The practical test in a trade interview

A practical test in a trade interview is a supervised job. The candidate is given a door, an operator and a set of faults, then asked to work through them while an assessor watches and scores. The employer is not looking for speed. It is looking for a safe sequence, a correct diagnosis and a clear account of what was done. The reference material on The Overhead Bench sets out how a sectional door travels, closes and holds, and that geometry is what the assessor is testing against.

What does a practical test involve in a trade interview?

A practical test is a short shift. It usually runs between one and three hours, on a bench, in a workshop or at a live address. The candidate arrives with their own hand tools and personal protective equipment. The employer supplies the door, the operator, the test rig and the assessor.

The task is normally built around a fault. A door may be set with a misaligned track, a worn roller, a slack chain or a photo-eye that has been knocked out of line. The candidate is asked to find the fault, explain it, correct it and prove the correction. Some employers add a second fault that only appears once the first is fixed.

The assessor watches the order of work. Isolation comes first. The candidate should disconnect the operator from the mains, or pull the manual release and lock it off, before touching the door. On a live site the assessor also watches for the correct permit, the correct barrier and the correct sign.

A written element is common. The candidate may be asked to record the fault, the parts used and the time taken on a job sheet. Some employers ask for a short verbal handover to the customer at the end. That handover is scored as part of the test.

How is a safety check scored in an installer interview?

A safety check is scored against a fixed list, and the list is usually the one the employer uses on every job. The assessor marks each item as seen, missed or failed. A missed item is not always a fail. A failed item usually is.

The reversal test is the centre of the list. The candidate must place a test object in the path of a closing door and confirm that the door reverses. On an operator with a photo-eye, the beam is broken by hand. On an operator with a safety edge, the edge is pressed. The candidate then repeats the test with the door near the floor, because the point of reversal changes as the door travels.

The manual release is checked next. The candidate pulls the release, lifts the door by hand to about waist height and lets it go. A correctly balanced door stays where it is put. A door that slides down or shoots up fails the check, and the assessor will ask what that means for the springs.

The assessor also checks the hardware. Rollers, hinges, cables and bottom brackets are inspected for wear, rust and loose fastenings. The candidate should be able to say which parts are serviceable and which are not.

A scored safety check usually ends with a signature. The candidate signs the job sheet to confirm the test was carried out. That signature is part of the assessment.

What does an employer watch during a bench test?

An employer watches three things: sequence, diagnosis and communication. Sequence is whether the candidate isolates, tests and re-tests in the right order. Diagnosis is whether the candidate finds the cause rather than the symptom. Communication is whether the candidate can explain the fault to a customer without jargon.

Sequence is the easiest to score. The assessor notes the moment the candidate reaches for a tool, the moment the power is isolated and the moment the door is moved by hand. A candidate who tests the reversal before checking the balance has the order wrong, even if both tests pass.

Diagnosis is scored on the questions the candidate asks. A good candidate asks when the fault started, what changed and what the door does now. A weak candidate replaces parts until the door moves. The assessor will often introduce a second fault to see whether the candidate repeats the same process.

Communication is scored at the handover. The candidate should be able to say what was wrong, what was done and what the customer should watch for. On a domestic job that handover is often the only part of the visit the customer sees.

What tools and paperwork should you bring?

Bring hand tools, a torch, a tape measure, a spirit level and personal protective equipment. Steel-toe boots, gloves and eye protection are expected on any site. Some employers ask for a multimeter and a set of insulated screwdrivers.

Bring proof of any certificates you hold. A CSCS card, a PASMA card or an IPAF card is asked for on commercial sites. A driving licence is asked for on roles with a van. If you hold a qualification in electrical work, bring the certificate, because the operator is a mains-powered machine.

Bring a notebook. The assessor will ask you to record the fault, the parts used and the time taken. A candidate who writes nothing during the test usually loses marks at the handover.

How long does the test take, and what happens after?

A bench test usually takes between one and three hours. A live-site test can take half a day, because travel and site induction are included. The employer normally tells you the format in advance, and you can ask what tools to bring.

After the test, the assessor writes up the score sheet. A decision usually follows within a week. If the role is offered, the start date, the pay rate and the notice period are confirmed in writing. Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, statutory notice on the employer's side starts at one week once you have a month's service, and rises with length of service.

If the role is not offered, you can ask for feedback. Many employers will give it. The score sheet is a useful document to ask about, because it tells you which part of the test cost you the role.

What does the test cost you?

Most practical tests are unpaid, and that is lawful if the test is part of a genuine selection process. If the employer asks you to work a full shift on a customer's door and pays nothing, the position is different. A trial shift that produces saleable work is normally paid at least the National Minimum Wage.

The National Minimum Wage rate for an apprentice is lower than the rate for other workers, and the apprentice rate only applies to apprentices on a recognised programme. A candidate on a one-day trial is not an apprentice.

Travel to the test is usually your own cost. Some employers reimburse it. Ask before the day, not after.

What should you do the night before?

Read the job description again. Check the tools list. Charge your torch and your phone. Print two copies of your certificates.

Plan your route and arrive early. An assessor notices a candidate who is late, and a live site will not wait. If you are travelling to a site, confirm the address and the site contact the day before.

Get a full night's sleep. A bench test is a physical test as well as a technical one, and a tired candidate misses the reversal test more often than a rested one.