This article is the last in a four part mini-series looking at what you should expect at Assessment Centres, some of the tests used and how to show that you should be the one they offer the job to.
Read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 in the series.
In this type of exercise you will be given a fictitious simulated situation usually in which you have recently started a new role or in which you are “acting up” in a new position to you. You will usually be told that the predecessor or normal job holder is not available to give any advice so that you have to respond without advice or help. You will be provided with a large number of items for you to respond to in the form of emails, memos, meeting minutes, policy extracts, organisation charts, newspaper articles etc. There may be, perhaps, twenty or thirty different items for you to respond to. This may be in hard copy paper form or it may be via computer in a format which is often called an “e-basket”
The overwhelming key in this type of exercise is prioritisation. To succeed in this type of exercise you will need to be able to decide quite quickly on the relevant importance and urgency of the various items and issues. You are likely to be under pressure to complete the task in a timescale which feels a little too short. It is better to complete the most important items and give a brief response to all the items than to answer some very thoroughly and leave some issues not addressed at all.
A common mistake people make when working on in-tray exercises is to spend far too much time initially reading the material. You must skim read first time through to give you the overall picture without using up to much time. When you address each item you will be going back to read the relevant parts in more detail anyway so why do it twice.
As with all Assessment Centre tests practising in-tray exercises can really improve your performance, so get your friends to set you similar tests. Alternatively, organisations such as ACP offers the opportunity to practice in a more life-like situation.
Another failing is to spend too much time “polishing” your answers so they are presented and worded perfectly. It is far more important to make sure you cover all the key issues to a reasonable standard, communicating your key thoughts clearly and briefly than finessing a small number of items to an extent which will not gain you any additional credit.
Find out more information about practice role play exercises with ACP here
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