Group exercises - what to expect
No matter what other tasks an assessment day involves, a group exercise will definitely be one of them. From discussion groups to job-based scenarios, discover how to show off your skills.
The purpose of the group exercise is not a big CIA-style secret covered up by evil HR personnel. It is used to see your communication and problem-solving skills in action, and to ensure that you can (as you will need to on the job) work effectively in a team. Whatever group exercise they ask you to do, there are two critically important factors to bear in mind:
- By your actions and words, you must help the group to complete the task.
- By your actions and words, you must promote your own cause.
A common mistake is to storm in with all guns blazing and dominate the group. Will this get you noticed? Most definitely. Will this get you hired? No. ‘This does not impress employers,’ says Bob Stead, author and occupational psychologist from the University of Hertfordshire Business School. ‘Similarly, an introvert may listen but not contribute, which will not impress either. You need to be reactive to the situation as well as proactive in your approach.’ The best way to impress the employers is to show yourself as a good team player – flexible, full of ideas but willing to listen to and help expand the ideas of others.
The discussion group
A discussion group involves the group members sitting round in a circle and being given a topic or topics to discuss. The nature of the topics can vary but usually they involve an issue of current importance to students or something that's been in the news recently. You are not usually given time to prepare so it's not a bad idea to read a quality newspaper in the weeks before the assessment centre.
The leaderless task
This involves each member of the group being given an individual briefing document which may or may not be different from other people's. As a group you must come up with a decision acceptable to all within the time limit. No one in the group is designated leader and so the group has to find a compromise solution.
The leadership task
Very occasionally, when the organisation is particularly interested in testing your leadership skills you will be asked to chair a meeting or act as leader of your group. Once again there will be a set task but this time you will be expected to be in charge and to lead the others to success. It's worthwhile knowing what is expected of you:
- A good leader delegates - The task cannot be done by you alone. You must divide up the work between the others.
- A good leader uses the strengths of others - You must identify the strengths of the individuals in your group and use them in appropriate ways.
- A good leader knows what's going on - Don't get too involved in doing things. It's better to monitor what's going on and make changes if things don't work out.
The job-related scenario
Perhaps the most common group exercise of all is the job-related scenario. Here they want to see how well you operate in a task that approximates to the job area that you have applied for. In nearly every case, you will each be given a different briefing document from the other candidates. The group then has to reach a decision despite the conflicting views of its members.
The ice-breaker
Organisations use ice-breakers to help you relax and to help the group to gel. Sometimes they are practical and involve the completion of a task within a tight deadline or they might be more intellectual. Everyone is expected to play a part and share information.
Bob Stead's top group exercise tips
- Use people’s names when you are talking to them.
- Bring people into the discussion.
- Don’t try to be a leader unless you have been given this role.
- Don’t directly criticise someone for their view.
- If you believe in something, make it clear without appearing overbearing or arrogant.
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