Written Exercise at Interview (2024 Guide)

Types of Written Exercises

What skills are being assessed in a written exercise, what should i expect during a written exercise, written exercise sample questions (2024), tips for success on a written exercise in 2024, final thoughts, written exercise at interview (2024 guide).

Updated June 10, 2023

Edward Melett

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Written exercises are frequently used as part of the recruitment process, especially for graduate schemes and training contracts.

Each writing exercise will differ, as they usually relate to the industry to which you are applying, as well as the company and the role.

Some companies request that applicants complete an online written exercise or comprehension test when sending in their initial application form . Others will incoporate a written exercise into their assessment centres .

Many applicants find the idea of completing a written exercise daunting – however, with proper preparation, there's nothing to fear.

This article will cover what you can expect in a written exercise, what's being assessed, and will give you some model answers and tips.

Below is a list of the common types of written exercises used by employers:

Email . You may be asked to draft a mock email to a client. Usually, the employer will present you with a specific scenario – for example, a customer has complained and you need to resolve the issue. Emails are designed to be a quick form of communication, so keep it brief. Remain courteous and professional, and make sure you read the instructions thoroughly before starting.

Letter . Letter writing generally has more formal conventions than email, so make sure you familiarise yourself with the correct way to begin and end one. Professionalism is key here. Remember also that letters are usually longer than emails.

Report or Essay . Law or consultancy firms might ask you to write a report or essay on a current industry issue. You may be given the question prior to interview, though not in all cases. Pay attention to the amount of time you are given to complete the task and ensure that the report has a clear beginning, middle and end. A finished essay with a professional tone and appropriate detail will look better than one which has lots of detail but remains incomplete.

Press Release . Marketing or PR firms could ask you to write a press release, so it's worth researching the format beforehand. Your ability to promote a product/event will be evaluated, alongside your understanding of the industry and how it operates. Do not write an essay: keep it short and professional with an original flair.

Precis . Some written exercises require the candidate to summarise and rewrite a large chunk of text into something more succinct. Pay close attention to what aspects of the text are important – as the employer will pick up on what you decided to include and what you decided to omit – and make sure all of the important information is retained.

Proofreading . Occasionally a written exercise will ask you to review a text and check for any spelling or grammatical errors. Although this may seem easy, take your time – mistakes are often well hidden, and you should comb over the text carefully.

Written exercises can test far more than your writing ability and attention to detail.

They also test your comprehension skills . Employers will be paying close attention to the way in which you respond to a brief – whether you understand what is required of you, and how you choose to tackle the assignment itself.

To succeed in a written exercise, you must ensure that you read the brief several times and tailor your response to meet its needs. Misreading or misunderstanding demonstrates poor comprehension skills, and a lack of attention to detail that could go against you.

Written exercises can also demonstrate your professionalism , your ability to work towards a goal , to communicate with others, and to argue a point or opinion .

writing assignment for job interview

Prepare for Assessment Centre Written Exercises

A written exercise may take place online , in an interview or at an assessment centre . Usually, they will be timed at no more than 40–60 minutes .

It is likely you will be shown to a meeting room to work quietly on the task. If you are taking part in a written exercise at an assessment centre, you may well be in the room with other potential candidates applying for the same or different jobs.

The format of the test depends on which kind of writing skill is being tested – for example, you may be asked to draft several emails or resolve an issue via letter.

Most of the time, the interviewee will be given a short brief (maybe a paragraph in length) and will be given a set amount of time to respond.

Usually, a written exercise will be written by hand and not on a computer, so be prepared for this and ensure your handwriting is clear and legible.

Here are some written exercise examples you may come across during the interview process:

Summarise the facts of a case file, listing its strengths and weaknesses, and making it half its current length.

Write an email to a disgruntled client who has complained about the customer service team.

Write a report on the pros and cons of a takeover bid, based on 12-pages of material provided.

Write a press release for [XXXXX], aimed at clients who have never heard of the product before.

As you can tell, the scope of questions and themes will vary greatly from job to job – but they will all aim to test your comprehension and writing skills.

Step 1 . Don't panic

Exam scenarios can often cause people to feel unnecessarily anxious which, in turn, can lead to underperforming. Remember that they have invited you to the assessment centre as they feel you are a viable candidate for the job. Trust in your own abilities.

Step 2 . Keep an eye on the time

Don't focus too much on writing an excellent introduction and opening argument, and then run out of time without finishing the assignment. Try to divide your time equally between each section (i.e. the introduction, 3 to 4 paragraphs of evaluation, and a conclusion).

Step 3 . Check your work

Try to save some time at the end to go over and check your work for any spelling or grammatical mistakes, or errors in syntax. Ensure that your handwriting is legible and that your points are clear. A written exercise is much less impressive when it contains errors, so it is vital that you pay attention to detail.

Written exercises give candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their talents and abilities beyond the scope of their CV and interview performance.

