Kansas Association of Mappers

Does anyone use a test to see if applicants have the ability to learn/use GIS software if they don't already know how to use it?

I had to take a test when I applied for a job up in Chicago. It was some very basic digitizing work, but I don't really remember the details anymore. I know I used the trace tool to draw a line along the edge of a group of parcels, and I know I selected a group of parcels and merged them into a larger "neighborhood." On LinkedIn, tests tend to get a bad rap - people complain that its insulting/demeaning/a waste of time. I don't really have a strong opinion either way.

Since then, I've been in interviews where they ask questions like, "What's the difference between a shapefile and a geodatabase?" or "What's the difference between a web layer, web map, and web app?" so that they have to talk about some of the basics of GIS without actually working on a computer. I've found those questions to be quite informative because the interviewees' expressions tell you whether they have heard the terms or not. Another one I like is, "What coding languages are useful in GIS?" It's not asking them if they have the advanced skillset, but it shows a general knowledge of the industry. If they have coding skills, they can elaborate on them, but if not, saying something like, "I wish I knew Python or SQL" shows that they know where the potential for growth is.

Ultimately, when I've been on interview panels, I'm looking for really basic GIS fundamentals and a growth mindset. If the person is willing to invest their time into skills development, there are tons of learning opportunities to get people where they need to be to do their job.