I just received a culture index survey from the company that I start my new job with next Monday.

It consisted of two parts. The first was to select all the characteristics that describe me, and the second was to pick all the characteristics that best describe what is needed for the position. Each part had a ton adjectives to choose from and you pick as many as you want.

What are these types of surveys used for? I would hope that it’s not a condition of employment, because if so it should have been given to me prior to the offer I would tend to think.

The wheels have already started turning and I hope they don’t rescind the offer based off of something I checked or didn’t check off on this survey, because tonight is my last shift with my current job and when I leave here in the morning it’s a done deal.

So for those in the know....do I have a reason to be concerned in your opinion?

While I never saw one of these, I do have some thoughts.

It sounds like one more worthless feel good bullshit exercise that HR Depts are famous for. I suspect the hiring manager has already made their decision and won't even see, much less care, what this survey says.

That being said, you need to play the game. So, I would utilize some google-fu and see what the most desirable responses are and plug them in no matter how ridiculous they sound.

Haha, I used the weaknesses as my goals to strengthen for the next year.

Such as, when I read the results it said I wasn't very outgoing. Why? Because I don't search out those senior to me just to have a conversation about the weather...

Go figure.

I feel sorry for you. Crap like that makes me thank my lucky stars that I'm long retired!

I did a similar one years ago... Management By Strengths , it was supposed to help you interact with fellow employees, by knowing what approach to use (facts, emotion, etc.). Everyone had a name badge with their "strength color". It was interesting and no one took it too serious.

We use something similar at work but we send them out to candidates before we make an offer.

Our system determines you tendencies in a few categries. Are you assertive or passive, are you social or restrained, are you structured or off the cuff etc.

There are no right or wrong answers but we do have a general idea of what tendencies we are looking for for a given position.

Since you already have an offer, my guess is that its going to be used in a 'how do I like to be managed' style.

What a load of horse shit.

LOL, I'd say the characteristic that describes me best is 'values privacy'. Maybe they'll get the idea.

Sounds dumb.

"So for those in the know....do I have a reason to be concerned in your opinion?"



Yes.

Hell yes you should be concerned. The place sounds like a PC madhouse.

Largefarva, I would not be overly concerned.

Post offer, it’s for your manager to help him/her the best ways to understand, manage, and get the most out if you.
There is a specific one, called The Harrison Assessment. It is pretty damn accurate. It picks a person apart, and if they rearrange the questions honestly, it really lays out your true personality traits, very well.
Being a manager that has had these tools available, they can work. It can actually help me to understand what type of person reports to me.

One example without being too specific... a manager that likes when things get a little crazy and out of control. Not so much that the day goes to hell in a hand basket, but definitely doesn’t want things to be drama free and smooth as can be.
Why?
This person is a “fixer”. They like to fix problems and get great satisfaction from fixing things. When everything is out of control and getting a little crazy, this person comes in and fixes the situation and feels that they have done a great job. This manager gets a huge feeling of satisfaction and gratification from this. This person feels they are doing a great job by fixing all the problems that occurred in their watch.

Yes, I could come in guns a blazin, and every time things would get out of hand, reprimand this person. Well, that would be a quick way to termination. The flip side is to realize this person has some great value, and a couple flaws. Thanking this manager for fixing the issues, but also having a coaching session where I can sit down and point out how much better things would have gone, had this employee managed the situation from the beginning.

I know, many of you think this is horse shit and hog wash. You’re entitled to your opinion. The personality assessments do work, and work fairly well if you take the time to learn about how it all works.

HR departments are in LOVE with things like Meyers-Briggs MBTI. I know executives that recite their letters (ESTJ, INFP, etc.) and even know how strong a tendency they have one way or another.

There are various systems promoted by various consultants and other organizations. And they all have one thing in common. Want to guess?

None of them have any scientific validity! Yep, none.

They are neither accurate nor repeatable, nor based on actual scientific research. And no one in the scientific and medical fields of human behavior and personality give them any credence. They are just HR psycho babble. They are just someones pet idea turned into a system and marketed to people who don't know any better.

quote:

I know, many of you think this is horse shit and hog wash. You’re entitled to your opinion. The personality assessments do work, and work fairly well if you take the time to learn about how it all works.

Why not just get to know your coworkers? Build a relationship with them (appropriate for work) and you'll discover organically what you need to know to work effectively with people.

Not sure why this is science, and needs to be jammed down people's throats.

quote:

Originally posted by zipriderson
Why not just get to know your coworkers? Build a relationship with them (appropriate for work) and you'll discover organically what you need to know to work effectively with people.

Not sure why this is science, and needs to be jammed down people's throats.

Because I can learn more in thirty minutes than I could in a year of trying to get to know someone.
I still get to know my employees, and we have good relationships. But I would still be working on figuring out some things about a person, where after reading the assessment, I know some of the traits going in.

^^^ You don’t really know shit about them if they used their duckduckgo fu.

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:

quote:

Originally posted by zipriderson
Why not just get to know your coworkers? Build a relationship with them (appropriate for work) and you'll discover organically what you need to know to work effectively with people.

Not sure why this is science, and needs to be jammed down people's throats.

Because I can learn more in thirty minutes than I could in a year of trying to get to know someone.
I still get to know my employees, and we have good relationships. But I would still be working on figuring out some things about a person, where after reading the assessment, I know some of the traits going in.

Good ones can give you some good insight into yourself as well.

One company that created this test or a similar one is Predictive Index.

A recruiter called me for a job there and I had to take their test.

The personality test was 90% accurate, I got the results.

I flunked the math part I guess, they never called me back. it was a speed math test and I have been out a school a long time.

You need to do the math part in 12 minutes, I haven't need to do math in my head in a very long time.

There is lots of information on the test if you google it.

They do not release the math test results.

The gayer you are, the lesbanier you are, the transier you are, the LGBTQP'ier you are, the more likely you will get promoted. It's not about skill. It's about being in the right clubs.

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Originally posted by parabellum:
What a load of horse shit.

That's what HR stands for - Horseshit Reclamation.