Re: writing tests are for wussies...

["Susan W. Gallagher" <susanwg -at- ix -dot- netcom -dot- com>]

I once interviewed at a software shop that
provides help authoring tools and is based
in San Diego -- before the company changed
its name. <g> They gave a whole battery of
tests -- writing, editing, ...and, surprise
of surprises! -- the Meyers-Briggs personality
test! I think I flunked. I never heard back
from them. ;-)

Along about the same time (more than 7 years
ago), I interviewed at a small law software
office. The man who interviewed me said he'd
never hired at the salary I was asking; I
don't think he was amused when I told him that
I had (hired someone at that salary). They
asked me to write something about their software,
which I did. They then offered me a contract,
which I refused.

And last year I applied for a doc manager
position at another local company -- this
one rather large and currently being dragged
around by a certain nefarious accounting firm.
They gave a test that was partially editing
a piece written in programmereese (which I'm
very good at) and partially a series of "What
would you do if..." questions. I've been told
that I did well, and I did go on to interview,
but AFAIK, they have never been given the go-
ahead to fill the position I interviewed for.

I can't remember any other tests. So, three
tests in about 19 years in the software
industry, none of which resulted in a job.

As a hiring manager, an employee of mine talked
me into using a test for programming skills when
we were interviewing API writers. I wasn't happy
with the test or the results -- all of the
interviewees seemed intimidated by it -- so I
dropped it after a couple of trials.

-Sue Gallagher
susanwg -at- ix -dot- netcom -dot- com

At 10:22 PM 5/20/02 -0700, Goober wrote: