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They would have used a calculator to do the job anyway, so why did you bother with this ridiculousness??
And people wonder why I believe in treating the corporation the way they treat YOU.
It's stupid crap like the above.
You know what's "stupid"? Not realizing that the ability to answer simple math or logic questions will separate you from the herd and make it easier to find a job if you have 1/4 of a brain.
Or maybe that's not what is "stupid" if you keep having problems with these...
You know what's "stupid"? Not realizing that the ability to answer simple math or logic questions will separate you from the herd and make it easier to find a job if you have 1/4 of a brain.
Or maybe that's not what is "stupid" if you keep having problems with these...
The test was stupid. You put someone in a situation that would differ from the job. It's hell for me to do math in my head, but give me a calculator or pen and paper and I'm good to go.
No, it's not different from the job. When you have to run a performance review and a question is posed, if you have to break out your calculator, you might as well break out your suitcase.
I never played "games" but I had two requests. First was to include a cover letter. Those resumes that didn't have a cover letter (which does not consist of a single sentence that says "Here is my resume in response to your ad.") were scrapped. Second was to attach the resume as a Word .doc or .pdf. Those who attached some weird format weren't even reviewed.
I don't think that either of those is unreasonable, but they sure helped me sort through a few hundred responses and toss 80% of them quickly.
No, it's not different from the job. When you have to run a performance review and a question is posed, if you have to break out your calculator, you might as well break out your suitcase.
I'm talking about that time stuff. Answer this in 5 seconds! Wth?
The test was very simple: "What is a 60% of $3? Please put the answer in the subject line of your email." This basically was what the test involved, except that the numbers had pennies, and since you couldn't do this in your head, you could use a calculator.
The results were disturbing to say the least.
That is math a 12 year old can do. I can't believe so many people got it wrong. Such a shame. That is nothing compared to an interview question like "There are 100 people in separate rooms. They can talk as much as they want until they begin. Once they begin, they are called one at a time, in no particular order, into another room. In this room there is only a light switch that turns on and off a lightbulb. No one can see the lightbulb unless they are in the room, and the only thing you can do in the room is check the lightbulb, turn it on, or turn it off. How do the people know when all 100 have been called? You can be called more than once before everyone else has gone once." (I randomly searched for it online)
...
Or anything LSAT/GMAT esque
I'm talking about that time stuff. Answer this in 5 seconds! Wth?
Thats roughly what you'll have under pressure in the real world (i.e. during the performance reviews I was discussing above) and it's just about the only aspect of the job that I can't train - you either have it or you don't. In many of the jobs I hire for, you need to have it. I absolutely need to see how you'll act under pressure, and that's a very simple way to determine this. That's precisely what the hell I'm talking about.
I don't write cover letters recruiter say they are a waste and so do hiring managers. I have never had a test like that high tech outside sales job don't care about basic math can you sell or not.
Can't believe so many people are upset that I asked people to multiply 6 x 3.
That was the entire point. If people couldn't successfully do this basic multiplication successfully, then there is little I could do to help them. The applicants were not under any time pressure at all. They were responding to a job ad. If they were not sure, they could open up the calculator that is built into their computer and do the multiplication. I would have no way of knowing. Hell, they could have went to a forum, called their friend, whatever, to get the correct answer. Under this circumstance, it was disturbing that so many got the answer way way wrong. Surely, you wouldn't want someone to come in and take a test that said .6 x 3 = 24.74, would you? These calculations were critical to doing the job correctly. These calculations are critical to quoting correct prices, maintaining company profit, and keeping customers happy, and protecting your commission.
Every single person that worked at the company had to know how to do the following to do the job:
-- Be able to multiply out appropriate boxed items. You couldn't sell partial boxes and some of them were funky sizes.
-- Tell the customer the correct price. The list price was not the price offered to the customers, thus you had to be able to use a calculator and say the correct price.
-- Some customers, as may have guessed, would like to have multiple items that are different prices, different boxes, etc.
-- Estimate shipping time and prices.
Considering all of the above, wouldn't you want to be sure people know what they are doing? Would you want a total math moron working for your company? This isn't Radio Shack.
The test for the job was a little bit more difficult than multiplying 3 x 6 but it was all basic arithmetic and you generally had 30 minutes to complete one page of questions. If someone couldn't get that right, they couldn't pass the test, which is why, despite many people successfully multiplying 3 x 6, failed to pass the test. The strangely high fail-rate nearly guaranteed you'd get a job if you passed. As I said, it used to take months to hire a new person. When I did that, it took a week at the most.
My husband is involved in hiring senior-level computer engineers. They ALWAYS ask interview questions that involve simple math, and lots fail. They figure that if the person can't figure out the surface area of a cube, there's no way they can program effectively when real-time problems when the pressure's on.
They also ask the person to code right in front of them. Lots of "educated" computer programers can't actually program very well; they need to be screened out immediately before wasting interview time. Hubby is convinced that many universities are handing out degrees to people who couldn't find their elbows with a map.
If you're ever bored, search for "fizz buzz". The stories and claims are astounding if they are true, but considering the ubiquity, I guess they are.
Surely that light bulb one or questions about moving Mt. Fuji are all overkill for the purpose, though those stories are entertaining as well.
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