> > I dunno Ken - I always make 'An Introduction to Database Systems' by C.J. Date required reading for any new hire.
> >
> > If they can't answer my questions about the contents of the book, after some time, they aren't in my shop.
> >
> > Regards [Bill]
>
> If a potentional employer would want me to do a test as part of the selection process, I would leave immediately.
> --
> Eric den Doop
> www.foxite.com - The Home Of The Visual FoxPro Experts


Heya Eric -

I think it's a bit confusing.
'The Book' doesn't come into play until after we hire a new programmer.
We hire a developer, give him the book, and then after a month of work and supposed self-study, we ask questions from the material covered in the book.
If a developer can't answer 80 percent of the questions we ask, then they have failed their trial period with us. We then let them go. They KNOW about the trial period even prior to the job offer being made.

Also -
During the candidate selection process, there are LOTS of questions that we ask. In addition- we even set up a remote interview session on a computer, with the developer on the phone, and have em design 'a thing' that would probably take you less than 10 minutes to do, from start to finish, in VFP.

I've used this type of testing for the last 6 years, all over, as an employee, as a liason to HR, as a senior partner, as the CIO.
It works. I'm not changing it for employees. OTOH, we've engaged consultants ALL THE TIME without making the testing process part of the 'Process'. But then, I know the consultants prior to engagement, always, and the quality of their work prior, always.

Perhaps you have some difference between 'potential employer' and 'new client' ? I know I do. I haven't 'worked' as an employee in quite some time, I hope you're in the same boat as at least a consultant, if not one of the Senior Partners?

Regards [Bill]


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William Sanders / Electronic Filing Group