Didn't get the job! Feeling pretty dumb.

So, this is a bit of a rant I suppose, but I'm frustrated.

I applied for a Network Administrator position with a small company right near where I live. I passed the initial IQ test they had to filter out dummies, then had a normal interview with the HR department. They said that they liked me and the next week I had another, much more technical, interview. This went well too so I was feeling very good about it. They called me Monday and said they'd love for me to come in and talk about Salary requirements, availability, etc. I arrived at the job and was immediately given ANOTHER test. This one was MUCH more difficult. 39 questions in 15 minutes and not technical at all. These were questions that didn't seem to all have correct answers. They would show me the same shape rotated different ways and say, "Which one is different?". 15 minutes later, I was feeling pretty stupid.

**Also, here is one question, does anyone know what the answer is: unscramble this word AEIRSP and select which category it falls under: Fruit, Vegetable, Machinery.

After the test, the lady came in and said I didn't pass so I couldn't move forward and talk about the salary requirements. I know I'm probably just bummed that I didn't get the job, but I am more mad because I had to take off of work 3 times for this company, only to fail a ridiculous test that has nothing to do with the position.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? What would that test tell them?

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j23evan

Sounds like the Wonderlic test. Its problem solving/creative reasoning. The fact that it was a small company making you jump through so many hoops seems silly and a waste of everyone's time. I understand a technical test to see if you have the knowledge for their environment, and I get a personality test to see how you mesh with their team. But an IQ test? O.o

It might be sour grapes, but I don't think I would want to work there because of all the unimportant BS screening they put you through.

And the only thing I can make out of that word is praise. Which I guess would make me a fruit.

Dieg0M

They usually go through these many hoops when they have several applicants qualified for the position. It sucks to have to go through so many interview process and get rejected. The job I have right now I had to go through 2 HR interviews and 3 technical phone interviews. The job market will turn around eventually and it won't be an employers market anymore.

Danielm7

Sorry to hear that. Really though, it sounds beyond silly, I'm not sure i'd want to work for a company that treats people like that. I'd love to see how their HR dept does with the same test.

Oh, and for the scrambled word, I put it into a descrambler app, only came back with "praise" as a 6 letter word, which is neither a fruit, vegetable or machinery, I guess I fail too, haha.

jibbajabba

j23evan wrote: »

Sounds like the Wonderlic test..

Either that or SHL - Pass rate is usually not the total % - but in where you sit in the whole picture.

For example - if 90% of the people have 30% and you have 30% - you "pass" - if 90% of the people get 80% and you got 78% - you fail ... You get the picture - hate those ...

Everyone

Spirea is a plant/shrub, so I suppose it could be considered a vegetable. Paries is a wall or hallow organ, doesn't really fit any category. Aspire doesn't fit any either, nor does Praise

MCITBound

It could be Parise (as in Zach Parise, Minnesota Wild)... Then I'd throw it in the scoring "Machine" category

On the real side of things, if a Spirea is a plant/shrub, how is ANYONE going to know that? Unless you're really into your green thumb...

Dieg0M

Or maybe OP forgot a letter or wrote an incorrect letter.

networker050184

They probably did you a favor. Do you really want to work for a place that makes their hiring decisions on an HR test? I know I don't. Research by Google has shown this types of questioning is pretty useless for finding good candidates (I'll see if I can find the link).

BGraves

I've had my share of these types of frustrating interviews actually, ridiculous questions-check, outdated technical quizzes-check, boards of anywhere from 3-7 individuals asking random questions-check!

All I can say is use it as a learning experience and try to maintain a positive attitude. Every company will interview differently unfortunately but the more your exposure to these varied kinds of things, the better you can generally do.

loxleynew

I'd ask them to tell me the salary first and the if it is more than I was looking for I would take the test. Otherwise I would have just left and said you're wasting my time.

neo9006

Keep your head up, I agree with some of the others, based on a silly test like that, I don't think I would have passed it either. Remember, everything happens for a reason, probably the next time you interview you will nail it.

GLaDOS11

Thanks for all of the support. Now that I've had some time for my frustration to die down, I realize how stupid the test was. I do wish I could've passed it though...just because I hate failing tests

To answer someone else's question earlier, the letters in the OP were correct. You guys have all done much better finding words than I did. I'll look up Wonderlic and SHL tests and see if the questions on them were similar to what I saw.

Honestly, I don't think there were right answers to a lot of the questions. I think it was probably testing something else entirely that went completely over my head.

Everyone

Reminds me of the questions in the movie The Internship (watch it if you haven't already!). I remember the last one on this list: 15 Google Interview Questions That Will Make You Feel Stupid - Business Insider being used in the movie.

Params7

Hahaha, wow. I wouldn't even want to work for a company who has people who think that helps them filter out the best network admins.

RouteMyPacket

Screw that place..you're better off.

W Stewart

GLaDOS11 wrote: »

**Also, here is one question, does anyone know what the answer is: unscramble this word AEIRSP and select which category it falls under: Fruit, Vegetable, Machinery.

You've got to be kidding me.

jmritenour

Honestly, I probably would've gotten up and walked out. Sounds like a gigantic, lame waste of time.

