Written Exercise

Employers often use a written exercise to assess job candidates. Written exercises usually test a combination of: common sense, comprehension skills, verbal reasoning, the ability to structure a letter, an essay or an argument, note taking ability and written communication skills.

A candidate's knowledge of specific industry issues or work procedures is not usually tested. The subject of your written exercise may also be used as the basis for a discussion in a later interview.

Written Exercise Examples

Examples of written exercises used by firms include:

• Write a report on the pros and cons of a takeover bid, based on 12-pages of material provided.
• Summarise the facts of a case file, listing its strengths and weaknesses.
• Summarise a Law report for a client who is concerned with the issues it covers but has no specific legal knowledge.
• Write a letter of complaint to a local council on behalf of an elderly resident.

You will typically be given between 40-60 minutes to complete a written exercise.