Statics Test for Employment
Statics Test for Employment
(OP)
How many of you have taken a small test for employment? I just finish taking a small statics test in which I think a frame problem but did well on everything else.
Calif
Calif
The resisant virtues of the structure that we seek depend on their form; it is through their form that they are stable, not because of an awkward accumulation of material. There is nothing more noble and elegant from an intellectual viewpoint than this: to resist through form. Eladio Dieste






RE: Statics Test for Employment
RE: Statics Test for Employment
RE: Statics Test for Employment
I have heard of companies doing that. Usually it's just to make sure you are not completely devoid of common sense (like, for example, being an OU fan :) ).
RE: Statics Test for Employment
RE: Statics Test for Employment
RE: Statics Test for Employment
Before landing my first engineering job, one company that I interviewed required a 30 minute exam involving structural details which I had no clue at the time. They did not offer me the position.
I never required any technical exams for candidates that I interviewed but if I were to give one, it would be beams with some loads (one point load in the middle, three equal point loads at quarter points, uniform load) and ask to draw the shear and moment diagrams for each. Portal frame with lateral and some load on the beam and ask to draw shear, moment and deflected shape. None using numbers.
Though technical common sense is essential to this business, it is only a small portion.
RE: Statics Test for Employment
Instead of a test, I might ask a few questions about more advanced topics to get a feel for the depth of their knowledge. Just how advanced these topics are depends on the experience level of the candidate. For a recent grad, it might be something like "Explain how the fundamental period of a structure influences earthquake base shear." For a more experienced engineer, it might be "Give me an example of a challenging technical issue you faced on a project and how you resolved it." They should be able to explain their answers using simple language without trying to dazzle you with technical jargon. You can tell whether they really know what they are talking about and also get an idea of their communication skills.
RE: Statics Test for Employment
I suspect you're located in California (or another seismic area). I would have failed your test, as I never took earthquake engineering in undergrad.. as a matter of fact, it was not even an option at the undergrad level.
RE: Statics Test for Employment
Actually, I _do_ get a lot of phonies. I'm not talking about people who once knew how to do it but are just rusty; they're easy to detect. These are people who have clearly never been exposed to the material.
I've also found that those of us who give difficult technical interviews are soon bypassed by a prefilter, usually without notice. I.e., they send me the losers that HR doesn't want to hire, but doesn't have a legally defensible reason for not hiring.
The losers that HR _does_ want to hire... just show up for work one day, with no warning.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Statics Test for Employment
When I interviewed for my first job, my future boss asked me to explain what could cause a structure's center of rigidity to be offset from the center of mass and what effect that could have on the seismic response of the building. It was at a large structural firm that only hired graduates with master's degrees.
For a job in a non-seismic area, maybe a sample question would be "Explain why a member with a large tributary area is designed for a reduced live load or wind load".
RE: Statics Test for Employment
RE: Statics Test for Employment
RE: Statics Test for Employment
Also as mentioned above, I gain a great deal of insight by looking at calculations and the written thought process.
I would not give such an exam to an experienced engineer. Though I've met plenty who know one topic so well they've forgotten some of the very basics.
Regards,
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Qshake
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RE: Statics Test for Employment
I test all tecnical staff coming into the factory. It's not a pass or fail test but it's a good ice breaker and starts of very easy and is sometimes based around there own cv. This finds out how true the cv is. A person can do poorly on the exam, and its partly practical and come across a honist and relable which in some less tecnical roles mite be just that I'm looking for.
In short lie in the cv, intreview or test and you will be found out.
RE: Statics Test for Employment
Calif
The resisant virtues of the structure that we seek depend on their form; it is through their form that they are stable, not because of an awkward accumulation of material. There is nothing more noble and elegant from an intellectual viewpoint than this: to resist through form. Eladio Dieste
RE: Statics Test for Employment
RE: Statics Test for Employment
RE: Statics Test for Employment
RE: Statics Test for Employment
However, the company I work at does do this for new graduates, just to be sure they know some fundamental concepts. One interviewee had much trouble with the shear and moment diagram. Not a good sign for someone right out of college.
RE: Statics Test for Employment
RE: Statics Test for Employment
The resisant virtues of the structure that we seek depend on their form; it is through their form that they are stable, not because of an awkward accumulation of material. There is nothing more noble and elegant from an intellectual viewpoint than this: to resist through form. Eladio Dieste
RE: Statics Test for Employment
BTW, I like the idea of having them bring in sample calcs better than a test. Not only would it be possible to see if the person is a slob, but folks that are too far on the other end of the spectrum (too particular so slow and inefficient) would be detected also.
RE: Statics Test for Employment
I personally thought giving a short test of this nature is a great idea.
RE: Statics Test for Employment
Another quality question was about a floor beam in an aircraft. The beam in question had a large hole right in the middle of the beam that totally removed the shear web. I was asked how to analyze this. I asked why the hole is there. It's there for systems like hydralics, etc. I said, "I'd reroute the hydraulics under the floor beam". Thus, the structure is not degraded. The interviewer wanted me to say split the moment and shear into the caps, but I was insistant on designing the structure correctly. I gained points for my viewpoint I think.
My point is that during an interview, simple questions can tell much about the abilities of a candidate. I welcome technical questions. It gives me hope that the company knows what they are doing.
RE: Statics Test for Employment
As an interviewer, I think a quiz of this kind is a good thing. But, I'm not going to make my whole decision on the results of that one question.
RE: Statics Test for Employment
The first time was really basic questions like wl^2/8
The second talked about retrofit of A-frame trusses(one of their main lines of work) including problems and solutions. This was a good questionare.
The last asked about forces e.t.c. in trusses and portal frames.
The first was a waste of time, but the last two I thought were really good questions.
RE: Statics Test for Employment
RE: Statics Test for Employment
I was a very poor student, but I am actually quite a good engineer(based on reliable feedback not blind arrogance).
The two can sometimes be completely different things.
I would suggest a test that checks their ability to think their way around a building rather than just focusing on theory. Perhaps give then a faulty design sketch and ask them to spot the problems...
RE: Statics Test for Employment
How much emphasis does anyone put on work experience while in college? Not just engineering work, but working to help pay bills or earn spending money? Also, is it a requirement with most firms that you pass the FE before graduating or being accepted for employment?