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Thread: What would you do ?

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    Registered User stewart38's Avatar
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    What would you do ?

    My friend (unemployed) has what she would call a potential dream job.

    For part of this job the employer is looking for very good Excel spread sheet skills.

    On a phone interview she didnt come across as knowing much (she doesn't) re Excel but was fine on the rest and hence interview.

    So they asked the agency to send a 'test' to her home PC. 50 questions , timed to 35 mins (I guess so you cant google all the answers)

    She got a 'expert Excel person' to sit with her when she took the test at home ,to help her and even then they ran out of time on the test .

    On her own she admitted she may have only be able to answer 4 out of 50 with confidence as being correct.

    with the expert maybe 30/35, the last few couldnt be completed as lack of time

    She thinks if she gets the job and THEN they find out she isnt that good they will have to train her (its only part of the job)


    Im not sure about this, I appreciate she is unemployed but isn't she wasting everyones time

    She (if she gets the job) also says she will learn more before the job

    What would you do ??

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    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: What would you do ?

    If your looking at it totally from 'her' perspective... she hasn't got a job, so what has 'she' got to loose?

    If your looking at it from a moral standing, then she's cheating her future employers and possibly someone, who's more qualified out of a job

    But, then again, in the current climate, with so many people are out of work and applying for jobs, employers have to whittle it down and therefore, in theory, could ask for 'university graduates' only, to apply for the office cleaner job

    Hmm its a tough one.

    The question is, has she got the 'Balls to brazen it out and take the risk of possibly being shown up to being a time waster, as well an idiot but then again, its a dog eat dog world and sometimes you just have to have to balls and go for something and 'hope' for the best!

    Personally, my balls aren't that big!
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    Re: What would you do ?

    I feel it depends on how much of the job relies on these 'very good excel' skills and what else someone can bring now and in the future to other areas of the job. If it's a big part of the job, I agree with Lory it could be an awkward situation once in the job.

    I feel that yes sometimes you've gotta go for what you want, and if its her dream job....then can understand her determination.

    Would I go for it? Maybe, if it was a small part of the job and I was strong in the other areas required. If it was a big part, then no personally I would not go for it.

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    Re: What would you do ?

    Skills with Excel are easy to acquire - getting conversant with most of the funtionality of Excel should take no more than a few days concerted study. But they're not worth acquiring if you've no need for them. If the only thing standing between this woman and a job is her lack of skill with Excel I think she's done the right thing. If she gets the job she then need to bring her skills up to the level required for the job - before she starts the job. I'd say she needs to bring her skill level up to that required to perform well in that test before she starts the job. That way everyone wins. She gets a new skill and a new job - and her employers get someone who has all the skills required for the job.

    What would I do. I'd do what she did

    I've never lied on a job application or at an interview, but I've exaggerated a bit And this is what has been done here. Who hasn't exaggerated their strengths at a job interview - or when chatting up a lady?

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    Re: What would you do ?

    I really think she dosn't need to start worrying until she get the job, if she gets the job she needs to get on an excell training course ASAP.
    Once she starts the job if she has friends with excel info she can always give them a ring to give her help and advice.

    Go for it what has she got to loose

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    Formerly known as DavidJames David Bailey's Avatar
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    Re: What would you do ?

    Quote Originally Posted by stewart38 View Post
    So they asked the agency to send a 'test' to her home PC. 50 questions , timed to 35 mins (I guess so you cant google all the answers)
    Compromise. If possible, answer 15 or so of the questions.

    That's not too much of an exaggeration, but it's better than 4.

    That said, it sounds like Excel is quite important to the job...

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    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: What would you do ?

    My suggestion for her right now, is to do what I've just done and google 'free online excel training' there's loads.. I'm not sure how good it is but i've just had a teeny poke around and found this one, which even to me, who knows NOTHING about excel, could follow..

    http://www.auditexcel.co.za/training.html
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    Re: What would you do ?

    All is fair in love, war and getting a job during the credit crunch!

    If she gets the job, and I hope she does, tell her to buy Excel 2007 For Dummies (or 2003 etc dependent on the version the company is using). It will explain in simplistic terms everything she needs to know and more.

    I can’t comment on the test your friend did but I have taken some online tests in the Software Development space and they cover a wide range of topics which I do not use everyday. So I guess as long as she does a bit of reading before she starts and has access to google for when she’s stuck, she’ll be fine!

