IBM Mainframe Online Test

The Mainframe Online Test uses scenario-based MCQs to evaluate candidates on their knowledge of mainframe technologies, including COBOL programming language, JCL, VSAM, CICS, and DB2. The test aims to evaluate a candidate's ability to design and develop mainframe applications that adhere to industry standards and best practices effectively.

Covered skills:

COBOL
JCL
VSAM
DB2
CICS
IMS
Assembler
RPG
PL/I
TSO
ISPF

Test Duration

35 mins

Difficulty Level

Moderate

Questions

7 COBOL MCQs
5 IBM DB2 MCQs
5 IBM JCL MCQs

Availability

Ready to use

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About the IBM Mainframe Test

The IBM Mainframe Test is designed to help recruiters identify candidates possessing the skills needed to excel in mainframe environments. This assessment streamlines the hiring process, allowing you to focus on the most promising candidates and reduce the time spent sifting through unqualified applicants.

This test evaluates a candidate's abilities across a spectrum of mainframe technologies. It gauges their proficiency in COBOL programming, database management with DB2, and job control using JCL. Further, the test explores understanding of VSAM data storage, transaction processing with CICS, and information management with IMS. Additionally, it covers knowledge of Assembler language, RPG programming, PL/I, TSO command processing, and ISPF panel management.

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Non-googleable questions

We have a very high focus on the quality of questions that test for on-the-job skills. Every question is non-googleable and we have a very high bar for the level of subject matter experts we onboard to create these questions. We have crawlers to check if any of the questions are leaked online. If/ when a question gets leaked, we get an alert. We change the question for you & let you know.

How we design questions

These are just a small sample from our library of 15,000+ questions. The actual questions on this IBM Mainframe Test will be non-googleable.

