UNIT 3: THE WORLD OF WORK

MODULE 1: Make a living

WHY DO PEOPLE WORK?
Many people work for money, family, passion (such as Steve Jobs that works because he loves his work or
wants to revolutionize the world) ), for the betterment of science or humanity, for a sense of achievement
(to break records), for positions (politicians), for god or religion, for their nation, and for fame (want to be
known), but in simple terms, people work to feel good about themselves.

VOCABULARY ITEMS:
Workaholic: a person who works a lot of the time and finds it difficult not to work; a self-confessed
workaholic.
Continuous training: a continuous training program helps employees hone their knowledge and skills and
provides them with a clear picture of their strengths and weaknesses.
Promotion: the act of raising someone to a higher or more important position or rank; did Steve get/Was
Steve given the promotion he wanted?
CV: a written description of the previous work of someone looking for a job at a college or university;
applicants interested in applying for the position should submit their CVs to the Anatomy Department no
later than 15 February.
Night shift: a period in the night during which a particular group of people work; people who work (on) the
night shift are paid more.
Manual work: work involving the hands, as opposed to an office job; artisans do a lot of manual work.
A steady job: work that is likely to continue for a long time and for which you will be paid regularly; owning
your own home and having a steady job will help when applying for a loan.
A seasonal job: seasonal employment is temporary work to meet an organization's temporary needs
during certain times of the year.
To take up a post (a job in a company or organization): to start doing something regularly as a habit, job, or
interest. Jenny has taken up a post at Arcor's company.
To work overtime: to work after the usual time needed or expected in a job.
To apply for a job: to request a job, usually officially, especially in writing or by sending in a form.
To build a good name: to create a good opinion or respected reputation of yourself in others; the firm has
been working hard to build a good name throughout all these years.
To work out: to understand something or to find the answer to something by thinking about it;
investigators needed several months to work out that a fraud had been committed.

MULTI-WORD VERBS:
GET AHEAD: to be successful in the work that you do; It's tough for a woman to get ahead in politics.
TAKE ON: to accept some work or responsibility; she took too much on and made herself ill.
TAKE ON: to start to employ someone; she was taken on as a laboratory assistant.
FILL SB IN: to tell someone something they do not know; I filled her in on the latest gossip.
TAKE OVER: to begin to have control of something; Jason Lamb has taken over responsibility for this
project.
CARRY OUT: to do or complete something, especially that you have been told to do; the hospital is carrying
out tests to find out what's wrong with her.
STEP DOWN: To give up a job or position; he has decided to step down as captain of the team.
HAND OVER: to give someone else control of or responsibility for something; the founder handed the
company over to his sons.
KNOCK OFF: to stop working or doing something; what time do you knock off work?
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PULL TOGETHER: to work hard as a group to achieve something; we don't have much time but if we all pull
together we should get the job done.
COME UP WITH: to suggest or think of an idea or plan; she's come up with some great scheme to double
her income.
DRAW UP: to prepare something, usually something official, in writing: I've drawn up a list of candidates
that I'd like to interview.
FACE UP TO: to accept that a difficult situation exists; she's going to have to face up to the fact that he's
not going to marry her.
FALL THROUGH: to fail to happen; we found a buyer for our house, but then the sale fell through.
FILL IN: to write or type information on a document in spaces that are provided for it; companies will
encourage customers to fill in questionnaires about themselves.
GO OVER: to examine or look at something in a careful or detailed way; forensic scientists are going over
the victim's flat in a search for clues about the murderer.
PUT OFF: to decide or arrange to delay an event or activity until a later time or date; the meeting has been
put off for a week.
TAKE OVER: to get control of a company by buying enough of the shares in it; the company he works for
has recently been taken over.
TURN DOWN: to refuse an offer or request; he offered her a trip to Australia but she turned it down.

