Reply to: Online Test for Interview

[coolhandluke]

The future of contracting. Multiple online and phone interviews, followed by multiple online technical aptitude tests, followed by a mini project to prove your skills, followed by a presentation of said mini project, followed by the offer of £200/day for 3 months inside IR35.

I've had that direct experience more or less for the last four months.

[AndrewK]

Nowadays, it is very common to have tests.
All big IT players do them.
The trend from silicon valley.
If you want, you can practice most of them on leetcode.
For example, FB screening would be 1 medium and 1 easy question in 45 pair programming exercise.

[Harvey Williams]

They are okay

I think it depends on the requirements/duties for the job to determine whether this is a good method to use or not.

[zonkkk]

I got a test from the client through the agent for my previous contract. I was told that they will discuss it with me at the interview.

Interview ended, I was told I got the contract on the spot and no mention about the test. I asked about it, and they said oh yeah sorry do you have it with you, we need it for HR.

I told them I only jotted down discussion points to make sure I don't miss anything important while we talk about it. They said don't worry about it no one will ever look over it.

[jainnode]

I usually just get called and asked if i'm available

[TheDogsNads]

I have a few theories about these tests.

A lot of the time I find they make them difficult so they can tear you to pieces in follow up interviews and then offer you a lower rate, which you should be thankful for.

It also gives the senior permie devs a power trip, and a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy that they are above contractors.

If they really must be done, I wouldn't bother unless it's a client/project I was really game for and they insisted.

Yes, together the test and interview gives them the opportunity to identify any contractor who, shall we say, may be more knowledgable than them and a threat to their authority. At the same time, it enables them to identify those who will be the best 'fit' by taking direction, not be authoritive nor a challenge to their position in the business.

Of course there will always be some interviews and tests that buck the trend where the interviewers really are looking for the best quality candidate.

[ResistanceFighter]

I have a few theories about these tests.

A lot of the time I find they make them difficult so they can tear you to pieces in follow up interviews and then offer you a lower rate, which you should be thankful for.

It also gives the senior permie devs a power trip, and a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy that they are above contractors.

If they really must be done, I wouldn't bother unless it's a client/project I was really game for and they insisted.

[Rearden Metal]

Yep, the people who pass those tests will be crap so working there will also be crap.

Well yes, and that's how I ended up working at Crapita.

Personally I won't do them if it's goong to be a mini project and take up hours of my time.

[GigiBronz]

I would make sure to schedule a phone call before solving the test(if you have not already done that).
Gives the opportunity to learn a bit about the role, see if they are actually looking for someone or not just benchmarking people.

I do not consider myself a very good dev but had probably at least 2 interviews recently where I did the assessments. Did fairly well, had the follow up call everything went well up untill the end where:”they decided to go with someone more suitable for the role”.
I tend to be too honest sometime and rub the people the wrong way but contracting background is definetly a put off and showing that you are manageble and can integrate is a must.
I am just tired of this crap...

[perplexed]

Yup, agreed. I had a test this morning - they sent me a word doc and I had to answer all the questions within 1 hour and email it back to them. They didnt even tell me anything about the test beforehand - just that it was a "competency test". Never seen such tripe in my life.

Anyway, I did the test of course and smashed it (of course).

1) Who times it? Send email - may not be received immediately, may be away for a while with other commitments.
2) What's to stop you googling answers?

The warning sign would be that the client are congenital ****wits unable to interview... same with those online tests too.

Certainly in the dev world, most devs can spot a bs artist within minutes.

[sira]

I remember when this was a rare thing. An agent asked me to take one in order to be put through. I said "and if I decline?" and was told the agency wouldn't put me forward. I said "fine" and that was the end of that.

Of course this was in the glory days when you could be choosy and something would turn up the next week...

Now I would take the test. Worst case you get better at tests.

Yup, agreed. I had a test this morning - they sent me a word doc and I had to answer all the questions within 1 hour and email it back to them. They didnt even tell me anything about the test beforehand - just that it was a "competency test". Never seen such tripe in my life.

Anyway, I did the test of course and smashed it (of course).

[DimPrawn]

I stick to my guns on the issue of taking tests. They mean nothing. A friend passed Java certification years ago - took 2 weeks off, memorised everything, flew through the certification test. By his own admission, wasn't a good developer at that point because developing is far, far more than remembering syntactical minutae you rarely if ever use...

When asked to take a test, my stock response is that I've a fairly well stocked Github account, plenty of repositories there for my ability and talents to be assessed in a far batter manner than a crass test.

Totally agree with you. Just now it's not the sort of market where you can be choosy. If things ever go back to normal you can re-instate your "no test policy"

[perplexed]

I remember when this was a rare thing. An agent asked me to take one in order to be put through. I said "and if I decline?" and was told the agency wouldn't put me forward. I said "fine" and that was the end of that.

Of course this was in the glory days when you could be choosy and something would turn up the next week...

Now I would take the test. Worst case you get better at tests.

I stick to my guns on the issue of taking tests. They mean nothing. A friend passed Java certification years ago - took 2 weeks off, memorised everything, flew through the certification test. By his own admission, wasn't a good developer at that point because developing is far, far more than remembering syntactical minutae you rarely if ever use...

When asked to take a test, my stock response is that I've a fairly well stocked Github account, plenty of repositories there for my ability and talents to be assessed in a far batter manner than a crass test.

[DimPrawn]

3 companies have asked me to do tests recently. Pre-covid, no company had asked me to do a test.

Really sad times. And total waste of time.

I guess they use it to filter out the hundreds of applications..

I remember when this was a rare thing. An agent asked me to take one in order to be put through. I said "and if I decline?" and was told the agency wouldn't put me forward. I said "fine" and that was the end of that.

Of course this was in the glory days when you could be choosy and something would turn up the next week...

Now I would take the test. Worst case you get better at tests.

[sira]

3 companies have asked me to do tests recently. Pre-covid, no company had asked me to do a test.

Really sad times. And total waste of time.

I guess they use it to filter out the hundreds of applications..