Forums > Social Discussion > Handwriting affecting employment
Login/Join to ParticipateBRONZE Member
Certainly confused
121 posts
Location: Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
Certainly confused
121 posts
Location: Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
Posted:
I just read the below link on the BBC site about how companies are increasingly using peoples handwriting for selection to employment.
What are peoples thoughts?
bbc
I found the bill gates/tony blair mix up hilarious, whilst at the same time being apalled at the fact that 3000 compnies in the UK use teh technique!
I just read the below link on the BBC site about how companies are increasingly using peoples handwriting for selection to employment.
What are peoples thoughts?
bbc
I found the bill gates/tony blair mix up hilarious, whilst at the same time being apalled at the fact that 3000 compnies in the UK use teh technique!
My Mummy Says Im Special
SILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom
Posted:
I think it's pretty shocking. I don't believe your handwriting neccessarily says that much about you, besides the length of your fingers and the way you were/weren't taught to write.
I think it's pretty shocking. I don't believe your handwriting neccessarily says that much about you, besides the length of your fingers and the way you were/weren't taught to write.
What a wonderful miracle if only we could look through each other's eyes for an instant.
Thoreau
Diamond In The Rough
459 posts
Location: Richmond, Virginia
459 posts
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Posted:
My thought is thank god I submit typed resume's and cover letters
My thought is thank god I submit typed resume's and cover letters
Dance like it hurts; Love like you need money; Work like someone is watching.
Never criticize someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes. That way, when you DO criticize them, you are a mile away, and you have their shoes.
SILVER Member
Pasta of Muppets
2,722 posts
Location: in the interwebs..., United Kingdom
Pasta of Muppets
2,722 posts
Location: in the interwebs..., United Kingdom
Posted:
Always looking for an edge...
Always looking for an edge...
ohmygodlaserbeamspewpewpew!
GOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted:
I think that companies who hire people based on graphology will get exactly what they deserve.
I think that companies who hire people based on graphology will get exactly what they deserve.
-Mike
Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella
A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura
SILVER Member
veteran
1,433 posts
Location: 8 days at Cloudbreak, 6 in Perth, Australia
veteran
1,433 posts
Location: 8 days at Cloudbreak, 6 in Perth, Australia
Posted:
You can always become a GP...every GP I have met can't write very well...
No offence meant to any GPs.
You can always become a GP...every GP I have met can't write very well...
No offence meant to any GPs.
BRONZE Member
Certainly confused
121 posts
Location: Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
Certainly confused
121 posts
Location: Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
Posted:
A long hard rogering by an elephant
Written by: ...Lightning...
I think that companies who hire people based on graphology will get exactly what they deserve.
A long hard rogering by an elephant
My Mummy Says Im Special
Pooh-Bah
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol
Posted:
people use anything to narrow it down when they've got a huge load of CV's. we were talking about this with a stage manager at college recently and he said he's chucked CV's straight in the bin because of anything - spelling mistake, bad handwriting, more than one page, has photos on, anything really. you can't read them all...
people use anything to narrow it down when they've got a huge load of CV's. we were talking about this with a stage manager at college recently and he said he's chucked CV's straight in the bin because of anything - spelling mistake, bad handwriting, more than one page, has photos on, anything really. you can't read them all...
I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.
SILVER Member
addict
475 posts
Location: Van Diemans Land, Australia
addict
475 posts
Location: Van Diemans Land, Australia
Posted:
Me thinks that this is bordering on descrimination. A person cannot gain good calligraphy skills by choice. Your handwriting is just something you cannot choose.
I manage a media training company, and my handwriting is terrible.
But its ok, because computers and telephone is all of our communication and business dealings.
Perhaps this is yet another attempt to cut down the number of people seen as the "suitable" employee.
Heres my advice to all employers.
1: Looks dont determine character
2: education level doesnt either
3: interview as many people as possible
4: Get someone that allready works for you to sit in with you on interviews when hiring new staff. This person MUST be an excellent judge of character (if YOU are an excellent judge of character, dont bother)
5: A person with common sense but no experiance is better than a person with experiance but no common sense. You can teach someone with common sense. However you cannot teach common sense
6: a good employee is happy and cheerfull. it will be a pleasure to work with someone who is smiling
7: treat your employees well and they will remain loyal to you
-Doktor Slovak Skell
Me thinks that this is bordering on descrimination. A person cannot gain good calligraphy skills by choice. Your handwriting is just something you cannot choose.
I manage a media training company, and my handwriting is terrible.
But its ok, because computers and telephone is all of our communication and business dealings.
Perhaps this is yet another attempt to cut down the number of people seen as the "suitable" employee.
Heres my advice to all employers.
