Hello All,

I must echo the sentiments of several posters and say that I am really glad I came across this forum!!!!!!

A little bit about myself...I have an extensive background in customer service and sales. In one way or another, without consciously realizing it, I have consistently gravitated toward employment interacting with the public. I love the contact and love helping find solutions for my customers.

I have just applied to a position with a very large telecommunications company and I have an Employee Inventory test to take. I have always wanted to work for this organization for many different reasons. I really want this job:-) I'm wondering if anyone has any insight or sample test or web site I could visit to pre-test myself so that I am familiar with how the test are structured. Do any of you use this type of test and would you be willing to provide me with a copy so I can test myself? I do not wish to do any thing unethical and I have read on a few web sites that some employers will provide you with a copy iof the test. Unfortunately, this employer only provides the sample test to current employees wishing to prepare for the test.

I so want to do well on this test and the others to follow. I really want this position. I know that I would be a great asset to this organization and to the customers it serves. It's in my bones :-).


Thank you in advance for any support yopu may provide.

Sincerely,

Penny

Hello,

I am also interested in any info on the employment inventory test I am scheduled to take the test next week. Did u find anything out about it....please help

Hello to both of you Employment Inventory test takers. Sometimes I hear on the news a preamble that says something like "if you don't want to hear sports that will SPOIL your viewing experience, turn you radio down now for the next 30 seconds." I have a viewpoint that is different from the ones I am seeing expressed here, so if it is going to SPOIL your experience in the site, I would offer that you should avoid my post or go to a different page.

You're asking for "previews" of the test that your prospective employer or employers are asking you to complete as one of presumably several decidable factors when selecting the best choice in a candidate to invest in.

From the perspective of that employer, I would not be interested in presenting "previews" to a test of you. I would simply like to see you bring the best you have to offer to it. And frankly, if I were the employer, I would be interested in hearing from you why you thought it was your best choice to seek out previews to this test, rather than to bring your personal wealth of aptitude and experience to the effort to become engaged as a CHOSEN member of my organization.

I don't wish to impress upon you that you are behaving in a massively wrong way, but I think it's worthwhile to step back and absorb what the purpose of this test is. Is the purpose of the test to determine who is the best at sourcing the maximum criteria that should and ought to appear on this doggone test? OR is the purpose of the test to gather results from all those that completed it and to marry those results up with other recorded findings (maintained hopefully in the best of all manners) on each candidate who has vied for a position within the company?

I see a high level of studiousness and determination, and that is great. But I think it's worth it to take a look at your personal experiences as the source on how you are providers of excellent service and bring THAT to the test, rather than to look for a kind of overlay you can place on the test and kind of trace your answers around it. Who needs that? Organizations want real people with real drive and real results, not "borrowed" test contents! If they don't, well, adjust your expectations accordingly.

I think it would be great for you to come to the forum with experiences to share and to look for ways to prevent problems or repeat successes through questions - I am NO WHERE near done, that's why I am here. And that's what I have found to be the biggest kicker about this site. SPOILER ended.

Thanks a lot.

Well, how did the test go, to the two of you?

Hello Ayaree,

Thank you for your comments and your thoughts on my posting. I respect your opinions and they certainly provided me with a moment of reflection as to my purpose for seeking assistance with obtaining a better understanding of what an EI test is all about.

After briefly pausing to digest your message, I found that in your answer to my questions, it appears to me that you were a bit too eager to voice an opinion contrary to my request and in doing so, you may have missed several key elements containing the substance of my request. They were as follows: 1). I did not ask for a copy of the actual exam. 2). I was not seeking a copy of the actual exam, hence no mention of the employer's name. 3). I clearly stated, and I quote, "so that I am familiar with how the test are structured." 5). I clearly stated my intent which was to be directed to or provided with a means to "self test." 6). At no point did I indicate or even entertain the demeanor of someone seeking to mirror or duplicate thought patterns or skill levels of anyone other than myself, and I quote, "I do not wish to do anything unethical and I have read on a few web sites that some employers will provide you with a copy of the test. Unfortunately, this employer only provides the sample test to current employees wishing to prepare for the test."

