We know what good looks like
Test This
I spoke with one of my previous employees last week who had attended an interview.
The manager of the company in question put a pencil on the table and said “Test That”. Stewart played along and said “where is the Spec”, what is it? what is it’s function.
Now Stewart is no dummy he knew it was a trick question and infact when he told me of the interview we both laughed for about 5-10 minutes saying we need to get some pencils made up with the words Test That along the side of them for conferences etc. Needless to say he did not accept the job offer and he classed it as a bad interview. Managers must know that such a basic and 1970′s type question is not going to catch anyone out. Infact its only going to make you and your company look dated. We’ve all heard that question many many times before and it doesn’t get any funnier or more interesting.
My point is that a job interview is a two way process. Yes I’m looking for the right candidate, someone who I think will be an asset not only to my testing team but also to the company as a whole. A person who will come on board and give their experience gained in other workplaces willingly, and one who also will be willing to learn a thing or two from the staff members whom are already on the team. (Personal Development is a great thing).
I also know however that its not only me wanting them that counts but its also them wanting us. This brings me full circle to the post title “We Know What Good Looks Like”. Those were the words used by a previous manger of mine in an interview with me, This statement made me think that things there were not perfect, however they wanted to change and that if I worked hard I could help them affect this change.
I was infused and accepted the job offer. If that same manager had put a pencil in front of me and said “Test That” I would have just gone through the motions of “what’s its purpose – is there a spec for the pencil”. Playing along with the game. Lets excite people when they walk through our door and not play games.
What does the “Test That pencil” tell me about a candidate?. It tells me that they have been around the testing circuit.
Why not ask them “Give an example of when would you would have a high priority and low severity defect”. This tells me they know about prioritisation. You’ll be surprised how many people stall on that one.
One of my favourite questions is scenario based and I slip it in after about 10 test based questions. “Pretend your the manager in a Supermarket and there is a power cut what do you do?”
The great thing about this one is that there is no right or wrong answer. However what I learn from it is the candidates ability to prioritise and also a little something about their skills of thinking on their feet, One thing I’ve noticed that people with management experience almost always go the health and safety route. And testers with no prior management experience attempt to save all the food. What about the tills? can we still take cash, what about the freezer items and those which are perishable. How much light do we have in the store etc.
Like I said there is no wrong or right answer but it has to be a better question than Test That. If you do use the Supermarket with the power cut then please let me know the types of responses you receive, I’ve had some great ones that have really opened my eyes to candidates lateral thinking.
one of the best posts I’ve seen recently was this one by a company which states “We make shitty software with bugs”
“We’ll make it less shitty. Just watch!”
Yes I laughed but I thought these are guys who know what there are talking about.
So lets be honest with our candidates when they come in for interviews and tell them that even though we may not be the best company in the world we are trying to get there and are putting in place processes and procedures to make it happen.