🧐 Question
Medium Decision Control Arithmetic Operations Decision Structures Data Types	Solve
Consider the following COBOL program: What will the program display when it is executed?
Medium Multi Dimensional Arrays Arrays Data Processing Subroutines	Solve
Consider the following pseudocode snippet in COBOL: After executing this program, what will be the final state of StrArr?
Medium VSAM File Processing in COBOL VSAM File Handling	Solve
Consider the following COBOL code snippet. The program aims to read from a VSAM Key-Sequenced Data Set (KSDS) named 'CUSTOMER-FILE' which contains customer records. The program reads the file in ascending order by 'CUSTOMER-ID', performs some processing (not shown here), and then displays the 'CUSTOMER-NAME' of the last record read. Assuming there are no syntax errors and the 'CUSTOMER-FILE' is present and accessible, what will the program display as the last customer's name after executing this COBOL program? A: The program will display the name of the customer with the highest 'CUSTOMER-ID'. B: The program will display the name of the customer with the lowest 'CUSTOMER-ID'. C: The program will not display any customer name. D: The program will display the name of the first customer in the 'CUSTOMER-FILE'. E: The program will display an uninitialized or random 'LAST-NAME'.
Medium Database Performance Tuning and Data Consistency Database Performance Tuning Transaction Management Locking Mechanisms	Solve
Consider the following DB2 database scenario. You are managing a stock trading platform that uses a DB2 database to track user transactions and market prices. The database has two tables, Users and Stocks. A user transaction to buy a stock is a two-step process: 1. Decrease the user's balance in the Users table. 2. Increase the quantity of the stock owned by the user in the Stocks table. Both these steps need to be performed atomically to maintain data consistency. Recently, with the increase in the volume of transactions, you are experiencing performance issues. Additionally, you have observed that during peak trading hours, a large number of user transactions are getting blocked, leading to user dissatisfaction. Which of the following strategies would BEST address the performance and blocking issues, while ensuring data consistency? A: Implement an optimistic concurrency control mechanism. B: Reduce the transaction isolation level to READ UNCOMMITTED. C: Break the transaction into two separate transactions D: Increase the database's buffer pool size. E: Implement row-level locking.
Medium DB2 Isolation Levels and Data Consistency Revisited Transactions Isolation Levels Data Consistency	Solve
Consider two users executing the following transactions concurrently on DB2: Transaction 1 (User A): Transaction 2 (User B): Table1 has thousands of records, and the value 'Value1' for Column1 is not unique in Table1. Both transactions are executed almost simultaneously with Transaction 2 executed a bit earlier. Considering the isolation levels set for the transactions, which of the following is the potential data inconsistency issue that might arise? A: A deadlock situation may occur. B: Transaction 1 will wait indefinitely for Transaction 2 to commit. C: Both transactions might update the same record leading to a lost update. D: Transaction 1 can experience a dirty read due to the changes made by Transaction 2.
Medium Optimizing Query Performance Indexing Query Optimization	Solve
You are managing a DB2 database which includes a table named `ORDERS`. The `ORDERS` table has a large volume of data and contains the following columns: `OrderID`, `CustomerID`, `OrderDate`, `ProductID`, `Quantity`. One of the frequently executed queries on the `ORDERS` table is: You are asked to optimize this query without changing its structure or the table schema. Which of the following strategies would MOST likely improve the performance of this query? A: Create a HASH index on `CustomerID` and `OrderDate`. B: Create a CLUSTERED index on `CustomerID` and `OrderDate`. C: Create a NONCLUSTERED index on `CustomerID` and `OrderDate`. D: Create a CLUSTERED index on `OrderID`. E: Create a NONCLUSTERED index on `OrderID`.
Medium Transaction Handling and Error Recovery in DB2 SQL Programming Transactions Error Handling	Solve
Consider the following pseudocode in an IBM DB2 environment: This stored procedure is used to update the inventory of a particular item. If the `NewQuantity` input parameter is negative, the procedure signals an exception. There's also a handler declared for exceptions, which logs an error message. Given this scenario, if an error occurs during the UPDATE statement, which of the following will happen? A: The update operation will fail, an error message will be logged, and the quantity in the inventory will remain unchanged. B: The update operation will succeed, no error message will be logged, and the quantity in the inventory will be updated. C: The update operation will fail, an error message will be logged, but the quantity in the inventory will still be updated. D: The update operation will fail, no error message will be logged, and the quantity in the inventory will remain unchanged. E: The update operation will succeed, an error message will be logged, but the quantity in the inventory will still be updated.
Medium Disposition Parameters JCL Syntax Dataset Management Job Control Language Analysis	Solve
Consider the following JCL snippet: In MYJOB, PROG1 in STEP1 uses the dataset MY.DS.INPUT with a disposition of (OLD,DELETE,KEEP). PROG2 in STEP2 also uses the dataset MY.DS.INPUT with a disposition of (NEW,PASS,DELETE). Assume that STEP1 executed successfully, but STEP2 failed during its execution. What would be the status of the dataset MY.DS.INPUT after the job MYJOB is run? A: MY.DS.INPUT will be deleted. B: MY.DS.INPUT will be kept and can be used by other jobs. C: MY.DS.INPUT will be newly created. D: MY.DS.INPUT will be available for the duration of the job, then deleted. E: MY.DS.INPUT status cannot be determined with the provided information.
Medium Execution Order and Return Codes Job Control Execution Order Return Codes	Solve
Consider a JCL job that needs to execute five steps: STEP01, STEP02, STEP03, STEP04, and STEP05. The steps represent data initialization, data processing, data validation, error handling, and job finalization respectively. The execution rules are as follows: 1. The job should always start with STEP01. 2. STEP02 should only execute if STEP01 completes successfully with a return code (RC) of 0. 3. STEP03 should always run after STEP02, irrespective of STEP02's return code. 4. STEP04 should only execute if either STEP02 or STEP03 fails, i.e., return a code not equal to 0. 5. STEP05 should always be the last step, and should only execute if all the previous steps were successful (each returning a code of 0). Given these rules, how would you design the JCL job using the IF/THEN/ELSE/ENDIF construct?

	🧐 Question	🔧 Skill
	Medium Decision Control Arithmetic Operations Decision Structures Data Types	2 mins COBOL	Solve
Consider the following COBOL program: What will the program display when it is executed?
	Medium Multi Dimensional Arrays Arrays Data Processing Subroutines	2 mins COBOL	Solve
Consider the following pseudocode snippet in COBOL: After executing this program, what will be the final state of StrArr?
	Medium VSAM File Processing in COBOL VSAM File Handling	2 mins COBOL	Solve
Consider the following COBOL code snippet. The program aims to read from a VSAM Key-Sequenced Data Set (KSDS) named 'CUSTOMER-FILE' which contains customer records. The program reads the file in ascending order by 'CUSTOMER-ID', performs some processing (not shown here), and then displays the 'CUSTOMER-NAME' of the last record read. Assuming there are no syntax errors and the 'CUSTOMER-FILE' is present and accessible, what will the program display as the last customer's name after executing this COBOL program? A: The program will display the name of the customer with the highest 'CUSTOMER-ID'. B: The program will display the name of the customer with the lowest 'CUSTOMER-ID'. C: The program will not display any customer name. D: The program will display the name of the first customer in the 'CUSTOMER-FILE'. E: The program will display an uninitialized or random 'LAST-NAME'.
	Medium Database Performance Tuning and Data Consistency Database Performance Tuning Transaction Management Locking Mechanisms	3 mins IBM DB2	Solve
Consider the following DB2 database scenario. You are managing a stock trading platform that uses a DB2 database to track user transactions and market prices. The database has two tables, Users and Stocks. A user transaction to buy a stock is a two-step process: 1. Decrease the user's balance in the Users table. 2. Increase the quantity of the stock owned by the user in the Stocks table. Both these steps need to be performed atomically to maintain data consistency. Recently, with the increase in the volume of transactions, you are experiencing performance issues. Additionally, you have observed that during peak trading hours, a large number of user transactions are getting blocked, leading to user dissatisfaction. Which of the following strategies would BEST address the performance and blocking issues, while ensuring data consistency? A: Implement an optimistic concurrency control mechanism. B: Reduce the transaction isolation level to READ UNCOMMITTED. C: Break the transaction into two separate transactions D: Increase the database's buffer pool size. E: Implement row-level locking.
	Medium DB2 Isolation Levels and Data Consistency Revisited Transactions Isolation Levels Data Consistency	2 mins IBM DB2	Solve
Consider two users executing the following transactions concurrently on DB2: Transaction 1 (User A): Transaction 2 (User B): Table1 has thousands of records, and the value 'Value1' for Column1 is not unique in Table1. Both transactions are executed almost simultaneously with Transaction 2 executed a bit earlier. Considering the isolation levels set for the transactions, which of the following is the potential data inconsistency issue that might arise? A: A deadlock situation may occur. B: Transaction 1 will wait indefinitely for Transaction 2 to commit. C: Both transactions might update the same record leading to a lost update. D: Transaction 1 can experience a dirty read due to the changes made by Transaction 2.
	Medium Optimizing Query Performance Indexing Query Optimization	2 mins IBM DB2	Solve
You are managing a DB2 database which includes a table named `ORDERS`. The `ORDERS` table has a large volume of data and contains the following columns: `OrderID`, `CustomerID`, `OrderDate`, `ProductID`, `Quantity`. One of the frequently executed queries on the `ORDERS` table is: You are asked to optimize this query without changing its structure or the table schema. Which of the following strategies would MOST likely improve the performance of this query? A: Create a HASH index on `CustomerID` and `OrderDate`. B: Create a CLUSTERED index on `CustomerID` and `OrderDate`. C: Create a NONCLUSTERED index on `CustomerID` and `OrderDate`. D: Create a CLUSTERED index on `OrderID`. E: Create a NONCLUSTERED index on `OrderID`.
	Medium Transaction Handling and Error Recovery in DB2 SQL Programming Transactions Error Handling	3 mins IBM DB2	Solve
Consider the following pseudocode in an IBM DB2 environment: This stored procedure is used to update the inventory of a particular item. If the `NewQuantity` input parameter is negative, the procedure signals an exception. There's also a handler declared for exceptions, which logs an error message. Given this scenario, if an error occurs during the UPDATE statement, which of the following will happen? A: The update operation will fail, an error message will be logged, and the quantity in the inventory will remain unchanged. B: The update operation will succeed, no error message will be logged, and the quantity in the inventory will be updated. C: The update operation will fail, an error message will be logged, but the quantity in the inventory will still be updated. D: The update operation will fail, no error message will be logged, and the quantity in the inventory will remain unchanged. E: The update operation will succeed, an error message will be logged, but the quantity in the inventory will still be updated.
	Medium Disposition Parameters JCL Syntax Dataset Management Job Control Language Analysis	2 mins IBM JCL	Solve
Consider the following JCL snippet: In MYJOB, PROG1 in STEP1 uses the dataset MY.DS.INPUT with a disposition of (OLD,DELETE,KEEP). PROG2 in STEP2 also uses the dataset MY.DS.INPUT with a disposition of (NEW,PASS,DELETE). Assume that STEP1 executed successfully, but STEP2 failed during its execution. What would be the status of the dataset MY.DS.INPUT after the job MYJOB is run? A: MY.DS.INPUT will be deleted. B: MY.DS.INPUT will be kept and can be used by other jobs. C: MY.DS.INPUT will be newly created. D: MY.DS.INPUT will be available for the duration of the job, then deleted. E: MY.DS.INPUT status cannot be determined with the provided information.
	Medium Execution Order and Return Codes Job Control Execution Order Return Codes	2 mins IBM JCL	Solve
Consider a JCL job that needs to execute five steps: STEP01, STEP02, STEP03, STEP04, and STEP05. The steps represent data initialization, data processing, data validation, error handling, and job finalization respectively. The execution rules are as follows: 1. The job should always start with STEP01. 2. STEP02 should only execute if STEP01 completes successfully with a return code (RC) of 0. 3. STEP03 should always run after STEP02, irrespective of STEP02's return code. 4. STEP04 should only execute if either STEP02 or STEP03 fails, i.e., return a code not equal to 0. 5. STEP05 should always be the last step, and should only execute if all the previous steps were successful (each returning a code of 0). Given these rules, how would you design the JCL job using the IF/THEN/ELSE/ENDIF construct?

	🧐 Question	🔧 Skill	💪 Difficulty	⌛ Time
	Decision Control Arithmetic Operations Decision Structures Data Types	COBOL	Medium	2 mins	Solve
Consider the following COBOL program: What will the program display when it is executed?
	Multi Dimensional Arrays Arrays Data Processing Subroutines	COBOL	Medium	2 mins	Solve
Consider the following pseudocode snippet in COBOL: After executing this program, what will be the final state of StrArr?
	VSAM File Processing in COBOL VSAM File Handling	COBOL	Medium	2 mins	Solve
Consider the following COBOL code snippet. The program aims to read from a VSAM Key-Sequenced Data Set (KSDS) named 'CUSTOMER-FILE' which contains customer records. The program reads the file in ascending order by 'CUSTOMER-ID', performs some processing (not shown here), and then displays the 'CUSTOMER-NAME' of the last record read. Assuming there are no syntax errors and the 'CUSTOMER-FILE' is present and accessible, what will the program display as the last customer's name after executing this COBOL program? A: The program will display the name of the customer with the highest 'CUSTOMER-ID'. B: The program will display the name of the customer with the lowest 'CUSTOMER-ID'. C: The program will not display any customer name. D: The program will display the name of the first customer in the 'CUSTOMER-FILE'. E: The program will display an uninitialized or random 'LAST-NAME'.
	Database Performance Tuning and Data Consistency Database Performance Tuning Transaction Management Locking Mechanisms	IBM DB2	Medium	3 mins	Solve
Consider the following DB2 database scenario. You are managing a stock trading platform that uses a DB2 database to track user transactions and market prices. The database has two tables, Users and Stocks. A user transaction to buy a stock is a two-step process: 1. Decrease the user's balance in the Users table. 2. Increase the quantity of the stock owned by the user in the Stocks table. Both these steps need to be performed atomically to maintain data consistency. Recently, with the increase in the volume of transactions, you are experiencing performance issues. Additionally, you have observed that during peak trading hours, a large number of user transactions are getting blocked, leading to user dissatisfaction. Which of the following strategies would BEST address the performance and blocking issues, while ensuring data consistency? A: Implement an optimistic concurrency control mechanism. B: Reduce the transaction isolation level to READ UNCOMMITTED. C: Break the transaction into two separate transactions D: Increase the database's buffer pool size. E: Implement row-level locking.
	DB2 Isolation Levels and Data Consistency Revisited Transactions Isolation Levels Data Consistency	IBM DB2	Medium	2 mins	Solve
Consider two users executing the following transactions concurrently on DB2: Transaction 1 (User A): Transaction 2 (User B): Table1 has thousands of records, and the value 'Value1' for Column1 is not unique in Table1. Both transactions are executed almost simultaneously with Transaction 2 executed a bit earlier. Considering the isolation levels set for the transactions, which of the following is the potential data inconsistency issue that might arise? A: A deadlock situation may occur. B: Transaction 1 will wait indefinitely for Transaction 2 to commit. C: Both transactions might update the same record leading to a lost update. D: Transaction 1 can experience a dirty read due to the changes made by Transaction 2.
	Optimizing Query Performance Indexing Query Optimization	IBM DB2	Medium	2 mins	Solve