WT: advertising (adj) agency - well-qualified (adj) applicant - employee - employer - retirement (n) - retire
(v) - earnings (n) - resignation (n) - resign - economic (adj) situation - application form - unemployed people
- profitable (adj) - profit (v)

IDIOMS:
A dead-end job: a situation that has no hope of making progress; Imagine just putting letters in envelopes
all day. What a dead-end job!
In the pipeline: being planned; It’s going to be a busy year for us. We've got two major projects to finish
and an even bigger one in the pipeline.
The top of the tree: the highest level in someone’s career or profession (v: reach); Where is there to go
once you’ve reached the top of the tree?
A short list: a list of those people or items preferred or most likely to be chosen; I just had a really good job
interview. I’m on a short list of five.
Show someone the ropes: if you show someone the ropes, you show them how to do a particular job or
task. Jake will take you around and show you the ropes.
Hold a job down: to manage to keep a job for a period of time; after years of unemployment, John
managed to hold down a job at the post office.
Take on staff: to start to employ someone; we’re not taking on any new staff at the moment.
Make a name for yourself: to become well-known or famous; he has made quite a name for himself as a
golfer.
Go over someone's head: to speak to or ask permission from someone who has more authority than the
person who you would typically go to in that situation; Amanda was refusing to give me the week off so I
went over her head and spoke to the boss.
The career ladder: the career, considered as a series of levels that lead to better and better jobs; women’s
chances to climb the career ladder have always been less than men’s.
Rock the boat: to do or say something that will upset people or cause problems; don't rock the boat until
the negotiations are finished.
Breathe down someone's neck:
Find your feet: to become familiar with and confident in a new situation; did it take you long to find your
feet when you started your new job?
Can't stand the pace: to mean that someone does not work or function effectively when under pressure,
and so cannot compete or do things as well as other people; they were constantly testing me as if to prove
I couldn't take the pace.
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Land a job: to successfully acquire something, such as a job or piece of information; the economy is still in
terrible shape—I haven't been able to land a job for months.
Stand in for somebody: to be or act as a substitute for someone or something; it was decided that I would
stand in for my sister at the head of the company while she took her sabbatical.

The Rise Of The Millennials, And Why They're Changing Work For The Better

Who Are The Millennials? considered the generation of people to hit adulthood after the year 2000;
millennials include anyone born between the years 1981 and 1996, which puts them in the 22-37 age
range.

Millennials are driven by passion; It’s a quality that’s closely related to personal happiness, and it affects
overall work output and productivity.
Millennials are dedicated to living a full life, and they're not afraid to let their passion guide their decisions.
They refuse to accept anything other than what they believe is a good fit for who they are and what they
want to do with their time and talent. And they take this attitude into the heart of the workplace.

Why are they changing work for the better?

They prioritize meaning over money: Millennials value making an impact on the world more than just
providing for their families (want their work to be purposeful); young people prioritize passion over money
and other benefits when it comes to working (need to feel their work is more than a paycheck; money
needs to flow from meaning).
Millennials generation - getting the right job done and getting paid for it vs. Older generations - getting the
job done and getting paid for it.

They embrace ( = to accept sth enthusiastically) diversity: they're the generation with the least number of
challenges around connecting with people from different cultures. Millennials value creativity and
community over exclusivity and status. They are comfortable with the diversity of all kinds.

What it all means: millennials get the short end of the stick because they’re vastly (very much) different
from previous generations. We might dismiss some ideas (a woman being sent to jail for wearing slacks to
court in 1938) and attitudes as outdated, ridiculous, and discriminative, but don’t forget: Nothing would
ever change if each generation made the same choices as the generation before them. Progress and
transformation happen when we bravely adopt new ways of thinking, living and working.

KW: be driven by passion - turn sb into sth (turn you into a believer) - community-based workforce - get
the short end of the stick (to suffer the bad effects of a situation).

MODULE 2: Choosing a Career

Aspects to take into consideration when it comes to choosing a job or a career:
Opportunities for promotion - Comfortable working conditions - Fringe benefits (additions to employee
compensation; e.g.: company car, private health insurance) - A high salary - Friendly colleagues - Working
flexitime - A job near where you live

THREE QUESTIONS TO UNLOCK YOUR AUTHENTIC CAREER

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At the age of 22, I was completely immersed in this world… Everything I did in my adolescent life was to
prepare me for my fantasy career. Political science is what I love, but career coaching is what I am. This
dance that we all do between finding work that we love and finding work that aligns with who we are.

