Unicru is probably my least favorite way to apply for a job. Many people have a lot to say about the Unicru job application, and much of these things are negative statements. Many employers such as Albertson's, CVS, and Best Buy use the Unicru job application to screen employees. I have a lot to say about this method of employment screening! I have applied for about three jobs with the Unicru application and I have learned to avoid any job whose application is through Unicru. I am a person who does not have much time. I can devote probably 10 minutes to a job application, but when it gets to be repetitive questions that go on for nearly an hour, I've got to call it quits. When I am looking for a job, I look several places and when you get to filling out multiple Unicru applications, it gets old really quickly. It's not that I'm lazy either, I'm more strapped for time.

I'm a good worker and pay attention to detail, but I'd rather explore my options and apply to multiple places in the same amount of time it would take to fill out a Unicru application.

Unicru asks a lot of questions that seem pointless, but it's really a personality test to find the most bubbly, energetic person. They give all applicants a score and forward the scores to the business you applied to. The business then interviews the highest scorers. What if you're a good worker and just have a few personal flaws (like everyone does) Honestly, do companies really believe that the highest scorers are great people... to me they sound too good to be true. I have the integrity to not lie on the Unicru application and because of that, I get excluded from a job. That sounds pretty backward to me. I just think it's wrong that a personality test determines whether or not you get a job. It's like companies don't want diversity, they all just want the same person... just in multiples. Why don't we just all hire robots?

I think diversity makes things fun, you get to learn different points of view and different ways of getting the same work done. I think different people doing work in their own way is more efficient than everyone doing it by the book especially when new ways don't deviate from policy.

So before filling out an on-line application, I check to see if it's Unicru, if not then I'm happy. If so, I'm not going to waste an hour of my time filling out an application for a job I'm not going to get because I am not a liar, I'm not going to make up a personality type that no-one has just to appease a company. That really sucks for them though, I'm one hell of a worker. Eh, no worries, do I really want to work for a company that wants a Unicru type person? What ever personality type that may be!

Let's think about the word Unicru, though.
Uni = one
Cru = Crew

One Crew.... hmmmm, so basically companies use Unicru to hire a bunch of yes men? That's not good.

Furthermore, have you ever noticed that as a customer to Best Buy (they use the Unicru application), you have a question and every single worker is near the camera area... then you... with that glisten in your eyes... they see you coming... this customer has a question... And they all scuttle away. Yeah, good job unicru!

Please comment, I am interested in what everyone else thinks about unicru. I think Unicru sucks, but hey, you might like it... although I haven't seen a positive comment about Unicru yet! After this article was originally posted on my blog, I received much acclaim (and a TON of comments.) A reporter from the Wall Street Journal contacted me and did a piece on the Unicru application. Feel free to check out the Unicru article on the Wall Street Journal website.

As you may be aware, this article was originally published on my blog (melbel.com) which I have taken down. There were many comments made about my article which I wish to share and have decided to include them here.

"In the same boat here. I wasted about an hour on the first application But it seems that a lot of the positions I want use Unicru.

Now, I learned long ago how to beat these tests but it's still a waste of my time. I have less than 3 weeks to get a pay check or go live in my car.

They should, at the very least, come into this century and let applicants store a profile, or let us apply to all of their customers at once. Even letting us apply to more than one location for the same employer would be an improvement.

If I had more time, I would write my own app, institute these changes, and steal their market right out from under them" -Anonymous

"I dislike the Unicru application, too, and I'd like proof that industrial psychologists can find the best applicants. I spent 45 minutes filling one out for a dog bather position!
I'd like to say I will never fill out another one, but I am headed toward desperate, so I might have to..." -Anonymous

"I would love to meet the *sswipe who came up with this retarded online job application and FART AND THROW UP on him. i would like to barf on the person who invented this unicru app." Jesus Chrysler

"Ran into the same problem and did some research, found this story about UNICRU...
http://www.newsreview.com/chico/Content?oid=oid%3A47170" -Anonymous

"Unicru sucks! i hate it. I didn't know it was timed." -T_T

"I can't even begin to count how many times I've had to go through the Unicru test. I've always found it long and pointless, not only that but I sit there and get about ten questions in and start thinking, wait didn't I already answer this question? I honestly don't see how these are helpful. If you want to get an idea of how a person is how about you interview them yourself. I mean honestly, I see no point to a test that weeds out people that don't pass it.

