New weed out questions.

Aparently from the responces I have gotten my questions will probably do more harm than good. See this thread for details on those questions.
http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=51751

So what do you guys think would be 4 good questions to ask someone applying for the job?

Job description: Person needs to be able to program Siemens and AB PLC's wire and debug panels from drawings. Program HMI's. We generally use Red Lion G3 series but have done jobs with panel view and wincc. Alot of the machines use a weight controller. These controllers are usually connected to the PLC or HMI via RS485 or RS232 depending on which is available.

We are a small company so I need someone to hit the floor running not someone I need to teach the basics to. I do not expect them to know everything but I do expect them to utilize the resources given.

The questions are for my time. I can not interview everyone who applies. Telling a head hunter to only send qualified applicants is like teling an alcholic to only take one drink.

So if you have time to put yourself in my shoes. What 4 questions would you ask?

FYI..The head hunter just tells us what the responces are he does not decide the pass fail. I see the answers and decide if this person is someone I want to talk to.

The question limit is due to time. I need something that can give me a decent guage of someone's ablitites without wasting alot of time.

I know this is not what you are asking but... if I'm in your shoes.

- Put Ad on the local Craigslist, skip the clueless HH. Unless the HH is a control specialist. I assume you are not willing to pay for relocation anyway and anyone willing to move would search the CL at target locationS anyway.

- Screen on the phone, gauge the experience and fit.

- Do a sitdown and have the person do some of the following..

- draw a motor start circuit in ladder.
- Do a simple panelview/Redlion screen.
- troubleshoot a fault ladder program (two OTE??)
- troubleshoot a wiring mistake on relay logic with meter or simple deduction.
- program a VFD.

most importantly, you get to see what kind of the person you will end up working with.

We tried the Craig's list. I ended up with a big pile of resumes that lead no where. With the economy the way it is right now you get alot of people not even in the ballpark. We were getting so many resumes that we finnaly pulled the ad.

The head hunter has posted his ad based on our discription so he gets all the spam. I am looking for a way to weed thru that without going back to square one.

FYI... I like the interview test... That is something I can do... I wrote a simulator for my nefew that would work well. It is the stop light job so if I see their eyes roll back in their head then I know I have someone with some experience...lol

You have given the four questions in your description:

Program Siemens plcs
Program Allen Bradley plcs
Program HMI's
Wire & debug panels

Minimum requirement would be three out of four.

Email an example project of your choice to prospective candidates. Call them up and get them to tell you how to perform a certain modification to the HMI/PLC - you'll soon determine if they are competent.

Interview in person the competent candidates you like the sound of.