If you want to remove me from consideration from a job due to me not having experience with a certain technology, fine. If you don't think my personality is a good fit for the team, fine. But I draw the line at making me do brain teasers. $10 says the interviewer was just trying to get you to solve a jumble he saw on the comic page of the newspaper for him.

busines4u

I had a company give me a test like this one time. After the employer handed me the test and walked out of the room I began to look it over and got up, handed the test back to him and told him I was no longer interested in this position. He had a puzzled look on his face and I just turned and walked out.

Just wanted to chime in that don't beat yourself over this. I'm sure working for a company with that type of interviewing process would not be one you would want to stick around with for very long, so your gain their loss. Best of luck in your future job hunt!

ScrawnyRonnie

I see "aspire" which also doesn't fall under the categories. I would have struggled knowing there was a time limit though and would be caught off guard as you were.

cmitchell_00

I would look @ it as a blessing or they probably did you a favor effect. If they are doing hiring on HR questions the place might not be worth being @. I have seen places where they want this smart IQ. person and the company isn't even in a forward thinking mode. I would be patient and look on the bright side you enhancing your interviewing skills. It's light @ the end of the tunnel.

it_consultant

I went through this once, and I did actually get up and leave the interview. I was doing a riddle (nuns and cannibals) which is a basic logic problem with many answers available online. It wasn't that the problem was THAT challenging and given some time and quiet I would have worked it out. What bothered me so much is that in the initial few attempts the guy kept asking "Do you know what you did wrong?", of course I know what I did wrong now shut the heck up! That was a few years ago and now that I am older I might have handled it differently but in that case I was annoyed because I had driven a long way in traffic to get to them and I already had an offer on the table.

Tremie24

That does sound like a huge waste of time. I wouldn't worry about it. It's probably something stupid that HR is trying to implement. I would've ask what this has to do with the position. But to bring you to talk about salary requirements to only slap a test on you and say you didn't past so we can't talk anymore about the position is straight bs man.

snadam

ScrawnyRonnie wrote: »

I see "aspire" which also doesn't fall under the categories. I would have struggled knowing there was a time limit though and would be caught off guard as you were.

Ford had a model called the Aspire (US for sure, unsure about other countries). Cheap, compact POS that produced a whopping 65HP. Stopped making it inthe late 90's. That would be the only thing I cant think of.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Festiva#Ford_Aspire

Either way, I HATE those tests. I had to take one at a company many years ago. Apparently I did well enough because I was offered the job, but I took another one that I had lined up. Probably for the better. OP, screw 'em. I think you're better off. Good luck in the job market!

stiltner

Don't worry about it. I lost count on how many times I interviewed, and applied, and applied and interviewed, till i finally got jobs.

2 jobs in a row it was once both times, the last once, I went through the ringer, interviewed for 3 jobs at 2 locations to fulfill all of them
as needed.

The right one will come along for you, hang in there.

Googledthiskeyword

GLaDOS11 wrote: »

So, this is a bit of a rant I suppose, but I'm frustrated.

I applied for a Network Administrator position with a small company right near where I live. I passed the initial IQ test they had to filter out dummies, then had a normal interview with the HR department. They said that they liked me and the next week I had another, much more technical, interview. This went well too so I was feeling very good about it. They called me Monday and said they'd love for me to come in and talk about Salary requirements, availability, etc. I arrived at the job and was immediately given ANOTHER test. This one was MUCH more difficult. 39 questions in 15 minutes and not technical at all. These were questions that didn't seem to all have correct answers. They would show me the same shape rotated different ways and say, "Which one is different?". 15 minutes later, I was feeling pretty stupid.

**Also, here is one question, does anyone know what the answer is: unscramble this word AEIRSP and select which category it falls under: Fruit, Vegetable, Machinery.

After the test, the lady came in and said I didn't pass so I couldn't move forward and talk about the salary requirements. I know I'm probably just bummed that I didn't get the job, but I am more mad because I had to take off of work 3 times for this company, only to fail a ridiculous test that has nothing to do with the position.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? What would that test tell them?

Old thread. Same experience. Was 'Googling' the SHL test.
Is the answer to the question above AIR-SEP? As in "Air-Seperator"? So "Machinery"?

p@r0tuXus

[h=3]spirea - 3 definitions[/h]

- noun

1.
spirea -- a Japanese shrub that resembles members of the genus Spiraea; widely cultivated in many varieties for its dense panicles of flowers in many colors; often forced by florists for Easter blooming

hurricane1091

My Dad told me a story once. Went for an interview, they gave him a test. One question said "If you had a sports car, would you speed in it?" or something along those lines. He told me "Hell yeah I'd race it!". Said he just got up and left LOL. Silly question. No you're not supposed to speed or race. No duh you're going to, otherwise you would have bought a Prius.

I was given a test one time at an interview. The job posting said SQL SKILLS A PLUS, but not required. I get there, and half of the test is SQL questions. I just stopped the test, said I'm not finishing this, and it was a terrible experience.

clarkincnet

I'd unscramble the letters and tell them "screw you". That type of test doesn't tell them jack about what you can do to solve their problems. Consider yourself lucky you found out how terrible they are BEFORE you accepted the offer.

I might have parted the interview with, "you couldn't afford me anyways - not to put up with crap like that".

NetworkNewb

Pretty sure the answer is Persia. (modern day Iran) And one of the main exports from that area is fruit. So it would go under the fruit category... Obviously!

If you don't know that you probably shouldn't be working in IT.

(sarcasm)

PCTechLinc

I think the answer is ASPIRE, meaning "I aspire to work for a company that values technical skills more than the ability to play Scrabble."