Human resources has probably put the kibosh on soldering tests.  They say
that all candidates must have exactly the same test, and the results must be
quantfiable.  They hire the candidate with the highest score on a
quantifiable list of objectives.  I suppose I could put together such a
test, but they lean toward written tests, if possible, with discrete
answers, no essays please. They discourage tests in the lab.

In general they don't do tests at all, they simply have two interviewers
score the candidate on several defineable qualities, such as knowledge of
the job duties, relevant experience, and so on. One interviewer is from the
department hiring, the other is from HR.

--Lawrence

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lawrence Lile" <llile@TOASTMASTER.COM>
To: <PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2002 9:43 AM
Subject: Re: [OT]: Job Interviews


> There are several great suggestions for tests!  The job I am posting is
for
> an intern, with at least two years toward an engineering degree.
Basically
> this is a guy who has passed a few basic math courses, Physics courses,
and
> hopefully is awake enough to have taught himself to solder.  Any practical
> skill I test will probably test his/her own initiative rather than
training
> in any school.  I am mostly looking for an extra set of hands with a
> minimally funcitoning but awake brain attached.
>
> So tell me, what test could you have passed when you were 19 years old or
> 2nd year in a university program?  Here's what I could have done:
>
> Solder through-hole components
> Design and construct a basic unregulated power supply
> Repair CB radios, Audio equipment and TV's
> Design and construct a basic Op Amp circuit with '741's
> Read the resistor color code with the old style consistent colors
> Use an analog oscilloscope, analog multimeter (digital wasn't common yet!)
>
>
> So I am thinking about tests like this:
>
> Stuff and solder a simple PC board
> Read the color code on some resistors and use a DVM to check the answer
> Read some C code that implements a basic counter and tell me what it does.
> Take a pre-drawn but unrouted simple schematic and route it.
>
> I am usually not fond of "trick" questions, unlike some of the question
> posers here.  I lean more toward straightforward tests with
straightforward
> answers.
>
> --Lawrence
>
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