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Yesterday was the strangest “interview” I ever attended.
To be fair, I knew going in that it was not an interview so much as some kind of group testing. I figured it would be one of those fill-in-the-bubble tests with questions like “have you ever told a lie?” and then if you answer “no” they know that you are a liar.
The night before I wondered aloud if I should be boning up on basic animal care stuff, since the “test” was for a position working in an animal shelter (for HELLER good pay – 22 bucks an hour!). But everyone poo-poohed that, saying it would be standard pre-screening psychology stuff.
So I was a little surprised at what I actually got.
They led me into a room filled with desks and women. Each of us had our own desk, and were provided with a pencil, a pen, and an eraser. We were told that extra paper was available if we needed it.
Then they told us that the “exam” was an hour and a half long, and that the required mark to pass was 65%. They said that those who passed would move on to the interview stage, and that the interview would count towards 60% of of our “final mark”, with the “exam” making up the other 40%.
Is this a job application, or a class??
Anyway, I didn’t really care. I’m good at test writing and the questions were fairly simple, although of course I am only guessing at what answers they are looking for. I have always tailored my answers to my professor, knowing the prof’s little quirks and odd opinions. This was completely blind, though.
For all I know, when they asked me for the symptoms of kennel cough, they were looking for an answer of “purple and green spots, a hoarse singing voice, and a tendency to dress in rubber bondage wear.”
On the other hand, considering that this job ad didn’t require any specific education (like my tech diploma) I bet they did weed a lot of people out. But surely more specific credential requirements would have done the same thing?
If By Yes 
Great site that you have! I’d be asking myself the same question. The interview process does sound like more of a class to me than an interview. I’m looking forward to reading more of your posts!
Thank you 🙂
I actually would quite like that kind of interview, personally. Seems there is at least a bit less subjectivity and room for creative interpretation on the part of the person hiring.
It must be for a government job. The salary coupled with the paper-trail-heavy interview points that way.
Yes, it’s for a city job anyway. The shelter is run by the city.
Hope you get it! Unless the job turns out to be teaching dogs to take pen-and-paper exams, of course.
That would be awesome.
That is odd. Maybe they hate interviewing? And I’m sure you were leaps and bounds ahead of many.
I would prefer that to the stupid psych test, though. I had someone apologize that she couldn’t hire me to work in a record store: although I was the only applicant with actual experience in that specific “field,” I didn’t pass the test.
I probably said I never lie…
Yes, those tests make me nervous because I’m never sure what they’re looking for.
The worst kind of interview is the “behavioural interview” where they ask you to give examples of things that have happened in the past. Like, “tell us about a time when you had a major conflict with a coworker.” And then if you have never actually had such a conflict, they look suspicious and you don’t get the job.
Oh gods, I hate those too. Normally get stumped just trying to remember ANYTHING. Some questions are just bizarre. I prefer it a bit more informal. In one interview, they gave me a little test (to check that I was up to a “GCSE standard” or something) and that wasn’t exactly difficult. Then we just had a chat. It went well but they still didn’t want me. Ho hum. Found another job eventually, though!
The good thing about this being a city run job would be (I presume) better benefits than if it was a privately run shelter. Either way, good luck! 🙂
How soon do you find out your “mark”? I think I would have a hard time not laughing if someone told me I had to write an exam for a job. Or looking for the hidden gag camera. So odd. But as you said, probably a good way to weed out potential applicants who claim they know how to take care of animals, but have no idea.
I should find out next week if I “passed”.
sounds like you’ve got kennel cough, then….
You would know!
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