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    Re: What would you do ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Andy McGregor View Post

    Who hasn't exaggerated their strengths at a job interview - or when chatting up a lady?
    Andy
    When did you last chat up a Lady

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    Re: What would you do ?

    I couldn't possibly blag my way like that, but I did fail a few job interviews some time back because I failed the Excel tests. I knew I could do the rest of the job. I then got a similar type job with another company and learned the Excel skills I needed very quickly so I'm sure she'll be able to learn enough to continue the blag before she starts the job. I wouldn't advise waiting til she starts the job - isn't that what trial periods are for?!

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    Basically lazy robd's Avatar
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    Re: What would you do ?

    I think she's heading for trouble - it's a hirer's market so the employer will likely have little compunction in getting rid of her if it comes to light that she has misled them. I also think that people are making dangerous assumptions about how easy it will be for her to pick up Excel skills at the requisite level in a short time frame.

    OTOH if they are sending her a test to do unsupervised rather than including it as part of the interview process then they shouldn't be too surprised if people get some assistance in completing it

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    Registered User stewart38's Avatar
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    Re: What would you do ?

    Quote Originally Posted by robd View Post
    OTOH if they are sending her a test to do unsupervised rather than including it as part of the interview process then they shouldn't be too surprised if people get some assistance in completing it
    This is the point I picked up on

    If its that important why not surpervised ??

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    Re: What would you do ?

    Quote Originally Posted by stewart38 View Post
    This is the point I picked up on

    If its that important why not surpervised ??
    I think that either the agency or the company are being quite naive to think that some people wouldn't take advantage of doing a test at home.

    I used to use Excel daily when I worked in management accounting but years later when I have taken agency tests I have only got good marks because I was quick at finding my way around the help menus.

    Some people would say your friend has shown some initiative; if she is prepared to do some speedy excel training then she should go for it but word of warning if working with spreadsheets and numbers is not her thing but it is an important part of the job she might find it a bit of a

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    Re: What would you do ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    If your looking at it from a moral standing, then she's cheating her future employers and possibly someone, who's more qualified out of a job
    That's sheer speculation - the only moral conundrum is if she turns up on her first day having not bothered to get better at excel, some time in the future. She is clearly qualified enough except for excel, and if she gets offered the job she'll have enough time to learn to, at least, answer all the questions on that test. If she really struggles to learn, then clearly the job isn't for her anyway and she should keep looking.

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    Re: What would you do ?

    If I were the hirer I would use the home test only to prepare a shortlist. There would be a supervised test to follow, and at the first hint that dishonesty was involved ...

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    Re: What would you do ?

    Get stuck in Stewart's girly friend. Take the job and learn all about Excell NOW before she starts the job, then say I may be a little rusty but will pick it up in no time.


    Blag it and give it a go, but learn Excell a bit sharpish baby.

    Worst case scenario she gets fired, nothing ventured nothing gained....No excertion, nothing strained.

    DTS XXX XXX

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    Re: What would you do ?

    I knew someone rather uneducated that was employed digging foundations on building sites. He saw that bricklayers had a rather easier job and were paid far more. Nobody was training bicklayers then. He just answered bricklayer ads and invented his experience. He just did his best, and tried to learn from other bricklayers. He lasted an hour at first, then a morning, then a day, but eventually he got there.

    Some Excel spreadsheets are pretty pieces of paper which do not mean very much. People could live without them. Some really are highly complex and "mission critical". If you go through this thread replacing Excel expertise with brain surgery expertise it looks rather different.

    I have seen a company brought down by an error in its computer system, and several with huge losses.

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    Re: What would you do ?

    As someone who interviews candidates for jobs I would never let someone take tests unsupervised, because you would not be able to rely on the results.

    If she has blagged her way this far as to get an interview, if I was her I would definitely attend a one day excel course, just to boost her confidence should she get the job. I use excel regularly in my job but know that I only use a fraction of its capability and I am sure that is the case for most people, it’s just that we all may use different parts.

    Good luck to her if she has the incentive to bluff her way through I’m sure she’ll cope fine with the real thing

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    Re: What would you do ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Gerry View Post
    When did you last chat up a Lady
    1977 - I told her I was 5'11"

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    Re: What would you do ?

    If deep in it there are at least 7 newsgroups related to Excel. There you can seek advice. Some of the MVP (most valued professional) members have there own sites with free tutorials, examples etc. This is a superb resource.

    The archive is searchable:
    http://groups.google.co.uk/advanced_...hl=en&q=&hl=en&

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