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I worked for (led) the same company for 8.5 years, then decided to go do something else. I was pretty certain that I wanted to be independent (again) but I also had a mortgage, was married, etc...

So while I lined up clients and started transitioning from the current job I applied for a couple positions (note that as an executive I did this by contacting other executives (when possible) at firms, not filling out forms on the website).

I had a few phone interviews, and these were fine.

But a couple times it would get kicked to HR and they would send links for personality tests - before I ever talked to anyone.

I guess if I was desperate for a job (really glad I didn't take one) I might have complied, but I decided I didn't want to work for a firm that approaches recruitment like that.




Applied for Thales UK a few months ago. I was met with 19 pages of personality quiz. Seeing that, I decided I don't want to work there anymore, but I dared myself to finish that questionnaire. It was excruciatingly painful and felt really no regret when I was rejected.


It's almost like it reinforces that you are just a commodity, meat.

I do think it's important to have a fit on teams, and I have hired people with awesome skills that were terrible cultural fits more than once.

But I'm not going to fill out personality quizzes unless I am desperate. And I work really hard to try to make sure I'm never desperate. :)




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