1: Looks dont determine character
2: education level doesnt either
3: interview as many people as possible
4: Get someone that allready works for you to sit in with you on interviews when hiring new staff. This person MUST be an excellent judge of character (if YOU are an excellent judge of character, dont bother)
5: A person with common sense but no experiance is better than a person with experiance but no common sense. You can teach someone with common sense. However you cannot teach common sense
6: a good employee is happy and cheerfull. it will be a pleasure to work with someone who is smiling
7: treat your employees well and they will remain loyal to you
-Doktor Slovak Skell
Fair luna bright, fair luna moon
it shines at night but fades too soon
fair luna moon, fair luna bright
forever we dance
we dance under starlight
SILVER Member
.:*distracted by shiny things*:.
3,777 posts
Location: brizvegas, Australia
.:*distracted by shiny things*:.
3,777 posts
Location: brizvegas, Australia
Posted:
avoid hiring unlucky people - throw out half the resumes!
avoid hiring unlucky people - throw out half the resumes!
do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and good to eat!
if at first you do succeed, try not to look too astonished!
smile! :grin: it confuses people!
SILVER Member
Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England
Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England
Posted:
You can indeed gain good calligraphy skills by choice - it's a learned skill and needs practise, just like anything else involving fine motor control.
If there was no way of changing it, why would they bother teaching it in schools - surely it'd make more sense just to give the children a pencil each and let the Fate of Handwriting take over?
Written by: DoktorSkell
Me thinks that this is bordering on descrimination. A person cannot gain good calligraphy skills by choice. Your handwriting is just something you cannot choose.
You can indeed gain good calligraphy skills by choice - it's a learned skill and needs practise, just like anything else involving fine motor control.
If there was no way of changing it, why would they bother teaching it in schools - surely it'd make more sense just to give the children a pencil each and let the Fate of Handwriting take over?
But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
SILVER Member
Scientist!
578 posts
Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Scientist!
578 posts
Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Posted:
It can be Improved with practice, not mastered. My hands are very shaky when I write and I have horrible penmanship. I could barely even sign my own name untill I was 12 or so (barely can now, so I just scribble something fast and it kinda bears resemblence).
I have a number of problems with my hands and wrists that make it very hard for me to do very fine motor activities. They've been passed down through the family, my brothers and my father as well as my self all have horrible penmanship, which means having good penmanship is out of the picture for me now. I am alot better at bashing keys with fingers than I am with softly moving a piece of graphite around anyday! Keys are bigger and have no chance to mess up the letter you type ^.^'
Written by: TheBovrilMonkeyWritten by: DoktorSkell
Me thinks that this is bordering on descrimination. A person cannot gain good calligraphy skills by choice. Your handwriting is just something you cannot choose.
You can indeed gain good calligraphy skills by choice - it's a learned skill and needs practise, just like anything else involving fine motor control.
If there was no way of changing it, why would they bother teaching it in schools - surely it'd make more sense just to give the children a pencil each and let the Fate of Handwriting take over?
It can be Improved with practice, not mastered. My hands are very shaky when I write and I have horrible penmanship. I could barely even sign my own name untill I was 12 or so (barely can now, so I just scribble something fast and it kinda bears resemblence).
I have a number of problems with my hands and wrists that make it very hard for me to do very fine motor activities. They've been passed down through the family, my brothers and my father as well as my self all have horrible penmanship, which means having good penmanship is out of the picture for me now. I am alot better at bashing keys with fingers than I am with softly moving a piece of graphite around anyday! Keys are bigger and have no chance to mess up the letter you type ^.^'
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> STAY SAFE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug.gif" alt="" />
SILVER Member
member
112 posts
Location: UT, Sweden
member
112 posts
Location: UT, Sweden
Posted:
I've seen this used as an excuse of sorts not to hire certain people. They can find nothing else wrong with the canidate, but the employer wants to look like they're being fair, so after a writing sample, the employer makes the decision that was made in his/her mind sense the beggining of the interveiwing process.
I'd have to agree with other people, handwriting tells you nothing about the person. I know people that are idiots and yet have very nice handwriting, but there are others who are quite intelligent, but have handwriting that almost looks like a different language or alphabet was used.
In my mind, hand writing analysis are simply a way for an employer to make their own choice off of personal emotions instead of hiring the person that is best suited for the job.
I've seen this used as an excuse of sorts not to hire certain people. They can find nothing else wrong with the canidate, but the employer wants to look like they're being fair, so after a writing sample, the employer makes the decision that was made in his/her mind sense the beggining of the interveiwing process.
I'd have to agree with other people, handwriting tells you nothing about the person. I know people that are idiots and yet have very nice handwriting, but there are others who are quite intelligent, but have handwriting that almost looks like a different language or alphabet was used.