I also don't find the whole reading skills and what not reason a good one. If someone couldn't read well or understand many things then they wouldn't be able to fill out an application in the first place. Hell, most applications have a lot of things they ask for, if you don't read well you'll be sitting there scratching your head, wondering what to do.

These tests are completely bias and just a way for managers to by pass most of the work they should be doing because the test weeds the people with low scores out. Just because someone has a low score doesn't mean they suck at working.

My husband has filled out a lot of applications through the unicru system and failed. The man couldn't be nicer, harder working, and more reliable, not to mention he understands almost anything and reads extremely well. Yet, he's not considered for a job or even called in for an interview because he fails some bullsh*t personality test.

Unicru having it's purposes is about as much of a lie as if I were to say I'm not bitchy when I'm PMSing" -Courtney Black

"I'm going through the whole process right now. I'm a college student looking for summer work. I actually took the time to drive around my hometown and went into stores to see if they were hiring. Even if they were, nobody has applications in the stores anymore. That's what I want. A real piece of paper that I can fill out in the store and hand directly to a manager.

To make these Unicru applications even more annoying, they actually pre-screen your results. Applying doesn't mean that anybody actually sees that you applied. Apparently, I answered the personality questions "wrong" on several apps, and I got instant auto-denial emails, saying that I didn't fit what the company was looking for.

Another problem with these online applications, is that they assume that your previous work experience paid hourly or yearly. My only job experience has been helping out my tennis coach with summer clinics, and I got $100 a week. Take it down to hourly pay, and it's about $15 per hour. I can't put on an application that I'm currently making that rate. It's deceiving." -Anonymous

"Unicru is the dumbest sh*t I've ever seen. I'm sitting at the library filling out several applications for part-time jobs in my area through their system, and its ridiculous how many places use this outdated piece of garbage service for their employment needs.

The reason I'm at the library is because I have a Mac at home, and apparently they're too fucking stupid to develop an application that works with both Windows and Mac web browsers... In the year 2008.

I didn't even know they screen the personality portion like a test, that's dumb as hell. How many good, perfectly qualified and able workers are excluded from consideration just because the gave a "wrong" answer on a personality quiz?" -Anonymous

"Anonymous said he got a 97% the first try, but your questions are answer with strongly agree,agree,disagree, or strongly disagree, all the questions I ran into are; What would you most likely to take, or least likely to take, and it gives you A, B, C, D.
I have filled out 5 apps. on-line and them the most likely or least, and nothing,no calls no e-mails. What the hell are the companies looking for?" -Anonymous

"I agree with you i just completed 2 applications and i bet they will never call me back. Im not a bad worker either. I put in things that makes people want to get hired so why not hire me? Certifications, References, and still no call or e-mail. Anyways thanks for putting up this post for unicru." -Ariel

"To the guy who tried giving us advice on the Unicru test: I applied for a job at Best Buy and asked the manager why I failed, and she said it's because I did not put strongly agree or strongly disagree to enough questions. By the way, I hope UNICRU rots in hell. Those assholes are the reason I don't have a job and a damn dollar to my name. I think it's ridiculous that employers don't hire someone all because of a dumb tests and these tests should be made illegal because I'm almost certain they have to be violating some sort of employment laws." -Anonymous

"I applied to like 5 jobs and wasted HOURS. I talked to one manager and he said I failed the test...