Though they can vary in form, they will assess a candidate's writing ability, comprehension skills and attention to detail – all good qualities in a potential employee.

You might also be interested in these other Wikijob articles:

What Is a Job Application Form? Definition & Examples (2024 Guide)

Or explore the Interview Advice / Interview Types sections.

6 interview writing prompt examples to qualify content candidates

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Qualifying candidates for content can be a longer process than you think. After all, your content is how people find you, learn from you, and choose you. And good quality and execution of content are what may set you apart from others. So, how do you make sure they’re fit for the role? Or if they can deliver the results you’re looking for? A good place to start is by asking them to complete writing prompts as an early step in the interview process.

As a manager of a content team, writing is one of the most important things I need to vet in order to see if a candidate is fit for the role. And I don’t just want to see writing they’ve done in the past, I want to test them now . That’s why I’ve come up with several different written task prompts to put candidates to the test. Are they a good fit for the role? For the company? For the team?

When you're building your first marketing team, a content writer will be one of the first roles you should consider hiring for , and when working with a small team it'll be essential that you hire the right person the first time, rather than wasting time and resources training someone who's a poor fit. Writing prompts are a perfect way to allow candidates to show off their skills.

When should you ask content job candidates to complete a written task?

There are different stages of the interview process in which you can offer written assignments. First, if candidates maybe lack a portfolio or you need more information upfront, you can ask candidates to complete writing prompts before you even speak to them. Second, and my preferred method, you can ask them to complete writing prompts later on in the process. Alternatively, you can do a mix of both. I’ll let you decide what works best for your hiring funnel. 

Here are examples of what a typical interview process may look like and where the writing prompts may fall:

  • Resume, portfolio & video introduction reviewed
  • Pre-interview writing prompts completed
  • Phone screen or initial interview
  • Writing prompts completed
  • Interview with the hiring manager (where writing prompts are presented)
  • Interview with another member of the team 
  • Interview with higher-level managers/CEO if needed
  • Hired :) 

Let’s take a look at 6 different sample writing exercises for job applicants you may find helpful in your next round of interviews.

3 short writing prompt examples 

Now that your hiring pipeline is full, you’ve reviewed resumes, portfolios, maybe a quick applicant video introduction, and the like, and you’re probably ready to start scheduling interviews. At this stage, it might be wise to ask some of your top choices to do a bit of homework that applies to your product/company to kick it off. You can do this before you start the first round of interviews, or after.

These short writing prompts should give you just enough to test the legitimacy of their work. To make the most of their time and yours, make sure that all assignments and expectations are clearly explained to candidates, especially if it’s before they get the chance to speak to anyone.

Short writing prompts to choose from

These examples can be tweaked and modified to the position at your company or depending on what exactly you’re looking for. Nonetheless, they can help you get started on how to develop short writing prompts. 

1. ‘Wow’/awareness prompt  

Please choose something on our website that you can build upon and write a blurb to ‘wow’ our audience. Make sure to use language that draws them in and makes them the center (it should be less about us and more about them). Consider a headline that sparks interest or curiosity from the reader. 

Add a short description explaining what you expanded on and why you did what you did. 

2. ‘How’/Consideration Prompt

Write a short blurb that helps our audience answer questions they have or learn something to help them along their buyer’s journey—whether they’re in the awareness, consideration, or decision stage. This can be for website copy, an email—just something to show you know how to write for this stage of the funnel.  

Add a short description explaining how your writing piece guides readers along in their journey.  

3. ‘Now’/decision prompt 

Please write an email inviting someone to do something—download our new guide to X, reach out to us, schedule a demo, etc. Make sure to describe why you wrote what you did and how it requires action from the audience. 

These are good tests that force candidates to really think about their targeted audience and the stage of the funnel they’re in and how to write for them—a true marketing skill. They are interesting, yet broad topics you can have job candidates complete to really challenge them—both in writing and in marketing knowledge. 

Now, let’s take a look at project-based writing prompts that are a bit broader. 

3-part project-based sample writing prompt 

I personally prefer to ask candidates to complete a project-based writing exercise after an initial interview. This gives us the opportunity to learn more about them and their experience, so instead of short samples, the project-based writing prompts allow us to further determine if they are a good fit. 

For this project-based writing prompt, I ask candidates to complete 3 stages of a writing assignment. First, I test their ability to edit and improve their writing. Second, I test their ability to write a piece, and third, I test their ability to plan and build a content strategy. 

Of course, this is specific to what the content role does here at Kalungi on a day-to-day basis, but I’m confident any content marketer or content manager should know how to do these 3 tasks (or hopefully you can get some inspiration for how to tweak this for your company). As a note: no matter what, this longer, project-based writing prompt should specifically do 2 things:

  • Allow the candidate to get a taste of what they will be doing during their day-to-day
  • Allow you as the hiring manager to see if they will be a good fit for their job depending on the work they deliver 

Let’s dive into this 3-part writing project. You can choose to assign all the parts, or select one or two. However, we’ve found this to be a good test of whether they’re a good fit for us, and we’re a good fit for them.

