"Getting A Job" question.

[elziko]

I'm going for a new job soon and on friday I have to go and do some tests which seem to be Visual Basic and Access "aptitude tests". There are multiple-guess sections and practical sections.

The job I'm going for is a graduate/junior development role.

Has anyone taken tests like these before and what sort of things were asked of you?

Many Thanks

elziko

 

[chiph]

I've never seen anyone do this before.

What kind of company is it? (software firm, bank, manufacturing, etc)

The most I've seen is they put you in a room with a PC, a copy of VB, a programming assignment with a 2 or 3 hour deadline.

It might be helpful to know what kind of technologies the company uses (ADO, HTML, COM+).

Chip H.

 

[elziko]

I'm told nothing about the technologies used! Which is crazy cos for example, I now know a bit of ADO but NOT DAO or anything else that will do the same task.

Its actually for a recruitment agency with a view to getting a job at Price Waterhouse Coopers doing credit risk assessment/management.

Apart from this they "cant" tell me any more. I'm scared because I think they're gonna ask me a lot of questions I dont know because all my VB has been learnt on the job in the real world. Not in a classroom.

 

[rvBasic]

Given your replies in this Forum, you shouldn't be scared. They will perfectly accept that very few people, if any, are a specialist in all VB's domains.

It might be a good idea to prepare some answers to questions like: "Why do you want this job at this particular company". Unless you know them already, I suggest you to have a look at

http://www.price-waterhouse.com

particulary the About Us button. _________________________________
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is. [attributed to Yogi Berra]

 

[Karl Blessing]

I wouldnt worry, not everyone is going to hire someone just because he knows everything out of a book of technologies.

there is a need for people who can go above and beyond, just the knowledge presented in any course or book.

if you know the company you are going to be taking this for (which I would think that you would) try to do some reasearch about the company itself, not just for the sake of the technologies involved, but to see if you actually want to participate in a company such as that. Karl
kb244@kb244.com

http://www.kb244.com

Experienced in : C++(both VC++ and Borland),VB1(dos) thru VB6, HTML/Dhtml, Visual InterDev 6(ASP/WebProgramming/Vbscript)

http://www.brainbench.com/transcript.jsp?pid=629151

 

[elziko]

Well thanks for your answers. I've got a little bit more confidence now! I now wished I'd done an IT degree instead of an Electronic Engineering degree. It would have been easier too.

That last coment was kinda tongue in cheek for anybody who graduated in the former. So dont take any offence

elziko

 

[oneshadow]

Good luck elziko. Be strong and trust yourself.I

 

[chiph]

I now wished I'd done an IT degree instead of an Electronic Engineering degree.

Why? Starting salaries for EE majors here in Raleigh are higher than for software guys ($50k+ vs. $40k). Plus, all the firms in RTP (like Nortel, Cisco, IBM, etc) are dying to get engineers with embedded system knowledge.

But maybe you're a better programmer than engineer -)). Happens sometimes (like to me!). Some people have "The Knack" for programming, and it takes them a little while to realize it.

So, good luck in your interview.

Chip H.

 

[elziko]

Yeah my degree consisted of IT and Engineering modules. In the IT modules I got between 60% and 80% In the engineering modules I got as low as 30%!!!

Its more of a case that I found the programming more interesting than anything else so didn't try very hard with the things that bored me. More fool me.

 

[elziko]

Just in case anyone is interested I got a multiple choice test with negative marking. It was very hard! Mainly ADO stuff actually but its very different doing it on paper instead of doing it for real. But apparently it doesn't matter wether you've had 1 days or 5 years experience everyone gets the same test. They then compare it with the amount of experience they say you have.

I'll find out in the next couple of days wether I get interview number 2 of a total of 4!

Well anyway, I certainly "talked the talk"

Thanks for all your advice,

elziko

 

[chiph]

Glad you felt the interview went well.

But, what does "Multiple Choice with negative marking" mean?

Is it like where you're penalized for putting down a wrong answer, but not for leaving the question blank?

Chip H.

 

[elziko]

Yeah the most severe case we had, if I remember correctly, was at university where a correct answer equated to +1 and an incorrect answer gave you -4. This was to stop people getting 25% by just guessing (from four possible answers).

Its good for the people who set the test though because no-one answers a question unless they KNOW they know the answer. Its a good way of finding quickly what areas people have studied.

elziko

 

[Snaggs]

Chalk another one up for an Electronics Engineer turned Programmer. LOL Snaggs
tribesaddict@swbell.net
To define recursion, we must first define recursion.

 

[elziko]

According to one of our lecturers (University Of Nottigham, UK) 80% of our electronic engineering graduates become software engineers.

It would seem that one day no-one will know how to make any hardware for us to program on! I suppose that we would then need 80% of IT graduates to become hardware engineers.

elziko