Robert Ard, a psychologist who created the test, explains that it is intended to measure social skills more than work skills. We're not looking for correct answers to the math questions as much as we are at the behavioral orientation of people, says Ard. They then answer multiple-choice questions about how they would help different types of customers. But most of the questions are more abstract and challenge potential agents to consider their behavior and opinions. For example, a section of the test asks them to decide how much they agree or disagree with old proverbs like patience is a virtue and nice guys finish last.
Applicants take the test from a PC and answer one question at a time.
After applicants complete the test, you enter a user ID number to view their results from a bar chart. You can look up the results for everyone who you've screened by entering data like their name, the date that they took the test and their social security number. Ard warns that the test questions are deceptively simple, and he adds that no one who takes the test can second-guess what the right answers are. You're not doing yourself any favors by trying to guess what the right answer is, he says, since you're probably not going to be right a good deal of the time. Yet Ard remembers one person who tried.