June 22, 2009 | Posted by petereff
Pre employment testing is commonly used by employers to screen out unsuitable job applicants. In the United States more than 30% of companies reportedly use pre-employment tests to help make hiring decisions. Used in conjunction with the interview process employment testing enables the employer to pin-point any areas of concern with regard to the applicant’s ability and suitability for the position. A valid and reliable pre employment evaluation is objective and a good tool for ensuring that the final employment selection is based on the applicant’s ability to successfully perform in the job and not on any prejudice, bias or assumption.
There are many different types of pre employment tests but the most frequently used tests fall into these five categories – personality tests, skills tests, aptitude tests, integrity tests and drug tests.
Personality Tests
Personality tests measure the personality characteristics of job applicants that are related to successful job performance. Typically they measure one or more of five personality dimensions: extroversion, emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness to experience. The test format can vary from a brief written test to a long psychological examination. Personality tests have no “right” answers and cannot be prepared for. Applicants should answer honestly and not attempt to manipulate their answers to fit what they think the employer wants for two reasons. Firstly the tests contain validity scales that are designed to detect inconsistent and fake answers. This will be viewed as dishonest by prospective employers. Secondly applicants are misleading both themselves and the employer about their suitability for the job and are unlikely to be either happy or successful in the position.
Skills Tests
This is perhaps the most common type of pre employment testing. Applicants are required to demonstrate the skills needed for the job and confirm the job-related skills they say they have. Skills tests can range from a simple typing test, writing a report, lifting a heavy object to a complicated mechanical design. Some skills tests can be prepared for. Know which skills you will require on the job and practice these. Practice tests for typing and computer skills are available online.
Skills tests are considered acceptable if they genuinely test a skill needed for the job.
Aptitude Tests
These employment tests explore an applicant’s abilities such as reasoning, numerical, wiring or verbal skills. They differ from skills tests in that they are used to determine an applicant’s ability to learn and be trained in the required skills for the job while a skills test assesses existing skill levels.
Aptitude tests will tell an employer how quickly an applicant may be expected to learn to do the job tasks to a satisfactory level. There are general aptitude test referred to as IQ or intelligence tests and also tests for specific aptitudes such as mechanical aptitude.
Integrity Tests
Dishonesty in the workplace is a business reality. An integrity test explores an applicant’s honesty and trustworthiness. Questions are designed to evaluate the applicant’s attitude to drug and alcohol abuse, abuse of company resources such as phones, internet, email and vehicles, the confidentiality of company information and data, the stealing of company property such as stationery, telling “white lies”, and the approach to work ethic criteria such as time keeping and taking breaks.
Pre Employment Drug Test
The US Department of Labor has estimated that drug use in the workplace costs employers up to $100 billion dollars annually in lost work time, accidents, health care costs and workers compensation costs. As a result a large number of employers require applicants to have a drug test as part of their pre employment testing process.
An employer can have a program for testing job applicants for drug usage as long as it is administered fairly and consistently and is in line with federal and state laws. The laws concerning employment drug screening vary from state to state and some states require that employers may only test applicants once they have been formally offered a position conditional on a negative drug test.
The most common drug tests involve applicants going to a collection site where a urine sample is obtained and then sent to a certified laboratory for analysis. The standard drug test is called a “Five-Screen” and tests for 5 types of street drugs – marijuana, cocaine, PCP (Phencylidine), opiates such as heroin and morphine, and amphetamines. Urine drug testing is popular with employers because it is reliable, inexpensive and non- intrusive. Test results are usually available within 24 to 48 hours. Other testing methods such as hair testing, blood tests, breath tests and saliva testing are also used.
Job applicants are likely to be required to undergo some form of pre employment testing. Although the amount of preparation that can be done for these tests is limited it will benefit applicants greatly to understand the type of tests they can expect.
More about career personality tests
Categories: CV Preparation, Career Planner, Career Tests, Emotional Intelligence, Ideal Job, Personality Tests, Psychometric Tests, Relationships | 
Tags: | 
No Comments »
June 22, 2009 | Posted by petereff
Alcohol detox at home can be done, but never by yourself. There must be medical oversight because everyone’s withdrawal symptoms are different and unknown until they are into the process itself. In-home detox is not set up to handle patients who are at risk for seizures or strokes. Most programs will only allow low-risk, relatively healthy patients to attempt detox at home.
All patients are overseen by medical staff. Someone is always at the patient’s home during the detox process, which can last anywhere from three to seven days. Depending on the home detox program, the person who stays with the recovering alcoholic could be a friend or family member, with the medical personnel making daily visits and always available by phone. Other detox programs have the medical personnel staying at your home.
Home detox is much less expensive than in-patient detox. Rather than paying for your share of a stay in a treatment facility as well as keep your home operating, you’re just paying for your home, like normal.
