Find Your Fit! Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy, 1789 said “…one thing is certain: death and taxes.” If you are in the job market, you may have noticed or will notice when you get a contingent job offer, that there is another thing that is certain. This certainty is the requirement that you will be put through an assortment of assessments, a battery of tests, by your potential new employer. The purpose is to “vet” you. Plain and simple, companies today want to hire the best and avoid the rest. You may feel you aced the interview, you have contacts in the company, your resume is modern and professional…but you have to successfully pass anywhere from one to ten tests. What is meant by a “test”? In its simplest form, it is accurately and completely filling out the employment application. Beyond that, there can be an assortment of hurdles that have to be navigated by you to have your offer converted into your next best job.

We live in a litigious world. We live in a world where the word “terrorism” is in the news daily. Today, this translates to the necessity of employers knowing more about each future employee than ever before and before they walk in the door or access to the company portal. This is to protect not only the company but also you. Your safety and security are just as important. Think of the recent rash of workplace violence incidents caused by employees that we hear about all too frequently. The workplace can be a dangerous place. That is why gatekeeping at the front door and keeping the back door locked is needed. And you should be happy to do your part.

This is why you need to expect and be prepared for the assessments that you must take prior to being hired. Beyond your employment application, the importance of checking your references and your background cannot be minimized. A workplace personality inventory questionnaire serves the purpose of assessing how you work with others. Are you team-oriented or do you prefer to work alone? Are you reliable and dependable? Can you take supervisory direction well? A drug screen and/or physical examination produces results about your health as it relates to the job for which you are under consideration. And there are more tests that you may need to take. Realize that hiring takes more time now and your role is to cooperate and provide additional information or complete tests in a timely manner.

Does this sound a bit discouraging? Are you wondering what else you need to know? Do you think you need to be prepared for this phase of the employment process before you receive a contingent job offer? If you said “yes” to all of these questions, you are right. You also are thinking the same way as the majority of job hunters aiming for their dream job.

The Association for Talent Development has published a guidebook that will take you step by step from your need for a new job to your achievement of a new job, not just any job but “the job”—and even beyond with advice on earning promotions and professional career development. This is your answer! This book will tell you what is going on in the minds and hiring operations of employers. The title is: FIND YOUR FIT: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO LANDING A JOB YOU’LL LOVE. Order it here.

Career Advice Simplified is an experienced and full-service career services coaching company providing clients with strategic career planning, career coaching, résumé reviewing, résumé writing, cover letter creating, biography constructing, interview preparing, social media profiling, and personal branding. If you have the desire for a stepped-up career, we have solutions. Win the game of job hunting with our specialists. We provide resume and career services in Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Venice and all along the Suncoast!