BSkyB, agent wants me to do a "problem solving" test BEFORE any interview

[Lolas Cat]

Correct on all the above, especially the bit I emboldened.

...

In the intervening years, the only people I've come across with these certs are The Bobs. All 1 million of them. And the less said about their programming, design and architecture skills the better. I've really come to loath the whole "test" and "certification" bandwagon. It's simply for the Bobs and bone-idle recruiters, nothing more. Other's are free to disagree (but you're still wrong. )

1 million is an understatement. I wish there was only 1 million...

[d000hg]

The results would be the following, the best candidates would pull out, because of the test, the top 5 with the highest score would be the ones who cheated, so you would end up with a dishonest dev that may or may not be any good.

The best candidates wouldn't get hugely well-paying jobs with Google or leading tech companies then, who pay top-dollar for the best people.

Just because you consider yourself in "the best" and you won't take a test, doesn't mean all good people will. I can keep saying that it's not about learn-by-rote tests, but the facts would seem to spoil your fun. You go on turning gigs down if you have that luxury, I'll go on thinking you're wrong. We're both in work, we're both happy.

[kandr]

The best candidates wouldn't get hugely well-paying jobs with Google or leading tech companies then, who pay top-dollar for the best people.

Just because you consider yourself in "the best" and you won't take a test, doesn't mean all good people will. I can keep saying that it's not about learn-by-rote tests, but the facts would seem to spoil your fun. You go on turning gigs down if you have that luxury, I'll go on thinking you're wrong. We're both in work, we're both happy.

Ok, maybe not good develop would pull out, but overall I think its not the way developers work day to day. I think asking a few techie questions like "Of all the new features on .NET 4 what do you find most useful?" would be better.

I know Google etc have tests for permies, not sure about contractors.

[BlasterBates]

Why would an agent lie about a problem solving test?, what exactly would be the benefit for an agent, who presumably would have to actually make the test up.

[doodab]

I love tests. They are a cast iron chance to prove in a measurable way that I am better than the rest of the people being interviewed. I would much rather sit a hardcore two hour coding test than be forced to waffle about **** all for fifteen minutes. I guess that's because I actually enjoy writing code

On the other side, I've interviewed for coders before, and used a brainbench test to weed out the hopeless (I sat it myself to make sure it was suitable). We had one guy who had a Comp Sci degree and was just finishing his PhD, he scored 4%. You would have expected 25% if he had just guessed every answer!

[kandr]

I love tests. They are a cast iron chance to prove in a measurable way that I am better than the rest of the people being interviewed. I would much rather sit a hardcore two hour coding test than be forced to waffle about **** all for fifteen minutes. I guess that's because I have aspergers syndrome

FTFY

[d000hg]

FTFY

You say that like it's a bad quality in a programmer.

[kandr]

You say that like it's a bad quality in a programmer.

Asbergers? Not for a programmer maybe, but a contractor who has to converse with other humans, it is.

[doodab]

Asbergers? Not for a programmer maybe, but a contractor who has to converse with other humans, it is.

I find it interesting that you interpret a preference for doing something one is good at and enjoys as a sign of mental illness.

[kandr]

I find it interesting that you interpret a preference for doing something one is good at and enjoys as a sign of mental illness.

I don't, but the fact someone will be willing to sit an 2 hour programming test, instead of talking to someone for 15 mins, is a clear sign.