What do you do and where?

[lamaros]

The test was this one: http://www.onetest.com.au/home/AssessmentManagementSystem/CognitiveAbility.aspx

Part of a recruitment process though, so no outside access to the same test/comparison group as me I'm afraid.

Interesting to see how different departments have different processes though. Had to do a couple of test so far, but the IQ ones seems to be the least useful I would have thought. Probably less expensive than running your own test catered to the departments needs though.

[K9]

The test was this one: http://www.onetest.com.au/home/AssessmentManagementSystem/CognitiveAbility.aspx

This question from their samples really stumped me for some reason...

[Hindenburg]

4.

lower left to upper right diagonals increase by 1
Rows increase by 2
Columns increase by 3
upper left to lwer right right diagonals increase by 5
missing number in the lower row is 11
missing number in the middle row is 12

[Lantyssa]

That was the only one I had trouble with, too.  It made perfect sense when I knew the answer, and I was thinking it was four, but it just wouldn't click.

[K9]

That was the only one I had trouble with, too.  It made perfect sense when I knew the answer, and I was thinking it was four, but it just wouldn't click.

Pretty much.

[Murgos]

I looked at it, knew it was four and moved on all in about 2.5 seconds.  Different peoples brains work differently, for it to be a good test it should have some ability to rate you on your strengths while not dinging you too severely for have a weak area or two.  Being extremely good at one specific area is usually more useful than being generally good in most areas.

I'm sure things like being able to parse a paper for grammatical and spelling issues quickly and accurately is as necessary and rare a skill as numeric pattern recognition and is something I can't do without a vast amount of struggle.

[schild]

Why would it shock anyone that the government cross-section for doing well on this test is piss-poor compared how most of the readers here would do?

[lamaros]

This question from their samples really stumped me for some reason...

I found that one really easy also. The troublesome ones of that variety were when you could not clearly pick a pattern within two lines but would have to work out every blank on the square in order to be sure of the one they were asking you about. I missed a few of them being rushed to the end.

The test generally did pattern recognition, vocabulary recognition, and simple numeracy/problem solving, with the more complicated questions combining them together. The ones I had the most trouble with were the "which of these two don't fit" questions, because it's pretty easy to come up with a fuckload of patterns for 6 objects and you'd then have to work backwards and make sure the one that you noticed first was the most obvious one.

Not really sure how accurate or useful such tests are really, but as someone who's always done well on tests of that sort I guess I can't complain.

Why would it shock anyone that the government cross-section for doing well on this test is piss-poor compared how most of the readers here would do?

The level of piss-poor was what surprised me. Federal government has a reasonably high level of expectation in their recruitment.

[schild]

The ACK! level of piss-poor was what surprised me. Federal government has a reasonably high level of expectation in their recruitment.

What the hell would lead you to believe that?

[Oban]

Well, a lot of them wear suits.

[Yegolev]

Well, a lot of them wear suits.

[Selby]

I was notified yesterday that paperwork is on the way for an official job offer from a place I interviewed with.  Could be the light at the end of the tunnel for me!

[Yegolev]

'Sup bitches.  Since it seems I'm going to lose my cush corporate IT job, and I'm not interested in waiting for the other anvil to drop in October, I'm going to take a stab at running my own corporate IT support company.  So far no name or logo, just hopes and dreams.

[Selby]

Saw the paperwork (finally came).  So yeah, I've got a job in July.  Not bad, only took 4 months to get.

[Viin]

'Sup bitches.  Since it seems I'm going to lose my cush corporate IT job, and I'm not interested in waiting for the other anvil to drop in October, I'm going to take a stab at running my own corporate IT support company.  So far no name or logo, just hopes and dreams.

My old boss's boyfriend does that. He has several "on contract" that he is on call with that pays most of his bills, but then he charges an hourly rate for things beyond the on call contract (like setting up new computers or expanding the network). Apparently he only works 2-3 days a week and pulls in a pretty good amount of money.

[Yegolev]

That's what I wanted to hear.  I need to figure out rates and such, luckily I have a partner who has some experience with running a similar business.  My first victim will likely be my in-laws' business.   The downside is that I'll have to learn fucking Windows.  And, uh, how to run a business, get clients, etc, I guess but I've seen some Grade-A imbeciles run their own business.  Scary but exciting!

[Cheddar]

'Sup bitches.  Since it seems I'm going to lose my cush corporate IT job, and I'm not interested in waiting for the other anvil to drop in October, I'm going to take a stab at running my own corporate IT support company.  So far no name or logo, just hopes and dreams.

This is awesome.  I would love to take a stab at being self employeed in this capacity, but the task of setting up a company and running the books has always daunted me.

[Nebu]

Our fucked up healthcare model makes owning and running a business a daunting task.  When you have to benefit your employees, the cost of labor in the US is pretty scary.  If I didn't have graduate students in my lab working as slave labor, I would only be able to hire about 1/3 my current staff. 

