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Recruiters will be trying to understand the implications of all the information collected and will be particularly concerned about inconsistencies across the different sources of information. If a candidate says at interview that he managed a team of five people in his previous job, but the reference from his employer suggests he was only a team member and didn’t formally manage anyone, this would undermine the candidate’s credibility. In the same way, if the personality profile suggests an outgoing, fun-loving person but at interview the candidate is quite shy and describes preferring to work alone than in a team, this apparent contradiction will worry the interviewer. This is one of the reasons why the best strategy is to answer questionnaires as honestly as possible.
If a questionnaire is being used as part of a development process it may be used in a similar manner to the later stages of selection – that is, relating the person’s personality style to the job requirements. The questionnaire results will often be related to a more general competency model. In particular, development processes usually want to identify a person’s strengths and development needs. A personality questionnaire can help identify strengths that are not being exploited in the current role. These might suggest the direction of the next career move. An IT specialist who had good interpersonal skills could think about moving into management or training, for example. Where development needs are identified these can be addressed through an appropriate programme of activities. For instance, a customer service operative in a call centre who was high on agreeableness and struggled to deal with difficult clients might consider participating in some assertiveness training.
6 Completing a questionnaire
If you are asked to complete a personality questionnaire as part of a job application process there is less that you can do to prepare yourself than for other types of assessment. The questionnaire is just a structured way for you to describe yourself and your typical approach to work to the employer. This section reviews things you might like to do before you have to complete the questionnaire, discusses the best way to approach completing it and how to get the most out of completing a questionnaire.
Mode of presentation
There are a number of ways of completing a personality questionnaire. Often the questionnaire is presented in a paper format. These days, however, you might be asked to complete a questionnaire on computer or on a personal organizer. Whatever the format, you should be given clear instructions on what you have to do, and you should follow these carefully.
Paper questionnaires may be presented on a single sheet or in a booklet with many pages. You may be asked to mark your responses next to the question, but it is more likely that there will be a separate answer sheet for you to mark your responses on. Check that you have understood how you are expected to complete the answer sheet. Ask the administrator if you are not sure what to do.
Answer sheets are often read automatically by an optical reader, which is very accurate but will give an erroneous reading if you have not followed the instructions carefully. For instance, if you mark outside the designated area your response might not be picked up or may be misinterpreted. If you are asked to complete the questionnaire in pencil or black ink you must do so. The machine may not pick up marks in other colours as effectively. If you think you have made an error in completing the form tell the administrator and they will tell you what to do. You might, for example, be given an additional answer sheet and asked to copy your answers correctly.
If the questionnaire is presented in an electronic medium there should be full instructions on how to use the technology and how you should indicate your answers. The system should be straightforward enough for people who are not experienced in using a computer. Again, make sure you understand what you have to do, how you should indicate your answers and how you can change an answer if you wish to do so. Computer-based systems often have ‘help’ screens, which give further explanations if you need them or allow you to go back to the instructions to check something.
Preparation ahead of time
Most employers will provide you with information about what to expect during the selection process, and this will include whether a personality questionnaire is part of the process. It is generally considered good practice to provide candidates with clear information about a selection process, but because there is no specific preparation needed for completing a questionnaire, it may not be mentioned in advance.
The only skills you need to complete a personality questionnaire are the ability to read the questions and a knowledge of yourself and how you behave, think and feel. There is, therefore, no real need to do any preparation. Each of us is an expert on ourselves: we know what we like and don’t like, what makes us happy and what makes us angry. You are not required to describe this in words, which might take some preparation, but just to answer a series of questions about yourself.
If, even so, you feel you would like to prepare you could try some of the following:
• Look at the example questions in Chapter 3 and think about how you would answer them. This will help you get used to responding to questions about yourself. You will find that you will sometimes need to generalize. We all behave in different ways in different situations – even the brightest optimist may sometimes expect things to go wrong. However, there is a general trend in behaviour, and this is what you should be using to guide your responses.
• Think about what sort of person you are and how this affects the way you work. Consider different work situations and how you respond to them. What kinds of situations and responses are you comfortable with? What sort of things do you find more difficult or awkward? Are you better working with a team or working alone? Do you prefer well-defined structured tasks or would you rather have a less well-defined role where you can make your own decisions on what you should and will do?
