Re: Spam:RE: Evaluating Candidates Using Tests, Logic Questions, and Similar

["Pro TechWriter" <pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com>]

There is another side to this, and Gene's comments about the botched
FrameMaker template reminded me. That test was a great indicator that the
job would be a, let's say, "can of worms"?

I have been tested a couple of times. Once, the test itself was a pretty
good indicator that I did not want to work for that person: there were
numerous steps that did not have adquate information, and I was not allowed
to ask. I made notes where the SME would have to be consulted, and the
writing manager was very surprised that I thought steps were missing ("see,
here and here, and here, we don't tell them how to get from this to ...).
She insisted it was fine. Uh uh. Don't want that job. (And they make fun of
me on my current job because I am "very thorough" LOL, but they love me
anyway.)

The other test (the
take-the-plain-text-edit-rephrase-and-restructure-into-steps test...) got me
the job. The lone technical writer, Connie, there wrote the test, and she
came by when I was about halfway through to see how I was doing. (I was in
the lobby, at the receptionist's desk, with people walking back and forth
looking at me!) I was at a part that said "delete the user and..." and I
told her, "we will not be deleting any users. They don't like it and I think
it's mean." She laughed and I got the job. She is absolutely, hands down,
the best tech writer I have EVER seen, and I learned a lot from her.

I'd take a test again, if asked, I imagine, although I don't think it's a
very good indicator of much. I'd rather talk about how the person solves
problems, personally, and find their approach to their work. But that's me.
I certainly understand needing "superstars" and therefore testing, but I
also wonder: would the superstar *want* to work where your reactions to a
surprise are supposed to be masked, or your considered bad? I have to be in
a place where I can be honest when I express myself. And I do great work.

:-D
Happy Friday.
Also A SuperStar

PT


On 11/17/06, Gene Kim-Eng <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> wrote: