Technical Tests - before cv submission

[Turion]

I would never do a tech test now, even at interview. I'm pretty much a subject expert now, but even in my junior days this was virtually unheard of for contracts. Seems to me that for junior roles, contracting is not worth the hassle for the rates on offer.

[jmo21]

I love how people scoff and say "try getting your plumber/spark to do that" etc

£200 for an hours work (or whatever), or £60,000 for a 6 month contract

Might be less per hour, but the outlay overall is vastly different. Yes, they can get rid of you, but it still wastes time and money

Also, the person setting the test would usually know plenty about what they are testing. The average person wouldn't know what to ask a plumber/electrician.

The DailyWTF reference is spot on too......there are plenty of people in IT who are utterly hopeless and can bluff their way way through easy interviews. A technical test can easily weed out the chaff.

Happened to me last year, 5 minutes into a phone interview, and it was clear that I didn't have the particular experience they were looking for (I barely had heard of what he was asking about) - they thanked me for my time and that was that. Saved a half day of my time, ironing a shirt, travelling to a face to face etc

[chicane]

There are LOADS of contractors out there who have been doing it for years and still suck. They rely on companies assuming they are skilled due to how much experience they have.

WHS - experience isn't any indication of delivery capability. I know junior permies in my field on 20k that are better than contractors with 8 years under their belt.

Does that include big contractors (Logica, EDS etc.) or just small ones?

No need to be silly - we know the discussion is about one man bands.

Since unwittingly (as newbie type) giving a "potential client Co" all the information they needed to do the work without me, I'm now very, very careful what I do without payment.

Fair point - I've only once been asked to perform a technical test and it was clear that there would be no benefit to the client from me taking it. I'd run a mile if I perceived any potential benefit to the client.

If clients don't try to exploit the situation commercially, technical tests are an ideal way to filter out the cowboys from the genuine professionals. Again, 9 out of 10 candidates at current ClientCo don't come up to scratch in the technical test - and this isn't a particularly challenging test either.

[Fred Bloggs]

Since unwittingly (as newbie type) giving a "potential client Co" all the information they needed to do the work without me, I'm now very, very careful what I do without payment. If a conversation seems to be heading in that kind of direction now, I openly declare "you need to pay for that kind of information". It hasn't prevented me winning work either, so far.

[darmstadt]

Read through the older articles on TheDailyWTF.com and see the beef they have about "Highly Paid Contractors" coming in, writing terrible code, and leaving with a wad of cash.

I resemble that remark

Actually have never done a test and never will. I'd just like to see them try;

"okay Mr. Darmstadt please could you install z/OS and apply the latest RSU."

"Get your own bloody sysprogs to do it, or aren't they good enough?. If they're not up to scratch then you can hire me. As it is, I don't have a couple of weeks to faff about doing your work for free!"

[BolshieBastard]

Nope, never ever agree to a technical test until after you've had the interview never mind cv submission.

Myself I'd never agree to being put forward for any role that requires such nonsense.

Do these people ask their plumbers and electricians to take a test before they let them loose on the rest of their infrastructure? Nope, thought not!

[BrowneIssue]

after a standard fishing call I was asked if I would like to take a technical test.

I'm not sure I can see the point.

It's the agent's child's homework, silly.

[TheRefactornator]

If it's of the usual online technical test flavour e.g. ProveIT / IKM then they are relatively easy to pass with high marks. It also helps your score if you can Google like the wind .

If on the other hand it's one of those hypothetical scenario tests requested by the client where they get to write some code to solve a specific problem, then I can actually see the point of these because it gives a potential client a good gauge on your thinking process / analysis / ability to solve problems and your code structure, quality and clarity.

Personally I've done a fair few and don't have a problem with them and I've been a software developer for +12 years. I don't consider tests and requests for technical scoring an insult; that said I'm not the arrogant type.

[d000hg]

Try giving your plumber/electrician/BT engineer a test and see how he responds

And think how many rogue cowboy electricians there are with no qualifications and not much more skill, putting your life at risk...

[d000hg]

Plus would be bad for contractors if we allowed this to become the norm, imaging having to take a test for every agency that you send your CV to?

But then there would probably be far less applicants for each contract.

But then again i hate tests anyway

Maybe because with multiple years (in my case over a decade) of commercial experience under our belts it's rather insulting? I could understand them for newbies or if role was based around a new tech, but for things we have been doing for years?

There are LOADS of contractors out there who have been doing it for years and still suck. They rely on companies assuming they are skilled due to how much experience they have. Read through the older articles on TheDailyWTF.com and see the beef they have about "Highly Paid Contractors" coming in, writing terrible code, and leaving with a wad of cash.

[thunderlizard]

Current ClientCo requests that all candidates (both contract and permie) take a technical test to accompany their interview

Does that include big contractors (Logica, EDS etc.) or just small ones?

[Not So Wise]

Sounds like an agency using a bog standard test rather than tailored client test.

If was me would tell them to shove it. Just like the various certifications out there it would prove nothing beyond fact you can pass tests

Plus would be bad for contractors if we allowed this to become the norm, imaging having to take a test for every agency that you send your CV to?

But then again i hate tests anyway

Some contractors seem to take extreme offence at being asked to take any kind of technical test - I have no idea why.

Maybe because with multiple years (in my case over a decade) of commercial experience under our belts it's rather insulting? I could understand them for newbies or if role was based around a new tech, but for things we have been doing for years?

Only thing these tests generally demonstrate is clients ignorance or fact they totally controlled by clueless HR jobsworths


Try giving your plumber/electrician/BT engineer a test and see how he responds

[chicane]

Anyone done one of these? I'm not sure I can see the point, though I might do one just to remind myself of the sort of questions I might get asked.

Some contractors seem to take extreme offence at being asked to take any kind of technical test - I have no idea why. Current ClientCo requests that all candidates (both contract and permie) take a technical test to accompany their interview - at the last count approximately 9 of 10 people weren't up to the expected technical standard.

If you're confident in your skills and experience, you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain by performing a technical test - assuming that it's not one of those idiotic ones that tests your ability to remember some obscure config setting you might use once a year.

I say go for it - it'll just put your CV closer to the top of the pile next time the pimp is searching for appropriately skilled candidates.

[BlueElise]

so, after a standard fishing call (I'm learning, nothing given away this time), I was asked if I would like to take a technical test - supposedly helps sell me to a client if I do well.

Now I know that some clients want these done before offering a role, or sometimes even before granting an interview, but before even submitting a cv?

Anyone done one of these? I'm not sure I can see the point, though I might do one just to remind myself of the sort of questions I might get asked.