(Just an angry rant, feel free to ignore…)
They send these tests as qualifiers before they've even spoken with you, so if you're remotely qualified, and you apply to several different positions, you can expect to be doing multiple tests for each position.
I've gotten work through temp agencies, and did great at the position I was given. I never had to take a stupid test to “prove” myself, they simply looked at my experience, talked to me, and sent me to the employer for an interview.
I have 5 years of administrative experience, but these businesses that hire in my town simply use INDEED's litmus test, and blow off my resume and cover letter for a 15 minute timed test. As if that somehow can encompass 5 years of experience. How do they think I stayed employed in one job for 4 years straight? Luck?
Work tasks aren't designed to be confusing, which is what these stupid tests are. The “attention to detail” test literally has you pick out tiny letters on a woodcut engraving picture, or work on a spreadsheet question that you can't actually manipulate. And being timed adds another layer of anxiety. Job hunting is already stressful enough, and these tests turn it up to 11.
I do freelance software testing too, which is literally noticing and documenting discrepancies, but I guess that doesn't matter. Do they think my entire resume is a lie?
The “scheduling” test is also ridiculous. It's chock full of bizarre scenarios, vague wording, and again intentionally confusing word problems.
I had stopped using Indeed altogether and been simply using Linkedin instead (or trying to apply to the employer directly), but some of the positions are too hard to pass up. When i did apply, I'd been simply ignoring the test requests, and chalking the experience up to another lost opportunity, but I took one yesterday out of desperation. Not knowing if I bombed another test has totally taken the wind out my job hunting sales today. I'm hoping this rant will break me out it and motivate me to write yet another cover letter.
Some people are great at taking tests, and probably love these, I'm terrible at timed tests. I can answer the company telephone, while designing an ad, while responding to a company email inbox, while scheduling a meeting for team of 10 people, while uploading a video to YouTube, while fixing a co-workers software issue, all in the same 10 minute span, but I don't do good on these stupid tests.
/rant