Project-based writing prompt for job candidates

1. editing & improving writing .

Please edit, leave suggestions and optimize this blog: [insert blog here]. Let us know what you’d change or improve to make it the best it can be.

I typically like to keep instructions for this piece very simple to really test candidates. I want to see how they would make something better. I want candidates to use both skill and creativity to completely transform these pieces. Sometimes they do, other times they may only focus on grammar. 


Either way, it’s nice to talk about the process they went through in their interview. Not only that, but it shows how far the candidate is willing to go and really tests their leadership skills as well. Especially if the piece is already edited and published on the website (which is what I normally give them).

2. Writing a blog 

Please showcase your ability to create high-quality content that adds value, drives organic traffic, and boosts keyword rankings. Write an 800-1,000 word blog post on ‘[insert keyword here]’ for [website].

3. Planning & strategy 

Demonstrate your ability to strategize, plan, and advise a topic cluster content strategy . Put together a topic cluster strategy in this spreadsheet [insert link here]. 

For this project, I export a list of keywords for one topic cluster into a spreadsheet and ask them to fill out a strategy for it. You can see and . This really tests their SEO knowledge and gives me an understanding of their experience with building .

This 3-part writing project requires the hiring manager and the job candidate to discuss the decisions that were made in the next interview. I prefer to invite candidates to schedule an interview with me right when this project is completed so we don’t delay the process. This is because I’ve found that although sometimes people don’t ‘nail’ these projects, or do complete them with the quality I hoped for, I can tell if they are on the right track or if they can learn quickly when they explain the approach they took—especially for the editing and planning projects. 

An example of what I added to the end of the project description: 

Present your work! Please schedule a 30-minute content interview with the hiring manager. Contact [email protected] to schedule.

An optional portion of the project I also like to include is a self-review where the candidate answers the following questions. 

  • How do you think you did? What do you think you did well? 
  • What did you struggle with? What do you want to learn more about?

I give them the option to answer these questions in the project document or to be ready to discuss them in our interview. These are questions that allow you to tell the kind of person they are and the attitude they have towards work and learning. I think it also opens up the conversation and makes us more human. After all, honesty is key, especially during interviews :)

Good luck with your next hire

I hope these writing sample prompts help you better determine which candidate is best for your business. Remember, it’s the work that should impress you, not their resume or their experience. 

If you do use any of these writing prompt examples—we’d love to hear your feedback on what you (or the candidate!) thought about them and how they helped you in your hiring journey. You can reach out to me personally at [email protected]

Looking to build your marketing team? See our resources on " What roles to hire first " and " How to hire your B2B SaaS CMO " or get in touch with our team to learn more about how Kalungi's outsourced marketing services could provide you with a full-service, instantly-on marketing team .

CTO and co-founder at Kalungi, Fadi has helped SaaS companies grow with Inbound Marketing strategy and tactical best practices. as well as Marketing & Sales alignment to generate over $250MM in revenue for companies globally.

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03-08-2018 WORK LIFE

Got An Interview Assignment? Don’t Make These Six Common Mistakes

Sometimes a take-home project is part of the hiring process. Don’t blow it by making these preventable blunders.

Got An Interview Assignment? Don’t Make These Six Common Mistakes

[Photo: Rawpixel ]

BY  Stav Ziv and The Muse 6 minute read

Congratulations! You’ve reached the part of the hiring process where you’ll be judged on what you can actually do, rather than how well you talk about what you can do. It’s an interview assignment–some sort of task directly related to the role you covet (most of the time this is normal and legitimate , though it can be misused).

Granted, the assignment can’t always mirror exactly the kind of work you’d do if you got the job. But in most cases, it comes closer than sitting in a room in clothes you don’t usually wear with a stranger who might become your boss, explaining why you would be the best choice.

Think of this as your best chance to show off your skills. And along those same lines, you should think about all the mistakes other people make that you can easily avoid.

1. You Didn’t Follow Directions

In fifth grade, my teacher handed out a pop quiz. It contained a list of questions and instructions at the top that told us to read through the whole thing first. A note at the bottom of the page directed us not to answer anything, and instead to put our pencils down and wait to see how many of our classmates passed the test. I was the only one who did.

At the time, my success did little but cement my status as a full-fledged nerd (and, yes, earn me some brownie points with my teacher). But it was an important lesson for a bunch of 10-year-olds that job seekers would do well to remember.

Do what the assignment asks you to do, at the very least. Your potential bosses don’t want to hire someone who will do only half the job or a different job entirely. This is how you can show them they can count on you to get it done.