F*CK UNICRU, Now I can answer STRONGLY AGREE to "There are some people I can't stand" - it's those who made up those stupid questions." -Anonymous

"I sympathize with all of you. I just filled out my first Unicru application. Took me an hour. As a preventive measure, went to the trouble of setting up a "Restart Code and Password" so I could stop the app and come back into the system to plug info in. The problem is that nothing in the app indicates when is the "point of no return", where you must exit it to keep it from being submitted to the hiring agency. Now I must redo my app to plug in three things. What a waste of time!" -Barbara

"it's very close to profiling which is ILLEGAL..." -Anonymous

"How does one know that the results of these tests are fairly evaluated? Someone said "Passing the test is easy. I got a 97% the 1st try." The questions are very obvious and I answered them as only a sane person could answer them. And incidentally I answered the same questions exactly as this anonymous poster did and the result came back 7 %. If he got 97% with those answers then it stands to reason that my answers were also correct. Even if I had answered randomly I should have scored around 25%. Some say the test is timed and others say that it isn't timed. Some say that strongly agree/disagree are the correct answers and others say that to choose strongly is always incorrect. Which of these idiots are shills for this reprehensible company who are only disseminating false information (a very common practice on forums and blogs). Is there anyone out there who does have any real information about these tests? Maybe my test was graded incorrectly and anonymous is speaking truthfully from his own experience. It only stands to reason that this is the way to pass this test. Unless they want to employ psychopaths now? I would like to comment that I do believe that there is profiling behind these tests and it isn't the innocuous kind of profiling done to screen out people with criminal tendencies or other similarly unwanted attributes. How dishonest. Seems criminal actually. Well anybody have more information on this?" -Philip

"Have worked retail for 18 years, am considered by all my supervisors as one the best salespeople in the company (2,000 floor staff), have used three sick days in 18 years, love my job, love to sell and inform, am very good at it. Can't pass the UniScrew quiz to save my soul. Why can't 60 Minutes get on this? At least give Andy Rooney a shot. Have him take the test. Have the CEO's and best salespeople of the month at several random business take the quiz. Have Consumer's Union take the damn quiz." -Anonymous

"I have had the same issue with Unicru while applying to Best Buy. I am well suited for the job, yet when I call the manager about the application she says that she cannot even see it unless I answered all of the "personality" questions correctly. How do you answer them "correctly"?" -Anonymous

"I would personally like to burn the people responsible for the creation of Unicru alive. I've gone through some serious BS over the past decade over employment, and Unicru was a major factor.

"Let's create an employment application system that keeps good, hard-working people down, and sell it to major businesses that don't give a damn! We'll be millionaires!"

It's amazing that companies that use Unicru even have the priviledge to stay in business.

BOYCOTT UNICRU!" -Anonymous

"Some say the test is timed and others say that it isn't timed. Some say that strongly agree/disagree are the correct answers and others say that to choose strongly is always incorrect. Which of these idiots are shills for this reprehensible company who are only disseminating false information (a very common practice on forums and blogs)."

Yeah I noticed that too. In fact I am going through the process of applying to jobs via Uniscrew and have gone through several blogs where I have seen that anon that claims to have gotten a 97% copy and paste that exact post several places. All the people that seem like real life people (not copy and paste bot types) seem to say that the best way to go is to go with extremes of "strongly agree/disagree". I'm not sure whether the test is timed or not though. Also to repeat what another user ask how do you know your results?" -Anonymous

"Well what can i say i applied with unicru like 20 times already and i got hired like the 3 time i guess the test really sucks its to long and borin even sometimes you get the same questions with diferent words like they are trying to make you fail or something, and the worse i gues its that after fill the whole crap of questions about your personality you must to agree with all the agreements that the company tells you if you answer no well ur done you bassicaly can pply for the job and well your 45 minutes of filling the test was just a waste of time i really thing those question shoud be at the beginnig of the application well so if you dont agree with that just say no and go home or find another job... And like Melbel said these companies are looking for the same kind of people of what there no point of hire the same people with the same personalities i think its just too pointless to apply like that and well pray to god that your application was good.."-Anonymous

"I emailed 60 minutes the idea for the story.Lets hope something happens." -Tim Stewart

"I found this site with some informaiton regarding the Unicru philosophy and such: Here is an excerpt which does mention Unicru applicants are not able to get their results, even if hired. See the complete document at the address provided.

(Exerpt)

The Web-based tests were developed by Unicru, a Beaverton, Ore., firm that screens applicants for such chains as Blockbuster. Clients install Unicru's kiosks or computer phones in their stores, where candidates may apply.

