A reader writes:
Earlier than I signed on for my new job, I agreed to do a few character checks. My new employer stated it was to get a way of how you can work with me and my strengths and weaknesses. They harassed that my hiring wouldn’t depend upon the end result and didn’t ship the checks by till I signed the supply.
One character check was what they stated it will be, however the second … oh boy, I bought a nasty feeling when the very first query primarily requested if I had a historical past of despair (“do you’re feeling blue typically?”).
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 “unstable,” that I used to be “extremely more likely 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 wished 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 continuously hanging up heat conversations with sufferers and their households. It stated I used to be lazy, however after we had a difficulty with an exterior contractor’s stories not going by robotically, I volunteered to do additional time for weeks to manually proofread and approve them; the nationwide director stated I used to be the one particular person apart from himself that he trusted to do this. Once I had appointments, I typically made up my hours as an alternative of utilizing sick depart. Once we had a affected person disregarded by a health care provider, I known 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 particular person 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 e mail that I used to be stunned on the outcomes and my new employer simply stated they appeared 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.
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 end result following me round my entire time there. It’s a tiny family-owned firm. I don’t wish to be micromanaged as a result of the check stated I’m lazy, or my considerations to be disregarded as a result of I bought a nasty end result, 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 handle this with my new employer with out wanting like I’m simply salty I bought outcomes I didn’t like?
WTF! That’s horrible. After all you’re rattled. It might be unnerving in any context to be informed you’re an entire litany of detrimental issues that you’re not, but it surely’s significantly 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, unstable, and more likely to lash out (but in addition by some means 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 appeared 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 associate. They primarily gave you a Cosmo quiz.
As for what to do … the fifth paragraph of your letter is a superb rebuttal. I’d significantly take into account 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 have been strikingly completely different from how I work and at odds with the suggestions I’ve at all times obtained from managers. My sturdy choice is to maneuver ahead in our working relationship with out partaking 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 you then’ll want to enter the job ready to do precisely that: present them who you might be by how you use on the job. When you sense that they’re treating you in a different way due to the check outcomes, you could possibly 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 observed you appear cautious about giving me constructive criticism, so I wished to guarantee you I welcome it — I’d be pleased about something you may share about how I can method XYZ higher” … and so forth.
Extra broadly: it’s time to eliminate character checks in hiring and onboarding. Some folks 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 mistaken time to do it, because it asks folks to make themselves susceptible earlier than any actual belief or mutual information of one another has been established.
