GIS Technician

[pstylesss]

So the city I work for is hiring a GIS Tech. They don't know what the hell he'll be doing. When asked what they want him to do, their response is "We'll, he'll be working on maps." My co-worker and I will be sitting in on the interview and asking him the "technical" questions.

My questions for you guys is what the hell does this person need to know. In the job description they want them to:

Utilize ESRI's ArcView 9.x and CountyView software to perform GIS data conversion. Utilize the information processing capabilities to create custom maps and charts based on both the city's and outside GIS data.

Proficiently use appropriate software (excel, access, etc) to query the city's records management systems (interlocking, and springbrook) and GIS databases to extract specific datasets.

Create a secondary or freestanding databases to enhance the City's analytical capabilities.

I would rather them get someone who is overqualified for the position and have that guy expand the department, then get some guy who knows how to do anything everyone else does.

Thanks

EDIT: speeling

 

[FoBoT]

paging Chaotic42

i think that is his job or something like that

 

[Mxylplyx]

ArcGIS is the leading software suite for computer mapping. If you dont know it, and are therefore unable to verify his knowlege of the technology, I would go to great lengths to verify his qualifications. GIS mapping is pretty damn complicated.

 

[randay]

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx
ArcGIS is the leading software suite for computer mapping. If you dont know it, and are therefore unable to verify his knowlege of the technology, I would go to great lengths to verify his qualifications. GIS mapping is pretty damn complicated.

ditto, good luck with that.

 

[SoulAssassin]

I thought it had something to do with Google Image Search

 

[fisheerman]

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ
So the city I work for is hiring a GIS Tech. They don't know what the hell he'll be doing. When asked what they want him to do, their response is "We'll, he'll be working on maps." My co-worker and I will be sitting in on the interview and asking him the "technical" questions.

My questions for you guys is what the hell does this person need to know. In the job description they want them to:

Utilize ESRI's ArcView 9.x and CountyView software to perform GIS data conversion. Utilize the information processing capabilities to create custom maps and charts based on both the city's and outside GIS data.

Proficiently use appropriate software (excel, access, etc) to query the city's records management systems (interlocking, and springbrook) and GIS databases to extract specific datasets.

Create a secondary or freestanding databases to enhance the City's analytical capabilities.

I would rather them get someone who is overqualified for the position and have that guy expand the department, then get some guy who knows how to do anything everyone else does.

Thanks

EDIT: speeling

The official definition

GIS

but if you want to know what to ask the person.

if he can tell what each of these product are and what they do hire him immediately.ESRI

ARCGIS
ARCIMS
ARCSDE
ARCGIS Server
ARCPAD
ARCExplorer

-fish

 

[timswim78]

Rather than interview, the city should give practical tests to see his/her GIS skills. E.g., start with this database of addresses, geocode them, create thematic maps of median age for each clock group, etc.

The interview should focus on analytical skills, such as, "If we wanted to know x, what data would you use, and what could you tell us?"

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
paging Chaotic42

i think that is his job or something like that

Yay! I'm useful!

ArcGIS is a big suite of software that can be a bear to learn. It has its own "ArcObjects" set of VB classes, according to an ESRI programmer I talked to (ESRI is the company that makes Arc), it's the largest COM project in existence.

I've only been in the industry for about three years, and the stuff I work on is different than what you're dealing with here, it sounds like they'll need to have a basic understanding of ArcGIS, geodatabases, possibly the PLTS toolset for Arc, along with office skills.

If you'll be working with imagery, you'll need someone to process it, including orthorectification. If they'll be using maps that already exist, they'll need to understand the process of georeferencing (giving a geographic information to a static image). You might need elevation data, which can come from a number of sources.

The description sounds a little vague to me, which could be because GIS is still coming of age. Cities and companies know they want it, but they aren't sure exactly how they want it.

If you don't already know Arc, it will be hard to really interview the candidate. It's a hugely complex piece of software. It's also easy to throw around technical terms and sound like you know what you're doing, but really have no concept of how to do it. We get that at work sometimes...

I don't know much about civilian GIS, but I can ask around at work if you want. We've hired some people that have done these things before. They might be able to give you a better idea of what it is that cities really *need* GIS data for, aside from the regular flood maps and property maps.

Edit: I've got to go to work, so I'll type up a little more in depth response when I get home.

 

[Hammerhead]

Ask the key question:
What is metadata?

if he can't answer, don't hire him.

