I'm interviewing a new Junior Level web designer today. What is a good way to test him?
 

So, I have a Junior Level web designer coming in today and I want to try and get an idea of his skill level with Photoshop and HTML.
Are there any online tests I can give him to help me get an understanding of how good or bad he is?
Is there anything out there that you guys can recommend?

www.w3schools.com has some basic tests, elance.com and rentacoder.com have more advanced tests!

Awesome...thanks!

Ask him to do a fucking project for you man, ask him to knock something up that YOU want.

Fuck tests, he could be the best shooper and HTMLer in the world, it doesn't mean anything if he can't take on tasks you give him and turn it into something you want.

You are right...I was planning to have him make a mockup of something for me.
I was also just wondering if there was some sort of 20-30 minutes test that I could throw at him as well.

Yes best would be to make some small test project which doesn't consume too much time to see skills.

100%!
If the guy cant follow instructions he's as good as useless!

better to look at his portfolio then to put him under pressure to complete a test in front of you, which doesn't reflect real-world work environment. More important that you ask him about stuff, see if he is smart or stupid - - does he know whats going on in the world? Have opinions on stuff? Seem intelligent to you? Also if he seems annoying. I'd spend all my interview with that sorta stuff, relaxed conversation, and look at portfolio, then ask him to do a small mockup from a PSD template. Pay him for it or see if he does it for free. If it comes back on time (give a deadline) and done well you know he has the skills, isnt a moron, and wont drive you crazy :)

good luck hope you can pick a great web designer

Make him make a couple of galleries (with content and all)...

I love this idea...this is exactly what I'll do.
He should be here in about 30 minutes, so I'll start planning my attacj now.

Thanks!

We have a set task that possible web designers are set.
Previously one of the employee's here made a simple website for a client, we provide the person coming in with the required images for the design, a print out of how it looks and then say right go ahead and prove your HTML ability.

We only allow them notepad to do the work and of course the ability to browse online resources.

Once the tests done we give them a good grilling on their abilities in an interview. First interview they see the bosses. Second interview they see myself and 1 other along with the bosses where we just throw questions at them from a more technical stand point.

We don't expect the test itself to be a real indication of abilties, their CV's along with knowledge in response to our questions plays a bigger part, but we do however want employee's who can work under pressure.

:2 cents:

Have him design a new academic site for me :)

how I do it is:
I pick 2 very different style of designs I like , and have him do both.
Usually designers are good with the style they are comfortable with, which doesn't mean they are good at anything else.

i thought of that too, and it's useful ;)

I hope Alienq works out for you.

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh...

A test? Put him to work on a project and see how he does. Test complete.

Although why anyone would limit someone to Notepad is beyond me.

usually i look at previous works and know almost right away whether that person's skill level is what i need, want or can work with. if it's good i start off with small projects to see whether we can work together.

Yea no shit, if it's something real simple I will use Notepad but most of my stuff is done in dreamweaver *shrugs*

If someone told him they were going to give me a test project, and breath down my throat the entire time while I was working on it, I'd walk out on them & the job. Who wants to work for someone like that?

Actually, I've done that before. Sitting there in a meeting room with clients, going over a project. They shoot off some modifications, then ask me to bang them off while they're sitting there. Ummm, no...

Yep, that is a bit silly. I do the same thing faster with Dreamweaver and it is easier on my eyes aswell. I use Notepad for one thing only, which is taking notes.