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Obviously The Old Man didn't expect all prospective employees to know all this stuff -- more likely just a means of weeding out real dopes. Still, it's interesting to see some of the things that people might be expected to know in 1921. Would Edison hire you?

A little more terrifying is the test given to eighth-graders in Bullitt County, Kentucky, in 1912: http://www.bullittcountyhistory.com/bch ... m1912.html -- it makes the Edison test look like a breeze! Of course a hundred years ago, it wasn't unusual for people to skip high school entirely and go right to work after grade school, so I guess a lot of information had to be crammed into those eight years. But how many adults could pass a test like this today?

(If anyone's interested, the answers to the Bullitt test are here: http://www.bullittcountyhistory.com/bch ... 12ans.html)

Anyone know if Edison is hiring?

I took the test and no, I shall never reveal the result Let it suffice to say Edison's HR dept. would have said we will get back with you... Thought I was on Jeopardy for a minute.

Bill K

Cody K wrote: A little more terrifying is the test given to eighth-graders in Bullitt County, Kentucky, in 1912: http://www.bullittcountyhistory.com/bch ... m1912.html -- it makes the Edison test look like a breeze! Of course a hundred years ago, it wasn't unusual for people to skip high school entirely and go right to work after grade school, so I guess a lot of information had to be crammed into those eight years. But how many adults could pass a test like this today?

(If anyone's interested, the answers to the Bullitt test are here: http://www.bullittcountyhistory.com/bch ... 12ans.html)

Does correcting the spelling and punctutation in the test questions count?

I took the test. All I'll say is that TAE's HR dept. would have probably suggested, "Why don't you try over in Camden?"

I got about 24%, and am not ashamed of that. Maybe TAE would have allowed me to shovel coal for the DC generators at the Lab, or sweep the place. Maybe.

I got a 37% right on that test. It's a pretty tough test. Obviously, Edison wanted to know how much chemistry you knew as well as geography and the location of various natural resources.

Valecnik wrote:I took the test. All I'll say is that TAE's HR dept. would have probably suggested, "Why don't you try over in Camden?"

HA!

These days I'd imagine lawsuits would abound.

On a similar line, I heard this little tidbit about hiring a prospective employee. As a final test, Edison would invite the candidate for dinner at his house. If the employee used salt and pepper before tasting his food, he was not hired. If the employee tasted his food, and then added salt and pepper, then he was hired. Edison wanted employees who would think before doing something and not assume.
Harvey Kravitz

Phonofreak wrote:If the employee used salt and pepper before tasting his food, he was not hired.

Still stands today. What jackas$ would do that ?