In my mind, hand writing analysis are simply a way for an employer to make their own choice off of personal emotions instead of hiring the person that is best suited for the job.
missegyptology: I'm gonna be a terrorist when I grow up anyway
member
52 posts
52 posts
Posted:
Perhaps some people can. I cannot. I spent a huge chunk of my life sitting in special education practicing my hand writeing. It never improved, and the geniuses at my school thought it was more important for me to have nice hand writeing then attend math and english classes. So I was pulled out of math and english for most of elementary, I had occasional education in the subjects in "special ed" but not nearly enough. Then in juniour high they plunged me back into it.
Personally, If the job requires neat and efficient hand writeing skills, then I would expect them to discriminate. But a job with only occasional hand writeing, with the bulk done on computers and whatnot, Should not judge me by my hand writeing. Also in general in the modern workplace, im not sure why their is any need for hand writeing other then scratching down notes. I can type 120 WPM, most people can type 30-60 with experience. 30-60 is certainly faster then one could ever write.
Written by: TheBovrilMonkeyWritten by: DoktorSkell
Me thinks that this is bordering on descrimination. A person cannot gain good calligraphy skills by choice. Your handwriting is just something you cannot choose.
You can indeed gain good calligraphy skills by choice - it's a learned skill and needs practise, just like anything else involving fine motor control.
If there was no way of changing it, why would they bother teaching it in schools - surely it'd make more sense just to give the children a pencil each and let the Fate of Handwriting take over?
Perhaps some people can. I cannot. I spent a huge chunk of my life sitting in special education practicing my hand writeing. It never improved, and the geniuses at my school thought it was more important for me to have nice hand writeing then attend math and english classes. So I was pulled out of math and english for most of elementary, I had occasional education in the subjects in "special ed" but not nearly enough. Then in juniour high they plunged me back into it.
Personally, If the job requires neat and efficient hand writeing skills, then I would expect them to discriminate. But a job with only occasional hand writeing, with the bulk done on computers and whatnot, Should not judge me by my hand writeing. Also in general in the modern workplace, im not sure why their is any need for hand writeing other then scratching down notes. I can type 120 WPM, most people can type 30-60 with experience. 30-60 is certainly faster then one could ever write.
enthusiast
247 posts
Location: Cork, Ireland at present
247 posts
Location: Cork, Ireland at present
Posted:
I don't know if things can be figured out about people by their handwriting, but I don't think it has anything to do with the 'neatness' but to do with the style, I remember seeing a program and they say things like a big loop at the bottom af a g means this and exagerated crossings of t means this.... so you shouldn't have to worry about messy handwriting... or I'm in big trouble......
I don't know if things can be figured out about people by their handwriting, but I don't think it has anything to do with the 'neatness' but to do with the style, I remember seeing a program and they say things like a big loop at the bottom af a g means this and exagerated crossings of t means this.... so you shouldn't have to worry about messy handwriting... or I'm in big trouble......
I used to be indecisive, but I'm not so sure now.....
SILVER Member
addict
435 posts
Location: VIC, MELB, Australia
addict
435 posts
Location: VIC, MELB, Australia
Posted:
LOL i used to be a medical receptionist and i never felt bad about my handwriting again, after I discovered this and constantly having to ask them what they'd written. Am greatful for computers in this respect.
LOL i used to be a medical receptionist and i never felt bad about my handwriting again, after I discovered this and constantly having to ask them what they'd written. Am greatful for computers in this respect.
*In the car while Pink is playing on the radio*
Tristan aged 4 : "Mum is this Pink?"
Flame:"Yes mate this is Pink?"
Tristan:"Are you going to Pink?"
Flame:"Yes i am"
Tristan:"Cool well I'm going to BLUE" 
SILVER Member
addict
435 posts
Location: VIC, MELB, Australia
addict
435 posts
Location: VIC, MELB, Australia
Posted:
this and my last post meant to go together, oops.
Written by: Medusa
You can always become a GP...every GP I have met can't write very well...
No offence meant to any GPs.
this and my last post meant to go together, oops.
*In the car while Pink is playing on the radio*
Tristan aged 4 : "Mum is this Pink?"
Flame:"Yes mate this is Pink?"
Tristan:"Are you going to Pink?"
Flame:"Yes i am"
Tristan:"Cool well I'm going to BLUE"
BRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)
Posted:
Big g-loops apparently stand for a big sex-drive. So that might actually be a useful thing to know about employees
Big g-loops apparently stand for a big sex-drive. So that might actually be a useful thing to know about employees
"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)
Owner of Dragosani's left half
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