Ayaree, I was seeking to gain a better understanding of the various types of EI test I might encounter on test day. Not being familiar with an EI exam, I sought to obtain structural knowledge of this type of exam. Not unlike any other challenge one may have an opportunity to undertake, it is always best, if possible, to be prepared to the best on ones ability prior to the undertaking. Not unlike studying for a college exam, or studying for one's driver's license, or maybe even studying for a state licensing exam. There are quizzes and sample test leading up to the big test. Being that I am a pretty logical thinker, my reasoning for these pre cursers to the "Big One" is to stimulate ones thought processes and to awaken dormant skills, to energize a thought process that may provide one with an awareness of a depth of forgotten abilities and potential contributions to be made to the organization, institution, or agency administering the exam. In essence, to be prepared to shine one's best light on test day. More appropriately, to shine "MY" best light on test day. Since, as I stated above, this employer provides sample test for current employees, as do other employers to prospective employees, it would stand to reason that my quest to become better prepared for the test is a logical quest to pursue. To quote you, Ayaree, "Is the purpose of the test to determine who is the best at sourcing the maximum criteria that should and ought to appear on this doggone test?" I could not agree with you more. Well said. And in that same vane and following your rationale, would it not be beneficial to both the employer and the prospective employee to be as prepared as possible to take such a test having prepared and pre-stimulated ones self awareness and possibly re-energized dormant job related learned and innate abilities???

I will state again that your comments are thought provoking and although somewhat egotistical, I respect your right to comment on my very public post. I would like to close with a little reminder and a caveat to your advice, and I quote you Ayaree, "I think it would be great for you to come to the forum with experiences to share..." Again, I find that I must agree with you and follow up with this question to you....what experience did you share with me in your response to my request for the sharing of knowledge and experiences from members of this forum, you being one of those members? If the restrictions and conditions for participation in this forum are that one can only babble on about ones achievements and render unwarranted misjudgments and only after meeting an unknown, non-disclosed, pre-determined number of babblings can one ask to be enlightened or simply pointed in a right direction, then this is not a forum where one would go to share, support, encourage, or contribute to the development of individuals who are truly motivated by their self awareness of a genuine and immensely fulfilling desire to provide excellent service to the public, including you, Ayaree.

In closing and in holding true to my determination to continually strive to always enter and exit life with positive energy, it is important for me to state that although I feel fairly confident in my assessment of your reply to my post, I nevertheless exit with saying to you that if I am by any means, off the mark, then I sincerely apologize to you and I do wish you well in life and in health.

Penny

Penny, I made mention of the fact that I thought there was a high level of studiousness to your question, meaning that you have the drive to get your foot into the company. I still think so.

Penny, I haven't interviewed for a job (that I needed) for over 6 years. I have interviewed a couple of times between now and then, some of it more "networking conversations." It would probably take a lot of preparation and effort for me to interview. I don't follow a script when I conduct interviews (on the other side of the table), and I am really laid back, so that I invite a candidate to be as much of themselves as possible. I cut through a lot of pomp and circumstance and jargon and HR-ese that way and get straight to the person and what I think of them. I can't count on that kind of interviewer to be out there too much, so I would probably have a rough time and flunk. I think it's worth pointing out that you sound like you have been doing a lot of hard work at presenting yourself to companies, and obviously this particular one sounds like it means a lot to you.

When it comes to your re-explanation about why you want to know more about the EI test, I don't come to an agreement with you. I am seeing a lot of virtuoso presentation ability, but I am just not brought to a point where I can change my mind. The company doesn't want to make the test available to those who are not yet employees of the company. Whoever this company is, they are probably doing the right thing by making it available to internal applicants, and creating a distinction between their employees and candidates from outside. You wouldn't suppose that every employee currently working at this company would welcome a decision or policy to offer the same advantages to candidates coming from outside, would you? Or would it make sense that opportunities from movement within the company is a worthwhile policy to have? This could very well be a policy the company has in place for the specific purpose of promoting happiness in employees. Since I don't know who they are and don't wish to know either, I don't know that to be the case.