I have nothing but respect for anyone that can make a small business successful.  Especially one with employees. 

[Sky]

Follow the walmart model and only hire them part time and fuck paying bennies!

[Yegolev]

'Sup bitches.  Since it seems I'm going to lose my cush corporate IT job, and I'm not interested in waiting for the other anvil to drop in October, I'm going to take a stab at running my own corporate IT support company.  So far no name or logo, just hopes and dreams.

This is awesome.  I would love to take a stab at being self employeed in this capacity, but the task of setting up a company and running the books has always daunted me.

I'm plenty daunted.  On the other hand, the alternative is emboldening me.  Plus I have a partner with some experience here and my in-laws run their own business.  If nothing else, I'll start charging my mother-in-law for all the shit I do for them.

Follow the walmart model and only hire them part time and fuck paying bennies!

Oh, you don't have to hire part-time to skip out on providing health care.  I'll have to get some for my family, though.

[Raging Turtle]

I taught my last class in Prague today. 

This is a good thing. 

[Nebu]

I taught my last class in Prague today. 

This is a good thing. 

Not enjoying Prague?

[Raging Turtle]

I love Prague    The winters are rough - we had about 12 hours of sunlight for January and Febuary and the surrounding months weren't much better.  But almost everything else about the city is amazing.  If I had the right job, I could be very happy here. 

But yeah, pretty burned out on teaching English, and sick of the European EFL industry in general.  It's stressful and low-paying and I've been doing it long enough that it's not really challenging or interesting anymore.  I don't even want to *think* about grammar for the next few months.

I've got a plane ticket back to the States for mid July... until then, I'll be drink Czech beer and travelling around central Europe.  Once I get back in the States, I'll be teaching sailing and windsurfing at the same place I've been doing it for the last 3 summers 

[K9]

I'll be teaching sailing and windsurfing at the same place I've been doing it for the last 3 summers 

Sounds awesome.

[MrHat]

I love Prague    The winters are rough - we had about 12 hours of sunlight for January and Febuary and the surrounding months weren't much better.  But almost everything else about the city is amazing.  If I had the right job, I could be very happy here. 

But yeah, pretty burned out on teaching English, and sick of the European EFL industry in general.  It's stressful and low-paying and I've been doing it long enough that it's not really challenging or interesting anymore.  I don't even want to *think* about grammar for the next few months.

I've got a plane ticket back to the States for mid July... until then, I'll be drink Czech beer and travelling around central Europe.  Once I get back in the States, I'll be teaching sailing and windsurfing at the same place I've been doing it for the last 3 summers 

Sounds like a good move.  Where will you be teaching at?

[Raging Turtle]

The Hoofer Sailing Club in Madison, Wisconsin.  As the link says, we're the second largest inland sailing club in the country, and we've got a pretty nice fleet. 

[deb]

I develop gambling-related software here in Northern Europe. I did all kindsa programs for cell phones before, but got bored/frustrated and decided I wanted to do something that's ermh... closer to my heart.

[dawnaw]

Although the thread seems to have meandered a little this is what where and who...

DawnAW is IainC's wife
She works as a Localisation Coordinator for a games developer in Germany
She has also been a Community Manager, Customer Service Manager and a QA Tester (all in the games industry)
She is also outspoken, American, slightly sarcastic, a lurker and susceptible to mushiness when it comes to 4 footed cute things.

She also seems to be stuck in third person...

[Endie]

Yes, endie was wondering about whether you missed out the bit about being a wrestler in your spare time.

[NiX]

Although the thread seems to have meandered a little this is what where and who...

DawnAW is IainC's wife
She works as a Localisation Coordinator for a games developer in Germany
She has also been a Community Manager, Customer Service Manager and a QA Tester (all in the games industry)
She is also outspoken, American, slightly sarcastic, a lurker and susceptible to mushiness when it comes to 4 footed cute things.

She also seems to be stuck in third person...

Is that how you and Iain met?

I've landed an unpaid internship at a financial risk assessment software company called Algorithmics. I'm an HR Coordinator. Whee! Work experience.

[Signe]

Congrats on work experience!  You should still deliver drinks to elderly women poolside on weekends.  You'll make a bundle.

Welcome to Dawn who sounds like me - except for the being employed, living in Germany, lurking, and being stuck in the third person.  Although after yesterday's oral surgery, I'd rather be stuck in anyone except me.  (not in a pervy way)

Oh, and I'm married to a different Scottish bloke than IainC.

[Engels]

IaninC is married to a scottish bloke also?

[Sky]

You should still deliver drinks to elderly women poolside on weekends.

C'mon, you're not that old yet. Maybe next month.

[Signe]

If either of you were sat next to me, I would pinch you really hard.

[schild]

If either of you were sat next to me, I would pinch you really hard.

No pinch.