How many of you had to take a technical test during your job interview?

[BooGiMaN]

I just passed by an office where a person was taking a test before his interview...from the experession on his face it didnt look like he was doing good on it at all.

Im talking about a technical tests which tests your skills....calculate voltages, currents, biases.
do an analysis of a transistor circuit, stuff we havent done since school.

personally i hate these tests.

i have been in a interview where 4 engineers sit in front of you and grill you on your knowledge, fourier transform, methods of circuit analysis and such.

granted these companies may have been burnt before with people not telling the truth on their resumes, but these kind of interviews make you wonder what kind of working enviroment they have.

 

[Descartes]

I'm a software developer, so I've taken tests at just about every interview. I've had some ad-hoc coding tests as well: "Write a thread pool class on the white board." I generally enjoy the tests, because you get a chance to show that you really know what you're doing. If they're observing you during the test, I always find it helpful to verbalize your thought process so they can participate in how you think.

[edit]I should note that I no longer take tests; rather, I give them. I've had several potential developers walk out insulted by asking them them to do some ad-hoc coding, take a test, etc.[/edit]

 

[notfred]

Im talking about a technical tests which tests your skills....calculate voltages, currents, biases.
do an analysis of a transistor circuit, stuff we havent done since school.

I'm not an EE major, I've never been tested on that stuff anywhere.

 

[CPA]

I did for Circuit City years ago when I applied for a part-time seasonal position. I must have passed, I got the job. It wasn't all that difficult though.

 

[GasX]

I interviewed for a sales position and had to give a presentation. Does that count?

 

[Yossarian]

Yeah I have had to take a variety of tests as a mechanical engineer. For PTC (Pro/engineer software) I had to do free body diagrams and stuff. For Lutron lighting they tested all kinds of things--roleplaying problem-solving scenarios, logic tests, technical aptitude tests. For a toy company in Dallas I took some long stupid personality test that had bonehead questions such as "what is the highest dollar item you've ever stolen from your employer?"

 

[Electric Amish]

I had to take a Chemistry test for a job I applied for.

 

[maziwanka]

in the interviews ive been on, alot of the interviewers have tested me - sometimes ur rock them sometimes you dont. ive gotten so many pompous asses that ask me questions that i clearly cannot answer - i.e im a math major but i get questions about electricity/mag in physics (never took a class on that, resume clearly states that).

+ronnie

 

[edro]

I had to take a cleavage test for my Hooter's interview... I failed.

 

[BooGiMaN]

Originally posted by: maziwanka
in the interviews ive been on, alot of the interviewers have tested me - sometimes ur rock them sometimes you dont. ive gotten so many pompous asses that ask me questions that i clearly cannot answer - i.e im a math major but i get questions about electricity/mag in physics (never took a class on that, resume clearly states that).

+ronnie

thats exactly what i have thought ...this guy was tryign to impress me by askign and then answerign questions i could not have possible known...damn stupid ass..im here for a job not to be impressed!

 

[radioouman]

I had to take some pretty tough competency tests at interviews. THe company that I'm working at now had one, and when I worked at Proctor and Gamble I had to take one that htey didn't expect you to finish. That was pretty tough.

 

[brtspears2]

Yup. I say the tests are good for the company, helps curb those resume padders.

 

[Cerebus451]

We give a C test to any interviewees that are applying for a position that would have them coding. Not really to test their skills for hiring, but more to assess how much training they might need when we hire them (though you do have to wonder about the guy with 10 years of C experience on his resume that couldn't code "Hello World"). I knew going into the interview knowing I would have to take the test and was a little nervous. They gave me an hour, but 15 minutes later I was wondering where the rest of the test was.