The three questions that sit at the foundation of my career coaching practice…
The first question is what am I good at?
The second question is what do people tell me I'm good at?
The third question is to ask yourself "what's holding me back?" (Stops you)

What am I good at?

We're told that we need to find our passion. When we get to college, we need to pick a major or a passion
before we're given much thought to who we wanna be in our careers and in our lives. As a result, some of
you here have majors that fascinate you. But there are others who simply pick the topics so you could get
your bachelor's degree out of the way and move on with your life.
Your interest in a subject does not guarantee your success in a career with it; choose what you are not
what you love. We should tune out the social pressure to find what we love and tune it into something
more significant for our careers and our lives: WHO YOU ARE?

"I felt like I had the world to prove so my job took over my life. That set me into a tailspin (to lose
emotional control, collapse, and panic) because I remember feeling like my career, my passion, and my
identity were all in conflict with one another".

What do people tell me I'm good at?

Do friends turn to you for some sort of advice that you seem to have down? Or do your professors and
colleges praise something special about your work (WHAT YOU ARE ACKNOWLEDGED FOR)? Or do people
ever ask you to teach sth that you seem to know well? These are the moments that shed light on (provide
info. about sth) your natural talents, and the workforce needs them.
Don't be so blinded by your passion that you overlook who you are.

What's holding me back?

Most of our thoughts are repeat offenders (guilty of a crime). Many of these thoughts may be holding you
back in your career. People share the same fear-based thought: I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH; These words
keep your career bar low, and they keep you striving less in your life (esforzarse), and if you keep simply
paying attention to these words, or these fears, you'll rise above them.
You're NOT your thoughts

To unlock your authentic career ask these three questions; open your emotional backpack and ask yourself
who am I? If you do it you will be able to embrace a career that waits for you (the act of accepting an idea,
a proposal, a set of beliefs, etc, especially when it is done with enthusiasm).

KW: Run a program (operate it) - be ecstatic (extremely happy) - deploy (to move soldiers or equipment to
a place where they can be used when they are needed; the decision has been made to deploy extra troops)
- overlook your natural skills - in the span of 6 weeks (the time that something exists or happens) - be
wired (nervous or excited, e.g., because of a future event, or because you have drunk coffee or taken drugs
- I was wired before the interview) - figure out sth (to finally understand sth or sb, or find the solution to a
problem after a lot of thought; they finally figured out what they want to do with their career path and
their life - end up (to finally be in a particular place or situation; he ended up quitting his job) - stale job
hunt (exhausting) - hire a career coach - get rises at work

10 Important Factors to Consider When Choosing a Career Path

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Whether you’ve opted for a 4-year university degree course or you’ve just graduated from high school,
choosing a career path can be exciting. Unfortunately, it can also be overwhelming. Some people seem to
know exactly what they were born to do. For others, it can take longer to determine the right direction.
While career paths change frequently nowadays, it’s vital to choose a job that you’ll find fulfilling.
The most crucial thing to remember is that you never need to feel ‘stuck’ in one career for a lifetime. Also,
many jobs don’t require years of education to get hired. This makes it significantly easier to switch careers
when you want to head in a different direction. If you stick with one career for a long time, it can be very
beneficial to your promotion prospects and earnings throughout your lifetime. You’ll be an ‘expert’ in what
you do, and you’ll be able to train others. That will give you a genuine sense of fulfillment.
Many people reach a crossroads at different stages in life, and it doesn’t matter what age you are or what
jobs you’ve had in the past. Selecting a new career path should be a carefully thought-out process.

What should I consider when choosing a career?