Fifteen million people have taken Unicru's customer service test, which consists of statements such as, "You do not fake being polite." Applicants respond on a four-point scale from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree."

"The kinds of people who do well, they obviously have to have good self-control," said psychologist David Scarborough, one of Unicru's chief scientists. "They have to be patient. They have to enjoy helping people. All those characteristics are quite measurable."

At Finish Line's store in Water Tower Place, manager Michael Frustini screens as many as 70 applicants a week during the store's pre-holiday season.

Frustini is a former social worker who has taken the Myers-Briggs test and swears by his results. "I am that personality," he said, reciting his four-letter type.

Unicru e-mails him the applications of candidates who scored green or yellow. Reds are out of luck.

Results are not shared with applicants even if they get hired, when the assessment becomes part of their personnel file, Frustini said. Finish Line credits Unicru's system with reducing turnover by 24 percent.

(Read more...)

http://www.leighthompson.com/media/Critics_wary_
as_more_jobs_hinge_on_personality_tests.htm" -Anonymous

"this test was designed by idiots FOR idiots, the only people to pass are either one: lucky, two: a scam like me, researching how to pass these tests or three: an all out liar. Either way the result is failure. Unicru sucks" -Anonymous

"I don't mind the weird questions and the overall length of the application. My problem is with the illegal questions, like: what is your birthday, are you a US citizen, have you received food stamps in the last 5 months (????). When it should have been are you over the age of 18/21 and are you allowed to work in the US. The last one doesnt even make sense.

It makes you wonder if these big companies that use Unicru even glance at the application before they employ it." -Anonymous

"I took the unicru test when I applied to Whole Foods about 4 years ago. (Whole Foods no longer uses unicru). The test requires English reading ability. But when I shopped at the store, and asked for help in finding items, I found that many Whole Foods employees barely spoke any English. So I suspect that a lot of applicants for jobs that use unicru have other people do the test for them." -Anonymous

"I am a college graduate with degrees in history and psychology and currently teach in the public school system. My wife and I both worked, but, like countless others, lost her job. I have applied to several of the retailers that use Uniscrew and never even receive an notice saying, "thanks for applying but..." How can I pass the psychological tests to watch and teach children but some stupid virtual program tells me I cannot sell cameras or computers part time?" -Anonymous

"I applied to a number of jobs a couple months ago and tried being honest on the test. I received no phone calls or emails and wasted months unemployed while I'm trying to save up money for college.

This time I applied to the same stores but I basically bs the test, answering all "strongly agree/disagree". I hope I get at least a response this time around. Some peoples lives are very dependent on finding a job including mine. This is not something to turn into a game, Unicru. I have more than enough experience to be working at these jobs I've applied to.

Someone needs to contact their legislature and act on this. I would but because I'm young no one would pay attention to me even if I'm telling the truth. I'm very tired of this age discrimination. I'm beginning to lose faith in a system which denies hard working youth the right to work and earn money like every other American in this country." - Anonymous

"I've also read they screen you based on your credit score. This means minors and young students have no chance of getting a job. So much for equal opportunity." -Anonymous

"i think retailers really just want a certain type of person, a bubbly robot who will just work
for the man." - Anonymous

"Yeah, the credit report sh*t really screws me over. And how is it that Mexicans can get so many jobs over Americans both black and white??? Because Mexicans will work for pennies which means more profit for companies. Still proud to be an American?" - Anonymous

"i got hired through a unicru application one time, but i must've definiely gotten lucky lol. unicru does suck! and it takes for ever!" - Anonymous

"I've applied for many jobs with uniscrew,and that i know i'm qaulified for and got nothing,it amazes me when i hear all the unemployment rates and yet there's jobs out there.My wife works for the federal gov and i've asked her to check this company and it's legality because there's something not right about it,and i want to meet this so called scientist who designed it and have him serve me at a restaurant or something i bet he could'nt do it." - Anonymous

"The biggest problem with this test is that it assumes that all the questions will be interpreted in the same way by everyone that reads them, and allow no explination. Some questions are very open for interpretation and depending on what you think they are asking, you can answer either way, but only one answer is right.

Example, Some people steal when they feel that they are underpaid.

