Skills test for job applicant

[gnubler]

We're bringing a second body into prepress and I suggested to the bosses that we give applicants a skills test on their second interview. I know every shop is different, but in general what sort of things should I put together?

If anyone here has put together a skills test, what did you include?

Thx.  :kiss:

[Sabrina The Turd Polisher]

Make sure they can read a ruler! And know there are other measurement systems besides inches.
We also give a spelling test.

[Joe]

If color is critical where you are at a color test should be included.

If you need them to design, give them an hour to come up with something in PageMaker Quark Publisher PAP InDesign.

Come up with a glossary of terms used in printing and see if they know what they mean like bleed, creep, trim, PDF, postscript, RIP, etc...

[Ear]

I'm thinking a tolerance test might be better than a "skill" test. See if they can get to level 10 on Tetris while you sir across the room with an airhorn and a dart gun, trying to distract/annoy them.

[t-pat]

We're bringing a second body into prepress...

great, that'll stink up the place even worse. The first one is all maggoty and we don't know where to put it as it is.

[gnubler]

I'm thinking a tolerance test might be better than a "skill" test.

If they can tolerate being around me for more than one hour they should be hired on the spot.

[gnubler]

We're bringing a second body into prepress...

great, that'll stink up the place even worse. The first one is all maggoty and we don't know where to put it as it is.

I used lime & vinegar on the first one and it worked quite well. It's natural.

[t-pat]

We're bringing a second body into prepress...

great, that'll stink up the place even worse. The first one is all maggoty and we don't know where to put it as it is.

I used lime & vinegar on the first one and it worked quite well. It's natural.

did it make it taste like salt and sour chips? mmmmm!

[gnubler]

I was thinking about being really sadistic and pulling up the worst Publisher job we've had and having the applicant prep it.

Is that wrong?  :laugh:

[andyfest]

We devised a folding carton file that embodies most of the problems we run into on a daily basis. The applicant is then asked to diagnose any issues and trap the file manually. If they can get thru that we know they have enough experience to survive.

[G_Town]

We're bringing a second body into prepress and I suggested to the bosses that we give applicants a skills test on their second interview. I know every shop is different, but in general what sort of things should I put together?

If anyone here has put together a skills test, what did you include?

Thx.  :kiss:

I have set up tests in the past, I have found them very helpful it weeding out the bullshitters.

Nothing to fancy, place an image and crop into a box, set copy and fill with a blend, open placed file and make a curves layer adjustment, trap all elements .002.


I find people either know what they are doing or are lying their asses off, had one girl on the crop image into a box part place the image then draw 4 white boxes around the image to crop it...she didn't get the job.

[Skryber]

Gnub, is your shop all digital or do you have offset there too?

[gnubler]

What we want is someone with a functioning brain who isn't strung out on crack. Willing to train the right person as long as they can do it in Adobe.

Bossman said most of the resumes we've gotten in so far have seemed "arrogant" and "demanding". You'd think in this market people would be thrilled over the opportunity.

[gnubler]

Gnub, is your shop all digital or do you have offset there too?

We have offset, digital & wide format.

[Farabomb]

You guys have any mental hospitals or DD wards around? Seems I need some training and as long as the woman can find a job....

Trap a job manually? I understand the concept but besides adjusting for metallics I've never had to trap a file by hand.