Electrician Interviews

[ike5547]

Is there any imperical data you can provide to back up your feelings about this 'test'? I fail to see the significance of it. Circuits aren't in the habit of telling a technicial about something on their face.

Woosh

That was my point. Or counter point to post #6.

 

[nolabama]

[
We'll, I'll give the clue away, a true 3 way can have the lights in front or behind the switches, I'm missing your Jest...[/QUOTE]

???whatcha mean? i guess im failing my own test

 

[480sparky]

Woosh

That was my point. Or counter point to post #6.

OK, I'm still lost.... your point is that I don't get it?

 

[ike5547]

OK, I'm still lost.... your point is that I don't get it?

I said something equally ridiculous but opposite to post #6. I thought it would be apparent that I was using sarcasm. Sorry about that.

 

[nolabama]

i would call someone out for the food on the face routine during an interview - i try to be my best when seeking better employment and that means no buggers on the face

 

[COFFEE TIME]

hire character not skillz
thats my opinion
i do like the idea of asking them to wire a 4 way circut with two three ways and a contactor
ask them to wire a three way with the hot in the light and not in the switch boxes - they should be ok if they can do that

great..now look at what you did. now they got to use the white wire as the hot conductor. just kidding

 

[electricalperson]

ask if they are a holtaholic. if they say yes hire them on the spot

 

[cadpoint]

ask if they are a holtaholic. if they say yes hire them on the spot

I can Pass that Test...

 

[quogueelectric]

Ok,
So today, I have 4 people interviewing for the Journeyman Ad that I posted. (probably had about 10 apprentices call too...) I advertised on Craigslist, the local workforce center, and the local IEC... the only place that I got hits on was Craigslist.

I am going to give a conduit bending test, a short written test, answer a single question test ("What would you do in this situation?"), and an interview...

Is that too much?

Suggestions for interview questions? I have about 10, but am looking for input.

Greg

What is your dogs name?? Do you have a dog?? How long were you under the ice in that skating accident?/?

 

[Greg Swartz]

And after the interview...

And after the interview...

Ok, questions for the next interview: Are you a Holt-a-holic?
Next test: Jump off of a 6' ladder... got it!

Ok, so I had 3 show up. #4 called and said he was tired...

The ad was for a licensed journeyman... 2 were not licensed, 1 was.

But, I heard them all out. The journeyman is the one with the least amount of experience.

1 person did not fit well... while I think he has a good heart, I don't believe he will fit the position well based on the answers to his questions. Besides, his answer to Ken's last test question was: a pole... the answer to the question should have been: an overhead service. So... I'm thinking no.

The journeyman came dressed in slacks and a tie. That showed me that he cared enough to dress up for the occasion. He's been out of work for 4 days. He tested last year, and passed. His experience is mostly commercial. While this is good, my service guys are about 60%R / 35%C / 5%I ... so I'm concerned.

The last guy has lots of resi experience (in Colorado, you cannot get a J-man license unless you have 4000 hours commercial).. this guy is about 250 hours short (I need to verify that.) But he came across as the strongest of all 3. I am concerned about his lack of commercial and lack of license though. He has been a service electrician before, so he has experience there. He did not dress up, but is the guy that impressed me, probably the most.

So, I am concerned about hiring an apprentice... no matter how few hours from J-man status. And I don't know how the J-man will handle the residential side. The J-man had the credentials, and had lots of certifications to boot: CPR, First Aid, Hilti card, Forklift card, etc...

I left the office at 6:30 because it is my son's birthday today.

I will review their tests more, and call previous employers tomorrow...

Suggestions / Comments?
Greg

 

[Karl H]

I'm guilty of this.Never give a Journeyman a test, that in order to pass.
He would have had to have spent all of his spare time in electrical
forums on the Internet for two years.:grin:

 

[quogueelectric]

One thing I used to do, which I will probably regret posting here.........

I would say to the person that I was interviewing: "You have a little spot of something on your face" and touch a part of my face. If they wiped their face as they would if looking in a mirror, as in, I touch the left they wipe their right side. I lowered my points on hiring them.

I did hire some that didn't pass the wipe test due to other reasons, such as, bosses brother-in-law, good references and work experience, ETC.

A note I need to add, I was not hiring basic electricians. I was hiring maintenance personnel. They had to be electricians, mechanics, machinists, designers, all built in to one.

They had to have strong common sense, the ability to see things as they are instead of a reflection.

Now that I have written this. I am sure I will catch a bunch of slack, but the ones I hired that didn't pass the test had problems reading blueprints, schematics, and putting it all together. Their troubleshooting skills were also very bad.

You are a sick sick puppy.

 

[kspifldorf]

I am soo confused:-?

 

[480sparky]

.....So, I am concerned about hiring an apprentice... no matter how few hours from J-man status. .....Greg

If he's just a few months short of a J-card, hire him at a slightly reduced pay rate. That's incentive to get the card ASAP. Once he's carded and proves himself, the pay goes up.

