What if you pass the job interview but failed the personality test?

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More and more companies in China are turning to personality test to probe their job-seekers’ mind and make sure they are the right hire, mentally and emotionally.

As a graduating student in Jiangxi University of Finance and Economy, majoring in accounting and having won school-level scholarships for many times, Xiaoxin took the annual on-campus recruitment of Agricultural Development Bank of China in December 2017. She passed the written exam and rounds of face-to-face interviews.

It was no surprise when the bank notified her that they intend to hire her. But before getting the official offer, she needs to take a personality test first assessed by a third party, Quanmeizaixian, and then a physical examination.

The notification from the bank telling Xiaoxin she passed the interview /Screenshot from Weibo

One month after taking the personality test, she found out that all the other candidates have moved on to take the final physical examination, except her.

When she called the bank's human resources department, they said that she failed the personality test; the result of which showed that she may not have good emotion management, which will make it hard for her to adapt to high-paced working environment.

“Our daughter is vivacious and outspoken,” Xiaoxin’s mother said to Jiangxi Evening Paper. “It is ridiculous that such assessment said that she has problems on emotion.”

Companies are increasingly giving their job candidates personality tests as part of the hiring process, which are regarded as an extension of the face-to-face interviews.

But should it be the only standard for the company to decide if the applicant is the right hire?

“I did better on the interview than on that assessment,” Xiaoxin said later. "If I get a second chance, I could do the assessment better."

“The assessment system has been applied to China for nearly 10 years and has gained a growing popularity among employers,” the company, Quanmeizaixian, said. “We cannot rule out the possibility of systematic error.”

Xiaoxin had a well academic performance, but sometimes the way she speaks is a little bit direct, which might offend people, Zhang Weidong, the director of the accounting department at Jiangxi University of Finance and Economy said to Sina News.

According to latest report from The Paper, a news website in China, the bank responded that they will organize experts to assess Xiaoxin's personality again.