2. You Didn’t Ask Clarifying Questions Or Check Your Assumptions

It’s hard to follow directions if you don’t quite understand them. If you’ve made an honest effort to parse what’s being asked of you and it still doesn’t make sense–or you’re missing information that would allow you to drastically improve the quality of your assignment–reach out and ask!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stav Ziv  is a journalist based in New York City whose work has also appeared in The Forward, Dance Magazine, The Atlantic, and Newsday. She was previously a staff writer at Newsweek and the deputy editor overseeing careers and work coverage at The Muse   More

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Writing Assignment At A Teaching Job Interview

  • Post author: Dr. Fawaz Al-Malood
  • Post category: Professional Development / Teaching

keepcalmandwriteon

In a previous article titled Preparing For A Teaching Interview , I discussed six things you can do to prepare for an interview. However, the interview itself is only one aspect of the hiring process at many colleges and universities.

Hiring committees for a full-time teaching position often require candidates to also complete a written assignment and a teaching demonstration.  At my college, we require candidates to do the writing assignment, job interview, and teaching demonstration on the same day. In some disciplines, candidates may also be required to perform a skills demonstration. In this article, I will discuss the writing assignment.

Purpose of the Writing Assignment

A candidate will sometimes be given a question, discussion prompt, or a scenario that they’ll need to respond to in writing. The purpose of the writing assignment is to determine the following:

  • Is the candidate able to comprehend, process, and respond to a question, discussion prompt, or scenario in a short period of time?
  • Candidates are usually given 30-45 minutes on this exercise. The hiring committee is really trying to figure out if you can think and respond quickly and intelligently on a dime.
  • Is the candidate able to articulate his/her thoughts in a professional manner using proper grammar, sentence structure, and format.

I’m one of those people who thinks a lot faster than I can type, which is why I often have to proof-read what I write several times for typos and grammatical errors. Even with proofreading, my brain tends to auto-correct things in my mind as I am reading, but my fingers do not seem to always catch-up. That is something that candidates need to be cautious of when working on their writing assignment. Plan to use a few minutes of your allotted writing time to proof-read and edit your paper.

What To Expect

As far as what you will be asked to write about, well if the committee does not tell you, expect anything.  I’ve served on committees where candidates had to write:

  • on a very specific discipline related issue
  • a detailed sample assignment given to students
  • an essay projecting the economic job market for a specific discipline/major

If you happen to know any of the full-time faculty at the institution where you are applying, it wouldn’t hurt for you to ask them to share their experiences. Ask about the writing assignments they’ve had to complete, the topics they addressed, and what they would be looking for on the writing assignment if they were on a hiring committee.

Try to find someone who is not on your hiring committee. In fact, if you ask someone on your committee, they really should not be giving you any tips as that would violate Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) practices.

Most people wait until they are invited to a job interview to do all of this research.  Why wait? If you plan on applying for a teaching position, anticipate being invited someday and begin preparing today!  Start asking questions about the hiring process and how to prepare even before you start applying for positions.

What To Write

Generally speaking, a traditional three-paragraph format with an introduction, body, and conclusion should work for some of these writing assignments.

If you’re writing about a discipline related topic, you may need to be a bit more scientific in your approach and be able to include one or two references. If you get a discipline related question, the committee may be assessing your currency in the field to determine if you’re in touch with the latest research, practices and findings.  So, brush up by reading recent publications such as scientific journals and industry publications in advance. If you are not already doing this on a regular basis, you should be.

If you are asked to write a sample assignment that would be given to a student, the committee is trying to determine whether you are able to provide detailed homework instructions to a student. The goal is to ensure that your sample assignment includes instructions and an example, if necessary, that are so detailed that a student would be able to complete your assignment without any questions. With writing assignments such as this, be sure to include the following (at the very least):

  • Title of the assignment
  • Description and the purpose of the assignment
  • Detailed instructions
  • Brief example if necessary
  • Submission instructions
  • Grade, percentage, or number of points allocated to the assignment

Your writing assignment does not have to be long, but it needs to be well written, and it needs to address the prompt or question you were given. You can always practice writing in advance to get into the habit of putting words on a page right away. The last thing you need is to end-up with writers block on the day you are supposed to do your writing assignment.

It is important for you to remain calm and rational when working on the writing assignment. Some candidates get so nervous that they produce a poorly written paper that is incoherent and riddled with mistakes.

“So Keep Calm And Write On”

So to recap, here are the 6 things that you need to do to prepare for a writing assignment at a job interview:

  • Ask current faculty about their experiences with the writing assignment and the topics that they were asked to write about.
  • Maintain currency in your discipline by reading scientific and industry publications.
  • Practice writing
  • Remain calm when writing.
  • Use a traditional format when in doubt unless writing a sample student assignment.
  • Proofread and edit your paper.

Well, I hope you found this post useful. If you did, I’d be grateful if you’d help spread the word by sharing this with friends or colleagues on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, or any other social media platform you use.

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Is It Normal to Get a Job Interview Assignment?

person thinking on computer

Applying for jobs takes a lot of time—to network, research companies,browse job postings, pull together your materials, prepare for interviews, and follow up. And then there’s also the mental aspect of psyching yourself up before each stage and then waiting to hear back .

