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Topic: Writing tests for job applicants
| Author | Message |
| chloenix | Posted – 5/12/2008 12:50:07 PM | show profile Hi there - I'm a new copy supervisor just wondering what types of writing 'tests' are appropriate for potential writers. Have any of you had to take a writing test for a potential employer? Mainly just wondering if giving an assignment as a test should be actual work the person would be doing upon hire (ie, writing web content for that particular web site) or if it's better to use a different type of assignment - not necessarily related to the actual work/subject matter in question - to gauge particular skills. Opinions welcome... Thanks. |
| Wolf Shadow | Posted – 5/13/2008 10:56:55 PM | show profile | email poster I have taken a few writing tests for potential employers. All the writing tests I have taken included material related to the actual content area, but we did not need dto develop actual content material. One of the best writing tests I took included the following characteristics in the writing test: -In-house and 60 minutes only (this did not take much time away from me, and it was a realistic assessment for the employer as to whether I could do the work within that time period). As a note to a potential employer this can minimize cheating- as in no one else can take the writing test for the candidate. -Related to content area (required to read 1 scientific journal article, provided on site). -The actual writing content was not as technical as the material we normally write for the job but did require a job skill - explaining the science or medical material to a lay person. -Required to provide particular information in a particular format. This will probably help the employer compare candidates - my employer did do this and even turned down some candidates using the writing test. Hope this helps. |
| writesonwater | Posted – 5/17/2008 10:06:52 AM | show profile I've talked about this with fellow editors. One of the coolest little test systems I've seen is the High School UIL journalism competition, where writers are given source material and facts and told to turn it into a story. More than ever, I think there needs to be some sort of on-site way to winnow out people whose writing skills aren't up to the job. I've seen way too many people bringing in "clips" and insisting all the work was original, etc., only to find (once th writers were hired) that the clips had to have been heavily edited because the writers couldn't write their way out of a cardboard box. |
| bones | Posted – 5/18/2008 9:44:14 PM | show profile | email poster I like the system of giving the writer a freelance assignment. Make it a real assignment for an upcoming issue, pay him the standard rate, and see how it goes. Okay, maybe he has a friend who works over the copy, so make it a series of assignments and/or have it done in the office... What better way to see how the person fares on your particular material, etc.? Plus, this feels a lot better to an applicant than something that seems remedial, potentially generic, and like a waste of time if she doesn't wind up with the job. An assignment treats the person with respect and even if she doesn't get the job, she may still get a clip, which is the next best thing. |
| writesonwater | Posted – 5/19/2008 12:38:24 AM | show profile Absolutely a paid freelance piece is a great idea, if you have the time to go this route. If it's a local or regional candidate, for example. |