You are managing a DB2 database which includes a table named `ORDERS`. The `ORDERS` table has a large volume of data and contains the following columns: `OrderID`, `CustomerID`, `OrderDate`, `ProductID`, `Quantity`. One of the frequently executed queries on the `ORDERS` table is: You are asked to optimize this query without changing its structure or the table schema. Which of the following strategies would MOST likely improve the performance of this query? A: Create a HASH index on `CustomerID` and `OrderDate`. B: Create a CLUSTERED index on `CustomerID` and `OrderDate`. C: Create a NONCLUSTERED index on `CustomerID` and `OrderDate`. D: Create a CLUSTERED index on `OrderID`. E: Create a NONCLUSTERED index on `OrderID`.
	Transaction Handling and Error Recovery in DB2 SQL Programming Transactions Error Handling	IBM DB2	Medium	3 mins	Solve
Consider the following pseudocode in an IBM DB2 environment: This stored procedure is used to update the inventory of a particular item. If the `NewQuantity` input parameter is negative, the procedure signals an exception. There's also a handler declared for exceptions, which logs an error message. Given this scenario, if an error occurs during the UPDATE statement, which of the following will happen? A: The update operation will fail, an error message will be logged, and the quantity in the inventory will remain unchanged. B: The update operation will succeed, no error message will be logged, and the quantity in the inventory will be updated. C: The update operation will fail, an error message will be logged, but the quantity in the inventory will still be updated. D: The update operation will fail, no error message will be logged, and the quantity in the inventory will remain unchanged. E: The update operation will succeed, an error message will be logged, but the quantity in the inventory will still be updated.
	Disposition Parameters JCL Syntax Dataset Management Job Control Language Analysis	IBM JCL	Medium	2 mins	Solve
Consider the following JCL snippet: In MYJOB, PROG1 in STEP1 uses the dataset MY.DS.INPUT with a disposition of (OLD,DELETE,KEEP). PROG2 in STEP2 also uses the dataset MY.DS.INPUT with a disposition of (NEW,PASS,DELETE). Assume that STEP1 executed successfully, but STEP2 failed during its execution. What would be the status of the dataset MY.DS.INPUT after the job MYJOB is run? A: MY.DS.INPUT will be deleted. B: MY.DS.INPUT will be kept and can be used by other jobs. C: MY.DS.INPUT will be newly created. D: MY.DS.INPUT will be available for the duration of the job, then deleted. E: MY.DS.INPUT status cannot be determined with the provided information.
	Execution Order and Return Codes Job Control Execution Order Return Codes	IBM JCL	Medium	2 mins	Solve
Consider a JCL job that needs to execute five steps: STEP01, STEP02, STEP03, STEP04, and STEP05. The steps represent data initialization, data processing, data validation, error handling, and job finalization respectively. The execution rules are as follows: 1. The job should always start with STEP01. 2. STEP02 should only execute if STEP01 completes successfully with a return code (RC) of 0. 3. STEP03 should always run after STEP02, irrespective of STEP02's return code. 4. STEP04 should only execute if either STEP02 or STEP03 fails, i.e., return a code not equal to 0. 5. STEP05 should always be the last step, and should only execute if all the previous steps were successful (each returning a code of 0). Given these rules, how would you design the JCL job using the IF/THEN/ELSE/ENDIF construct?