 

[LS20]

GIS Tech for city.. my friend did that.. unless youre hiring into a higher up position, there should be a training program in place for him. the prereq is a geog degree and a few classes working with arcgis

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: LS20
GIS Tech for city.. my friend did that.. unless youre hiring into a higher up position, there should be a training program in place for him. the prereq is a geog degree and a few classes working with arcgis

I don't have a Geography degree, but the people that I know that do and work with me say it has nothing to do with GIS.

 

[pstylesss]

Thanks for all the replies. I passed some of the information on to the department.

Since I'm not familiar with all that he will be doing, what would be some good technical questions to see if he actually knows what he is talking about?

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ
Thanks for all the replies. I passed some of the information on to the department.

Since I'm not familiar with all that he will be doing, what would be some good technical questions to see if he actually knows what he is talking about?

Will you have a computer set up at the interview? Since you're not familiar with GIS, it might be easier for you to have him create a little map for you while you're there. Maybe have a map of your town for him to georeference. Have him set up a geodatabase and create a layer for roads in your town. Then have him extract a few of the roads, filling out the fields that he created. After that, have him setup a little 8.5" x 11" map that he will print out for you. Have him label the roads, maybe create a north arrow or whatever. It might take an hour or so, but you can watch him to see how comfortable he is doing it.

Just a thought.

 

[Axoliien]

I work for the city government in Lexington, KY and we use ESRI ArcGIS. Some of our developers used it before the newest version came out, when ArcView was the main program and you had to do most everything on command line. Now we have the newest upgrade and it is a completely different beast. I've been out of use of the program for about a year now, but we used it for pretty much everything from creating council districts, producing maps for planning commission, floodplains, traffic signals, parcel information, district regulation for properties, and a ton more. If you want I can get you in contact with our GIS guys who are in the shop now and they can probably help you determine the most important skills required to get running with it.

You can see some of the things we've done with ArcGIS on the GIS section of our site http://www.lfucg.com/GIS/

If you want me to get you in touch with our GIS department, send me a PM with your name, business, and number so they will know you are calling and I'll forward you their info.

 

[The Stigenator]

dang.. and here i am dealing with Sanborn maps.. anybody know how to use one properly.

I know ArcView (basic course) but this is far from it..

 

[pstylesss]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ
Thanks for all the replies. I passed some of the information on to the department.

Since I'm not familiar with all that he will be doing, what would be some good technical questions to see if he actually knows what he is talking about?

Will you have a computer set up at the interview? Since you're not familiar with GIS, it might be easier for you to have him create a little map for you while you're there. Maybe have a map of your town for him to georeference. Have him set up a geodatabase and create a layer for roads in your town. Then have him extract a few of the roads, filling out the fields that he created. After that, have him setup a little 8.5" x 11" map that he will print out for you. Have him label the roads, maybe create a north arrow or whatever. It might take an hour or so, but you can watch him to see how comfortable he is doing it.

Just a thought.

I think we're going to have two interview, I'm going to pass this along to HR. Thanks for the tips.

Originally posted by: Axoliien
I work for the city government in Lexington, KY and we use ESRI ArcGIS. Some of our developers used it before the newest version came out, when ArcView was the main program and you had to do most everything on command line. Now we have the newest upgrade and it is a completely different beast. I've been out of use of the program for about a year now, but we used it for pretty much everything from creating council districts, producing maps for planning commission, floodplains, traffic signals, parcel information, district regulation for properties, and a ton more. If you want I can get you in contact with our GIS guys who are in the shop now and they can probably help you determine the most important skills required to get running with it.

You can see some of the things we've done with ArcGIS on the GIS section of our site http://www.lfucg.com/GIS/

If you want me to get you in touch with our GIS department, send me a PM with your name, business, and number so they will know you are calling and I'll forward you their info.

PM sent.

Thank you.

 

[AMCRambler]

I'm working with ArcView right now. Creating new circuit maps for my company. It is very slick stuff. I figured a lot of it out on my own, having a computer science background definitely helped with that. Recently I took a 2 day intro class for it to pick up all the basics I missed just diving into it and only learning to do what I needed. Overall GIS is definitely cool work although it can get tedious when it comes to data conversion. Most times data conversion means digitizing paper maps. Converting from one CAD or another GIS format is a lot easier as most of the work of creating everything in a vector format is done. Digitizing a paper map is basically re-drawing the whole thing by hand.
As far as questions to ask, well one thing they should have an understanding of is datums and projections. A datum is basically the coordinate system used to locate any given point on the earth. If you are familiar with geometry it is essentially the same as the cartisian coordinate system just wrapped around a sphere if you can imagine it, measured in Lattitude and Longitude. A projection is when you take that coordinate system and make it flat so as to make a map. Think about removing the skin from an orange all in one piece. It's curved, but you are going to have to flatten it to represent it's surface on a piece of paper. As a result it will have to be distorted in one way or another to make it flat. That is what a projection is.
Trying to keep it real basic here, but if they can explain that well enough to you, then chances are pretty good they know what they are doing. A degree in geography I'm sure is a huge help there but they will need to be about evenly skilled when it comes to computers too. ArcView will require some basic coding skills to get into some of the more advanced features of it. Hope this helps.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: AMCRambler
A degree in geography I'm sure is a huge help there but they will need to be about evenly skilled when it comes to computers too. ArcView will require some basic coding skills to get into some of the more advanced features of it. Hope this helps.

