Ever since we were little we received certificates. Pieces of paper that denote our accomplishments. Everything from Honor Roll and Jump Rope for Heart to High School Diplomas and College Degrees.
What does it all mean? It would appear that I got A's and B's in elementary school, jumped rope against my will, and completed both high school and college. So why are we constantly barraged with tests? Not just the kind during a class to prove that your actually learning something, but the kind you have to take before you start learning something.
Take jobs for instance. Lots of jobs have "entrance" or "assessment" tests you have to take before you can start something new. That's silly. Their reasoning is "to show you have the capacity to continue your learning". What? I have a high school diploma. Even better, a college degree. Don't make me take a test to determine if I can make proper change (talking to you, Subway), or if I can read house plans and a map (that would be you, City of Gautier). Even the "honesty test" at Taco Bell. It's Taco Bell! You're going to be slapping meat all day and reheating precooked food with Bunn Water!
I've even dealt with on the spot interview tests. I've been asked how to put torque on a pen that was held in front of me, how to increase the flow rate in a pipe, even what 4/5 of 4/5 is. Simple stuff any person applying for the job would know.
Mind you, I've been able to pass these tests no problem, but it's still a waste of my time and an insult to my intelligence. If you have to ask a process engineer why you don't put steam traps at the top of a pipe layout, you got some problems with past hires.
Why do we have these fancy pieces of paper that apparently mean nothing? Is the hiring process so generalized that we treat everyone as if they have no clue? I've already taken plenty of advance level tests. Everything from my FE certification to my Vol Fire Fighter Level I. They prove that I'm able to do math and squirt water, respectively.
Is the certification system so unreliable that these job specific tests are required? I would think a high school diploma, often awarded when one is between 17-19, entitles a person to say "I can count change with reliable accuracy" or "I won't steal anything if I feel I'm not being paid enough". Usually when you reach that age you can determine right from wrong, and dimes equal $0.10.
So this is the Great Question. Should we go through the trouble of getting all these fancy certifications and degrees, or just wing it and take the test now to see if we qualify? Sometimes you need that degree or certificate just to take the remedial test which further complicates things.
It seems the only thing the paper proves is that I'll be breezing through whatever elementary questions you can throw at me. If that makes me look good then so be it. Just don't be surprised when everyone else is able to pass them, too.
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