The in-tray and e-tray exercises usually include the following question types:
- Multiple choice format - simply choose the best answer out of three or four optional answers, or alternatively, rank the answers according to their priority.
- Written tasks - you are asked to respond to a certain question by producing a letter or email. It could be a letter to an employee, or your professional opinion regarding a top importance issue, such as strategic decisions, market analysis, cutting the HR training budget, etc.
For instance, in one of our online in tray practice tests, you are introduced as the president of a pharmacutical company.
→ "You received an invitation for the 15.12 to a conference on innovative treatment for obesity, will you be attending?"
- I shall inform Paul that I will only attend the panel and discussion.
- I shall inform Paul that I will be sending Dana instead.
- I will confirm my attendance.
The purpose of the question is to coincide between different aspects of your weekly schedule, internal politics within the company's staff, delegation of authorities, setting prioirities, and more.
Here is another example of a task you are asked to respond to by writing a letter:
→ "Assuming we do enter the field, do you recommend that we develop a new medical product in the G.O.N labs or do you prefer to form a strategic alliance with N.V.Y?"
Important tips for in tray and e tray exercises
Prior to doing an in tray exercise it is vital you have a brief look through the documents and study the organisational chart. This will give you an overview of the organisation, the inter-personal relationships, politics and the issues you have to consider prior to deciding on the appropriate method to handle each of the documents.
Things you should consider:
- Does the document require your personal attendance or can it be delegated to a member of staff? If so, who should it be delegated to?
- Does the document require immediate attention or can it be postponed and until when?
- Does the document concern the entire organisation or is it a personal matter?
- By when must the task be fulfilled? Is it dependant on the performance of another task? Does it clash with any other tasks?
- Does the task concern an important member of the organisation?
- How important is the task?
Practice our real e-tray and in-tray exercises
Read more about:
Group exercises
Numerical reasoning test
Verbal reasoning test