So recently while applying for a software developer job in Sweden, for the first time in several years, I was given a pseudo iq test (raven matrix test) + some really shoddy personality test that resembled a watered down version (fake) of big5. This was after an initial coding assignment and coding interview was already passed.

I'm originally from Sweden, and I do remember taking those test multiple times in the past, mostly for tech jobs. (software)

But when I've applied to jobs in US/UK and Japan noticed that I've never even be asked to take those test.(but coding test ofc) As I usually do above average to average, even when I'm tired, I shouldn't be bothered but I do, given the IQ tests very dubious origin and Swedens.. Rather dubious past and awkward history [1],[2]...

I've been working with neuroscientists and cognitive neuroscientist for a couple of years, and while I can't recite their very well crafted arguments, they were all (independently) strongly against the iq tests and personality tests as pseudo scientific. But I've never known the reason why, and if it's even legal, to use it for hiring.

So after googling a little bit, in US it seems to be a gray-zone; if it can be shown to not be relevant to the job, and does discriminate against certain profiles (race, socioeconomic status, gender) one could be liable under laws against discriminations, was the closest answer I found.

And then the top search query returned HN discussions from 2012 and 5 days ago[3,4].

I know that there's different options about the test in HN from reading the above links, so to make it clear I'm not asking if the original test is valid or not, but if you've encountered any version of it during hiring stage (or used it).

I have to admit taking it does make me upset; Im from a mixed race background and I know that at least in Sweden, it have been used by school of thoughts that would essentially deem my existence to be a "mistake" so it's hard to not take it personal, considering that I've experienced people that share that attitude multiple times through my upbringing here. So I do have a negative bias towards the practice, for full disclosure.

[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/37848

[2] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Institute_for_Racial_Biology

[3] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35530815

[4] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3772897