Which is why you’re not all that excited when the hiring manager asks if you could complete a take-home assignment as well. It feels like a lot to invest even more time and effort into a job that you haven’t even landed yet.

But before you see it as just one more hoop to jump through, you should know that it’s not just for the company’s benefit. It helps you, too.

writing assignment for job interview

How Interview Assignments Help You

As an applicant, two of your biggest concerns are showing you can do the job, and beating out the competition. A take-home assignment gives you the opportunity to do both.

The hiring manager’s picked a task to weed out anyone who exaggerated on their application . So, think of this as an opportunity for you strut your stuff.

Anyone can say they’re detail-oriented, or that they think outside the box, or that they know how to code, but an interview assignment gives you the chance to demonstrate it. It really is worth taking your time to show that you’re (literally) up to the task. Turning in a perfect edit test or some ideas for how you’d take an initiative in a fresh direction can be just the thing to distinguish you from other candidates.

Additionally, these tests are reflective of the kinds of projects you could expect in your new role. So, if it’s incredibly hard, you have to get a mentor’s help, and it takes you all weekend to complete something you feel good about, it could be an indication that this role isn't going to be the best fit on your end—which is a valuable lesson for you to learn before you sign on.

Unfortunately, not every assignment is above board. I should know: I got tasked with a major project to have my work stolen .

This misuse of the interview assignment is not normal, but it does happen. So, don’t ignore a gut feeling you’re being asked to work for free. One thing you can do if you think you’re being taken advantage of is to ask someone in the field whether this seems like a reasonable task. (You can also follow these strategies to protect your ideas.)

More often than not though, this assignment is there to confirm you really could do the job. So, take it as the opportunity it is, and hit it out the park.

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10 Good Weaknesses for a Job Interview That Aren’t “I Work Too Hard”(+ Sample Answers)

  • Júlia Mlčúchova , 
  • Updated March 28, 2024 11 min read

How to answer the classic interview question "What is your greatest weakness" ? And do you really need to prepare your weaknesses for job interview?

Believe us, you do! Because knowing your weaknesses is equally as important as knowing your strengths . 

When it comes to job interviews, we’re constantly encouraged to present our finest selves to seem like the absolute best candidate for the job. So talking about your flaws may seem counterintuitive.

Yet, this question seems to be one of the recruiters’ most favourite . 

That's why it's a good idea to get ready for this eventuality and prepare yourself to frame the answer in your favour . 

If you want to learn more, keep reading our article and discover: 

  • Why are recruiters asking this question;
  • How to know what is your greatest weakness;
  • What NOT to say when answering;
  • A list of good weaknesses for a job interview;
  • Examples of how to answer “What is your greatest weakness?”

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

What the recruiters really want to know

Top 10 good weaknesses for a job interview.

  • How to answer “What is your greatest weakness?” in 4 steps

What is your greatest weakness sample answers

How not to answer “what is your greatest weakness”, key takeaways: top 10 best weaknesses for job interview.

Honestly, this feels like a trap, inviting you to reveal your shortcomings and ruin your chances at getting hired. 

But, regarding job interviews , nothing is ever haphazard! So, you probably won't be too surprised when we tell you that there's more to this question than meets the eye. 

When recruiters ask about your weaknesses, here's what they actually want to know : 

  • Whether you're self-aware and capable of introspection. Can you look at yourself and recognize your deficiencies? And can you be self-critical? Because both of these are key qualities of anyone's dream employee. 
  • Whether you're reliable. Not in the sense of being able to do anything and everything. But in the sense of knowing your limits and being honest about communicating them. Because employers need to know that you won’t bite off more than you can chew. 
  • Whether you have a “growth mindset". Next is their interest in your ability to face challenges. Do you perceive them as opportunities to grow and develop professionally? Or avoid them completely? 
  • Whether you're a good fit for the company culture. Lastly, they want to gauge how well you work with others. For example: Would you be able to own up to your mistakes, learn from them and move on? Or are you more likely to play the blame game? 

As you can see, your response can offer a glimpse into your resilience, workplace attitude and adaptability . Qualities that are invaluable in any professional setting.

Have a job interview coming up?

Upload your resume and generate sample job-specific interview questions in seconds.

A “good weakness” is one that isn't core to the job in question , is believable, and is possible to work on .

Of course, there's no one-size-fits-all set of weaknesses because everyone's experiences and challenges are unique. However, there are a couple of common vulnerabilities that you may find relatable AND are suitable.

In case you're struggling to identify yours, this list may help you find it: 

  • Lack of professional experience with non-essential skills.  
  • Taking criticism too personally. 
  • Imperfect presentation skills. 
  • Struggling to ask for help. 
  • Discomfort with giving criticism. 
  • Difficulties delegating tasks to others.  
  • Impatience with slow processes. 
  • Difficulties with prioritizing tasks. 
  • Inability to let go of projects.
  • Being too blunt. 