 

[SPARKS40]

Is there any imperical data you can provide to back up your feelings about this 'test'? I fail to see the significance of it. Circuits aren't in the habit of telling a technicial about something on their face.

I agree w/480......hockey, maybe you should consider having them rub their stomach and pat their heads at the same time to determine if they know how to use a screwdriver...........

 

[drbond24]

One thing I used to do, which I will probably regret posting here.........

I would say to the person that I was interviewing: "You have a little spot of something on your face" and touch a part of my face. If they wiped their face as they would if looking in a mirror, as in, I touch the left they wipe their right side. I lowered my points on hiring them.

I did hire some that didn't pass the wipe test due to other reasons, such as, bosses brother-in-law, good references and work experience, ETC.

A note I need to add, I was not hiring basic electricians. I was hiring maintenance personnel. They had to be electricians, mechanics, machinists, designers, all built in to one.

They had to have strong common sense, the ability to see things as they are instead of a reflection.

Now that I have written this. I am sure I will catch a bunch of slack, but the ones I hired that didn't pass the test had problems reading blueprints, schematics, and putting it all together. Their troubleshooting skills were also very bad.

What if you've been wiping the wrong side of YOUR face all of this time and the other guys were really doing it right?

 

[zog]

Ok, questions for the next interview: Are you a Holt-a-holic?
Next test: Jump off of a 6' ladder... got it!

Ok, so I had 3 show up. #4 called and said he was tired...

The ad was for a licensed journeyman... 2 were not licensed, 1 was.

But, I heard them all out. The journeyman is the one with the least amount of experience.

1 person did not fit well... while I think he has a good heart, I don't believe he will fit the position well based on the answers to his questions. Besides, his answer to Ken's last test question was: a pole... the answer to the question should have been: an overhead service. So... I'm thinking no.

The journeyman came dressed in slacks and a tie. That showed me that he cared enough to dress up for the occasion. He's been out of work for 4 days. He tested last year, and passed. His experience is mostly commercial. While this is good, my service guys are about 60%R / 35%C / 5%I ... so I'm concerned.

The last guy has lots of resi experience (in Colorado, you cannot get a J-man license unless you have 4000 hours commercial).. this guy is about 250 hours short (I need to verify that.) But he came across as the strongest of all 3. I am concerned about his lack of commercial and lack of license though. He has been a service electrician before, so he has experience there. He did not dress up, but is the guy that impressed me, probably the most.

So, I am concerned about hiring an apprentice... no matter how few hours from J-man status. And I don't know how the J-man will handle the residential side. The J-man had the credentials, and had lots of certifications to boot: CPR, First Aid, Hilti card, Forklift card, etc...

I left the office at 6:30 because it is my son's birthday today.

I will review their tests more, and call previous employers tomorrow...

Suggestions / Comments?
Greg

2 words - Cage Match

 

[charlietuna]

Been in business 25 years--never had a problem like this as far as hiring a JW.
Again, knowing good servicepeople are a dying breed, you are hunting for a needle in a haystack! Your expectations exceed today's "average" JW ! From your comments and requirements i would say your looking, seriously at finding one in two hundred applicants from today's work force. Remember, the guy your looking for can, and "knows" he can work for anybody--so he's probably already employed and read your add and is trying to better himself ! So as your interviewing him--he may very well be interviewing you! I always teamed a new hire up with one of my key foreman and after a week or two i would ask them about the guy's capabilities. Another thing, service work has many little niches or specialty areas -- even a good serviceman --is gonna take some time learning the basics of troubleshooting printing equipment, or VFD's, or gas stations-etc.. Hiring a man is expensive and a gamble. I could find out more about a new hire by taking the guy to lunch in one hour than any of your tests................ And it only cost me and hour and $5.00 !

 

[Greg Swartz]

Been in business 25 years--never had a problem like this as far as hiring a JW.
Again, knowing good servicepeople are a dying breed, you are hunting for a needle in a haystack! Your expectations exceed today's "average" JW ! From your comments and requirements i would say your looking, seriously at finding one in two hundred applicants from today's work force. Remember, the guy your looking for can, and "knows" he can work for anybody--so he's probably already employed and read your add and is trying to better himself ! So as your interviewing him--he may very well be interviewing you! I always teamed a new hire up with one of my key foreman and after a week or two i would ask them about the guy's capabilities. Another thing, service work has many little niches or specialty areas -- even a good serviceman --is gonna take some time learning the basics of troubleshooting printing equipment, or VFD's, or gas stations-etc.. Hiring a man is expensive and a gamble. I could find out more about a new hire by taking the guy to lunch in one hour than any of your tests................ And it only cost me and hour and $5.00 !

I may just do that.
So, what would you ask?

 

[augie47]

................................... I could find out more about a new hire by taking the guy to lunch in one hour than any of your tests................ And it only cost me and hour and $5.00 !

If the guy buys HIS lunch, he's hired