Interview will consist of an IT related task!

[alonzow]

Hello,
Having worked as a contractor for the past 4 years, I have decided to join an interesting government project. Before the interview there will be an IT related task - WTF - I have 11 years experience in IT and application development, should I refuse to do it or is this just part of the way things are done in the government?

Any examples of an IT related task that people had to do during their interviews could be an interesting thread to read.

In the job spec, it says "Proven ability in PERL, PHP, DBI, HTTP, XML, LDAP" so I guess it has something to do with this

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[Ed2020]

I've been to an interview that had one of these tests. I had to spot a rounding error in an Excel spreadsheet. Very challenging, I must say!

Ed Metcalfe.

Please do not feed the trolls.....

 

[dyarwood]

If you refuse to do something they have put in the interview what does that say about you to them? If I were them I would think that if your not willing to do a simple test (of which I have done one in every interview I have been to) then what else are you not willing to do?

 

[LizSara]

Usually the task isn't about the task you have to do but the way you do it. it assesses your skills at various different things.

Why on earth would you refuse to participate in a part of hte interview? It's like sitting there and not speaking

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Whoever battles with monsters had better see that it does not turn him into a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you. ~ Nietzsche"
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[CajunCenturion]

If you refuse to take the test, then they'll probably refuse to consider your application.

I don't know what government you're referring to, but I don't think it's really a government thing. This is a prospective employer who is looking for the best candidate for the job and they've established a process to help them do that, and I'd bet that only those who complete the process will be given serious consideration.


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[rjoubert]

I've heard of this in non-government position interviews as well, so it's not just a government thing. With 11 years of experience, why would you be concerned? Personally, I would love to have an interview where I had to do a hands-on type of task like that. It's certainly better than sitting there getting grilled on technical questions.

 

[alonzow]

I am not saying that I will refuse to do the test, there is no pint to go to the interview if this is the case. I am simply looking at examples of what this "Task" and the process or flow of how this is given out.

Does the interviewer simply says - "Hi, here is your task, write a script to do this and this and you have 30min to finish it"

I am after examples of what others within this community have experienced when it comes to this type of interview technique.

 

[rjoubert]

Usually the task isn't about the task you have to do but the way you do it.

I believe LizSara's statement is correct. They will want to look at how you went about solving the problem they present you with.

I had one interview where I had to develop a small application...they even allowed me to take it home and email it to them. I don't remember what the app had to do, and I never received any feedback from them. But I do remember it being quite simple.

On the other hand, I've heard of some tough interview questions at Microsoft, like how many traffic signals are there in the US? They're not looking for an accurate answer, but they want to see how you would go about solving the problem.

Hope this helps...best of luck to you.

 

[Stella740pl]

Being a database programmer, I've had to do a computer test on the language syntax and concept understanding once; a few times I had to write SQL statements doing described tasks, had to go manually through fragments of code and calculate what the result will be (basically, they wanted me to demonstrate the knowledge of different variable types: global/public/local/private), and other things to that effect.

Where I work now, we use a test for new people applying for similar positions.

One of the assignments involves going through a piece of code and telling what exactly it does (only one person also spotted a nesting error in the code - it was not in a test question, though).

Another task is to solve a database problem - we give a database structure/layout and a question, an applicant writes the code, which usually would consist of just a few SQL statements.

Another one asks an applicant to solve a problem and write a code for the solution. This one requires to demonstrate knowledge of some concepts of high school math (and not the hardest ones, mind you) - and I got to tell you how many degreed (they all are required to have a relevant degree) applicants with so and so many years of experience in their resumes stumble on this one!

 

[alonzow]

Thank you all for all your feedback. I will tell you on Wednesday what the 'task' was

Still will be interesting to see what others have had to do in their interviews.

 

[Ed2020]

Another one I have been given:

I am presented with an Access database with a table of data. I have to create a form displaying all fields from the table, and a combobox to allow users to filter the form's recordset on the selected value.

Now that one was *really* challenging. If I remember correctly I used the wizard to solve that one (but I wasn't being observed for this one)

Ed Metcalfe.

Please do not feed the trolls.....

 

[sleipnir214]

Tests of these can be very revealing.

My current supervisor has told me of one test she took that was part of the interview process for a public relations position for a public school system. She was handed a card that read:

It has just been revealed that a teacher in one of the system's high schools has been having a sexual relationship with the 16-year-old daughter of the local sheriff. Go into the next room, where you will have 15 minutes to prepare a press release.

Ninety seconds after entering the next room, another door to the room burst open, and a group of people with microphones and video cameras, posing as T.V. reporters, began rapid-firing at her questions about the scandal. The "reporters" actually recorded the person's reactions, and those videos were a huge part of the interview.



I've also experienced one where the interviewer handed me a set of cards with phone messages on them, and I had 60 seconds to decide in which order I was to return the calls and why.


