5 Tools Employers Use to Determine if You’re the Right Fit

Posted by in Career Advice


If you’re considering changing jobs for the first time in a while, or find yourself unemployed after many years with the same company, you may run across some surprising requests during your job search. Among the things you may encounter:

Personality tests

More and more employers are requiring candidates to complete personality screenings prior to offering them an interview. These types of assessments are particularly common in jobs where you would be required to deal with the public on a regular basis. They’re also widespread in jobs where integrity is paramount, such as positions dealing with money transactions.

Skills assessments

A lot of job descriptions require a “demonstrated aptitude” in a particular software program or type of analysis. Beware that this often means that the employer will test you on these skills as part of the interview process. Sometimes you have to pass these tests before even being considered for an interview. For instance, I know someone who was required to complete an hour-long practice test just to apply online for a job as a bank teller.

Credit checks

Some companies require applicants to sign a disclosure of their credit report as part of the application process, even for positions that don’t directly deal with finances. Many applicants find this practice invasive, but unfortunately there’s little way around it, other than choosing to not apply at companies that request this information.

College transcripts

Most people haven’t seen a copy of their academic transcripts in years. If that’s true for you, you may want to consider ordering a new copy from every university you attended. Some universities offer unofficial transcripts for free, and these are generally accepted by employers. Some companies will ask you to bring copies of your transcripts to an interview in order to substantiate that you have the degrees you claim on your resume.

Government ID

If you make it through the interview process and start a new job, you will be required to produce two forms of government identification in order to start your tax paperwork. While a driver’s license is sufficient as one form of ID, you’ll also need your social security card, birth certificate, or passport as a secondary form. If you don’t know where any of those things are, now’s a good time to order another copy—before you need them on short notice for a new job.

Job hunting is a stressful process, and it can be made even more so when you encounter employer requests that you aren’t expecting. Keeping your personal records and documentation organized can help reduce some of the stress of the application process and interview process.

To secure the interview and move on to the next step in the hiring process ensure you’re giving yourself the best competitive edge available by utilizing a professionally-developed resume and cover letter. It’s important to know that you’re competing against other candidates who are using professionally prepared documents and those candidates have a 77% chance of winning the interview over those who don’t utilize professionally-written resumes. Give yourself the competitive advantage you deserve today and start getting interviews now.

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  • Erin Beth
    Erin Beth
    I really disagree with employers using personality tests as a tool for choosing the right candidates! Personality tests may give you a little sense of who I am, but that is only a small part..a VERY small part. Those tests only give you a few options as answers. What if you would not react in a situation as the tests describes? Hello!! I'm not as transparent as personality tests like to make me look. I AM versatile. I've taken several personality tests and never gotten any of those jobs. I took at DISC tests and the employer actually came back to me and said I'd really like to have an IS personality rather than an IC type. WHAT?! That is ridiculous.Rather than being lazy and depending on loose, inaccurate personality tests why don't you take that time to get to know me in an interview and actually LISTEN to what I'm saying rather than what you want to hear. Thanks. Sorry for the rant. I am highly against personality tests in a hiring process.
  • Monique
    Monique
    This was very helpful, especially since I have an interview tomorrow, and to all others who have been unemployed for 2+ yrs I understand personally. Like someone stated credit will drop simply because income has dropped and you can't keep the same payment pattern . Madness
  • Cheyanna
    Cheyanna
    Wow! Great thinking!
  • Kenelm
    Kenelm
    Thanks for sharing. Always good to find a real expert.
  • Harper
    Harper
    If you think age is not a factor in hiring, you are wrong.  I have been unemployed for 2 years and have a degree and years of experience, but my hair was beautiful silver.  I got no results so I now color my hair.  I still encounter discrimination in this area.
  • Sinnie Maze
    Sinnie Maze
    I thought that using a credit check was against the law now for employers. Good to know that they are still using it. I have been unemployed for 2 years. I need all the insight I can get to find a job
  • Robert Campbell
    Robert Campbell
    Times has changed now when employers are pre-screening items on an applicant's job application or resume; requiring selected applicants to take tests and bring their unoffical college transcripts to the initial job interview. You have to do what you got to do to GET HIRED.
  • K Perrin
    K Perrin
    I have a hard time with companies that use credit checks for a basis of a job offer.  When someone is unemployed for any length of time their credit is going to suffer, usually through no fault of their own.  So to be excluded because of a low credit score doesn't mean that you are not qualified to do the job, all it means is that your credit score is going to drop even further.
  • Pamela Jolley
    Pamela Jolley
    I find when a prospective employer wants to do a credit checkm it is invasive.  I am in a position that I have bad credit because I cannot find a job.  Also they pull up workers' comp info.  If you use the system, it is used against you as well.  Employers don't want to hire if you have been on workers' comp.
  • Debra Suber
    Debra Suber
    I really appreciate the advice that is given on this website.  I havn't had an interview in over 15yrs WOW THANKS
  • Shelley Dempsey
    Shelley Dempsey
    Good to know. Appreciate the heads-up.
  • Yolanda Vidales
    Yolanda Vidales
    Regarding ID, the back of the I-9 form lists all the documents that anyone will need in case of hired, not before. If the person has one document in list A, does not need any other document, which includes the SS card. The employer cannot indicate what document(s) must be showed, and cannot ask for different or more than listed on the back of I-9 form, which is clear in what and how many.
  • John Bigler
    John Bigler
    Well, let us be frank.  I am from an older school of thought.  Even though there are greater risks in hiring companies to find honest employees, I find it a bit overboard to think it would take an hour to complete a test for a bank teller.  I found most non college grads can work as a teller at a bank.  Of course might be a big problem to have to train someone trying to make a living while going to school so they do not have to be a bank teller.  Who would make that a career?  That would be like I want to be a paper boy for the rest of my life. It dose not take an hour to see if a person can fit the job.
  • kremie
    kremie
    You forgot to mention behind the scenes judgements by the employer of whether the candidate looks like them, talks like them, etc.  These are still prominent in many HR depts.

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