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[Fwd: [Fwd: Re: Giving a surprise test to interviewees?]]

Subject: [Fwd: [Fwd: Re: Giving a surprise test to interviewees?]]
From: Lisa Roth <roth -dot- lisa -at- jimmy -dot- harvard -dot- edu>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 08:51:12 -0500




Sorry to jump in a little late -- I sent this message privately earlier,
but then I was asked if I wouldn't mind sending it to the general list,
as well. So here goes:


Everywhere I've worked (almost) has done this, and I personally had no
problem with it. I mean EVERYWHERE -- back when I was more in the world
of DTP, I had to demonstrate my mastery of Quark XPress. When I
transitioned over to writing and editing, I had to take "pop quizzes" at
interviews there, too.

I don't think it's anything anyone should get upset about -- without
such a thing you have no way to verify whether candidates' gramatically
correct resumes and cover letters (and perhaps samples) actually reflect
THEIR work or that of a job coach or other editor.

--Lisa

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.

...SNIP...

So I'm wondering, what do those of you on this list think about springing
a surprise test on an interviewee? Is it terribly unfair and upsetting, or
is it a reasonable requirement?

Adrienne


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