An in-tray exercise is a type of assessment tool used by employers to evaluate a candidate’s ability to manage tasks and prioritize their workload in a simulated work environment. It is often used in the recruitment and selection process to assess a candidate’s suitability for a particular role.
In an in-tray exercise, the candidate is given a set of tasks and responsibilities that they must manage as if they were already in the job. These tasks may include emails to respond to, memos to read and prioritize, reports to review and analyze, and other administrative duties.
The candidate is typically given a set amount of time to complete the tasks and must prioritize them based on their importance and urgency. They must also demonstrate their ability to manage their workload effectively, make decisions, and communicate effectively with others.
The in-tray exercise is designed to simulate the challenges and responsibilities of the job, allowing the employer to evaluate the candidate’s ability to manage the workload and handle the demands of the role. It also allows the candidate to gain a better understanding of the duties and responsibilities of the job and assess whether it is a good fit for them.
Overall, the in-tray exercise is a useful tool for assessing a candidate’s ability to manage tasks, prioritize their workload, and communicate effectively in a simulated work environment. It can provide valuable insights into a candidate’s suitability for a particular role and help employers make informed hiring decisions.
About the Test
In-tray exercises are essentially a collection of fictitious documents from which you must answer queries and make decisions. The documents, or ‘items,’ are purposefully unordered, with essential issues and unimportant chit-chat nestled together. On our in-tray exercise page, PotentialForge offers a free in-tray practise exercise for testing.
Typical competencies evaluated during the in-tray exercise include:
- Critical Thinking
- Information Assimilation
- Customer Focus
- Task Prioritization
- Time Management
- Working Under Pressure
A classic example is being informed that you have returned from holiday to a full inbox, email inbox, and you must meet certain impending deadlines. Typically, candidates are presented with an in-tray containing 12 to 20 items and a 90-minute time limit. The in-tray exercise is almost always performed independently.
What does the test evaluate?
Here are a few examples of the types of documents you can expect to find in your inbox.
- Letter from the Chief Executive Officer verifying his visit later that day.
- A photocopied newspaper article about a competitor with a post-it note from your manager asking “how can we emulate this?”
- An email from HR requesting participation in an employee benefits survey.
- Notification of a missed call from your aide. Something regarding a marketing firm not paying their bill.
- Monthly sales figures and sales projections for the company.
- An email stating that a new coworker is joining tomorrow and that they require a work plan.
- An email from your superior inviting you to today’s meeting.
- Email thread regarding a colleague dispute regarding responsibilities.
- Email from IT support about essential maintenance.
- A customer complaint letter.
- Note regarding an essential health and safety advisory.
Your responses to the in-tray exercise will be compared to a scoring sheet that details the course of action you should have contemplated for each item.
The in-tray activity is primarily intended to test how effectively you prioritise information overload and how successfully you connect items that at first glance appear to be unrelated. For instance, one of the documents might offer a solution to a problem that is addressed in a subsequent document in the set of documents. To better organise your responses, it can be helpful to arrange the items in your in-tray in chronological order, highlighting those that are particularly essential or time-sensitive.
The competencies assessed during the in-tray exercise at the assessment centre will be a close reflection of the position for which you’re applying. Here are some typical talents evaluated by in-trays:
- Recognizing the seniority hierarchy. Who necessitates a more urgent response?
- Do events conflict with each other? Who could you dispatch in your place?
- Which responsibilities may be delegated, and to whom?
- Can you connect interlocking puzzle pieces?
- Do you accord customer complaints the urgency and significance they warrant?
- Are you creative and perceptive under time constraints?
- Do you know when it is preferable to encounter someone in person as opposed to by phone or email?
- Are you able to respectfully decline requests in order to meet more pressing deadlines?
Who should be evaluated on In-Tray?
In-tray exercises are often used by employers as a way to assess a candidate’s ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize, and manage their workload effectively. Jobs that require a high score on in-tray exercises typically involve a lot of multitasking and require strong organizational skills. Here are a few examples:
Administrative assistants are responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of an office or organization, including answering phone calls, scheduling appointments, and handling emails. They need to be able to prioritize tasks effectively and manage their time efficiently.
Project managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and overseeing projects from start to finish. They need to be able to juggle multiple tasks, coordinate with different teams and stakeholders, and ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget.
Executive assistants provide administrative support to top-level executives, including scheduling meetings, managing emails, and handling phone calls. They need to be able to handle a large volume of tasks and prioritize their workload based on the needs of the executives they support.
Sales managers are responsible for managing sales teams, setting sales targets, and developing sales strategies. They need to be able to manage multiple tasks and prioritize their workload based on the needs of their team and the company’s goals.
Human resources managers are responsible for recruiting, hiring, and managing employees, as well as developing and implementing HR policies and procedures. They need to be able to handle multiple tasks and prioritize their workload based on the needs of the company and its employees.
Customer service representatives are responsible for handling customer inquiries, complaints, and feedback through various channels, including email, phone, and chat. They need to be able to multitask and prioritize their workload to provide efficient and effective service to customers.
Marketing coordinators are responsible for supporting marketing campaigns and initiatives, including social media, email marketing, and content creation. They need to be able to manage multiple tasks and prioritize their workload based on the needs of the marketing team and the company’s goals.
Event planners are responsible for planning and coordinating events, including conferences, meetings, and parties. They need to be able to manage multiple tasks and prioritize their workload to ensure that events are successful and meet the needs of the clients and attendees.
Account managers are responsible for managing relationships with clients and ensuring that their needs are met. They need to be able to handle multiple tasks and prioritize their workload based on the needs of their clients and the company’s goals.
Legal assistants are responsible for providing support to lawyers and legal teams, including managing documents, scheduling appointments, and handling correspondence. They need to be able to manage multiple tasks and prioritize their workload based on the needs of the legal team and their clients.
Overall, any job that involves managing a large volume of tasks and requires strong organizational skills is likely to require a high score on in-tray exercises.
Benefits
Using an in-tray assessment as part of your recruitment process can help you to:
- Identify candidates with the necessary skills and attributes to excel in your organization
- Assess how well candidates manage competing demands on their time
- Test how well candidates respond to pressure and work under tight deadlines
- Make informed hiring decisions based on objective data rather than subjective impressions