Social Media Storm Erupts Over Olive Garden's Unconventional Hiring Practices
A recent TikTok video posted by user @oh.hxnxy has shed light on the surprising requirement of a personality test for securing a summer job at Olive Garden, sparking conversation about the evolving hiring practices in the service industry. The video, which garnered nearly 725,000 views within 24 hours, captures the applicant's incredulity as she navigates through the online assessment.
In the video, @oh.hxnxy expresses disbelief at the need for a personality test just to apply for a job as a server at Olive Garden. "I just need a summer job THIS IS SICKKKK," she laments in the caption of the post, setting the tone for her bewildered journey through the assessment. As she clicks through the test, she questions the relevance of the questions to the job at hand, particularly one asking if she tends to feel easily criticized. "What does this have to do with Olive Garden?" she queries.
The applicant's confusion deepens as she encounters questions probing her personality traits, such as whether she considers herself a "freethinker." Unsure whether the company values independence or conformity, she deliberates over her response. "Or wait, do they want people to follow orders?" she muses. "Because what if the whole thing is like you want to say you’re a free thinker, but you really need to be like a rule follower?"
The video highlights the applicant's uncertainty and frustration with the assessment process, as she grapples with questions about workload, competitiveness, and perfectionism. Despite her reservations, she ultimately identifies as a "Mentor" based on her assessment results, leaving viewers wondering whether her candid responses will impact her chances of being hired.
The use of personality tests in the hiring process is not unique to Olive Garden. According to a report by 404 Media in February 2024, a growing number of service jobs now require applicants to complete such assessments as part of their application process. Developed by Paradox.ai, the personality test is being utilized by several large companies, including FedEx, CVS, McDonald’s, and Darden Restaurants, which operates Olive Garden among other chain restaurants.
The proliferation of personality tests has left many job seekers perplexed and frustrated, particularly amidst the already challenging job market. The TikTok thread erupted with reactions to a perplexing job application question, sending users into a frenzy of speculation and humor.
Starting with @princesssdusa exasperation over a tricky question, "Not the freethinker trick question," users piled on with their own experiences and observations. @MC found amusement in the unlikely pairing of "perfect world" and Olive Garden, quipping, "Not the Olive Garden MBTI." Meanwhile, @Jeune introduced an element of sci-fi, pondering the "blue nonbinary universe" and its lore. The thread's creator, @Creator, delved into corporate decision-making, humorously wondering about the extraterrestrial origins of Olive Garden's branding choices. @riley rae highlighted a memorable phrase, "'We do it the Olive Garden way,' took me out," prompting laughter from fellow users. @magno21f shared empathy with a touch of humor, imagining the employer's motives: "I think they're trying to see if I'm consistent." As the discussion continued, user @Brenton expressed frustration at the complexity of job applications, "Why do we have to play mind games to get a simple job"?. Another User @tracy added, "They got you thinking, I hope u get the job." @davonte said, "I had to do this too when I applied to Olive Garden just for me to get a rejection email four months after I applied". @Musical.ly chimed in saying, "THE OVERANALYZING PICTURES ARE TAKING ME OUT".
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