1. What are your interests?

Make a list of the things you do well and think about how they could be applied to a career. If you're
unsure of what might interest you, use as many of the resources available to you as possible (assessments
tests will identify your interests: the results may breathe new life into your plans by identifying positions
you never even knew existed).
2. What are your strongest skills?
Take a look at the things that you do well and consider how they could be used in a job. Try to determine
careers that would be a good fit for those skills. You're likely to find that doing a job well will get you
noticed by a boss and bring you considerable career satisfaction. Sometimes, the most rewarding careers
are based on our natural attributes and the skills we already have.
3. Your attitude:
We all have different attitudes toward different work environments. If you are self-motivated and have a
positive attitude about hard work, you might be well-suited for a leadership position. Don't shy away from
a career that may challenge you because those sorts of positions can be far more fulfilling. On the other
hand, your attitudes may make you realize what type of industry wouldn't be the right fit for you.
4. Education and training:
Most jobs require ‘some’ education and training, even if it’s learned on-the-job. Determining the level of
education is vital in choosing the right career path. If you do have a family, you might not have the money
or time to spend 3+ years earning a degree. A position where you learn on-the-job may be far more
suitable.
5. Job Availability:
One of the best places to start looking for a new career path is focusing on opportunities where the
demand is high. In other words, you should seek out a future-proof job (unlikely to become obsolete) that
isn’t likely to be replaced by automation or fade away due to technological advancement. A demand for
recruits creates opportunity (some of the most popular industries currently include: healthcare and
medical careers). While the job market continues to ebb and flow, certain industries seem to stand the
test of time better than others.
6. Learn From Experience:
While researching is important, it can’t replace real, hands-on learning. It’s one of the best ways of giving
yourself peace of mind with a specific career. Apply for internships. Job shadow someone in their field or
apply for a temporary position. The experience should be long enough to give you a full view of what the
job is like. It allows you to uncover what you do and don’t like about the career. You’ll be able to invest
enough time to make an informed decision.
7. Defining Success:
Your definition of success is crucial to the type of career you choose. Some jobs will reward you with a
hefty paycheck. Others will allow you to help people

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How Do I Choose a Job That’s Right For Me?
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that all the research and experience in the world will make you love
your job after you’ve been involved in it for a while. Other times, it’s more to do with not liking the people
in the company than disliking the actual job. It’s far too easy to jump into a career headfirst without taking
the right precautionary steps.

Job shadowing: type of on-the-job training that allows an interested employee to follow and closely
observe another employee performing the role.
To shy away from: to avoid sth you dislike, fear, or do not feel confident about; I've never shied away from
hard work.
Recruit: (n) /rɪˈkruːt/ someone who has just joined a company or organization; about 14% of recruits are
from ethnic minorities.
To ebb and flow: how the level of sth regularly becomes higher or lower in a situation; you have to accept
the ebb and flow of love in a relationship.
Hefty paycheck: (adj) extremely large.
To jump into a career headfirst: can be defined as doing it without much thought, or leading with the
head.

MODULE 3: DIFFERENT KINDS OF JOBS - SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE IN WORK

Hard skills vs. Soft skills

Work skills can be broken down into 2 types: hard skills and soft skills. They’re pretty different from one
another, but both are necessary to be successful on the job (or to become more hirable).
HSs: these are concrete skills that are specific to your job and require you to do your work (chef = cooking).
They are generally learned through school, training, or previous work or experience. They’re objective
since once you learn the information or task, you’ll then possess that skill. Moreover, they’re easy to
measure; employers can get a good idea of your HSs by looking at your education, previous experiences,
and certifications.
SSs: these are interpersonal or people’s skills that can be used in every job, such as communication,
teamwork, and adaptability. To be developed, they need to be practiced over time in the real world with
others. Besides, they’re harder to evaluate since employers usually have to wait for an interview or to first
weeks on the job to get a good idea of an employee’s SSs.

Work in the USA

Jobs in the USA: the job market remains competitive and international graduates will need to sell their
qualifications and experience to employers; Graduates looking for employment should do their homework
as employment can be hard to secure due to the complicated and highly restrictive visa process. To enter
the country other than for tourism and travel, you'll need the right visa
Skills Shortage: the demand for healthcare professionals such as nurses, carers, medical assistants, and
physiotherapy aids is set to increase, as is the demand for construction workers, financial advisers, and so
on.
How to get a job in the USA: finding a job with an organization in your home country, which has offices in
the USA and opportunities to transfer, might be the easiest way for international workers to gain
employment in America. If this is not a possibility, due to strict visa requirements you'll need to apply for
jobs before entering the USA. If you have specialist skills and qualifications employers may sponsor your
visa.