These simulations can be fun and challenging or can be irritating (or both). But it is an attempt by your prospective employer to see whether you can walk the walk or only talk the talk.




Want to ask the best questions? Read Eric S. Raymond's essay "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way". TANSTAAFL!

 

[SQLSister]

My employer hasa a programming test as well. One reason why we do it is that you would be surprised at how many people claim expertise they do not have and they need a way of weeding out the people who can do the work from the ones who know the buzzwords. And if a person has 11 years of experience that doesn't mean he or she did the job well, just that he or she did the job (I'm not saying this applies to you, but until you take the skills test the hiring official doesn't know if it applies to you or not). I've interviewed people with 10 or more years of business application programming experience who couldn't answer even basic questions.

"NOTHING is more important in a database than integrity." ESquared

 

[SantaMufasa]

...there is no pint to go to the interview...

What kind of a two-bit, low-class joint would not offer you a pint at the interview? Most people would not consider working at a place like that. <grin>

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[AlexCuse]

I had a place offer me only a little hospital-sized root beer can once, walked right out!

Alonzo - I would look at this as an advantage going into the interview. I think that I can solve just about any problem presented to me in my areas of (faux) expertise, but unfortunately I am not very good at 'talking the talk'. I don't have any formal training in what I do, so that might have a lot to do with it. I would welcome the chance to prove that, while I may not be the best at talking about things, I am pretty darn good at doing them.

Good Luck!

Alex

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You can't fit a square data in a round table

My Crummy Web Page

 

[audiopro]

I had an interview where I was supposed to create a small application in the preferred language. At the start of the interview, I was told that they didn't have a working machine in the room so I would have to talk them through the procedure - I got the job.


Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[mrdenny]

A couple of jobs ago part of the interview processes was to write out on a white board the logical and physical database schemas for a basic 5 table tables (classes, students, teachers, books, classrooms). To me it was a piece of cake. When I was later interviewing people to work for me (some on who had 10-20 years experience working with databases, or so they claimed) many people couldn't make the database diagrams. We would even coach you through it and some people still couldn't get it.

We tried to make it a learning experience as well as a job interview so that the people we didn't hire would get something out of the process as well.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: Configuration / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: Configuration)
MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005) / Database Developer (SQL 2005)

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[Dollie]

SQLSister addressed the issue I was going to bring up. You wouldn't believe the number of people who blatantly lie about experience in a specific area, and then depend on Google to be their mentor.

We test people during the application/interview process to find out if they really know what they say they do. They are tested on machines that are not connected to the internet, so Google is not their friend.

If someone were to refuse the test as part of the application process, I'm sure that would make their employment much more difficult to secure.

 

[SantaMufasa]

Alonzo,

If you welcome the opportunity to show your skills in test situations, it will impress your interviewer. If your reaction to taking a test is negative, then your interviewer will probably discontinue the interview.

Once, I interviewed a candidate for a position who claimed skills on a particular piece of software. During the interview, I brought up the software on my notebook computer and asked the candidate how they would accomplish a particular (elementary) task on the software.

The candidate got a "deer-in-the-headlights" look and admitted that they did not know how to use the software. It gave me the opportunity to admonish the candidate about how fatal it is to claim skills they do not possess. Next I politely excused the candidate.

If one is not able to enthusiastically demonstrate, on cue or upon request, their skills in a facet of their résumé, then they should definitely not claim the skill.

If given a proficiency test as part of the interview, and if you have no clue about a particular component of the test, don't freeze up or make excuses. Use that it as a learning experience concerning something that you should address to fill a gap in your skill set. If the interviewer considers that gap a "deal breaker", then so be it...You would not want a position in which you are accountable for proficiencies that you do not possess, right? Alternately, if the interviewer asserts that the missing skill is something you can learn on the job, then great!

Interviewers have the right to know, and confirm, what skills you do and do not possess.

Do not be afraid to admit to gaps in your skill set. Anyone that claims they know all the answers would lie about other things, as well. <grin>

My response to interviewers who inquire about skills which I do not possess is:

I have found that I am very quick on the uptake concerning <topic>. Given the opportunity to review the reference manual and to consult an expert if I have questions, I'm confident that I can be productive with this skill very quickly.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[Hap007]

Years ago, I had a funny experience at an interview.

I was just out of school and had a good bit of knowledge, but very little practical experience.

The interviewer asked many question, quite a few of which I did not know the answer. So I told him I did not know.

I got the job, did a good job and became quite close to my boss.

One day, we were talking and he reflected back on the my interview. He told me I knew much less than all the others that he interviewed, but he gave me the job.

I was confused and asked him why?

His answer:
He told me, "I knew the answers to the questions I asked you", and you were the only person who answered honestly by saying 'I did not know'!

Lesson learned, do not BS the interviewer!

Hap...

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