PRISM Test? What the?

[newme]

I recently got a data analyst job, its very relaxed, is payng 40% over my surprisingly demanding job that now pays minimum wage and unfortunately is only a 3 month contrat. Through an agency so I could happily sit there on the real rate without an issue indefinitely I would imagine, if they offered remotely anywhere near that.
I did however recently get a CIPS qualification level 4, have 5 years of government/EU procurement under my belt and have a company I previously worked with from the other side after me, with potentially 50% over my new temp wage. So way over the national average and money I could actually save significant amounts on. Interviewed with the head of procurement, now its head of Technology or something. Before that they want a PRISM test? What the hell is this and what on earth is considered good? Despite the financial advantages I am generally less interested but its also a 12 month contract with 10% bonus v about 45% of the salary (inc bonus) and a 3 month contract. I want to get one job and sit in it forever being an expert at the lowest level that affords me wfh, flexibility and all the life stuff over work stuff. I could do that with new one given experience but its way less interesting. However I would also like to retire as early as possible and my SO can't work for reasons that are not relevant. Seems its mostly wfh, two trips to London a year we could potentially use as an excuse to go there for other things and well the benefits of a larger salary.

Anyone done a PRISM test? Idk what is it but it throws red flags for even being suggested. Sounds like some NLP nonsense to me off the bat but what the hell is it even for? I applied, for chased for interviews, interviewed with high ups who are keen to get me in but idk a personality or behavioural test? I just don't like it on principle I guess. Then again having a secure housing situation, money to do things and potential for progressing to more money/more time for the same money seems appealing.

Only issue is I actually like my job at the moment, but its short term (potential for longer but who knows I got made redundant from a perm contract before). Also no idea what they want in the future, its only been a few weeks.

As a side issue, I was unemployed since beginning of the year, 2k in taxable benefits and now they are charging me an insane amount of tax (I won't hit the persona limit in 4 months). Assuming this means a massive tax refund? The code is correct but splitting over weeks I will way overpay. Christmas money would be useful if I can claim some of it back before end of tax year...

 

[Supine]

I’ve done similar a few times. Just answer the questions honestly. Treat it as if there is no ‘right’ answer to try for.

Either they like you from the answers or they don’t. Some of these test types use repetitive similar questions to gauge honesty in answering to try and catch out bullshitters.

 

[moochedit]

Found this.

SurePeople Prism: An Evolution in Psychometrics

The Prism brings together a fragmented landscape of assessments, talent management, employee development, and much more.

www.surepeople.com

Been about 25 years since i last went to a job interview but i've had to do multiple choice "psychometric tests" at some interviews before. Didn't like them. They say no right or wrong awnsers which is clearly bollocks as they obviously want people who awnser a certain way.

No idea if the tests i did were "prism" tests though but it sounds simalar.

 

[newme]

I’ve done similar a few times. Just answer the questions honestly. Treat it as if there is no ‘right’ answer to try for.

Either they like you from the answers or they don’t. Some of these test types use repetitive similar questions to gauge honesty in answering to try and catch out bullshitters.

I mean the idea I have a potential role regardless does help but it still just seems stupid as a concept. I had to do a NLP one before. Didn't even go to the day out after, wasn't intersested as much as I would not be if they offered chiropractic treatment for my back issues. No thanks.

Suppose I can bung in whatever and let them choose I guess. Just wondered if there was some consensus on these things.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Anyone done a PRISM test? Idk what is it but it throws red flags for even being suggested. Sounds like some NLP nonsense to me off the bat but what the hell is it even for? I applied, for chased for interviews, interviewed with high ups who are keen to get me in but idk a personality or behavioural test? I just don't like it on principle I guess. Then again having a secure housing situation, money to do things and potential for progressing to more money/more time for the same money seems appealing.

Dunno about PRISM, I've encountered one or two (some train operating companies do them) - and think they belong as a mildly amusing diversion in the readers digest, but are about as meaningful for employment decisions as recruiting based on star sign.

Either just go with honest answer and hope for the best, or try and work out what they want (for example, are answers saying that you like working with people / being creative / following a process going to be the 'right' answers for this job?) but be consistent.

Or say the hell with it now.

Only issue is I actually like my job at the moment, but its short term (potential for longer but who knows I got made redundant from a perm contract before). Also no idea what they want in the future, its only been a few weeks.

hard to tell. as things are at the moment, 'permanent' doesn't mean a lot.

My general approach to these things is try and keep your options open as long as you can, so go along with the interview and all the other cobblers if you can get the time off for it.