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Summer jobs: it's possible to find summer work and travel opportunities between June and September
each year. During this time you can take up seasonal and paid work in theme parks, hotels, beach clubs,
and ranches.
Teaching jobs: there's a growing need for English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign
language (EFL) teachers in areas of the USA with high immigrant and refugee communities.
Internships: students, recent graduates, and professionals can apply for the J-1 visa, allowing temporary
work in the USA. This includes an internship program that can last up to 12 months and a trainee program
that can last up to 18 months in some industries.
US visas: the USA is a complex country to enter due to its firm stance on immigration, but a range of
programs and visas are available for certain categories, so you'll need to ensure that you choose the right
one.
Language requirements: the official language of the United States is English. If this is not your first
language then you may need to sit for an English Language Proficiency test. The TOEFL and IELTS tests are
the most common.
What it's like to work in the USA: officially US workers work a traditional 9 am to 5 pm day or 40-hour
week. However, in reality, employees often go beyond this. It could be that you end up working the
occasional 12-hour day, especially if you are employed in the legal or medical professions.

Vocabulary Building:
NOUN + OPPORTUNITY: short-term/long-term work opportunities, travel opportunities, volunteering
opportunities.
ADJ + OPPORTUNITY: once-in-a-lifetime, unique | lost, missed, wasted | career, educational, employment,
job, training, exciting | suitable | reasonable | limited, little | golden, good.
WORKING + NOUN: holiday, visas, jobs, time, days, class/group, knowledge, life, environment, experience,
etc.
VERB + EMPLOYMENT: look for, seek | find, gain, get, obtain, secure | take up | give up, lose | give sb,
offer sb | create, generate, provide | boost, increase, raise, stimulate.
EMPLOYMENT + NOUN: opportunities, possibilities, prospects There are few employment prospects in the
town for unqualified young people. | rights | training | status The survey studied the employment status
and lifestyle of people within the community. | agency | contract | conditions, terms.
Position: (syn) job, employment, occupation, role, post.
Seasonal job vs. permanent work

WORKING WOMEN

Career opportunities:
One hundred years ago, women began getting more involved in the workforce throughout the 1920s. Still,
the majority remained at home as housewives or mothers. By that time, the Marriage Bar, that is, the
requirement that single women in certain jobs must quit when they marry and the disqualification of
married women from applying for vacancies, was very common in countries around the world. The
unequal payment also reflected the social attitudes: women were thought of as not needing incomes, as
their husbands were expected to be the breadwinners. The typical occupations were the so-called pink
collar jobs: assembly work in new and existing industries, clerical work, typing, counter-sales, education,
nursing, and fashion. When it comes to education, at this point in history women had already been
accepted even in certain colleges. However, few women found successful careers as lawyers, journalists, or
doctors. After WWI many returning servicemen reclaimed the available jobs, and the numbers of women
workers, particularly in industry and trade declined

Today, although women have much more career opportunities than a hundred years ago, inequality
persists in global labor markets, in respect of opportunities, treatment, and outcomes. Women remain

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underrepresented as contributing family workers. Women are better educated and more active in the
labor force than ever and are increasingly working in managerial roles. Despite this, their representation in
top positions in business still lags behind that of men. The glass ceiling term is used to describe the invisible
barriers that keep women from climbing the career ladder. Almost 75% of enterprises worldwide have
equal opportunity or diversity and inclusion policies in place. But ILO research indicates that these policies
alone are not enough to fix the gender imbalance at the top levels of business. Too many women struggle
to combine aspirations for work and family.

PROS:
-Working gives financial independence and the chance to participate in important family decisions as an
equal.
-Most working mothers claim to spend more quality time with their children. They are more focused on
having enjoyable and special moments together.
-Children do not get used to their mothers doing all the tasks. They become more independent and
responsible. They provide a positive role model and can be a source of inspiration for their children.
-Several studies report that working mothers have fewer symptoms of depression as compared with non-
employed mothers.

