Brainbench technical assessment

**BrilloPad** · 8 April 2009, 12:43

Originally posted by MisterT View Post

Few days ago, I was asked to take an online brainbench technical test. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to get over the limit for the client to consider my application (wasn't prepared, did not know what to expect, etc...) but then I wonder how much trust can be placed in an online assessment knowing that one can easily get help from books or even google the answers.

Do clients really rely on this?

Unbelievably yes. Barclays used to be very big on it.

A friend applied there : he was extremely good. Got 100% on brainbench. They grilled him for an hour until they found something obscure in Java he did not know. And on that basis he did not get the gig!

**NetwkSupport** · 8 April 2009, 12:49

Unbelievably yes. Barclays used to be very big on it.

A friend applied there : he was extremely good. Got 100% on brainbench. They grilled him for an hour until they found something obscure in Java he did not know. And on that basis he did not get the gig!

I got 71% on the barclays test...if your mate got 100% sounds like the interviewer just took a personal dislike to him or didnt think he'd be a good fit and made an excuse...

**suityou01** · 8 April 2009, 13:04

Originally posted by MisterT View Post

Few days ago, I was asked to take an online brainbench technical test. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to get over the limit for the client to consider my application (wasn't prepared, did not know what to expect, etc...) but then I wonder how much trust can be placed in an online assessment knowing that one can easily get help from books or even google the answers.

Do clients really rely on this?

These tests are timed. At 3 minutes per question, unless you know exactly what you are looking for and where to go for it how much can you cheat?

**DimPrawn** · 8 April 2009, 13:06

I did the C# assessment cold and got about 85%. Those tests are so easy, if you can't pass them you really shouldn't have it on your CV. Really basic beginners stuff.

**Zippy** · 8 April 2009, 13:07

Originally posted by suityou01 View Post

These tests are timed. At 3 minutes per question, unless you know exactly what you are looking for and where to go for it how much can you cheat?

Enough

Quite difficult tests and the worst bit is watching that timer count down ....

**minestrone** · 8 April 2009, 13:14

Many of them are complete mince, example code with forward for loops inside backwards for loops then "what is the value of int i when the code completes?"

I'm not surprised many places that use them have such crap code when they use these tests to detemine the quality of a coder.

**DimPrawn** · 8 April 2009, 13:21

Originally posted by minestrone View Post

Many of them are complete mince, example code with forward for loops inside backwards for loops then "what is the value of int i when the code completes?"

I'm not surprised many places that use them have such crap code when they use these tests to detemine the quality of a coder.

If you can't unravel someone elses "obscured" code, you aren't much use to many clients.

**minestrone** · 8 April 2009, 13:34

Originally posted by DimPrawn View Post

If you can't unravel someone elses "obscured" code, you aren't much use to many clients.

If I really wanted to find out what 'int i' was I would turn on the debugger or print it out to the console.

Far better skill is to be able look at a large chunk of code and quickly work out what all the modules do. You cannot test for that in a multiple choice test.

**DimPrawn** · 8 April 2009, 13:47

Originally posted by minestrone View Post

If I really wanted to find out what 'int i' was I would turn on the debugger or print it out to the console.

Far better skill is to be able look at a large chunk of code and quickly work out what all the modules do. You cannot test for that in a multiple choice test.

You're missing the point. The debugger says 5, but do you know why the code produces 5 and not 10?

The online assessment is showing you understand such things as inheritance, scoping of variables, member hiding and the difference between value and reference types. If you can look at the code and quickly see all this, you know your stuff.

I'm sorry I'm with the clients on this one. Anyone who can't hit the top scores on these assessments is not up to scratch as a coder.

Brainbench technical assessment