And now, let's look at each of these in more detail. Plus, we'll also briefly discuss how you can try to fix them. 

#1 Lack of professional experience with non-essential skills

In other words, not having a deep understanding of a skill that may be beneficial, but not indispensable. For example, while a project manager isn't required to have proficiency in graphic design, knowledge of Illustrator may be useful for creating simple visual materials for presentations.

This weakness is relatively safe, yet it still communicates your “growth mindset.” Plus, it's an easy fix – just mention a particular course that targets the skill in question .

#2 Taking criticism too personally

This one is pretty real and believable. The ability to receive feedback and objective criticism is necessary for any professional, yet it's not something that comes naturally to many.

For instance, you could say that in the past, it was difficult for you to distinguish between criticism of you as an employee, and criticism of you as a person . But through a conscious shift in mindset, you came to recognize it for what it really is – an opportunity to improve.  

#3 Imperfect presentation skills

Another fairly common weakness is the fear of public speaking . Whether it be presentation for teams, your management, or clients, some degree of public speaking is necessary for pretty much any corporate position.

To improve upon this weakness, you can enroll into a course (such as this Harvard University course via EdX) where you can hone these skills and earn a certificate.   

#4 Struggling to ask for help

You simply can't be a lone wolf in a corporate setting. So you can talk about your inability to ask your colleagues or supervisors for help because you don't want to add to their workload and seem like a burden.

But after several negative experiences you've realized that seeking assistance is the responsible thing to do, because it facilitates the completion of projects . So, you've decided to work on your communication skills , and now you’ve become more productive.

#5 Discomfort with giving criticism

If you happen to occupy a leadership position, it doesn't matter to what capacity, there are times when you have to put your foot down if something isn't working . And not everybody is comfortable with that.

There might’ve been situations where you avoided giving your junior colleagues criticism out of fear of being too harsh. But mention that you're working on this problem by going through a leadership and communication programme . 

#6 Difficulties delegating tasks to others

Another weakness you could mention is reluctance to pass tasks to others . Whether it stems from your desire for perfection, not wanting to increase your colleague's work load , or your need to have things under control, this weakness of yours has caused a decrease in overall team efficiency.

But soon enough you've come to recognize your own faults. You've started by delegating small, low-risk tasks at first. Gradually, you've established open communication for any question or feedback, and learned to trust your colleagues more. As a result, the productivity, efficiency and job satisfaction of your entire team increased. 

#7 Impatience with slow processes

For instance, your lack of patience manifested whenever you felt that your own work pace was hindered by your colleague’s slower tempo. And sometimes, it caused tensions within the team.

So, you did a bit of research and discovered that there are stress-reduction techniques you could learn that target your impatience management. Additionally, you developed a habit of using the extra time between projects by tackling smaller tasks which keep you occupied and productive.

#8 Difficulties with prioritizing tasks

Maybe you're that type of person that says “yes” to everything and then ends up struggling to juggle all the tasks you took on. Because of this, you've reached out to a professional who advised you to work on your time management skills .

Maybe you've gone through a training in the ABCDE method , and now you're able to categorize your tasks based on their urgency. You felt the results of your effort immediately – you became less stressed, which improved your productivity, as well as your relationship to work itself. So now you feel more confident and in control. 

#9 Inability to let go of projects

Imagine this: you've managed to complete your project ahead of time and instead of marking it as complete and moving on to a new task, you just keep coming back to it. Even if the project is executed to perfection.

And this was a problem, because it prevented you from working more efficiently and not wasting any time. But, after you've completed a project management programme , you've learned how to curb this behaviour. Now, you practice setting yourself clear criteria for project evaluation which help you not to dwell on one task for too long. 

#10 Being too blunt

Lastly, you can say that, in the past, you're too direct in your communication with your colleagues. You've realized that your communication skills could use some training when several of your co-workers accused you of being too harsh.

So, to fix this weakness, you completed a course that taught you how to deliver your comments in a more sensitive way. For example, to insert criticism (constructive, of course) in between two positives to make the impact of your words less biting. As a result, the awkward workplace tension disappeared and your co-workers became more receptive to your feedback. 

How to answer “ What is your greatest weakness ?” in 4 steps

Essentially, you should approach the weaknesses for job interview question as an opportunity to demonstrate that you're not only aware of your faults but that you're also actively trying to overcome them . 

So, the perfect answer to "What is your greatest weakness" should follow these 4 steps:

First, select a real weakness that you’ve actively worked/are working to improve. For instance, do you tend to take criticism too personally? Can you be impatient with slow processes? Do you struggle to ask for help?

Next, describe how and when you noticed this weakness. Maybe you received feedback from your supervisor? Or a project you worked on didn't go as planned? In any case, outline what exactly was the problem.

