What is the point in general aptitude tests in programming?

Question

Are aptitude tests any sign of one's ability to program?

I did one which was "designed" to answer whether or not I am able to work with computers and I failed. However, I've had a programming job and I coped with the demands on me without any problem.

This test was things like "if P is on top of Q, but O is below Q and above X, etc etc", which book is at the bottom? And also some maths questions and filling in blanks. Also asked were things like if soldier : house, what is another suitable analogy. Being able to read these questions is not the same thing as being able to read code.

I really don't see the point of these tests. Once I was a new programmer, I did a programming test and failed. I realised that the jobs that would be asked of me in that company would have meant they were moving too fast for me.

Thanks

Answer 1

These kinds of tests abstract things so far that they do not represent programmer skills. To be honest, be glad you're not going to get a job there, anybody who can't realize these things are garbage is not a place you want to work for.

I've seen even worse ones, such as logic brain teasers (such as that one where wolves and sheep need to cross a river in a boat) used on candidates. In my opinion, the only test one should take is an actual programming test... just have me write code.

Answer 2

Abstractions and logical thinking skills are very important to understanding and writing good code. Instead of testing your ability in a specific language (that you may not know), an aptitude test is trying to gauge how good you are at skills used when programming.

If your company has no complaints and you can meet the needs of the job, why would the (probably unscientific) test results matter?

Answer 3

The people who make up these tests really believe they are able to "measure" your abilities as a programmer. They believe it because there is a company that pays them to believe it. That doesn't mean you have to believe it as well...

Answer 4

These tests generally have very little to do with programming, which is one possible reason as to why many logically minded people get jobs as programmers who have no idea what they're doing...

To answer the question if the aptitude test involves writing code in your most preferred language, it might be closer to being on the right track.

Answer 5

You're referring to tests in general, while quoting "one" particular test.

That test in my opinion is not particularly good at determining programming skills and most important programming knowledge. I's a mere math an logic test and it's relevance is highly questionable for general programming even though it might be somewhat relevant in some specific areas of programming.

If you want to take a more balanced test, try one on http://www.brainbench.com/. But remember, tests and real life experience/portfolio are two different things, and both matter in different situations and to different people.

Answer 6

While it may not show whether you can do a particular programming job, it can often be an indicator of your general aptitude (hence the name) towards logic and problem solving. I would use results to a test like that only to let me gauge how a potential employee could deal with situations that were outside their realm of expertise.

If a person doesn't have basic problem solving skills, they are often a less flexible resource then one who has less experience in a particular realm but has very high problem solving skills. It's not a rule you can rely on, but it can help during the interview process to compare between two seemingly equal candidates.

However, I still think the 'gut' feeling you have about a person when you meet them in the interview room far outweighs any metrics you can gain through testing and interrogation.

Answer 7

in short - No they aren't, as a matter of face they can both obscure the talents of a really good developer and make a bad developer look like a real "find".. here's why

Brainbench, Prove-IT and others

Answer 8

One important tenet I hold dear to my heart:

All good programmers are all good at meta languages.

To quote someone else from SO, the important things are:

The concepts. The ideas.

When you look at a problem or are given a task to solve, you shouldn't be thinking of the code you're going to write. You should think more of how to break up the problem so that you can implement a solution as opposed to exactly what kind of code you'll be typing into the editor.

And so the ability to think laterally, out of the box and apply logic from one situation to another all matter very much.
I don't mind the downvotes if you disagree.

Answer 9

Tests like this seem to be catching on with many companies.

It has to do with your ability to solve problems. Programming isn't just about slinging code. It's about being able to conceptualize a problem and having the creativity to solve the problem. It just so happens "code" is the tool you're expected to solve the problem with if you get hired.

I've correctly answered every one of these types of questions I've ever been given except for one. However, they were impressesed with my ability to conceptualize the problem enough that they gave me credit for it. Basically, they knew that given a little more time (instead of the few minutes they had with me in the interview), I'd be able to solve the problem. That's the type of senior developer those types of folks are looking for.