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Subject:Re: Giving a surprise test to interviewees? From:Cheryl Magadieu <cmagadieu -at- gmail -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Thu, 17 Mar 2005 16:14:32 -0500
Over the years, I've applied for various tech writing and editing
positions, and I've been tested many times. I think testing is a great
way to screen out candidates who don't have the expected and/or
required skills. I've been part of a hiring team several times and
have been surprised by how many candidates don't have the basic
writing skills I'd expect.
It doesn't bother me when companies ask me to take a surprise test, as
long as as they tell me beforehand how much time the interview is
likely to take. That way, I can plan the rest of my day accordingly.
Cheryl
On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 06:19:49 -0700, adf1972 -at- yahoo -dot- com <adf1972 -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I'm a senior tech writer with a small gov't contractor. My company is
> looking to hire for a jr-level tech writing position; the requirements are
> either 2 yrs' experience in tech writing or a B.A with a major in English
> with a tech-comm focus. We work in MS Word, but our requirements for this
> position regarding Word knowledge are pretty meager. Basically, the person
> has to know how to start Word and start typing. That's about it.
>
> Given that the Word requirements are so minimal, I really hope that at the
> very least we would hire someone with a solid command of English and
> writing, and also with an eye for details (i.e. the ability to catch
> mistakes). We do ask for writing samples, but I have been in a work
> situation once where an interviewee passed off another's writing sample as
> her own (this wasn't discovered until after she was hired, and she was
> subsequently fired). As I'm one of three interviewers for each candidate
> for this position, I came up with a fifteen-minute, five-sentence
> editing/rewriting test to give during my portion of the interview. I'm
> thinking this test will allow me to ascertain the interviewee's command of
> basic English grammar/syntax. The applicant is not apprised of this test
> until I actually give it to him or her.
>
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