100 question application to work at McDonald's ? wtf

[steve2470]

I feel pretty "get off my yard" as I type this, but my son told me that, at at least two places (McDonald's, Olive Garden), he had to answer 100 questions online for entry level positions. Granted, he might have been exaggerating a tad about the 100 questions.

WTF. When I applied for entry level jobs back in the 1970's, I only had to answer basic questions that made sense, such as previous experience, education, when are you available for work, that kind of thing.

Is this correct ? Is this common ? If it's correct and common, this just blows my mind.

[Recursion]

1. Don't get my dad started on this: most are psychological instruments, improperly administered

Most of those long questionnaires are in fact psychological instruments, which have no scientific validity if not administered by a psychologist in controlled settings (there's much more to them than what bubbles you fill in). Like I said, don't get my dad, a licensed clinical psychologist, started...

I wish that made it easier for your son to get employed; just tell him to pretend he's Don Draper when he takes them.

[steve2470]

2. yep you hit the nail on the head

I told my son they were probably trying to weed out "the bad apples" before they hired people. My son is pretty street smart, so I'm quite confident he said all the right things. Sad, but how does a kid get his first job otherwise ? Tell the 100% truth and get eliminated for being honest ? WTF..... *cue grouchy old man* I say the old fashioned way worked just fine, the manager saw you in action and judged you accordingly. More hassle for the manager but much fairer. I feel sorry for kids these days. It's not fair to them, to me.

[Recursion]

3. Hey, now don't get *me* started

When I was ringing up purchases at the local greasemonkey garage they would have never hired me if they knew the kind of shit I had done beforehand. Honestly I have no idea what kids are supposed to do in this all-information regime we have now. Though I guarantee they'll make cooler music than we did.

[steve2470]

4. oh yea, say or post something typically dumb and juvenile on Facebook...not good

Glad you got hired ! Work made you an honest man *joking*

[Recursion]

6. Ha! I'm sure when I'm a parent I'll say that.

I'll give social media one thing: I probably won't be able to pull the kind of lies on my kids that our parents did on us. Maybe that's for the best.

[steve2470]

8. yea, the internets has a very very long memory, too long imho for kids nt

[NuclearDem]

5. I actually bailed out of a RadioShack application like that.

Those nonsensical psychological and personality evaluations are pretty much a waste of time, and frankly I can do a better job explaining my attitude towards work in an interview.

[steve2470]

7. The managers must realize that most, if not almost all, applicants are going to LIE on those

You have to be very naive and/or dumb not to realize what's up with those questions. Lie and get hired. Tell the truth and possibly not get hired. I'm with you, do an interview and ask semi-intelligent questions. It doesn't weed out all the non-suitable people but nothing replaces good old face to face interaction.

[raccoon]

9. I've also heard that these "psychological" tests are a covert way to discriminate. The employer can

say the applicant flunked the psychological test--whether they did or not.

I agree, this sort of thing is stupid.

[steve2470]

10. yes I can believe that nt

[Populist_Prole]

11. Sounds like one of those Briggs-Meyers tests

Good not for how good or bad an employee may be, but to see who is more cunning to beat the test.

[2theleft]

12. My friends daughter, in college, honors programs

straight A student has evidently "failed" all of these tests when she was applying for summer jobs. It's craziness. She's a smart, sweet, hardworking kid.

[steve2470]

13. yes that is crazy nt

[Brigid]

14. I have a feeling that maybe they just weren't hiring.

I have heard that those jobs weren't very plentiful this year.

[baldguy]

15. When I was in college 30 yrs ago, I had a summer job as a house painter.

The entire interview process involved my boss asking me, "Are you a creep?" To which I replied, "Nope."

Now, you get a 3-hr long internet app, background checks, drug tests, credit checks, not to mention a half-dozen references and three interviews. And you can guarantee the corporate drones don't have to go through that kind of shit. It seems the farther down the employment food chain you go, the harder & more humiliating the process is made to be.

[bif]

16. Try filling out the Costo application on line

It's a real pain and takes about 45 minutes.

[jmowreader]

17. Try AutoZone's application sometime

It's got more than 100 questions, and about one out of five have to do with your bar-going habits. Strange thing is, they don't ask you anything about auto parts... you'd think they would do something like this...


415. Your customer is buying one of these. You should also offer:

a. PCV valve
b. Timing belt
c. Motor oil
d. Adjustable wrench

or


454. Your customer is buying this. She will probably NOT also purchase...
a. Rubber gloves
b. Cigarette lighter
c. Respirator
d. Paint scraper

(Yes, that really exists...Aircraft Remover is the mother of all paint strippers, so called because it will remove Imron aircraft paint.)