I'm not sure you need to do a lot of quoting, like you've done. I'm not going to follow suit. I see close to your closing a mention from you that find me to be babbling about umpteen accomplishments and bringing an air of egotism to the forum, and how "in trouble" the forum must be if one has to contend with this type of thing. Well, it's too bad for me you have to that impression of me. I have offered experiences as well, but I do recognize I have "told" more than I have "asked." It could be that this seems like I think I know everything. I don't maintain that belief, you wouldn't need to worry about that. And I guess it came down to "extra typing" for you when you mentioned respect for my opinions (in your introductory lines). I have a sense that the "babbling" perspective is the one that won out. That's OK.

There's a straight line here for me and it goes like this: you're asking for something that is not available to you and most likely not available for a good reason. And you're asking me or other readers to agree with you, through a lot of circumlocution, that you are in the right to learn more about it. I don't share the view. You shouldn't get the info and you should take the thing and be done with it. You could get the job. If you don't, then that's too bad. Take your assets to the next opportunity.

And regarding the forum itself, please do not equate your experience of my messages with the forum at large, I think it is an inaccurate step to assume that what I think or say is "what the forum is."

Thanks a lot.

Wow. I don't know whether I really want to enter this quagmire or not.

Not true. Cuz here I am. (tee-hee)

Simple answers all the way around from my perspective.

An employee inventory assessment is not a test. If it was a test (implying high scores, low scores; right and wrong answers) it would be called a test. It is an assessment.

There is no need to provide a sample so one can get a sense of "structure." And the simple reason is: Who the heck knows what the structure is??

For ANY kind of assessment, there are several varieties, with the most common being those based on research (i.e., an organization has to pay $$$ for them), and those that are homegrown (i.e., an organization that wants it, doesn't want to pay $$$, develops it internally, and unfortunately, usually doesn't get actionable results data).

Any "sample" that could be shown to you would probably not be reflective of the assessment your prospective employer(s) wishes to use. My guess is there are hundreds of for-a-fee assessments, and millions of homegrown ones.

Finally, if you REALLY want to get your hands on an EI assessment sample, why on earth come to the Customer Service Manager Forum? Wouldn't one go to SHRM, perhaps ASTD, or another HR resource?

Just my two cents, which ain't worth a plug nickle. But I also would support Ayaree to quite a degree on this one. Bring me what you've got; from the core, from your passion, from your dreams and desires and goals. Don't "bone up" to bring me what you think I'm looking for.

Karen

PS - Forgot what is probably the most salient point: Most assessments, for-a-fee AND homegrown, are proprietary works. Even if we wanted to share them, ethically, morally and legally we are bound not to.

Thanks for replying to this, Karen. You point out that it should not be construed as a test, and I actually used that word. I find myself still thinking of it in those terms though if it comes down to vying for a position and when this is one piece of many in self-presentation. I think there could very well be a heavy dose of buzzwordology to this picture too, because I feel like I know even less about what this thing is now, even though you agreed with the premise from me that this should be from the person's own creation. But I won't trouble you to tread on this territory any further if that does not work.

:)

EIAs are a tool to measure the breadth and depth of the technical, functional and experiential skills the prospective candidates bring to the table. The research based assessments come with norms by industry and functional levels within, for example, medical caregivers: ER, Psychiatric, Pediatric, Hospice, etc.

Basically, they are exactly what their name implies. Using the assessment tool, you take an inventory of the products (competencies and skills) the candidates possess, and you measure that against your job requirements, and, if you're using research-based tools, you get the added benefit of knowing what the successful candidate looks like. Knowing your employees' skills and how best to leverage them is paramount.

They are another great tool to hang on the hiring belt along with interviewing, testing, etc.

Personally, I view EIAs as a tool that also helps weed out the inherent falsehoods of self-presentation.

And I should re-iterate that I come from a long, strong survey and assessment background, so I am biased. I can't pass up any caller asking me to take a survey, and my family tends to sigh a lot at my enthusiasm when presented with a survey/comment card at restaurants and such. Oh, and lots of rolling of the eyes when we are approached by survey takers at malls. :-)

KSB

Thanks a lot, Karen. That should give a much better picture and maybe clear up any doubts I might have created as to what it was.