RE: Editing and writing tests for jobs

["Grant, Christopher" <CGrant -at- glhec -dot- org>]

> Well it's about time this topic reared its head again :)

Heh.

I think the idea that "experienced" writers should _not_ be tested, _simply_
because they have "experience," is absurd.  "Experience" (with respect to
technical writing) is subjective, IMHO: working as a technical writer for a
few years now, I've worked with people whose experience has been of
tremendous assistance and was commensurate with a high level of job
expertise. OTOH, I've also worked with people whose experience did NOT
correspond to a high level of technical skill or job expertise.

My point is that experience really ought to be tested, to characterize it.
Just saying that you have experience means nothing.  I mean, there are such
things as BAD experience, no?  :) 

I also don't understand the notion of writers being insulted by writing
tests (though I agree this seems to be the case.)  If you've got the skillz,
show 'em off.  If a writer truly is insulted by the idea, then IMHO either
A. that writer doesn't have the skills, or B. the writer _does_ have the
skills and can afford to blow off potential employers requiring such
testing.

I like Connie's approach and believe that such a test would be a GREAT way
to characterize a potential employee's experience: 

> I typically present an introductory, or fairly simple UI that's 
> already been documented and ask the candidate to do so, with some 
> background on typical users, power users, etc. No time limits, no limits
on 
> questions that can be asked of me, no limits on how to structure the
document.

Basic stuff.  What technical writer would be insulted by such a screening
test?  If I go buy a new car, I test drive it first.  I don't just look at
the sticker and features and decide on the basis of that alone.

-Chris Grant


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