Cheat on the personality test many retailers make job applicants take as part of the hiring process and you’ve got one foot in the door—and a lot of company, reports the Wall Street Journal. The computer-administered tests are feeding a growing culture of savvy applicants who share answers, take tests for each other, and even post answer keys online.
A tightening job market and slow economy has retailers inundated with job seekers and, as one way to save managers’ time and reduce human-resource expenses, many turn to a multiple-choice online test, Unicru, from the firm Kronos, to pre-screen applicants. But with answers and test-taking strategy posted on websites like Facebook, some critics say the tests have become worthless. (More retail technology stories.)