Free Online Assessment Tests

[mytempmails_2002]

Hi all,

I am looking out for some online assessment tests in C++ which would
help me get an in-depth knowledge of C++ from both interview point of
view and certifications point of view. I am actually trying to take up
some FREE online tests before I go for the original certifications.
Could you please let me know of some sites which provide us with such
free tests?

Also I would like to list out all possible questions in C++ again from
both interview's point of view and certifications point of view. If
anyone can help me with this, it would be great.

Thanks,
TechTest

 

[Victor Bazarov]

I am looking out for some online assessment tests in C++ which would
help me get an in-depth knowledge of C++ from both interview point of
view and certifications point of view. I am actually trying to take up
some FREE online tests before I go for the original certifications.
Could you please let me know of some sites which provide us with such
free tests?

Also I would like to list out all possible questions in C++ again from
both interview's point of view and certifications point of view. If
anyone can help me with this, it would be great.

I don't know of any online tests, either free or paid, but I will try
to help you by giving you free advice: knowing C++ and passing a test
are two different things, and many employers know that. If you hope
to get a decent job doing C++ programming, learn C++. Don't just learn
it to get certified (are there really any certifications on C++? I do
recall something in this newsgroup about certifications but don't
remember if somebody actually named any) or to be able to answer some
common interview questions.

Also, here is a piece of my experience: no online assessment tests can
give you _in-depth_ knowledge. That type of knowledge comes from using
C++, not from reading web pages.

Oh, I remember some kind of online test I looked at once, which if you
take you could call yourself an expert or something, but I don't recall
it having any weight at interviews or on a resume. Google for it...

V

 

[Neil Cerutti]

Oh, I remember some kind of online test I looked at once, which
if you take you could call yourself an expert or something, but
I don't recall it having any weight at interviews or on a
resume. Google for it...

Verily, a Google search turned up a lot of hits.

Here's one: http://www.expertrating.com/c++test.asp. It seems to
cost $9.95 US, with $5.00 US for retries. Apparently the test is
reentrant.

But likely you can't get a certification worth a damn for just $9.95.
Given the usual quality of free C++ tutorials on the web, unless
a test is peer-reviewed it's likely to be filled with errors.

 

[bob]

Hey,

I know there a good few companies out there that won't let you in the
door without an A score in brainbench. www.brainbench.com

It's easy to get a high score if you study. Be prepared to get a lousy
score first time (unless you're name is victor bazarov), then you'll
get a feel for the type of questions they ask (you'll be disgusted the
first time you take the test). The second time round you'll be prepared
and will score ok. things that they ask include order of construction
for classes that inherit virtually, using set_new_handler correctly,
being able to parse the syntax for pointers to functions e.g. this type
of stuff (except uglier);

int (* minus)(int,int)

other stuff includes the unnamed namespace, ugly pointer arithmetic,
assumptions about the size of various datatypes (whats platform
specific, what isn't), exceptions, new style casts (with pointers,
references, unrelated types etc, exceptions thrown when casting
pointers versus bad_cast with references, They offer a sample test at;

http://www.brainbench.com/xml/bb/common/testcenter/taketest.xml?testId=54

as Mister Bazarov says it won't make you a good programmer but it might
get you to interview stage.

For the record I managed to get the top score of all the candidates
interviewed however the test was in no way a good benchmark of my
ability.... I definitely ain't that good and struggle a lot of the time
(fook I hope that doesn't come back to haunt me). Start by taking their
sample test if you're interested. Don't pay them any money though. If a
company needs a brainbench score before they interview you, they
usually pay. Victor Bazarovs advice is sound, just program if you want
to be profecient.

hope that helps.

GrahamO

PS I didn't get that job!

 

[JustBoo]

I know there a good few companies out there that won't let you in the
door without an A score in brainbench. www.brainbench.com

I took that test a few years back and found many of the questions
absolutely ambiguous. I had the distinct feeling the guys(s) that
wrote it didn't understand the concepts themselves and were just
taking questions from FAQs and online tutorials. In fact, I remember I
found some out-right mistakes and pointed these out to the company I
was interviewing with.

This was at a scientific instrument company, and I did get the job.
This company used brainbench because there was not one
manager that knew how to code in C++. And of course they couldn't
trust the insane code monkeys, so....

Maybe the test has improved since then?

"Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it."
- Winston Churchill