Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 08:19:57 -0500
From: Jeanette Skwor <SKWORJ@GBMS01.UWGB.EDU>
Subject: Re: Student Employment Testing (2 messages)

***I've been getting some interesting responses to my query about
formulating some sort of a test for student applicants.  Some of you are
coming from a totally different place than I am--how I wish for a large
pool of candidates with the power to be picky.  Here we are mandated to
hire only workstudy, and pay minimum wage with .05 raises each semester.
Consequently, my pool mostly consists of people who could not get in
anywhere else.  And the reason testing came to mind is that the applicants
with the best appearance on paper are fairly recent immigrants--eg,
language difficulties.  I understand that one can be, and usually is, more
"conversant" in a new language when it is written than in general
conversation, and in part, what I would like to test is how well they are
understanding what they need to do.  And, of course, an ability to do it.

***Andrew Leonhart poses another pertinent question:

> What kind of test is there to measure a persons ability to see a job that
> needs done, and to do it without having to be asked?

***Ah yes.  And how about a test to measure one's propensity to do what
needs to be done as opposed to working on the tasks one likes to do best?
And one to judge an applicant's willingness to ask questions rather than go
ahead, supremely confident and supremely mistaken, wreaking havoc on
shelves, checkin records, et al?

Jeanette
    like so many other serials librarians, a dreamer