RE: Sample Writing Tests Needed

[Barry Kieffer <bkieffer -at- ims -dot- com>]

The biggest problem I would have to testing is the time it takes. 

One of the posts today had some stat of a writing test requiring 3 to 5 pages. 
If we follow the JoAnn Hackos' model of 4-hours per page (or some such, my book 
is at home) yikes! It would take all day long. 

Are you really gonna let some poor technical writer wanna-be slug sit in your 
office for a day writing up a treatise on a stapler? Phoo!

Some tech writer interviewer's must have a lot of time on their hands. 

I interviewed a bunch of technical writers one time, and Bob knows, if I had 
each write something 2 or more pages long, I would go out of my creepy mind.

Let's see: Interview, write 3 pages for test, pee in a cup, submit blood sample, 
submit to a credit check, hand over photos of your cats, have a retina scan, 
finger prints...




> From: Jim_McAward -at- ademco -dot- com
>      I use testing as a rule-out, not as a qualitative means of determining 
>      who gets the job.  I am sure that, given your resume and prior 
>      responsibilities, you'd do plenty well - and because I test everyone, 
>      I would test you, too.  
>      
>      I'll bet we could make it worth your while enough to stoop down to 
>      writing about a pencil sharpener... after all, they got me to pee in a 
>      cup to get this job, and I vowed I *never* would ;-)