Psychometrics are the latest fad in recruiting. You can bet that QF have paid somebody a heap of cash to do the testing. Its a great way to sift a large quantity of applicants.
Only one slight teensy weensy ickle problem or two. First the tests can be learned, and anyone who knows what an employer is looking for and how the tests are constructed, can mimic the necessary traits to pass. We used to be taught how to do this at MBA school.
Aptitude testing BTW is perfectly OK, however I would have thought that if you had the necessary licences and experience that would not be an issue.
However the real problem is that personality is not stable over time. Differences are measurable in two years. hence the gregarious, tenacious problem solver can become a know it all SOB in two years.
Furthermore, the personality tests contain traps to supposedly calculate a "lie score". However even the reliability of this is suspect. For example, you can make an argument that an applicant prepared to lie is highly motivated and therefore employable.
And of course the final problem with the "personality" aspect of these tests:- There is to my knowledge no peer reviewed research that shows that there is any correlation whatsoever between personality test scores and job performance, either short term or long term. If there was, then American companies would not be losing discrimination cases over promotions supposedly based on "pyschometric test results".
Obvious question : How many Jewish or non Anglo Saxon pilots does Qantas have? If the answer is zero, go figure.
Translation: Do you really want to work for a company that believes this bull****?
Do your course by all means, but do it under a false name just in case.
Last edited by Sunfish; 21st Jun 2005 at 06:01.