• Read through the descriptions of different personality traits in Chapter 4 and answer the questions at the end of each section. Think about which description suits you best. This will help you develop some insight into your own behavioural style and may help you answer questions more easily. Remember that your behaviour will differ from time to time and from situation to situation. Think about what is most typical for you, what you are most likely to do or what you would feel most comfortable doing.
• Check your thoughts about yourself with someone who knows you well. A good friend or a family member may be aware of how you usually respond to situations, even if you find it difficult to say. If the person you consult sees you differently, try asking them to answer the questions at the end of the section on behavioural style about you. If you do not agree on the answers discuss this with the person to try to understand what you are really like.
• Avoid over-analysing yourself. If you generally spend a lot of time analysing your behaviour and thinking about how you feel about things, you may find it easier to answer questionnaires if you don’t focus on things in so much detail. Most questions are quite straightforward and do not require a great deal of self-analysis to answer.
• Collect what information you can about the role and the organization. The employer’s website may be a good source of information about the culture of the organization. If you know someone who works for the same employer or in a similar type of job, ask them to tell you about what they do. Use this information to decide how your personal style might fit the role.
Completing a questionnaire at the employer’s premises
If you are invited to attend a selection day but have not been provided with information about what it will entail, it is appropriate to contact the employer for more information. However, it may be the employer’s policy not to give out such information or they may believe telling one candidate something that is not shared with all candidates would be unfair. Although you may feel the lack of information reflects poorly on the employer’s processes it is probably not a good idea to press the point, because this may be seen negatively by the employer and reflect poorly on you thr
oughout the selection process.
If you do know you have to complete a questionnaire there are a few important practical steps you should take. If you need glasses or contact lenses to be able to read clearly make sure you have these with you. Some people prefer not to wear glasses in public, but the danger of misunderstanding the questionnaire through poor vision is much more serious than any impact on your image of wearing glasses.
Plan how you will get to the venue in good time. Work out your route, find out the relevant transport options, look up timetables and so on. Employers will often send a map and details of how to get to their premises. Apart from the fact that arriving late is likely to create a poor impression, it can put you at a disadvantage in other ways. The employer may be working to a strict timetable and trying to see a number of candidates, and someone who is late can put the schedule out. You could find your interview time is shortened and you have less opportunity to impress the employer with your skills and abilities. If you are late, other applicants may already have started to complete questionnaires and tests, and it could be difficult to accommodate you.
You should also think of the impact on yourself of having to rush. You could arrive feeling hot and bothered, and if there is no time to calm down, you might end up having to complete the questionnaire, be interviewed or take part in another type of exercise while you are feeling flustered. This is likely to affect your concentration and therefore your performance. It is better to arrive too early and have to hang around for a bit than to rush in at the last minute.
Completing a questionnaire on your own
It is quite common now to be asked to complete a questionnaire in your own time before you attend for an interview with the employer, and some employers may send you a questionnaire in the post to complete. Usually, however, if you are asked to complete the questionnaire before the interview, you will be asked to do so on the internet. Typically, the employer will send you an e-mail with a link to a secure website where you can complete the questionnaire. You will usually be sent a username and password to ensure the security of the system.
If you are asked to complete a questionnaire on-line consider when and where you will do this and make sure that you set aside sufficient time to complete it. You should be told in advance about how long it will take, and it is important that you give yourself the best chance of completing it effectively. This means finding a quiet place where you will not be interrupted. If you have a computer at home this may be the best option. If you can, shut yourself away in a quiet room to complete the questionnaire, and warn the other people that live with you that you do not want to be interrupted. Switch off your mobile phone, music players, radios and TV, and if you can, switch off or unplug other phones. Alternatively, get someone else to answer the phone or let it go to answer phone.
Choose a time when you are feeling alert and ready to concentrate. It may be tempting to complete the exercise late at night or after you return from a night out, but think whether you are at your best. If you are tired or have been drinking, you may misread some of the questions or respond inappropriately. Make sure that you are seated comfortably. Get yourself a cup of coffee or tea or a cold drink if this helps you relax, but avoid alcohol or other drugs, which will alter the way you perceive yourself and could affect your responses.
If you do not have your own computer or internet connection at home or if the computer is located in a busy part of the house, think about an alternative place where you can use a computer in a quieter location. You may be able to use a computer at your place of work if you can find a quiet place. You will need to think about the appropriateness of using your employer’s equipment to complete a questionnaire as part of an application for a job somewhere else. If you are applying for promotion in your own organization or if you are being made redundant, your employer might be happy for you to use the organization’s facilities. Otherwise, it is unlikely to be appropriate.