As a side issue, I was unemployed since beginning of the year, 2k in taxable benefits and now they are charging me an insane amount of tax (I won't hit the persona limit in 4 months). Assuming this means a massive tax refund? The code is correct but splitting over weeks I will way overpay. Christmas money would be useful if I can claim some of it back before end of tax year...

Is the right tax code is shown on your pay slips? And did you hand a P45 in (or fill in the 'new starter' form?) Have they got you on emergency code so you're not even getting your personal allowance?

This calculator will give an idea how much tax you should be paying assuming it's across the whole year

But in general, pay will be worked out on the assumption you'll be getting that sort of pay all through the tax year, so if your income does suddenly go up or down during the tax year, you'll probably pay too much in that year.

If you just leave it, the tax people will probably sort it out and send you a cheque in a year or two, but it may be worth trying to sort it out sooner.

This (I'd not heard of these people before) has more about this sort of situation, and seems to suggest that employer's payroll people may be able to sort it out. May be worth starting a separate thread, there are a few people around who understand that sort of thing...

 

[Elpenor]

I recently got a data analyst job,

Congratulations

As a side issue, I was unemployed since beginning of the year, 2k in taxable benefits and now they are charging me an insane amount of tax (I won't hit the persona limit in 4 months). Assuming this means a massive tax refund? The code is correct but splitting over weeks I will way overpay. Christmas money would be useful if I can claim some of it back before end of tax year...

Sounds like you should have ticked Box A on the starter declaration but for whatever reason this hasn’t happened within your payroll record.

Call HMRC between 8am and 6pm and ask them to put you on a cumulative coding. State that this is your only employment now - which it seems to be from your post. You’ll need to give your NI number and your new employers PAYE reference - this will be on your payslip.

This should get you on 1257L Cumulative

Contact details here

Income Tax: general enquiries

Contact HMRC for help with questions about PAYE and Income Tax, including coding notices and Marriage Allowance and for advice on savings (including ISAs) and claiming tax back on interest

www.gov.uk

Your employer won’t be able to do anything about your tax code unfortunately - but if you speak to HMRC they can send an updated tax coding within 48 hours

 

[newme]

Dunno about PRISM, I've encountered one or two (some train operating companies do them) - and think they belong as a mildly amusing diversion in the readers digest, but are about as meaningful for employment decisions as recruiting based on star sign.

Either just go with honest answer and hope for the best, or try and work out what they want (for example, are answers saying that you like working with people / being creative / following a process going to be the 'right' answers for this job?) but be consistent.

Or say the hell with it now.



hard to tell. as things are at the moment, 'permanent' doesn't mean a lot.

My general approach to these things is try and keep your options open as long as you can, so go along with the interview and all the other cobblers if you can get the time off for it.



Is the right tax code is shown on your pay slips? And did you hand a P45 in (or fill in the 'new starter' form?) Have they got you on emergency code so you're not even getting your personal allowance?

This calculator will give an idea how much tax you should be paying assuming it's across the whole year

But in general, pay will be worked out on the assumption you'll be getting that sort of pay all through the tax year, so if your income does suddenly go up or down during the tax year, you'll probably pay too much in that year.

If you just leave it, the tax people will probably sort it out and send you a cheque in a year or two, but it may be worth trying to sort it out sooner.

This (I'd not heard of these people before) has more about this sort of situation, and seems to suggest that employer's payroll people may be able to sort it out. May be worth starting a separate thread, there are a few people around who understand that sort of thing...

I am an accountant as one of my previous roles but yeh since I had to ask it maybe worth another thread. I just tend towards the crowdsourcing answers/cunningham method if I am not 100%.
I did not work since last tax year, they nicely made me redundant before that ended, severence and severe budget cutting lasted this long, then JSA died on me and I got a weekly paid job remarkably.
The correct code is shown, I get the concept of 1/52th of the allowance given weekly pay but I have earned £2000ish + this weeks salary of £550 since APril

Congratulations

Sounds like you should have ticked Box A on the starter declaration but for whatever reason this hasn’t happened within your payroll record.

Call HMRC between 8am and 6pm and ask them to put you on a cumulative coding. State that this is your only employment now - which it seems to be from your post. You’ll need to give your NI number and your new employers PAYE reference - this will be on your payslip.