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Why you should use Pre-employment IBM Mainframe Online Test?

The IBM Mainframe Test offers a streamlined method for assessing candidate proficiency in this specialized domain. This assessment focuses on practical skills and real-world application, differentiating between candidates with theoretical knowledge and those ready to contribute from day one.

This test evaluates a candidate's understanding of core mainframe concepts, including their ability to write and debug COBOL programs. Questions will assess their skill in working with IBM DB2 databases, including data retrieval and manipulation. Familiarity with IBM JCL for job execution and resource management is also examined. The assessment extends to knowledge of VSAM datasets, their structure, and access methods, along with a general understanding of mainframe architecture and its components. Candidates will also be evaluated on their awareness of mainframe security considerations.

Upon completion of the test, you'll receive a detailed scorecard, highlighting areas of strength and potential areas for improvement for each candidate. This report provides valuable insights to inform your hiring decisions and streamline your selection process, enabling you to identify the most suitable mainframe talent for your organization.

What topics are covered in the IBM Mainframe Online Test?

This test assesses a candidate's knowledge of IBM Mainframe technologies, verifying their ability to work with systems that remain at the heart of many large organizations. The skills covered in this assessment are:

COBOL: A programming language used extensively for business applications. Expertise in COBOL allows developers to maintain and update existing systems, and building new applications.
JCL: Job Control Language is the scripting language used to instruct the mainframe operating system. A strong grasp of JCL is important to perform tasks such as submitting jobs, managing datasets, and controlling system resources.
VSAM: Virtual Storage Access Method is a high-performance file access method used in mainframe environments. Testing VSAM skills ensures candidates understand data storage and retrieval techniques.
DB2: IBM's relational database management system for the mainframe. Knowledge of DB2 is important for interacting with data stored in mainframe databases.
CICS: Customer Information Control System is a transaction processing system. Testing this skill helps to check that candidates can work with online transaction processing applications.
IMS: Information Management System is a database and transaction management system. Assessing IMS skills guarantees an understanding of hierarchical database concepts and transaction handling.
Assembler: A low-level programming language that provides direct control over hardware. Assembler knowledge enables debugging and optimization of system-level code.
RPG: Report Program Generator is a high-level programming language initially designed for report generation, now used for business applications. Understanding RPG helps professionals develop and maintain applications on IBM systems.
PL/I: Programming Language One is a general-purpose programming language used in business, scientific, and engineering applications. Competency in PL/I allows professionals to create diverse applications.
TSO: Time Sharing Option is an interactive interface for interacting with the mainframe operating system. Assessing this skill means candidates can navigate and manage mainframe environments effectively.
ISPF: Interactive System Productivity Facility is a dialog manager and editor. Checking ISPF proficiency indicates a candidate's ability to efficiently navigate and edit files on the mainframe.

Full list of covered topics

The actual topics of the questions in the final test will depend on your job description and requirements. However, here's a list of topics you can expect the questions for IBM Mainframe Test to be based on.