Each person is evaluated for their suitability for in-home detox from alcohol before this program starts. There are usually questionnaires and/or interviews. At that point the addict’s suitability for in-home detox from alcohol will be determined. A plan for healthy, safe and effective detox will be prepared and discussed with the patient.
There are many products on the internet promising virtual “detox in a box” or “all-natural detox at home”. However, none of these are recommended by physicians. In fact, they’re primarily set up to help people using drugs or alcohol pass drug screening by employers and others. If you can find these products on the internet, don’t you think they employers can, too?
In-home alcohol detoxification can also be used before an inpatient or outpatient treatment program begins. When the individual arrives at the treatment facility, the recovery phase can begin straightaway.
During the in-home alcohol detox, a medical professional, usually a nurse, will arrive at your house. They usually wear street clothes, so as far as your neighbors are concerned, you just have a friend visiting. The medical expert will have already seen your evaluation and will have come prepared to treat you according to your special needs.
Medications are administered, vital signs checked, and the detoxification process has begun. For the detox to be most effective, it must be followed up by recovery. Many of the medical staff who guide the recovering alcoholic through the home detox process will also begin the long-term recovery process at the same time.
Alcohol detox is the first step in the recovery process. Detoxing at home, under medical supervision, can be a safe and confidential method of beginning a new life of sobriety. But even at home, it’s critical that the alcohol detox process only be done under competent medical supervision.
Categories: Career Tests, Personality Tests, Psychometric Tests, Relationships | Tags: | No Comments »
June 22, 2009 | Posted by petereff
There are a number of tests and tools used to identify possible alcoholism symptoms. Many of these tools are self-administered or professionally administered questionnaires. These are designed to help the alcohol abuser identify his or her own symptoms of addiction.
There are five major tests used by addiction counselors and alcohol abuse programs. These include the CAGE questionnaire, the Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire, the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and the Paddington Alcohol Test. To learn more about each one, keep reading.
The CAGE
The CAGE Questionnaire is an acronym based on the four simple questions that it uses. It is a popular test because it’s simple and often takes seconds to administer. To identify or diagnose addiction, a respondent must answer “yes” to two of the following questions. Have you ever thought you should cut down on drinking? Have your family and friends ever addressed or criticized your drinking? Do you feel guilty about your drinking? Do you ever need a drink to start your day or to alleviate a hangover?
The person is then initially diagnosed with alcoholism if answering “yes” to two or more of the above questions. It’s designed specifically for alcoholism and not intended to be used to identify other drug dependencies.
The ADDQ (Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire)
The ADDQ not only attempts to identify alcohol dependence, but also determine the severity of that dependence. It’s a little more comprehensive than other tests and typically takes a few minutes to administer.
The ADDQ is used mostly throughout Europe and the UK, but it’s also utilized in some areas of the United States. It consists of 15 questions and actually gives respondents a score on a scale of 0 to 45. A score that comes in higher than 20 typically infers a high level of alcohol dependence.
The Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST)
The Michigan Alcohol Screening Test is used primarily by the justice system as a way of determining an individual’s dependence on alcohol and is often used when considering sentencing for any alcohol-related offenses.
The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)
The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test was first developed by the World Health Organization. It is administered all over the world and is the official test in six countries.
AUDIT is comprised of ten simple questions. The first group of questions deals with alcohol consumption levels, the next focuses on alcohol dependence and the remaining group covers alcohol related issues or problems.
The Paddington Alcohol Test
The PAT was created for emergency health workers to use when dealing with someone who had a possibly alcohol-related injury or was in the ER due to hazardous drinking. It’s intended to identify alcohol abuse issues so that the patient may be directed to the proper care and resources.
These five tests are each intended to determine a respondent’s level of dependence on alcohol and associated alcoholism symptoms. Each has been validated, is used in the field and is designed for a particular purpose.
Categories: Career Tests, Personality Tests, Psychometric Tests, Relationships | Tags: | No Comments »
June 22, 2009 | Posted by petereff
Drug Test Detection Times refer to the “window” of detection for drugs of abuse. If a person is tested too soon or too long after use, drugs may not show up in human urine. Often someone will ask us, How long to drugs stay in the body? This short guide will help to answer that question. For the purposes of clarity, this is a reference for the detection of drugs of abuse found in human urine.
How long do drugs stay in your system? The length of time that the presence of drugs of abuse in the body can be detected is an important factor in drug screening. The chart below outlines approximate duration times. When interpreting the duration for the presence of drugs of abuse in the body, you must take into consideration variables including the body’s metabolism, the subjects physical condition, overall body fluid balance, state of hydration and frequency of usage.
Drug Detection Times in urine are expressed below in terms of lower and upper boundaries. The amount of time that a drug/metabolite remains detectable in urine can vary, depending on the following factors:
• Amount and Frequency of Use: Single, isolated, small doses are generally detectable at the lower boundary. Chronic and long-term use typically result in detection periods near or at the upper boundary.
