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It is one thing to attempt to test an applicant's skill set, but my
testing was taken to a different level. The position was writing
manufacturing documentation for a biotech. During my interview with the
department director, I was administered a chemistry exam! I was able to
recall enough information to adequately answer the questions, and
demonstrate the ability to solve chemical equations. That exam
definitely raised my anxiety level during the interview!
I was offered the position and I have been with the company for over 1
1/2 years now. I still joke about the chemical entrance exam with my
director :-)
Sara Hassen
-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-206117 -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:bounce-techwr-l-206117 -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Gene
Kim-Eng
Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2005 9:59 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Re: Why don't more job interviews use writing tests?
This was the problem with the one "test" I ever had to take.
I suspect that any of us who actually work in documentation
could come up with a reasonable exercise to test an applicant's
skills in some aspect or another of the work *and* have the
necessary perspective to consider the results of that test in the
proper perspective in evaluating the applicant overall. The
scary situation is when you know that not only has the test
been created by someone who knows nothing about writing,
it's also going to be evaluated by one.
> I don't know if that is cynicism on your part, but it's reality for
me.
> I've never, in 12 years, been interviewed by a tech pubs manager for a
> job. I was always interviewed by peer team members, a manager who was
> an engineer, or by the marketing department. I'm far more frequently
> asked questions about my technical knowledge of an industry or
product.
> I'm often asked to explain ATM encapsulation, or SONET transport, or
IP
> addressing; no one ever asks me if I can format a document in
> Framemaker.
>
> None of my interviewers seemed to know the first thing about what a
> technical writer does or what the job requires. Heck, you can tell
that
> just by reading job descriptions--after the first few it's obvious the
> HR departments are all cribbing the same job descriptions from one
> another.
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