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Pre-interview tests...

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    Pre-interview tests...

    I've been talking to a 'recruitment agency' about a role and all the holes seemed to fit. She then insisted I take a standard 'database' test provided by the end client. I told her, "I don't do low-grade permie tests as these are for employees". The conversation didn't go too well afterwards. She called me very unprofessional and became very aggressive indeed and I refused my 20+ year career to be judged by an irrelevant, 'school boy' test. She ended up hanging up on me

    Any thoughts or suggestions?
    Last edited by oscarose; 12 July 2012, 13:34. Reason: err(x1)
    one day at a time

    #2
    Hmmm, where I understand your principle I am not sure I would do myself out of a role over some tests. I don't think it unreasonable for a client to check I can do what I say, particularly if they have been burned before. We all know they will be neigh on usless but sometimes you have to dance to the pipers tune and all that.
    'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by northernladuk View Post
      Hmmm, where I understand your principle I am not sure I would do myself out of a role over some tests. I don't think it unreasonable for a client to check I can do what I say, particularly if they have been burned before. We all know they will be neigh on usless but sometimes you have to dance to the pipers tune and all that.
      Well, this one's toast.

      I've been burnt on this before, i.e. a 300 mile round trip and an unexpected 1hr test that I walked out of, due to the fact the questions were out of my scope and indeed the scope of the role.

      Last edited by oscarose; 12 July 2012, 13:43. Reason: spelling (x1)
      one day at a time

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        #4
        Your Call

        Indeed, depends on how badly you wanted the role...

        Your Pride = 1

        Get the Gig = 0

        Comment


          #5
          If the rate was right I would do any reasonable test however I find these kind of employers are a pain.

          I suspect it was a 'rate up to' and after weeks of interviews it becomes rate is now down to minimum wage.

          my experience is even after coming in the top of tests I get offered bottom money in these situations.

          may be a lucky escape.
          Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by northernladuk View Post
            Hmmm, where I understand your principle I am not sure I would do myself out of a role over some tests. I don't think it unreasonable for a client to check I can do what I say, particularly if they have been burned before. We all know they will be neigh on usless but sometimes you have to dance to the pipers tune and all that.
            +1

            Lots of fake people out there.

            Some hard to spot, as they were working where they say, but you have to dig deep to find they worked in the call center not as a developer. Look good on paper, people don't want to waste time in an interview to find out they are fake.

            Times have changed.
            Fiscal nomad it's legal.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by oscarose View Post
              Well, this one's toast.

              I've been burnt on this before, i.e. a 300 mile round trip and an unexpected 1hr test that I walked out of, due to the fact the questions were out of my scope and indeed the scope of the role.

              if, as you say you have been burned before.. then surely doing the test and seeing if the role is actually what the agent said it was, before going to the interview on a 300 mile round trip would have been better

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by alreadypacked View Post
                +1

                Lots of fake people out there.

                Some hard to spot, as they were working where they say, but you have to dig deep to find they worked in the call center not as a developer. Look good on paper, people don't want to waste time in an interview to find out they are fake.

                Times have changed.
                More likely some crappy HR procedure that has been introduced recently under the one size fits all approach. I can understand that a client may want to prove you know what you are talking about but traditionally that has been done in the interview. I've only ever been asked to do a test once for a contract in twenty odd years. It was for an Ideal/Datacom role but they had me do a cobol test.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by alreadypacked View Post
                  +1

                  Lots of fake people out there.

                  Some hard to spot, as they were working where they say, but you have to dig deep to find they worked in the call center not as a developer. Look good on paper, people don't want to waste time in an interview to find out they are fake.

                  Times have changed.
                  Not sure about that. A ringer would be busted in their 1st week so a pointless exercise.

                  one day at a time

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I sat one for my current contract, tbh i knew it was going to contain some trip you up type, really obscure, descibe in detail the inner workigns of SQL Server type questions that you're not really going to know unless you wrote the system.

                    Only tricky thing was it prevented you pressing the Ctrl key for a Ctrl+C or right clicking but for any of the questions we weren't sure on we just had a google on a seperate machine.

                    Tbh i knew most of it but there was as predicted some really obscure stuff but tbh none of what they tested me on had anything to do with what i've been doing for them for the past 12 months!

                    As NLUK said this place was doing it as they'd had some tulip contractors in the past so were just trying to do some extra filtering on candidates

                    I guess there would be some reservations if the role was going through a large agency that you may get other work from as if you did fail for whatever reason they may be reluctant to put you forward for other positions if they dont think your up to it based on the result of this test.

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