The degree might be helpful in many places, but everyone tells me that it's not really relevant to using Arc. As for the programming, you're right about that. Some familiarity in VBA or Python will help out a lot.

 

[alkemyst]

My biggest concern would be hiring someone for something noone on the team knows about.

Find out if you have a need first and then talk to your peers and see what they recommend.

Just hiring someone for a percieved need usually ends up costing a lot.

 

[pstylesss]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
My biggest concern would be hiring someone for something noone on the team knows about.

Find out if you have a need first and then talk to your peers and see what they recommend.

Just hiring someone for a percieved need usually ends up costing a lot.

Like cost matters, this is government we're talking about. They know they need a GIS guy, as they need things done with their maps no one knows how to do. The problem is they don't know what they are capable of so they don't really know what to ask them.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ

Originally posted by: alkemyst
My biggest concern would be hiring someone for something noone on the team knows about.

Find out if you have a need first and then talk to your peers and see what they recommend.

Just hiring someone for a percieved need usually ends up costing a lot.

Like cost matters, this is government we're talking about. They know they need a GIS guy, as they need things done with their maps no one knows how to do. The problem is they don't know what they are capable of so they don't really know what to ask them.

WTF?

You should have a budget that needs reconcilation. It's not just a free-reign being 'government'. Also there is usually a hierarchy. Ask above or below.

Are you really involved in this or just posting things you heard through the grapevine at work?

'We need a dude to do stuff to our maps' seems pretty moronic.

 

[pstylesss]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ

Originally posted by: alkemyst
My biggest concern would be hiring someone for something noone on the team knows about.

Find out if you have a need first and then talk to your peers and see what they recommend.

Just hiring someone for a percieved need usually ends up costing a lot.

Like cost matters, this is government we're talking about. They know they need a GIS guy, as they need things done with their maps no one knows how to do. The problem is they don't know what they are capable of so they don't really know what to ask them.

WTF?

You should have a budget that needs reconcilation. It's not just a free-reign being 'government'. Also there is usually a hierarchy. Ask above or below.

Are you really involved in this or just posting things you heard through the grapevine at work?

'We need a dude to do stuff to our maps' seems pretty moronic.

Obviously you do not work in government or know anyone in government. It's a joke. For instance:
- Government worker
- It's only tax dollars

These things are funny to people who get it, those that get it typically work in government or understand how government works. You obviously do not.

Our community development would like a GIS guy to work on their maps, they do not know or understand the full extent of what a GIS guy can do, they do not know all the technical aspects of a GIS Technician.

When I asked them if they would like the GIS guy to to [this] and [this], their response was yes, that would be great, or cool, this would really help.

Its just like when anything new comes out. Why get a new MP3 player when a CD plays music just fine. Why email memos when you can just print them out and hand them to people. Just because they do not understand the technology does not mean they won't use it or don't need it.

 

[alkemyst]

when one is the OP and answering back, most are taking it as a joke.

Buying an iPod is a lot different than hiring / opening an position in a company.

Do you really have anything to do with hiring?

I am thinking this is just something you overheard or thought up.

 

[pstylesss]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
when one is the OP and answering back, most are taking it as a joke.

Buying an iPod is a lot different than hiring / opening an position in a company.

Do you really have anything to do with hiring?

I am thinking this is just something you overheard or thought up.

Think what you want. I am one of the two technical resources on this hire, which is why I am here asking for help.

And I realise that purchasing a product is a lot different than hiring someone, maybe someone else can break down the how the two correlate.

And...

This sentence doesn't make sense to me and it'll bug me until it does. What do you mean?

when one is the OP and answering back, most are taking it as a joke.

 

[imported_Imp]

Reminds me, gotta sign up for two GIS courses to finish off my last year of an engineering program. Hoping it gets me some field (outdoors) work. Can't stand current cubicle enslavement...