Then, you have to show that once you became aware of this weakness, you rose to the challenge and decided to work on yourself. Being aware is not enough. You must also show willingness to grow. For example: enrolling in a course, mentorship programme, workshop, or developing new habits and practices.

Finally, share the results of your efforts. Ideally, you'll be able to show how your newly sharpened tools contributed to your team or project. And don't be afraid to acknowledge that you're still working on them, if that's the case.

Although this structure is fairly simple, it works wonders! Feel free to use it when preparing your answers. And remember, the narrative is entirely in your hands! 

And finally, we should take a quick look at these 4 example answers.

Notice that all of them follow the structure we've outlined above (weakness, context, improvements, results). 

And if any of these correspond with your own weaknesses, you can just copy and tweak them so that they reflect your own experience. 

Weaknesses for job interview: Presentation skills

“My biggest weakness is my presentation skills. It was only last year that I realized my public speaking skills needed improvement. I was really struggling to overcome my nervousness during team presentations. I realized very quickly that I have to do something to get better at it. So I enrolled in a public speaking course and practiced at every opportunity I got: presentations, reports, even family gatherings! After two months I noticed that I became more confident and comfortable during presentations. I’m by no means perfect, but I received positive feedback from our clients recently. ”

Weaknesses for job interview: Delegating tasks

“The thing I really struggled with in the past was my ability to delegate tasks to my co-workers. I’ve always felt this need to ensure that every single task is completed to a certain standard. And I used to have problems trusting my team even though they always did a stellar job. Eventually, this caused unnecessary tension among us. I realized that it was me who was at fault. So, I decided to work on myself. I improved my communication skills and made sure that my team knows that they can turn to me with any questions. After some time, our relationships and mutual trust improved. And we were able to complete complex projects well ahead of deadlines . If I recall correctly, our overall productivity improved by some 20% . ”

Weaknesses for job interview: Asking for help

“ I remember that when I started out as an accountant, I suffered from a serious imposter syndrome. I was self-conscious of my lack of experience, so I felt that I needed to prove myself. Plus, I really didn’t want to seem like a burden, so whenever I was struggling with new systems or processes, I simply wouldn’t ask anyone for help . Of course, now I know how unfounded and unprofessional this behaviour was. The key thing I’ve changed was my own mindset . I started to look at these challenging moments as opportunities to foster stronger teamwork. I feel that by reaching out to others, I learned a lot about the importance of collaboration. And it also made me more patient with newcomers ! Now, I always make sure they know that they can reach out to me with anything and not feel bad about it.”

Weaknesses for job interview: Being too blunt

“When I look back on my previous work experience, I can definitely say that I used to be pretty blunt when it came to giving feedback to my colleagues. See, I’ve always valued honesty and transparency above everything. And I thought that that’s what makes effective workplace communication. But I was so wrong! My co-workers often felt that I’m being too insensitive, and that caused tension between us. To address this, I enrolled in a leadership programme that taught me how to better phrase my concerns. I’ve found the ‘praise-criticism-praise’ technique especially useful! Soon, all that awkward energy was gone. And my co-workers actually became more receptive to my feedback and we worked much better together as a team .” 

Now that we've gone over the best answers, let's also talk about how NOT to present your weaknesses.

Again, it's pretty simple, just avoid doing these things: 

  • Saying that you have no weaknesses. Who’re you trying to fool my friend? Certainly not the recruiters! Indeed, if there's one way to communicate your lack of awareness, it's this! 
  • Trying to pass your strengths for weaknesses. Not even Michael Scott can pull off a Michael Scott. So, skip saying you're too much of a perfectionist, or that you work too hard! 
  • Using a skill/quality that's essential for the job as your weakness. For example, if you're applying for the job position of an accountant, don't say you're bad at maths or that you pay no attention to details. 
  • Oversharing personal information. Just to be clear, recruiters don't care much about the details of your weaknesses. Maybe your nervousness about public speaking is rooted in a bad experience from childhood. Even if so, keep this detail to yourself. Instead, go into lengths about how to address and correct your weakness.  

To sum it all up, the weaknesses for job interview question isn't a strategy to reveal your faults, but an opportunity to show that you're self-aware , introspective , and determined to continue improving on your weak areas. 

When preparing your answer, try sticking to this simple, yet effective structure:

  • Introduce your weakness.
  • Provide a real-life professional context.
  • Demonstrate your effort and determination to improve.
  • Mention the results of your improvement (if possible). 

In case you don't know what your weaknesses are, you can draw inspiration from our list of the most appropriate weaknesses for a job interview : 

  •  Being too blunt. 

If you're preparing for a job interview, be sure to also check out how to answer these common questions:

  • Why are you interested in this position?  
  • Why should we hire you?
  • Why did you leave your previous job?
  • Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
  • Why are you looking for a new job?
Julia has recently joined Kickresume as a career writer. From helping people with their English to get admitted to the uni of their dreams to advising them on how to succeed in the job market. It would seem that her career is on a steadfast trajectory. Julia holds a degree in Anglophone studies from Metropolitan University in Prague, where she also resides. Apart from creative writing and languages, she takes a keen interest in literature and theatre.