This should get you on 1257L Cumulative

Contact details here

Income Tax: general enquiries

Contact HMRC for help with questions about PAYE and Income Tax, including coding notices and Marriage Allowance and for advice on savings (including ISAs) and claiming tax back on interest

www.gov.uk

Your employer won’t be able to do anything about your tax code unfortunately - but if you speak to HMRC they can send an updated tax coding within 48 hours

I am on the correct code, unfortunately since they spread weekly pay over 52 weeks it means thats irrelevant in theory it seems. I have £2kish this year taxable income, come Friday thats £550ish more. Already got my pay slip, £62 or so tax. No way I am coming in under the yearly allowance this year on ths wage. Unfortunate calculation method I guess. Most do not do what I did I guess. If I earn £10k in the next under 4 months I would happily pay tax on whatever they reckon but I am over £10k under the limit and this seems daft. Single income, SO, adult kid, 10 year old to support. Taking this much when its basically impossible to hit the limit, especially at my listed wage, seems stupid.

Trained as an accountant, dad was a financial advisor, mum had a degree in and was a tutor in Maths. Currently a data analyst which is why the calculations are so ridiculously stupid for people in between work. I dealt with emergency tax when I was 16, I submitted all the right forms, tax code is right but gov takes more than is required for lazy calculational reasons. My kids would like Christmas after redundancy, my fathers death, tumbledrier breaks, oven breaks and motorbike is fucked, all in 4 days. Being truthful thats nonsense, they are fucking warriors and just get on. I need a break. My (step), (I hate this phrase) daughther left home also, on her own terms, with her own effort and decision. While I think she did the right thing we all miss her. She left early and on good terms with everyone but she simply outgrew living at home, now successful, active, social, everything she wanted, thats the aim as a parent right? I take a small pleasure in that it is food that makes her living, as we cooked together for years and she(and I) learned techniques 5-10 years before her peers.

Got her on looking up her calcs as I know that career is well lets say not well managed, for the employees anyway. I had two tax refunds last year, never had one before I worked for local government. Also want to ensure my kids get rights better than I did.
Apologies I went off piste somewhat, full of whiskey to ignore a day of excel work lol.

Cumulative is a new one on me, I will ask thanks!

 

[newme]

Dunno about PRISM, I've encountered one or two (some train operating companies do them) - and think they belong as a mildly amusing diversion in the readers digest, but are about as meaningful for employment decisions as recruiting based on star sign.

Either just go with honest answer and hope for the best, or try and work out what they want (for example, are answers saying that you like working with people / being creative / following a process going to be the 'right' answers for this job?) but be consistent.

Or say the hell with it now.



hard to tell. as things are at the moment, 'permanent' doesn't mean a lot.

My general approach to these things is try and keep your options open as long as you can, so go along with the interview and all the other cobblers if you can get the time off for it.



Is the right tax code is shown on your pay slips? And did you hand a P45 in (or fill in the 'new starter' form?) Have they got you on emergency code so you're not even getting your personal allowance?

This calculator will give an idea how much tax you should be paying assuming it's across the whole year

But in general, pay will be worked out on the assumption you'll be getting that sort of pay all through the tax year, so if your income does suddenly go up or down during the tax year, you'll probably pay too much in that year.

If you just leave it, the tax people will probably sort it out and send you a cheque in a year or two, but it may be worth trying to sort it out sooner.

This (I'd not heard of these people before) has more about this sort of situation, and seems to suggest that employer's payroll people may be able to sort it out. May be worth starting a separate thread, there are a few people around who understand that sort of thing...

Thing seemed entirely pointless in the end, which of these 4 things is most like you, then which of these 3 remaining is least like you, then which of 2 remaining is most like you.
Whole load of bollocks really.

Tax thing got sorted once I finally was able to register the new job with the tax lot, for some reason the postcode apparently didn't exist. For a fairly large government adjacent employer...
Got a nice refund of all the tax already which was nice and probably pays half my electric bill this month lol.

Current job is ticking along nicely, so little hassle, learning loads, actually making something interesting that shows off a lot of things they don't currently have anyone using in the department at all.... also found if I was full time there I would get a week off at Christmas which isn't even counted in leave, just paid out normally as they close the office.

Now the potential new job want an interview with the CTO on Thursday... was not expecting that really for some reason and the pay is basically insane compared to this one (which is plenty enough at the moment) but I hate changing jobs and am actually in not a shit job at the moment but since I have no clear path ahead past three months... keeping things open but its getting on my nerves for some reason. What if I switch and then hate it when I am ticking along fine here and could get extended, bleh. Also feel like a right arse for complaining to anyone I know around here about potentially getting a job on 45-50k when they below national average wage so, haven't lol. Obviously talked it over with SO but she is very much well things are fine however I want to do it, which is nice but not that constructive one way or another lol.

