IQ and job ability

gespenstern

LeBroke wrote: »

There's multiple studies that show an individual's IQ is about 25% correlated with their long-term success (i.e. high-paying jobs or doing well in college).

It's actually closer to 50%.

NavyMooseCCNA

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Interestingly enough, businesses can use the Wunderlich test which has been classified as a cognitive ability test. Equifax dropped one on me ~6 years ago.

Is this the test that shows some geometric shapes and asks what the next shape would be? I don't have a clue how to answer those. Math is one of my biggest weaknesses and I don't remember anything about geometry.

DatabaseHead

NavyMooseCCNA wrote: »

Is this the test that shows some geometric shapes and asks what the next shape would be? I don't have a clue how to answer those. Math is one of my biggest weaknesses and I don't remember anything about geometry.

Sort of....

This one had a mixture of questions. Some like you mentioned, others math problems, such as rate of speed and distance, solving for x. Other questions identifying what didn't belong, Cow, Dog, Cat, Parrot.

NetworkNewb

gespenstern wrote: »

It's actually closer to 50%.

This makes me think even less about IQ tests... The top ones are academic/education. Which someone who has a lot of education will probably be better on IQ tests since they are used to doing exams, constant learning different topics, and problem solving things on paper. Then there are math and grammar questions on the test where education plays a definite role in.

The next one is job performance but is over 3 decades old and the more recent one has it only at 38%. I get better odds flipping a coin.

NavyMooseCCNA

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Sort of....

This one had a mixture of questions. Some like you mentioned, others math problems, such as rate of speed and distance, solving for x. Other questions identifying what didn't belong, Cow, Dog, Cat, Parrot.

I have walked out of interviews where they wanted me to write stuff or take other psychological exams. I've been in IT for a while and I've never needed to solve a speed/distance problem or solve for X.

UnixGuy

gespenstern wrote: »

Confirm all that... That's, I say, pretty much any >10-30K employees enterprise and ultimately the government.

If you are very bright your best bet would be to work for MSP contractors who always get hired by those enterprises to get real work done because nobody is capable of that at the enterprise itself.

yep, doesn't help when the CSO have a music degree either

UnixGuy

DatabaseHead wrote: »

And your ability to handle stress/anxiety/neurosis.

From my personal experiences I have witnessed a lot of people who have it together on all fronts except for stress. They burn out, and IMO that's the biggest reason for job hoppers. Their inability to handle stress.

This is important! I think it's a mix of innate ability to chill out and handle stress, and using stress coping mechanisms such as exercise (weight lifting)/eating well/ sleeping well/ having stuff going for them outside work/hobbies/NOT drinking/..etc..all this can bring stress to manageable levels

thomas_

I think it’s short-sighted to look at job ability alone. You can be a whiz at doing the job, but a terrible employee overall. It’s no good if you’re super talented, but don’t work while you’re at work(it’s truly amazing all the things people do at work that is not work. It’s almost like they think the job exists solely to give them a paycheck and not because the company needs someone doing that specific work.) It’s no good if you’re super talented if your attendance record is extremely spotty and your supervisor can’t rely on you.

TechGromit

I followed other lectures he has and I was surprised to learn that about 15% of the population has an IQ 85 or lower and are basically unemployable.

DatabaseHead wrote: »

What's interesting from a personal level is the matrix he provided up top. He mentioned system analyst (essentially what I do) falls between 125 to 116. I've had my IQ tested; I'm ~120 on the dot,

I don't believe I every took an IQ test, I'm curious how poorly I would score.

TechGromit

NetworkNewb wrote: »

Couldn't someone just continually work on their IQ and not give up working on it then? Just not sold on the IQ score as determining factor on who can do certain things.

I believe the way it works is someone with a higher IQ has an easier time learning, that's not to say someone with a lower IQ can't learn, it's just takes longer and more determination to do so. That said, given a task that takes a person with a higher IQ 10 minutes to learn and a person with a lower IQ 20 minutes to learn the same task, which one would you hire? Having a higher IQ definitely has advantages in the market place.

cyberguypr wrote: »

It was hilarious seeing high performers in the test fail at their job duties in other departments.

I think we can all agree it takes more than a high IQ to be successful, you could be the smartest person in the world, but plain lazy, unmotivated, unable to focus, etc. Personality has a lot to do with it as well. You could be a jackass, I'm smarter than you, I'm going to make fun of how stupid you are. Yea, that's going go over well in the workplace. A High IQ does offer you an advantage, but it really depends on how you use your advantage.

draught

I'm sure all the people who have joined MENSA (140+ IQ) are all super successful right? Anyone willing to spend money and take tests to prove they are a certified genius must be successful right?

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/4w7kng/what-do-geniuses-do-for-work

Yeah there are people in advanced fields but also Warehouse workers, Grocers, flight attendants, and such. Being successful as UnixGuy is pointing requires more than IQ. Social intelligence,the ability to manage stress and the pure drive to want it. I've known successful businessmen and women that lacked academic intelligence but had superior people skills. In fact those skills are more valuable IMO then typical IQ.

The IQ test means nothing unless a person is below average on it then it can be used to help with learning disorders. That's the real purpose of it.