Pre-employment tests plus other techniques may help you avoid hiring violent, perhaps even murderous, employees. You do
> not want to hire potentially violent employees
> need to create a safe workplace
Recent news reported a company’s employee murdered co-workers, and then committed suicide. A surveillance camera caught him stealing. The company was firing him when the massacre began.
So, how might that company – and your company – avoid hiring violent, perhaps murderous, job applicants?
PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS HELP PREDICT VIOLENT TENDENCIES
Certain personality test scores tell you if a job applicant may lash out in violent or dangerous ways.
Good news = In my 20+ years’ pre-employment testing experience, no company using my personality tests hired an employee who became violent on-the-job.
Interestingly, some companies using my pre-employment tests rejected job applicants due to their poor test scores, and those applicants responded in aggressive or threatening ways to their rejection.
More good news = Those companies called me to say my pre-employment tests forecast serious problems in those obnoxious people – and helped them reject those terrifying people.
What pre-employment test scores could help you foretell a job applicant may be a violent or dangerous person? Since you can use two types of personality tests – dependability tests and behavior tests – let’s look at “bad” test scores that may predict violence.
‘DEPENDABILITY’ PRE-EMPLOYMENT TEST MAY WARN YOU OF POSSIBLE VIOLENCE + OTHER RISKY PROBLEMS
Companies give “Dependability Forecaster(tm) Test” to job applicants applying for “blue-collar” jobs, such as lower-level, entry-level, unskilled or semi-skilled jobs.
If an applicant gets low scores on five “Dependability Forecaster(tm) Test” scales, watch out – for possible violence or other trouble:
1. Dishonesty on DF – if applicant does not answer test honestly, that is bad sign
2. Lousy Work Ethic – imagine the anger of a lazy bum whom you tell to work harder
3. Impulsiveness – impulsive people act before thinking – so imagine if they get mad
4. Theft/Stealing Concerns – thieves violate rules – including perhaps controlling anger
5. Substance Abuse Concerns – substance abusers want you-know-what & want it now
So, if a job applicant gets bad scores on the dependability-type personality test – congratulations. You quickly discovered an applicant whom you probably want to avoid hiring. Don’t you feel better knowing this – before you hired that risky person?
BEHAVIOR’ PRE-EMPLOYMENT TEST FORECASTS POSSIBLE ANGER VIOLENCE + MORE
The employment test entitled, “Behavior Forecaster(tm) Test” predicts 14 work behaviors, including interpersonal skills, personality traits, and motivations. Companies give this pre-hiring test to applicants for skilled and “white-collar” jobs.
Be careful with applicants who get certain scores on “Behavior Forecaster(tm) Test.” For starters, a low score on Honesty on BF scale is a bad omen. I received phone calls from companies that rejected applicants who scored low on Honesty scale, telling me some of those dishonest applicants became “stalkers.” They bugged the hiring manager who rejected them. You need to avoid hiring such dangerous people.
On this pre-employment test’s interpersonal skills scales, you may feel suspicious of people who get very high scores on Aggressiveness scale. Job applicants who get high Aggressiveness scores “eat people before breakfast – and spit them out before lunch.” Be careful about hiring applicant who gets very high Aggressiveness score. Such people can act overbearing and pushy when they do not get their way.
Also, consider it a bad omen when a job applicant gets the following risky test scores in the personality section of the behavior pre-employment test:
a. Lax & unconcerned about Following Rules, Policies and Procedures
b. Whining & ultra-upset Reaction to Pressure
c. Pessimistic – focuses on problems, and ignores solutions
d. Excitable – hyped-up & looking to get rid of steam
e. Very Emotion or Feelings-Focused
If an applicant gets such risky personality test scores, do not “light a match” near that person. They may be ready to explode verbally or physically when they feel bothered or upset. Better yet, you probably prefer to not hire people with such possible personality problems. Why would you want to put them on your payroll?
2 PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS HELP YOU AVOID HIRING POSSIBLY VIOLENT OR DANGEROUS JOB APPLICANTS
Pre-employment tests can help you hire productive employees who work well with others, and help you create a safe work environment. I explained warning signs you must watch for when you look at job applicants’ scores on two types of personality-related tests:
1. Dependability test
2. Behavior test
Such pre-employment tests not only help you hire the best. They also help you hire safe people you and your employees will not need to fear. Click here to learn about my pre-employment tests
COPYRIGHT 2010 MICHAEL MERCER, PH.D., www.MercerSystems.com
