Computer Test

[Kenny P.]

I'd have them take the A+ or N+ test to test their knowledge.

The last contract I had a Searle/Monsanto they had me take the A+ test - a DOS/Win test none the less. Good thing I remember all of that crap...

Kenny P.

[tempdir]

The interviewer asked me the secretary's name. He explained that was a test for detail.

I always got how would you do this questionss, to test their communication skills and their worthiness.

A bench test shouldn't be necessary for a professional job, If the interviewer is quailfied to give the interview.

The way I have seen it done is 2 interviews first one with a tech and the second with the boss.

hopefully this wasn't off the subject to much.

[Kyr0n]

We make him/her walk through the valley of death, followed by a tour of the pit of doom, and finally, the pit of no return...and if he/she does return, we hire them.

[computron99]

I've never had a hands-on job internview. A cool thing to do is have them some what "shadow" you. This way he/she can be relaxed and see what your doing. The whole time you just ask questions about there back ground (already having read the resume), maybe while your working have them do some basic stuff like add memory or install a modem meanwhile you looking over there shoulder giving advise. In this field, I feel that any newbie during a hands-on interview will be nervous, which is not way to create an opinion. I do alot of face-to-face with customer's this way you can get a feel as to how they will be with customer's. Someone mentioned earlier that the internviewee (sp?) should look-up device drivers without bookmarks. That's a great idea. Hand them a video card (ATI or SiS, something namebrand an easy) and have them download the drivers. Research is half the battle.

[BillTech]

I would say break a PC and make them fix it during the interview.

I think somebody mentioned this already, but it's by far the best way.

Just make sure you watch all aspects of what they do when they fix it. You could even be picky and watch their posture, do they sit up straight? Do they handle the components with care? As mentioned earlier, do they ask for a static bracelet? Do they have a clue what the problem is or are they blindly trying fix's? Do they scurry off to support.microsoft.com? Do they know the techie places on the net like windrivers and driverguide? Can they explain the problem / solution after they've fixed it?

-BillTech

[Cygnus]

My boss put out the parts for a new machine in front of me, said build it, and came back later to check my setup. After that he gave me two machines with two or three obscure things wrong with each and had me fix em. I think that was a good test of my basic skills, even if it was a simple one for me.
The head tech at the time(I have that job now) gave me a bunch of pieces of old 486 machines of different type and had me make as many working units out of them a I could. When I was done I had 8 of em and we donated them to the homeless shelters. While this doesnt have any bering on my ability to handle todays machines it WAS a test of how patient I was and how much crap I could deal with. I didnt have drivers for anything on those old clunkers and the best OS they allowed me to use was win95 OSR1. Thanx to my trusty windrivers it wasnt nearly as much of a pain as it might have been....LOL, does that sound like a commercial?

[Daemon]

[quote]Originally posted by kingtbone:
<strong>

Hell no.

You can either wear a static strap, or put your hand on the case of a computer. If the computer is not grounded, neither way will help. The strap is the equivalent of keeping your hand on the case the whole time.</strong><hr></blockquote>


Thing is isnt a static strap like sole shoes? I mean its a wire to rubber to you?

[SoJo]

I recommed doing a phone screening and then if they pass the screening bring them in for a face to face interview with all the team.

Create a screening sheet for both types of interviews and staple them to the resume, if they mis more that half of the phone screen questions thank them for their time and move on.

If they make it to the face to face interview, I always set the team interview up just to see what the team thinks and how they interact with the team.

I also do a good cop bad cop, I play the touchly feely person and have one of the good tech drill them with non-stop tech questions.

Hope that helps

[jaskeyjk]

2 things...
Touch the case. Nuff said...Never used wrist strapz in all my years and never fried anything...as long as I always touched the case.

Second thing...
I agree with those who say building a PC with a bunch of 486 parts is the best test. When I was interviewed, I was given a box of partz, some proprietary, some not. I was told to make as many PCs as I can and get them up on the network. Only had win95 at that time, but with the 3 motherboards I was given, I made 3 working PCs. Got the job. Nevertheless, I went back to more schooling and had to leave that job...

So, DOES ANYONE WANT TO HIRE A TECH FROM PITTSBURGH, PA??? I NEED WORK BADLY!!!!!
lol

[Friendly PC]

What I would do is give a computer to trouble shoot but before giving him/her the computer switch the voltage on the back of the P.S (ATX) and have him trouble shoot it. This was done to a tech that they were going to hire neatless to say he was not hired.

