s horrible. In fact you’re rattled. It might be unnerving in any context to be informed you’re a complete litany of detrimental issues that you realize you’re not, but it surely’s notably terrible in an employment scenario the place they don’t actually know you but and also you’ve bought to start out a brand new job with “lazy, neurotic, risky, and prone to lash out (but in addition someway a doormat)” hanging over you.
Furthermore, your new employer set you as much as consider this evaluation was one thing it very a lot wasn’t.
I seemed on the check they gave you, and it doesn’t point out something indicating it’s designed to be used in employment contexts. It talks about taking it with a buddy, member of the family, or romantic companion. They primarily gave you a Cosmo quiz.
As for what to do … the fifth paragraph of your letter is a wonderful rebuttal. I’d significantly think about if you wish to ship a model of it to them earlier than or quickly after you begin the job, altering the final sentence to one thing like, “These outcomes had been strikingly completely different from how I work and at odds with the suggestions I’ve at all times obtained from managers. My robust desire is to maneuver ahead in our working relationship with out participating with the outcomes. I hope you’ll be taught who I’m from working with me, and I consider that can paint a really completely different image than this evaluation did.”
And then you definately’ll want to enter the job ready to do precisely that: present them who you’re by how you use on the job. If you happen to sense that they’re treating you otherwise due to the check outcomes, you possibly can identify what you’re seeing. For instance, when you sense they’re hesitating to offer you suggestions as a result of your check stated you’ll lash out on the slightest provocation: “I’ve seen you appear cautious about giving me constructive criticism, so I needed to guarantee you I welcome it — I’d be glad about something you’ll be able to share about how I can method XYZ higher” … and so forth.
Extra broadly: it’s time to eliminate persona checks in hiring and onboarding. Some individuals do discover them helpful frameworks to debate and higher perceive their colleagues’ methods of working and speaking, however so many individuals don’t — and when you are going to make use of them, pre-hire and pre-start is the fallacious time to do it, because it asks individuals to make themselves susceptible earlier than any actual belief or mutual information of one another has been established.
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