In-trays/case studies
In-tray and case study exercises are designed to simulate a real work situation. They are a very common exercise at assessment centres.
You will be given relevant information on the organisation and the role you are taking on during the exercise, and an in-tray of paperwork or an email inbox (some information will be crucial, others more trivial) and asked to work through it within a time limit. This might include drafting replies, delegating tasks, and recommending actions for example.
Assessors will be looking at your ability to handle lots of information within a limited timeframe, and how you prioritise your workload and make decisions.
- can you absorb information and make sensible decisions?
- can you distinguish between what is important and what is urgent?
- how do you react under pressure?
- what are your organisation and planning skills like?
Some employers may also want to know why you made certain decisions and ask you to discuss this with the assessor.
Some hints and tips:
- try and stay calm
- read through the brief and all information provided carefully
- pay attention to detail
- take a step back and consider what the major factors are, prioritise the tasks
- be systematic and logical in your approach
- be ready to give reasons for your decisions
Further resources
Book a practice in-tray exercise with a member of the information team. This usually lasts around 1 hour, and involves working through a paper based timed exercise, followed by feedback.
Alternatively, work through the same in-tray exercise online, which takes around 20-30 minutes. This is multiple choice however, and so less demanding - we recommend you come in and do the paper-based version if you can.
You can have a go at a sample e-tray exercise on the Civil Service Fast Stream website.
Case study
These can take a variety of forms, but usually involve analysis of a hypothetical business problem. You might be given a set of papers relating to a particular situation and asked to make recommendations in a brief written or spoken report with the assessor.
No previous experience of the business is needed, they are not looking for management level analysis, and there is often not one ‘right’ answer.
They want to see how you absorb and analyse information, solve problems and make decisions. Can you think logically and use common sense to draw conclusions? Are you able to present and argue your case effectively, and withstand cross-examination?
Some hints and tips
- try and stay calm
- read through all material carefully, and be clear about what you are being asked to do
- back up your suggestions using facts from the material you have been provided with
- be clear if you are making an assumption
- have confidence in your work, and be assertive where necessary in discussing your recommendations
The preparation page has details of how you can watch our DVD on assessment centres, which features a case study and in-tray exercise.
The Prospects website has a section dedicated to these topics with further details:
This article was published on Aug 13, 2010