Will have to just see how Thursday goes I guess. It is just such a massive leap up from 20k to 28k to 45-50k in 9 months I feel like I must be missing something and will be way out of my depth? Do have some imposter syndrome going on but they seem to think I can do it I guess?

 

[Callie]

Will have to just see how Thursday goes I guess. It is just such a massive leap up from 20k to 28k to 45-50k in 9 months I feel like I must be missing something and will be way out of my depth? Do have some imposter syndrome going on but they seem to think I can do it I guess?

You're doing it and they're paying you.

If you feel you are struggling at any point I guess you should have support to discuss that but they have assessed you as for to do it and your employer must have a vague idea of what they want/need. Good on you.

Lend us a fiver???

 

[newme]

You're doing it and they're paying you.

If you feel you are struggling at any point I guess you should have support to discuss that but they have assessed you as for to do it and your employer must have a vague idea of what they want/need. Good on you.

Lend us a fiver???

Ha I am on the 28k at the moment, well equivalent weekly, tho no taxes is a nice boost after being unemployed since my dad died and redundancy in a single week before last year end!

The massive boost is if I get this thing on Thursday and whenever they take me on, if they do. Thats the concerning bit, manager today said well take as long as it takes for the single project they gave me, three weeks ago. Insane equipment, (CAD quality for excel work) and basically one call a week for 5 mins, guy hasn't even asked to see my progress and just trusted what I said. Seems it is unlikely to get extended now tho so that seems to be that as of end of January and I can't have that if someone wants to give me bonkers money.

Thats the bit I am concerned about being out of my depth for lol, its consulting and remote. The remote is fine, consulting.... new but I guess I did the certs and have 5 years experience, mostly dealing with this specific company.
Do actually have a contact who doesn't work there any more but did for 5 years, wondering about hitting her up for some insider stuff but is that unfair to her/sketchy in some way?

If I get this a fiver would be fine lol! I used to work with a local homeless charity and have a copy of their amazon wishlist saved for if I get the role and make it through a month I will be getting them a bunch of stuff too as I know winter is the worst for them. They gave me the start that got me into the first role after them (I was a volunteer that then moved to paid work) then basically everything since sort of as a result. They also have done very well sourcing the best stuff for the price, based on my professional opinion anyway lol.

 

[hitmouse]

Do actually have a contact who doesn't work there any more but did for 5 years, wondering about hitting her up for some insider stuff but is that unfair to her/sketchy in some way?

Depends how well you know the contact I suppose, if you're mates and talk regularly I'd say it's fine, if you've not spoken in six months it might be a bit too much out of the blue?

 

[newme]

Depends how well you know the contact I suppose, if you're mates and talk regularly I'd say it's fine, if you've not spoken in six months it might be a bit too much out of the blue?

It is more than 6 months, however they did send me a specific message asking to continue contacting them just before I was let go and we are "linkedin" friends and met in person having been sent 400 miles simply to meet me when they don't get to leave the office usually.
They liked the Jamaica Inn, I found out they were actually from Bangladesh not the North like I assumed based on accent (I mean what does a name mean in the UK now?). We did talk regularly for 4 years previously however and they have moved twice since they were at the same company so there is a degree of separation. Plus the CDO is an appointment since they left, which may again make it pointless, but they were also someone I liked talking to daily?

 

[hitmouse]

It is more than 6 months, however they did send me a specific message asking to continue contacting them just before I was let go and we are "linkedin" friends and met in person having been sent 400 miles simply to meet me when they don't get to leave the office usually.
They liked the Jamaica Inn, I found out they were actually from Bangladesh not the North like I assumed based on accent (I mean what does a name mean in the UK now?). We did talk regularly for 4 years previously however and they have moved twice since they were at the same company so there is a degree of separation. Plus the CDO is an appointment since they left, which may again make it pointless, but they were also someone I liked talking to daily?

Might as well go for it I suppose, not much to lose? Is that Jamaica Inn as in the du Maurier book or something else?

 

[newme]

Might as well go for it I suppose, not much to lose? Is that Jamaica Inn as in the du Maurier book or something else?

Err if thats the one in Cornwall then yes? But I think so lol.

 

[savoloysam]

IME the more hoops an employer makes you jump through to get a job the wankier they are to work for. A few years back I applied for some wanky low level Government management team leader position and was subjected to one of those psychometric tests with "no right or wrong answers" I took the tests Uber seriously and carefully considered every response. I failed to make the next stage of the application which was scored as a percentage which came back at about 10%.

I blankly refuse to take part in such wanky application processes these days out of principal and besides regardless of what they say employers only seriously employ the face that fits the most anyway. All this tick box nonsense is exactly just that, nonsense.