Personal Assistant In-Tray Exercise

Hi,

I am interviewing for a PA and they are required to complete an in-tray exercise.

Would anyone be willing to share this with me please?

Many thanks

Beverley

Parents
  • Hi Beverley

    You say "they are required to complete an in-tray exercise". Who is requiring this? You should work with that person to develop a relevant exercise that is a reliable and valid measure of the skills the PA must have to be successful in her job.
  • Hi Beverley

    Maybe take a step back here and reflect upon the various (and probably diverse) essential and desirable attributes that are needed for this role along with the methods and best ways of evaluating them given the constraints of the selection exercise.

    The competencies that a full blown ‘ in-tray’ exercise are likely to reveal in this context may well be (a) discernible by different and more feasible and realistic / predictive methods and (b) only one piece of the jigsaw that comprises the ideal candidate for the role. An essential bit of the jigsaw, probably, but there again doesn’t it rather go with the territory with PAs that they can work autonomously in effective support of their boss’s role and isn’t it equally if not more important that their working styles and personalities etc chime with the particular requirements of their boss and their role?
Reply
  • Hi Beverley

    Maybe take a step back here and reflect upon the various (and probably diverse) essential and desirable attributes that are needed for this role along with the methods and best ways of evaluating them given the constraints of the selection exercise.

    The competencies that a full blown ‘ in-tray’ exercise are likely to reveal in this context may well be (a) discernible by different and more feasible and realistic / predictive methods and (b) only one piece of the jigsaw that comprises the ideal candidate for the role. An essential bit of the jigsaw, probably, but there again doesn’t it rather go with the territory with PAs that they can work autonomously in effective support of their boss’s role and isn’t it equally if not more important that their working styles and personalities etc chime with the particular requirements of their boss and their role?
Children
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