COBOL syntax

Data types in COBOL

Conditional statements in COBOL

Looping in COBOL

Subprograms and procedures

COBOL file handling

Error handling in COBOL

DB2 SQL queries

DB2 table creation and management

DB2 indexes

DB2 stored procedures

Working with JCL statements

JCL utility programs

JCL job control statements

Understanding VSAM datasets

VSAM file handling operations

CICS basic concepts

CICS transactions and programs

IMS database concepts

IMS program structures

Assembler instructions

Assembler program relocation

RPG programming concepts

RPG data structures

PL/I variable declarations

PL/I string manipulation

TSO commands

ISPF panels

Using TSO in batch mode

Handling ISPF datasets

What roles can I use the IBM Mainframe Online Test for?

Mainframe Developer
Mainframe Programmer
Mainframe Systems Analyst
Mainframe Operations Analyst
Mainframe Administrator

How is the IBM Mainframe Online Test customized for senior candidates?

For candidates with a solid background in mainframe technologies, the assessment is tailored to evaluate a more refined skill set. The questions focus on practical problem-solving and the ability to apply knowledge to complex scenarios commonly encountered in mainframe environments.

This advanced assessment explores areas such as optimizing COBOL code for performance and maintainability, as well as designing and implementing complex DB2 database solutions. The candidate's skill in creating and managing sophisticated JCL procedures for batch processing is also examined. The test assesses expertise in advanced VSAM techniques, including performance tuning and data integrity, alongside a broader understanding of mainframe system architecture and its interactions. Furthermore, the candidate's abilities in troubleshooting, debugging complex issues, and implementing security best practices within a mainframe environment are evaluated.

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Have questions about the IBM Mainframe Hiring Test?

What is IBM Mainframe Test?

The IBM Mainframe Test is designed to evaluate candidates on key skills needed to work with IBM mainframe systems. It is used by recruiters to identify candidates with expertise in COBOL, JCL, DB2, and other mainframe technologies.

Can I combine IBM Mainframe Test with COBOL questions?

Yes, recruiters can request a custom test that includes both IBM Mainframe and COBOL questions. For more details on COBOL assessment, check COBOL Online Test.

What topics are covered in the IBM Mainframe Test?

The IBM Mainframe Test covers skills such as COBOL, JCL, VSAM, DB2, CICS, IMS, Assembler, RPG, PL/I, TSO, and ISPF. Senior roles are assessed on their understanding of ISPF panel/dialog manager, batch processing, COBOL-DB2, JCL utilities, and more.

How to use IBM Mainframe Test in my hiring process?

Use this test as a pre-screening tool at the start of your recruitment process. Include the test link in your job post or email it directly to candidates. This helps identify the most skilled candidates early on.

Can I test IBM Mainframe and Database skills together?

Yes, you can test both IBM Mainframe and database skills. Consider combining this with our IBM DB2 Database Test for a comprehensive evaluation.

What are the main IBM tests?

We offer various IBM-related tests:

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Yes, absolutely. Custom assessments are set up based on your job description, and will include questions on all must-have skills you specify. Here's a quick guide on how you can request a custom test.

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How do I interpret test scores?

The primary thing to keep in mind is that an assessment is an elimination tool, not a selection tool. A skills assessment is optimized to help you eliminate candidates who are not technically qualified for the role, it is not optimized to help you find the best candidate for the role. So the ideal way to use an assessment is to decide a threshold score (typically 55%, we help you benchmark) and invite all candidates who score above the threshold for the next rounds of interview.

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Each Adaface assessment is customized to your job description/ ideal candidate persona (our subject matter experts will pick the right questions for your assessment from our library of 10000+ questions). This assessment can be customized for any experience level.

Does every candidate get the same questions?

Yes, it makes it much easier for you to compare candidates. Options for MCQ questions and the order of questions are randomized. We have anti-cheating/ proctoring features in place. In our enterprise plan, we also have the option to create multiple versions of the same assessment with questions of similar difficulty levels.

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