I have been mystery shopping sporadically over the years for fun. But, this is the first time I have posted to the forum. There is one particular MSC that offers Fast food shops that require the shopper to read a manual and pass a certification test. So, without naming names, you can probably guess which FF shop involves a great deal of timings at the drive-through and dine-in.
Here is my problem though, despite having a Master's Degree in Education, I cannot for the life of me pass their test for that one fast food place ( and I have taken and written many tests). I have passed several other certification tests for various shops.But, I cannot nail this one down. I know someone else who took the test and couldn't pass it either. The wording of some of the test questions are very confusing and I would never write test questions like that ( both A and B neither one or two of them, etc). I am wondering if anyone else has ever had this difficulty with that particular test. Is it me or the test?

I replied to you in the General Chat area. This is what I said for the benefit of those who like me don't generally look there: "I will tell you that there are a lot of very poorly written test questions out there. I have a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, have taught at a major research university and have worked globally training employees at a Fortune 100 multinational company. I would have been fired from both jobs if I had written test questions like some of those which I have seen. I posted one example recently where one of the answers was "obtain gas grill the associate and ensure this grill is easy to clean" That is how the answer is phrased. I pointed out the issue to the MSC, who told me that I was the only one who didn't understand the answer. Well, no one on this forum understood it either, or maybe they were just humoring me. I have learned to try to avoid over-analyzing the questions and answers. It helps, but I sometimes still fail tests. Luckily, I keep track of all of my answers and often know exactly which question is causing the problem. Then I call the MSC, grovel, agree that of course they are right, and they tell me which non-nonsensical answer is right (including the example I provided in this response), and I pass. I no longer worry about it. Grovel. Allways remember that pride is a renewable resource."

Thank you for the advise. I posted in general chat and then saw this mystery shopping discussion area.

I passed it on the first try. Maybe your to smart for your own good. (but I still haven't done one of those shops.)

Hi Wentra I passed it by using split screens so I could see the guidelines while doing the test, also for this test it tells you which answers are correct so I wrote those down before trying again. But I agree the questions are not clear

There's usually one question that gets people. It can change. It sounds like a yes, but then it's a no, or vice versa. There's been discussion about it before, so you are not alone in your confusion.

MF changed the questions about if you have any past affiliation to an assignment to the correct answer of no affiliation being a no instead of a yes. If your skimming it and don't pay attention, you answer yes and that is saying you or someone you know has affiliation to the client.

I paused and almost clicked yes. They have the question in the report as well as in the per-assignment questionnaire this way as well now. It is just another test to see if your reading the whole question and paying attention.

The one I took did not let you see which one you missed, just the score. That's a helpful learning experience! And the guidelines said "at least three napkins," but the correct answer says two napkins.

Feeling your pain,

Another M.Ed. who can't shop the arches!

Someday, if I feel very brave, I will take that test.

@CoffeeQueen wrote:

I passed it on the first try. Maybe your to smart for your own good. (but I still haven't done one of those shops.)

You're
too

@tbclay wrote:

You're
too

Yeah yeah. Clearly I don't have that problem.

I screwed up on this one too the first time. I emailed and was told it automatically resets every month, so I only had to wait a couple days for it to reset.

I did not feel brave. I saw an astonishing bonus. I took the test. I got the bonused shop. Go me.

You do realize they make those questions confusing specifically to judge your attention to detail right? They're not being coy or trying to make them difficult. They want to test your reading comprehension and your memory.

That test spooked me. McD's is billed as a very easy shop. Its test is ... well, you've seen it.

Everything for the McD's shop is in other shops, to some degree, but no comparable clients test like McD's does.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2015 02:37AM by Shop-et-al.

I have to retake the test because I went to long with out doing a shop for them. I think the first time I didn't pass, so now I am waiting to do the quiz.

Eventually I passed the test. I did three shops and got paid for none of them. Seems they go out of their way to find something wrong and not pay for the shop. I will never never do another McD shop.

I'm too literal on tests
One "qualification" test had a question where you had to mark the one false answer. One was false but also had an "All of the above" answer.
That meant the question had two false answers. I went back and forth with them and finally gave up and chose the answer they wanted.

copy and paste instructions.. use a print key if easier or make notes and stop the video as you go.

@dkpskipper wrote:

I'm too literal on tests
One "qualification" test had a question where you had to mark the one false answer. One was false but also had an "All of the above" answer.
That meant the question had two false answers. I went back and forth with them and finally gave up and chose the answer they wanted.

I'm confused. The test looks like this:

Which of these statements about ordering hamburgers is incorrect?
A. True thing
B. True thing
C. False thing
D. True thing
E. All of the above are false

Looks like there's only answer that is correct to me, but I probably have the format of the test wrong. I've spent way too much time thinking about this, so could you provide the format if you remember it? I didn't know I was OCD, but apparently I am. Thanks!