MMPI®-2

So I have been out of the job-search scene for 5 years. A lot must have changed, because I don't remember being tested during the interview process so much. I have interviewed with 3 companies and every one of them asked me to take at least one test. One was an excel-based test, which I think I passed with flying colors (if I hadn't, I should give back every dime of my paycheck from my previous employer). Another was a business-sense/personality test focused on ability to work in a sales and client service position. I passed because I did well on 3 areas, but it's funny, I failed in the other 2 areas - according to the test, I lack a drive for success and ability to adapt. I find this interesting because I don't think I am either, although I don't define success the way most people do. I might have answered the questions 'too' honestly, but that was my intention going into it. If I 'failed' it by answering the questions as honestly as possible, then it's not the job for me. Although I felt like I was in high school again, these two tests were for the most part applicable to the type of job I was interviewing for, and were fairly interesting to take.

Today, I took the tests at the 3rd company. Yes you read correctly - tests - plural. I spent about 3 hours taking tests, the first one of which was the weirdest test I have ever taken. I was almost IN SHOCK at how irrelevant and inappropriate some of the statements were (it's a 500+ question true and false test). I was in a room by myself, and when I started to realize how ridiculous the test was, I started writing down some of the statements so I can share with my readers. I would have paid $100 to have someone, anyone, I knew in that room with me. We would have been on the floor in fits of laughter. I actually laughed aloud on several occasions because I was so amused, and in some instances, so disturbed. I was told to answer every question, so I followed the directions. Here were some of the 'weirdest' statements I had to respond to. Remember, this is for a JOB INTERVIEW!

- my sex life is satisfactory (uh, where is the not applicable option?)
- I am very seldom troubled by constipation (WHAT?!?!)
- Evil spirits possess me at times (would anyone say yes to this?)
- I sometimes tease animals (LOL)
- I believe I am being plotted against (there were several others similar to this)
- I sometimes wish I were a girl (if you are a girl, I have never been sorry to be a girl)
- I like to flirt (I actually spent time thinking about how I would define 'flirt')
- I have no trouble swallowing (do I need to elaborate on this one?)

I actually thought about Jessica's friend Boey, whom I met last week, when I was taking this test. I think because I spent so many hours around him and we have a similar sense of humor, and I could actually hear him saying these statements and laughing hysterically. I can't believe he has somehow migrated from Jessica's blog to my blog too.

So back to the test. I knew it was a standardized personality test, but is it really necessary or even appropriate? The themes of the statements revolved around mental health (suicide), physical health (headache, chest pains, numbness), paranoia (being followed, someone out to get you), and sex. Only about 25% of the questions seemed fun and normal - like, I would like to be a librarian. I thought about how I'd like scanning the barcodes with the laser pen and stamping the date on the back cover of the books that people are checking out. But I would hate to alphabetize and put the books back on the shelves. I did that in high school as my 'volunteer work' (what was I thinking) and got a lot of dust in my face from reorganizing books that no one reads. So I said false.

I decided to write down the name of the test - Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory®-2 - so I can look it up online to see what it's trying to test for. Here's one description I found: "Relevant to a range of contemporary applications, the MMPI-2 instrument remains the most widely used and widely researched test of adult psychopathology. Used by clinicians to assist with the diagnosis of mental disorders and the selection of appropriate treatment methods, the MMPI-2 test continues to help meet the assessment needs of mental health professionals in an ever-changing environment." I took a test on adult psychopathology, for diagnosis of mental disorders?! LOL. So amusing. After all this talk, it would be hilarious if the test results show that I'm crazy ....

Any thoughts, Pascual?