Slashdot Mirror
Testing IT Professionals On Job Interviews?
An anonymous reader writes "After having my university degrees, a couple of IT certifications, and over ten years of work experience in the industry, with 2-4 years of verifiable employment with each employer, working with a wide range of technologies, is it reasonable to ask me to take some test on a job interview? The same companies don't ask other professionals (lawyer, accountant, sales, HR, etc.) to submit to any kind of in-house tests when they are hired. Why are IT professionals treated differently and in such a paternalistic way? More importantly, why do IT professionals accept being treated less favorably than members of other professions? Should IT professionals start to refuse to be treated as not real professionals?"
ten years in the industry and you have to ask?
Because unlike Accountants, Lawyers, etc we actually have to work for a living...
If we're bad then stuff just doesn't get done. If an accountant is bad they still get $100k a year.
Doctors still have to prove themselves multiple times just to be able to get into the interview. Years and training and testing.
I like to think of us more like Doctors than professional bureaucrats.
As a consultant, I consider myself part of the world's oldest profession. After all:
I charge an extortionate rate
I'll be whatever you want me to be
I spend a lot of time in hotel rooms
I have a pimp that gives me a fraction of what I make and sends me to do things that I really don't want to do
Spelling should be tested too.
I myself did Job interviews with certified whatevers, who applied for a sysadmin position and couldn't tell me what information a notation like "192.168.38.1/24" provides.
I have no idea either, perhaps you mean "192.168.38.0/24"?
What is the difference between an Apple and a Pear?! You have Ten seconds to answer! Go!
May the Maths Be with you!
Thank you, NEXT!
How 'bout we start employing people based on what they claim, not what they can do? Sounds good to me.
No sig today...
You failed the coding test, but you nicely placed blame on others. Please move to the line for management interviews.
"However, I'm sure I'd fail on any Java test or C test."
I thought that, too, but now I'm convinced you'd do okay. I took a test recently for Java (the company insisted, even though Java wasn't on my resume at all, and I relented), and I scored "Master - Can mentor others" even though I've never done anything serious in Java (maybe played around with it a few years ago). For someone who knows C-family languages, the tests are cake. I guess they're only intended to weed out those who truly know nothing at all.
Property law should use #'EQ, not #'EQUAL.
Even worse, he didn't even see if his code would compile (preview) before checking in (submitting) his work. Tisk tisk tisk.
Needless to say, I think she will make a far better lawyer than half the lawyers in the United States.
So you're saying she'll be an average lawyer?
Does that mean... but what about... Does that mean my MCSE isn't worth anything?
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
I would much rather take my PC to a IT guy who cheated, then be represented by the lawyer/Accountant, etc that cheated.
Why? Law and Accounting are probably the two professions where you most want a cheater on your side.
As far as lawyers go, they're kind of hard to avoid ...
I kid, I kid. I know that it's only 99% of the lawyers make the other 1% look bad.
John
Two beers and you're drunk?
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
It's worth something, to someone, but you probably don't want to work for them anyway.
I used to get it, but now what I get isn't it and what's it is weird and scary to me.
So right! The COJ test is so entry level. Hell, my 8 yr old daughter could be a Certified Oracle Joiner.
Anyone worth their salt knows that being certified for Oracle Decodes is where the true talent lies.
Correct. And any test that doesn't accept pseudocode is retarded.
Your ad here. Ask me how!
So wait, you are saying that MCSE and CCNE certifications have no merit? The test facilities are run independently by a recognized organization. Why did we spend all that time and money and study so hard? Have you ever taken one of the test?
I hope you're kidding. Firstly, a CCNA qualifies you to be a tape switcher, a CCNP combined with atleast 4+ years of experience qualifies you to administer a network segment and if you're presenting a CCIE certificate number to me you'd best have 10+ years worth of relevant experience.
(Note that little qualifier word stuck in there; "experience".)
As for an MCSE certs they're not even good as toilet paper due to the rough edges.
You haven't lived until you've spoken to a MCSE cert holder who informs you that they'd like a $100k/year salary to start. Experience? Why yes, I have my MCSE!
Forehead, meet keyboard.
BD Phone Home!
Shameless plug. Like you weren't expecting it.
Sorry, we're a lincoln logs shop.
They don't grade fathers, but if your daughter's a stripper, you fucked up. --Chris Rock
Except that the 3 places that I've worked, there were plenty of people that were given AMAZING references with the hopes that they would be hired somewhere else and finally leave.
HAI
CAN HAS STDIO?
I HAS A NADA ITZ 0
I HAS A VAR
IM IN YR LOOP
UP VAR!!1
I HAS A ANZER ITZ ""
BOTH SAEM MOD OF VAR AN 3 AN NADA, O RLY?
YA RLY ANZER "Fizz"
OIC
BOTH SAEM MOD OF VAR AN 5 AN NADA, O RLY?
YA RLY SMOOSH ANZER AN "Buzz" MKAY
OIC
BOTH SAEM ANZER AN "", O RLY?
YA RLY
VISIBLE VAR
NO WAI
VISIBLE ANZER
OIC
VISIBLE ":)" BTW DAS A NEWLINE
IZ VAR BIGGER THAN 100? KTHXBYE
BTW IMMA SO GUNNA GET HIRED!
IM OUTTA YR LOOP
KTHXBYE