CONS:
-It can be difficult for women to find a balance between working and family life: In some households, the
chores are not equally distributed and this means double work for the mother.
-Newborn babies demand plenty of time and attention and it can be stressful for women with full-time
jobs.
-Certain women claim to feel guilty about not spending enough time with their children.
-Domestic workers and daycare centers might be needed, affecting the family budget.
-Working mothers tend to put aside their professional goals.

LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT

-In 1998 Lilly Ledbetter learned that she was being paid less than her male co-workers.
-She went to the Supreme Court and lost the case (“they voted me down… I lost by one vote”).
-President Bush threatened to veto this legislation (The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act ). Also, it was the first
major piece of legislation that President Obama signed into law.
-Unless women receive equal pay, their families will continue to suffer the consequences of this type of
discriminatory pay.
-The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was an important step to ensure fairness for US workers.
-The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was the first major piece of legislation President Obama signed into law.
The Act extended the period in which claimants can bring pay discrimination claims, enabling victims of pay
discrimination to seek redress when they otherwise could not.
-Over the past century, American women have made substantial strides in entering and remaining in the
workforce and building their skills. (...) In addition, while the pay gap closed by 17 percentage points
between 1981 and 2001, it had remained flat since 2001. In the past two years, some modest progress has
been made...
-Statistics show that women's educational levels have increased since the 1990s, which contributes to
reducing the gender wage gap. Because women have increasingly become our most educated workers,
accounting for relative education levels widens the pay gap.
-Although women today usually work throughout their lifetimes, they still leave the labor force —at least
temporarily—after marrying or having children.
-Nowadays, as women’s labor market participation and education increased, so did their career
opportunities. (...) However, despite this trend, research from Francine Blau and Lawrence Kahn shows
that differences in occupation and industry still play an important role in the gender pay gap.
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MODULE 3: JOB INTERVIEWS

Vocabulary:
Can you explain the GAP ( = missing time) in your employment history?
Do you prefer working alone or IN A TEAM?
The employer asked Karen about what motivates her to "go the extra mile" on a project. In this context, to
"go the extra mile" means TO DO MORE THAN IS NECESSARY.
When you are told to leave a job because there's not enough work, money, etc. to keep you there, it's
called "being LAID OFF". ex. Our company laid off 20 workers last summer.
"What is your greatest weakness?" is an example of a FAKE QUESTION. You're supposed to talk about your
strengths, but make them sound like a weakness.
I'm already FAMILIAR with ( = already know) some of these issues.
"PRIOR to your interview" means "before your interview."
I was ANTICIPATING ( = expecting) that question, so I answered it perfectly.
You should never BADMOUTH ( = criticize) previous employers.
Men are often advised to wear SHINED (lustrados), and dark shoes to an interview.
"One of the things I can BRING ( = contribute) to this job is my eight years of experience."
"I THRIVE ON ( = love) challenges."
"After finishing my last job, I took some TIME-OFF ( = I took a break) to examine my career goals."
"I PRIDE MYSELF ( = am very proud) on my communication skills."
"I'm quite ADEPT AT (= having a natural ability to do something that needs skill) finding solutions to tricky
and unexpected situations."
"I have implemented several initiatives to increase MORALS among my co-workers." ( = to make my co-
workers feel better, to motivate them).
"When there are competing priorities, I usually make my decision on a CASE-BY-CASE basis."
“She's always BRINGING UP ( = to start to talk about a particular subject) her health problems to the
office.”
He can play multiple positions and will be A GOOD FIT (to be a good fit - for the job: to be perfect or
qualified; to meet the requirements).

How to Prepare for a Job?

Surveys show that hiring managers make their opinion of you within the 1st ten minutes of meeting you.

