“The Test”. It’s a well-known term within HCSS, with dozens of stories attached. As part of the hiring process, everyone must take a math/logic assessment. We do get different perspectives on it, but it’s embedded within our current process at this time.
While working out at our onsite gym, Michael, one of our Android developers, made a comment that he could again successfully complete the 14-question assessment within the 50 minutes allotted. In fact, he stated boldly that he could complete it within 10 minutes. We decided to make a friendly wager that if he did, I’d have to buy him lunch (and vice-versa if he didn’t).
Fun fact: Originally, it was supposed to be a $100 bet, but Michael “felt bad” that he was going to take money from me so easily. What a nice guy!
I sent Michael the assessment link and then went over to our second building to sit next to him and observe. I watched as he scribbled away on a scratch piece of paper and listened for the click-click sounds as he input numbers on the calculator.
He was right. He did pass in under 10 minutes. I’m thankful it was just lunch and not $100…whew. Word spread. Vincent, another developer on the team, wanted a free lunch too. He passed as well, but within 15 minutes. No free lunch for Vincent, however it did lead to bragging rights for Michael.
Now, to be fair, our current employees successfully passed the assessment in the past in order to get hired, so they had an idea of what to expect. But we also include a practice version (three questions within 10 minutes) with the assessment so that prospective applicants can get an idea of what questions will be asked.
What’s the takeaway from all this? You CAN pass the assessment. Here are some friendly tips:
- Block off up to 50 minutes with no distractions whatsoever so that you can focus.
- Have a calculator ready and some scratch paper/pencil by your side.
- Read the guidelines at the beginning regarding decimal points, percentages, etc.
- Utilize the practice version to prepare. (It’s a separate link that’s included in the email sent out with the actual assessment link).
- Don’t spend too much time on one question if you get stuck. Budget your time wisely by moving on to the next question and coming back to the ones you skipped initially at a later point.
Unfortunately, I’m not able to buy you lunch if you pass the assessment within 10 minutes. But if you request a congratulatory certificate or a virtual high-five, I’ll be sure to give one.
Upon passing our assessment, your résumé will be viewed more in-depth by a member of our team. Rest assured that you have a set of human eyes evaluating you. No robots here!
May the odds be ever in your favor.
Got a question or comment? Reach out anytime to the Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@hcss.com or to me personally at Allan.Leung@hcss.com, on LinkedIn here, or on Twitter (@A_Leung13).