The Windows PowerShell Programming (Short) assessment is designed to evaluate the knowledge and skills of entry-level to mid-level programmers in writing, debugging, deploying, and maintaining scripts in Windows PowerShell, with a focus on standard scripting keywords, syntax, usage, and design patterns. The test measures candidate and employee proficiency across six key areas: Cmdlets, Pipeline, and Output Formatting; Variables, Data Types, and Operators; Control Flow: Conditionals and Loops; Functions, Parameters, and Script Structure; Error Handling and Debugging; and File Input/Output and Data Formats. It assesses skills such as working with arrays, hashtables, objects, regular expressions, remote execution, and interaction with Windows services, the registry, and scheduled tasks. The assessment also evaluates the ability to use conditional logic for automation and administration tasks, as well as understanding of modules, script execution policies, and script documentation. Questions are presented in Essay Composition, Multiple Choice, and Multiple Correct Answer formats, and are drawn from a large pool to help prevent cheating. One or more questions include time limits to further deter cheating and improve predictive performance, and artificial intelligence is used in the scoring of one or more questions.

The specific attributes measured include:

Following completion, the test produces a Candidate Selection Report that includes an overall score and detailed scores for each attribute.

The Candidate Selection Report also provides expert interview questions that help you probe critical or low-scoring areas, along with a guide for noting your evaluation of the candidate's responses. Consistent use of an interview guide is an important part of gaining better candidate insights and making better hiring decisions.

Note that while the Windows PowerShell Programming (Short) assessment is a useful and efficient instrument for confirming a base level of skill or knowledge about this important topic, it is not intended to pinpoint the exact level of candidate or skill. We recommend that skills tests, like this one, be used in parallel with other measurements, such as cognitive ability, job fit, and behavioral history. Each different type of test provides a valuable piece of information you can use when evaluating potential job performance.