Tips to land a job

1) Appearance:
Wak in wearing a crisp suit (clean and without creases - pliegues - in it) or an appropriate outfit
(“the safe bet” is wearing neutral colors; Candidates should stay on the conservative side to look
professional).
Give a firm handshake + look the hiring manager directly in the eyes.
(Some people feel more casual about job interviews; sometimes, they are shy or they are not used
to being sort of assertive and putting themselves out there).
2) Impression
A quick sales pitch about yourself (sth that has BULLET POINTS, that gets to the heart of what
you’ve done over the last couple of years to impress your hiring manager).
Practicing it is KEY; it has to come across smooth, and you just have to mention specific examples or
key points (keep it down to earth and relax as much as possible).
3) Why are you looking for a job?
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 Good responses: I’m looking for that next opportunity to take that next step in my career to apply
my skills differently.
Come across as a TEAM PLAYER (bonus points: showing leadership skills).
Come across as a HARD WORKER or COMMITTED TO the mission of the company you’re
interviewing.
4) If you have been fired by your previous employer…
Be honest if they ask you why you left your job, but stay positive about it since you don’t want to
come across as someone who has a lot of resentment or you’ve got a grudge against ( = a strong
feeling of anger and dislike for a person who you feel has treated you badly, especially one that
lasts for a long time) your former employer.

The Pros and Cons of Using Psychometric Testing During the Hiring Process

Psychometric testing was developed in the early 20th century, and since then has gathered credence as a
valuable tool for enabling employers to select the best candidate for any given role. The reason many
companies are embracing psychometric testing is to ensure they get their hiring process right – the first
time. After all, there’s no doubt that poor recruiting choices have a significant impact on both employee
and employer. For the employee, it can lead to overwhelm in a job you are not suited to or a workplace
where you don’t ‘belong’ due to different values and ethics. For the employer, ultimately, the impact is
financial — for example, the expense of additional training, rehiring, and staff who are disengaged and
therefore less productive.

What are Psychometric Tests?

Psychometric tests are questionnaires (including questions about behavior, preference, attitude, values,
and motives) that measure a response to determine a personality type. The tests offer the employer a
holistic overview of the candidate to help them determine if a candidate will fit in well with the company
culture and work collaboratively with the team you already have in place. A good test should pick up on
any inconsistencies, making it difficult to ‘cheat’ on responses. These types of tests are used as part of the
interview process; not in isolation.

PROS:
>Psychometric testing is a great encourager to get people who are the best fit into a role. And then for
businesses utilizing this methodology consistently as part of their hiring process helps maintain a
consistent standard for new employee selection.
>Cost-effective and easy to utilize, the tests enable employers to gather information quickly. They help
employers avoid costly recruiting errors, by improving retention and critically ensuring that the chosen
candidate will perform well in their new role and that any areas of development can be supported.
>The results of the tests are reliable: the interviewer will know in advance if the candidate will work well
in the job and as part of a larger team; something that face-to-face interviews alone cannot always
guarantee.
>They allow introverted candidates to demonstrate better their qualities for the vacancy that could be
missed by face-to-face interviews alone.

CONS:
>When it comes to psychometric testing one size does not fit all! The test has to be fit for purpose just as
the individual undertaking them has to be the right for the role (Hiring managers should evaluate what
they are testing for in the context of the role that the individual will be performing).
>It’s easy to misinterpret the results – especially if an individual is not knowledgeable about the test and
what exactly it is assessing. Most importantly, feedback should be provided to all candidates by someone
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qualified and accredited in the specific test, so that candidates can focus on developing themselves in line
with their career objectives.
>Tests should never be used as the only method for hiring. Results should be validated at the interview
and by assessing the CV and covering letter, and by taking up references. Only this will give you a rounded
picture of the candidate.
>These tests only work effectively if the employer knows what they are looking for.

Conclusion:
Although I am firmly in favor of psychometric testing as a means of gaining valuable insight and data when
selecting new hires, these tests do not replace intuition. Therefore, they should be combined with other
recruitment methods; not relied upon as the only decision-making factor. Nothing replaces a conversation
with a candidate to allow you to get to know them better; psychometric tests should be viewed as an
additional tool to save time, reduce overall costs, and improved the quality of your final hire choice.

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