• Metabolic Rate: Individuals with slower body metabolism are prone to longer drug detection periods.
• Body Mass: In general, human metabolism slows with increased body mass, resulting in longer drug detection periods. In addition, THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) and PCP are known to accumulate in fatty lipid tissue. Chronic users, physically inactive users, and individuals with a high percentage of body fat in relation to total body mass are prone to longer drug detection periods for THC and PCP.
• Age: In general, human metabolism slows with age, resulting in longer drug detection periods.
• Overall Health: In general, human metabolism slows during periods of deteriorating health, resulting in longer drug detection periods.
• Drug Tolerance: Users typically metabolize a drug faster once a tolerance to the drug is established.
• Urine pH: Urine pH can impact drug detection periods. Typically, highly acidic urine results in shorter drug detection periods.
• Note: In a small percentage of cases, users may test positive longer than times shown – most notably in cases of long-term chronic abuse, in individuals with significant body mass and/or body fat, and in individuals with health related issues resulting in abnormally slow body metabolism.
Drug Detection Times in Urine
Drug / Drug Group Time Range
• Alcohol 24 hours or less
• Amphetamines 1 to 4 days
• Barbiturates Short-acting: 1 to 3 days
Long-acting (Barbital, Phenobarbital): 1 to 3 weeks
• Benzodiazepines Short-term Therapeutic Use: 1 to 3 days
Long-term / Chronic Use: 1 to 3 weeks
• Cocaine 1 to 5 days
• LSD 1 to 2 days
• Marijuana (THC) Casual Use: 1 to 7 days
Long-Term / Chronic Use: 1 to 4 weeks Note: THC, the primary active ingredient in marijuana, is stored by the body in fatty lipid tissue. From there, it is slowly released into the bloodstream for up to several weeks – depending on the amount and frequency of use and the user’s level of physical activity. In chronic and physically inactive users, THC may accumulate in fatty tissues faster than it can be eliminated. This accumulation leads to longer detection periods for these individuals. Also, users with a high percentage of body fat in relation to total body mass are prone to longer drug detection periods for marijuana.
• MDMA (Ecstasy) 1 to 4 days
• Methadone 1 to 4 days
• Methamphetamines 1 to 4 days
• Opiates 1 to 5 days
• PCP (Phencyclidine) Casual Use: 1 to 7 days
Long-Term / Chronic Use: 1 to 4 weeks Note: PCP is stored by the body in fatty lipid tissue. From there, it is slowly released into the bloodstream for up to several weeks – depending on the amount and frequency of use and the user’s level of physical activity. In chronic and physically inactive users, PCP may accumulate in fatty tissues faster than it can be eliminated. This accumulation leads to longer detection periods for these individuals. Also, users with a high percentage of body fat in relation to total body mass are prone to longer drug detection periods for PCP.
Categories: Career Tests, Personality Tests, Psychometric Tests, Relationships | Tags: | No Comments »
June 22, 2009 | Posted by petereff
In the recent years, there has been a tremendous development in the field of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is a field of applied science, which deals in building machines and bots at microscopic levels. Due to development in nanotechnology, there have been many developments in various fields of science, especially in the field of medicine.
With the help of nanotechnology, carrying out a complex heart surgery is very much possible. Doctors have started making use of nanobots to cure certain diseases. These nanobots also help in rectifying certain disorders in the human body.
Nanotechnology in Drug Development:
Recently, scientists are developing effective and better drug delivery systems using nanotechnology. Scientists are using nanoparticles to design a drug delivery system that may improve the pharmaceutical and therapeutic properties of a drug and help better processes such as Drug screening. Nanaoparticles have remarkable properties that drastically enhance the drug delivery. Due to their microscopic sizes, nanoparticles get an easy access in the cells.
There are numerous developments in the drug delivery owing to nanotechnology. One such development using nanotechnology is the transfer of drugs into the cytoplasm of cells through the cell membrane. This is an important development, because to hinder certain diseases from the body, the drug needs to enter the cell membrane.
To make a drug molecule effective in the body, it needs a triggered response. To do so, scientists are using nanotechnology. Scientists are developing drugs using nanotechnology that automatically activate, once they enter the human body.
Many researchers believe that it is possible to develop a drug delivery system that may prove beneficial in treating cancer and infectious diseases using nanotechnology. By far, they have identified six types of nano-enabled delivery systems that have considerable potential in treating cancer and other infectious diseases.
With the help of nanotechnology, scientists have developed injectable drugs, which are more pleasing for the patients, who receive them and at the same time are easy to administer. Better opportunities are coming up in the development of implantable delivery systems, due to the use of nanotechnology, especially in terms of injectable drugs.
With so much of development taking place in the field of drug delivery systems, researchers believe that in the near future nano-enabled medicines will have a tremendous evolution and will produce true nanomedicines.
Categories: Career Tests, Personality Tests, Psychometric Tests, Relationships | Tags: | No Comments »
Recent Comments