Now to me, this question is a logical matter, some people do anything, the answer is true. Some people lick sidewalks, statistically, with nearly 7 billion of us, someone in the world is currently licking a sidewalk. I posed this question to someone who defends Unicru because she is a tool and has no sense of self, and her response was, "No way! Nobody I know would ever do that!"

So then this question can be viewed in many ways, perhaps they feel that if you believe people steal, then you or someone you know is a theif, or it could be that if you think people dont steal, then you are naieve, and overtrusting, and then the guy in the thick winter jacket in july strolls slowly down the aisle inspecting every item on the shelf then walks out without buying anything, you smile and wave and say have a nice day, because you believe people dont steal.

With the increasing popularity of these tests, it begs the question, what are those of us with "red" personalities supposed to do? Everyone needs a job. Plain and simple, we all need money to get food. Personality is something you can't exactly change, so if you have the wrong personality, and you cant fix it, how are you supposed to live? Essentially, this test has practicly become the new age surrogate for Darwin's natural selection, because if you lose your job, and every time you try to find one, you get screened, eventually, you lose your house, you can't get food, you die because you dont have the right personality, and doing this over a long enough period of time influences evolution.

Do we really want to eliminate every member of the species who isn't a bubbly, optomistic, extroverted, tattle tale who never stands up for themselves?

Correct me if I'm wrong but... The fair credit act states that if information in your credit report is the basis for you being denied credit, then you have the right to see the information in that report.

Why then, when information in your personality test is used as the basis for you being denied a job, do you have no right to see what it is that this test said about you? How do we know this test is accurate if nobody is allowed to find out their score?

I recently applied at Comcast Cable, I along with about 12 other people were placed in a room with computers and were all made to take a test that took nearly two hours. The test consisted of multiple sections, math, language skills, ect. Basically an IQ test and with an IQ of 134, I think I did pretty good, there were very few questions that gave me any trouble. To top it all of, they gave a personality test at the end, then pulled us all aside and told us wether we pass or fail. I was told I failed. I asked why. They said it doesn't tell us why, it just spits out a pass or fail on a 2 hour test. No way to find out what questions I missed or even the scores on the individual sections, just pass or fail. I applied at Pepsi, and at least theirs had the decency to put the personality test at the begining and then stop me and say you failed the screening, dont bother to continue, thanks anyway.

These tests are also porly designed just from a programming point of view.

Question 1, are you over the age of 16?

Question 2, are you over the age of 18?

Question 12, select the age group you fit into.

Question 30, please enter your birth date.

Um, shouldnt the birthdate be asked first, saved and used to answer the other three automatically?

Also, if the same test, through the same company is used for multiple companies, shouldnt there be a centralized test, at Unicru.com, that you take once, the submit your results and send then to the companies, instead of having to answer the same 100 question test every time you fill out an aplication for a Unicru company?

They claim they are sorting people into postions they belong in, and they think they are doing us a favor by turning us away from jobs that dont suit us, but considering the number of companies using unicru, if you red flag at one company, shouldn't your results be forwarded to a company that does want your type, or shouldn't you get an email listing jobs you are suited for instead of just being left hanging?

Not everyone has the luxury of taking their time hunting for the perfect job for them, people need money to live, I was out of work for 6 months the last time I lost my job and my fiance had to support us. Her paychecks were gone the second we cahsed them, we had to rob peter to pay paul, and play bill triage, "ok we have a shut off notice from the phone company and the electric company, well, since we have a digital phone, it wont work without power, so pay the electric bill, now we have no phone, how am I supposed to get called for an interview without a phone? good question"

Eventually, we ran out of luck and got evicted, and are now living with mommy and daddy again because one minor setback became the loss of indepence because I dont have the right personality.

We really need to make a list of companies using Unicru, and Boycott them.

Blacklist Unicru!" -Anonymous

"Yeah, I have filed MANY of these applications and wondered what happened to my application. When I confront the manager about it, their response is, "Well it probably just didn't go through..." I don't know if they're purposely being exclusive, or they really don't know what's up with it. It's probably the case that the computer pre-screens them, saving them labor. Then in that case, it's a matter of "luck" if you pass." -Albert