Re: Student Employment Testing (3 messages) ERCELAA@ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu 11 Jun 1997 14:02 UTC
Subscribers responding to SERIALST messages are gently reminded to please be alert in directing your replies to the intended recipient (either to the list (serialst@list.uvm.edu) or to the person requesting information). Please make sure that your replies are not addressed to my personal mailbox (ercelaa@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu), as regrettably I lack psychic powers and cannot determine where you intended to send your message. Thanks -- Ann, editor of the day 3 messages: 1)_____ Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 13:52:58 -0700 (PDT) From: hflib016@email.csun.edu Subject: Re: Student Employment Testing (Jeanette Skwor) > I am thinking about making up a test for student applicants to take, to > assess comprehension and capabilities. > > Does anyone else have such a test, or use one? Jeanette, Good question! Different people here use different types of tests (we usually call them tasks), depending on what kind of work the student would be doing. For example, potential circulation students might have our call number system explained to them, and then be asked to demonstrate ability to arrange items in call number order according to those instructions. Our ILL supervisor has students demonstrate, among other things, ability to put very long log numbers into numerical order (it's amazing how hard this is for some), or perhaps she'll send them to the stacks to fetch a title that is to be loaned out, to see if they can navigate their way around in the stacks. When we had a card catalog, potential filers had to alphabetize cards. If a student is going to be doing terminal work, we have been known to sit them down at a terminal and teach them to do a basic inputting or editing task that they would normally be doing on the job, to see how well they follow directions and how comfortable they are with a keyboard. We do try to select a task that accurately reflects the requirements and type of work typical of the job to be filled. It also serves to give the student applicant an idea of what we do, so they can better decide whether or not it's the kind of work they want. For example, once we sit a student down at a terminal with an editing task, then tell them this is the major part of their job, some may decide they don't want to be tied to a terminal for hours. Gives them a realistic look at the position so we all can make a better decision. Diane Moore Database Maintenance/Catalog Unit Cal State Northridge 2)____ Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 16:41:42 -0400 (EDT) From: SBROOKS@CMS.CC.WAYNE.EDU Subject: Re: Student Employment Testing (Jeanette Skwor) Last year, I devised a simple test which I adminstered during the interview. I gave them a sheet with maybe 5 questions and instuctions. 1. use the OPAC to search for a specific title of two books and two serials. I requested a printout of what they found. (I supplied the titles) 2.Locate two specific titles from the current periodical section, two from the bound section , and two specific books. They were asked to bring what they located. This test provided information about the student's abilities that were not indicated in their resume or application. The test helped to determine familiarity with the library, on-line searching, and our collection. It helped me to weed out those who looked good on paper. SKBrooks Wayne State University Detroit, MI 3)_____ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 08:35:41 -0400 From: jmclaughlin@cmcc.ca (Jane McLaughlin) Subject: Student testing Hi Jeanette When I hired and supervised student workers at a public library I would have a truck of books to be sorted into order. We would interview the candidate and then have them sort the truck. There was a shelf of fiction and a shelf of non-fiction. Some of the items were tricky and if mistakes were made they were forgiven if the applicant asked appropriate questions. They were always given the opportunity to ask any questions after the sorting test. These were junior highschool students that were being tested. Jane Jane McLaughlin CC Clemmer Health Sciences Library Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College 1900 Bayview Avenue Toronto Ontario M4G 3E6 Canada jmclaughlin@cmcc.ca 416-482-2340 Ext 222 Fax 416-482-9745