Technical tests

I just came back from an interview where I had to take 2 tests, ASP and Java2, and would like to share results:
Java 2: 75% (some work experience with Java 1.1 a few years back, alltogether at most 1.5 years; currently study for SCJP2)
Microsoft ASP: 62% (3+ years of solid work experience, MCP certification, all recent) :roll:

I strongly believe that I am a LOT stronger in ASP than in Java. Which means that no matter how much work experience you've got (unless you are a guru), someone with recent studying can score better?....
Which brings me back to the original idea of "The Bell Curve", that technology-specific tests have very little correlation with how well a person will perform at the job. Yuhooo!!!

I've noticed it's mostly "body shops" (consultants will understand

) that still test people. I guess they don't read much...
So why they still keep giving these tests?

Shura
[ May 07, 2002: Message edited by: Shura Balaganov ]

As most people in the forum have guessed, I'm not a big fan of certification or other such tests. I think the tests are given for two reasons.
1) Very often HR has no clue what they're doing, especially when it comes to technical thngs, so if some vendor comes along and tells them to try this, it works, they often believe it, because they don't know better.
2) Gib's Law: (Peopleware, page 59)
"Anything you need to quantify can be measured in some way that is superior to not measuring at all."
So while I think this is a very coarse, and inaccurate measure, it's at least vaguely, often very vaguely, headed in the general direction.

I agree with you about recent experience. Already my skills in Java are starting to get a little bit fuzzy around the edges ("what was that method name again?"). I'm sure within a week or two of serious coding, they'll be fine. My overall software knowledge and abilities won't atrohpy anywhere nearly as quickly, but since most people don't know how to test those.... I can filter out companies based on those who do :-)
--Mark
[ May 07, 2002: Message edited by: Mark Herschberg ]

Originally posted by Mark Herschberg:
I agree with you about recent experience. Already my skills in Java are starting to get a little bit fuzzy around the edges ("what was that method name again?"). I'm sure within a week or two of serious coding, they'll be fine. My overall software knowledge and abilities won't atrohpy anywhere nearly as quickly, but since most people don't know how to test those.... I can filter out companies based on those who do :-)

I do filter out companies based on this criteria also. In my personal limited experience of interviewing people I found out that you can learn a lot more about the person in a friendly overall technology chit-chat than in any test.
Mark, where can I read Peopleware, is it a book or reports or what? Sounds interesting to me.
Shura

Originally posted by Shura Balaganov:

Mark, where can I read Peopleware, is it a book or reports or what? Sounds interesting to me.

At your local bookstore of course. You can find a review of it, and links to it on Amazon.com here.
--Mark