Other places where you can access internet facilities include internet cafés, libraries and, if you are a student, colleges and universities. If you need to complete a questionnaire in one of these places consider the following:
• Find a quiet corner to work rather than somewhere where people are talking or constantly moving around. Certain times of day might be quieter and more conducive to completing a questionnaire.
• Make sure that the time you are allowed to use the machine is sufficient for completing the questionnaire. Libraries and colleges sometimes limit the length of internet sessions. Check if you are likely to be cut off in the middle. If necessary, explain why you need a longer time to an administrator to see if they can help. If you are buying computer time at an internet café make sure that you have enough to finish the questionnaire.
• Switch off your mobile phone so you are not interrupted while you are completing the questionnaire.
• If you have not used a particular place before you may like to check it out in advance to make sure it is suitable.
Try to complete the questionnaire well ahead of any set deadline. If you leave it to the last minute and you encounter problems, there may not be time to sort them out. Although most systems are robust, you might encounter problems connecting to the site for the questionnaire or you might have difficulties with your username or password. Equally, your own computer equipment could just choose that moment to be temperamental. If the deadline is looming there may not be enough time to find somewhere else to complete the questionnaire.
You will usually be given details of a helpdesk or person to contact in case of difficulty. Do take advantage of this service if you have a problem. Remember, however, that it may not operate a 24-hour, seven-day service. Try to start completing the questionnaire early enough so that there is time to get help if you need it.
Similar considerations are important if you are completing a questionnaire on paper. Find a quiet, comfortable place to do it, and make sure you will not be interrupted while you are completing it. Allow sufficient time, and if you have been asked to post your responses back, make sure you send the questionnaire off in good time in case there is a problem with the post. If you want to be sure, take a copy of your responses in case the original gets lost in the post.
Completing the questionnaire
First, read the instructions carefully. Check that you have understood what you have been asked to do. On a 1–5 scale is 1 ‘Strongly agree’ or ‘Strongly disagree’? You also need to read the questions or statements with care. It is easy to misread a word. People often fail to notice a negative word such as ‘no’ or ‘not’ in a statement and respond in the opposite direction. Consider the following statements:
I make no mistakes in my work.
I make mistakes in my work.
I like meeting new people.
I dislike meeting new people.
I rarely come to work on time.
I usually come to work on time.
A careless reader might miss the ‘no’ in the first statement and answer as if it was the second, giving an erroneous picture of themselves. Similar errors are possible with the other pairs of statements.
You also need to make sure that you are indicating your responses according to the instructions. A frequent source of error with paper answer sheets is to respond to a question on the wrong line of the answer sheet. You may be answering Question 35 but mark your response against Question 36. This will lead you to mark your next answer incorrectly, that is marking the answer to Question 36 against the next empty line, which is the one for Question 37. Check that you are answering against the appropriate question number as you are completing the questionnaire to avoid this. If you find you have gone wrong, go back and change your answers. Check the instructions to see how changes to answers should be marked. Should you erase it or cross it out? If you find you have been marking against the wrong number for a long time ask the administrator what you should do. You may be given a new answer sheet and asked to copy your answers across correctly.
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br /> When you are answering a questionnaire you are providing a description of yourself and how you typically behave and react to things. The questions just help you structure this and describe the aspects of your personality in which the employer is interested. There are no right or wrong answers to the questions. Rather, each person’s answer should reflect their personality. Therefore, you should think about yourself in relation to the question or statement. Is it describing something you often do or something you rarely do? Does the word describe you well or not?
It is important to answer all the questions, even if you are not sure how to respond to some of them. Your score on the questionnaire will be distorted if you don’t answer some of the questions. If you are responding on a computer it may not let you send your responses until you have answered all the questions. An administrator will check your paper answer sheet to make sure you have answered all the questions and ask you to go back and complete any you have skipped.
The majority of questions in questionnaires are quite straightforward, and it should be clear what is being asked, because questionnaire developers try to make the content easy to understand. However, you might find some questions ambiguous and not be quite sure what is intended. Do not worry about this if it is just the occasional question. Make your best guess at what is intended and answer accordingly. If you are finding it difficult to understand many of the questions, check the instructions to make sure you have understood correctly what you need to do.