[kingtbone]

[quote]Originally posted by Daemon:
<strong>
Thing is isnt a static strap like sole shoes? I mean its a wire to rubber to you?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Hmmm, I'm not quite sure what you mean. If I understand what you're saying, I don't think that there is any rubber involved in a static strap. The coating around the little wires that ground you to the case may be made with rubber though. The way it is organized in my brain is that if you walk up to a computer, with only rubber soled shoes, you're not the least bit grounded. In fact, you are the opposite of grounded. Once you touch the case, you will be grounded though. I can't really remember what we're even talking about now though. I just don't really see where the rubber soled shoes came into the equation.

[ScottieM3]

blah blah static blah blah static blah blah static blah... I've been ripping machines apart every day since 10 years ago.. from pc's to servers, routers, hot and off, rack mounts.. the whole 9... play with cpu's and game consoles stripped... I've never ESD'd any peice of hardware..EVER and I've NEVER EVER worn a strap... don't be stupid and you won't fry stuff...


Now I'm jinxed.. I will now ESD every electrical component in my house tonight.. including my toaster

[Gilbertk]

I started servicing computers in March 1979 in IBM ( 1060, 2970, 36xx, and later s32, s34, s36, 327x, 3780, etc) . 8 years later I started working with PC ( xt, 640 k , 30 mb mfm hd, color and later ega monitor and video card ) avays folowing the rule of touching the ground chasis before handling electronic sensitive parts. Do I qualify for a tech job ? yes or no "because I didn't use a wrist band", the wrist band issue may be a extra point, but should not decide the results.
Give the aplicant some parts in your office and see how he handle it, then take him to the lab, give him a dissaembled computer to assemble it.
I have seen a lot of "boys" that did anyhing to get the MSCE , call me later because they didn't had a clue in making a patch cable or conect 2 computers using coax. Don't give them the drivers so the have tho examine the parts and get the right driver from the internet.

[^Natas^]

As for this static strap discussion it's all hipe!.. I have to agree the only place a static strap would be good is in amongst the server racks messing with hot swapable parts! cause to heck with static electricity...regular can be quite the eye opener first!. Even then does anyone in this dissucssion know how much static it actually takes to fry a chip?....Lets just say would would have to wear leather soled shoes with metal clickers and then scuffle your feet across the floor for a hour to build up enough charge to fry a IC... so lets get realistic!

[Sick Willie]

[quote]Originally posted by Daemon:
<strong>

well no what when I took the lame hardware class the book even said you could do that so your telling me the school is wroing and all the hardware I have worked on is bad and will never work? Seems to me you need to go back to electron theory 101 concerning static charge and discharg.

See I knew someone would say somthing like this, but I said it anyways <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

well see if the computer is plugged in the wall is it not grounded????????

</strong><hr></blockquote>

Yes, it is.

[quote]Originally posted by Daemon:
<strong>
If you have rubber souls are you not grounded?
</strong><hr></blockquote>

If you have rubber sole shoes on, you are not grounded. Rubber is an insulator, not a conductor.
[quote]Originally posted by Daemon:
<strong>
try touching a electrical fence with rubber soul shoes you dont get shocked until you touch somthing thats not grounded.
</strong><hr></blockquote>

Actually, you don't get shocked until you touch something that IS grounded.
[quote]Originally posted by Daemon:
<strong>
Me and a friend used to do this with there Dog electrical fence. We would hold on the wire then touch a plant. The plant would tazer us but the wire didnt.
</strong><hr></blockquote>

The plant was grounded.

[quote]Originally posted by Daemon:
<strong>
Ive been working on computers for 15 years with out the straps and I have not had one peice of hardware fail. As long as you are grounded to somthing your fine.
</strong><hr></blockquote>

True.
[quote]Originally posted by Daemon:
<strong>
Or if the device you are working on is grounded you are fine.
</strong><hr></blockquote>

True, again.
You have the right general idea. However, if you wear rubber sole shoes, you are not grounded until you touch something, such as the piece of equipment you are working on. For CPU's, memory and motherboards, I would recommend taking that extra step and making sure, instead of assuming, that you are grounded.