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5 Types of Homework Assignments for a Skills-First Hiring Process

Post Author - Juste Semetaite

CVs and interviews don’t predict job performance, but work assignments can.

It’s really simple; hiring managers need to place competence in context to assess candidates’ technical and interpersonal skills .

If a structured interview process can help flush out candidates with the right attitude and cultural alignment, homework assignments can highlight people with the perfect skillset for the role.

And for a hiring manager, the hiring confidence when selecting between candidates who list the right skills on their resume and those who nail take-home tasks is like night and day.

Curious if work assignments could be a good fit for your company? In this article, we discuss:

  • what a homework assignment is all about
  • why companies prioritize work assignments over interviews
  • how to reassure candidates that work assignments aren’t ‘free work’
  • the easiest way to incorporate take-home tasks into your hiring process
  • five tips for designing an effective homework assignment

Let’s dive in!

What is a homework assignment?

A homework assignment or an interview project is a task given to a candidate during the interview process that tests whether they have the right skills for a role. Typically these assignments take about an hour or two to complete and have a specific deadline. But they can be more detailed and take up to 5 hours or longer, depending on the role seniority or complexity.

Top tips to enlarge those brains

We recommend sticking to a maximum of two hour-projects to keep it fair and reasonable for candidates. As a hiring manager, your main goal is to get a reliable snapshot of a candidate’s technical fit for the job – not to subject applicants to NASA-level testing.

Alternatively, you could swap homework assignments for paid test projects. While many candidates frown upon the idea of completing longer take-home tasks for free (who doesn’t hate free labor?), paid projects are generally accepted as a reasonable alternative. Learn how we leverage paid projects at Toggl Hire.

If a candidate won’t complete an assignment that takes less than 2 hours of their time, likely, they aren’t really interested in the role. So it also doubles as a reliable method to screen out prospective bad hires .

Why do companies ask candidates to complete homework assignments?

Homework assignments help companies get a better idea of a candidate’s strengths and whether they’d be a good match for the role. It’s a bit like shopping online. Seeing a new pair of sneakers you want in a 2D image is great. But getting a fully immersive AR experience really brings the sneakers to life and builds your confidence you’re making the right choice!

writing assignment for job interview

These days, many companies prioritize work assignments over interviews , as the typical interview process is outdated. Interviews and CVs alone don’t help the hiring team explore a candidate’s actual abilities. Why? Well, firstly, candidates sometimes exaggerate their qualifications on CVs. Plus, a potential candidate could be great in an interview scenario but terrible at the actual job.

Another reason interviews are passé is that they can open up the hiring team to potential cognitive bias (hiring someone very similar to you). This might seem kind of nice, but in the end, you’ll have less diversity if everyone you hired was a mini-me, right?

Yet, interviews do have an important role to play in the hiring process. But not right in the beginning, necessarily. Shifting the interview portion further down the hiring process steps helps companies focus on quality candidates rather than the search for quality candidates. They could rather confirm the technical fit through skills assessments and then dig deeper during the second interview.

According to HBR, prioritizing homework assignments over interviews can help recruiters better match true competency with the job requirements:

One of us (Jeff) spent several years hiring writers for our firm. He used a scenario-driven writing assignment, administered after a short introductory call, to assess skills. Many publications use writing or editing tests for job candidates, but Jeff approached the task more analytically than most: After receiving the assignment, he conducted a follow-up conversation to understand not just what was on the page, but the candidate’s choices in crafting it. Not only did this give us a sense of how a candidate would perform, but they got a much better sense of the job itself, as we related elements of the task to actual role expectations. By using the same exercise repeatedly, it also built a database of responses over time, a positive feedback loop to better assess the next candidate. Geoff Tuff, a principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP – Harvard Business Review

The real benefits are that work assignments and skills assessments paint a truer picture and can also:

  • help identify the best person for the job
  • reveal an applicant’s work ethic
  • reduce the risk of selecting candidates that have lapsed technical skills (especially with the rapid evolution of technology)
  • are easy to deploy at scale – you can narrow down the number of applicants from 500 to 50 to save the hiring team loads of time
  • help organizations draw in non-typical but strong candidates that broaden the team’s diversity, equity & inclusion
  • reduce the risk and cost of a bad hire

Realistic Job Preview: 11 Ways How to Use RJPs in Hiring

What do candidates gain from completing homework assignments?

Job seekers may not often feel enthusiastic about interview assignments. And we get it. People are busy juggling so many things in their day to day that adding one more can feel overwhelming. But those who look at the bigger picture see it as an opportunity to shine.

Work assignments are a foolproof way for job seekers to demonstrate their skills and expertise . And if candidates happen to have any gaps in their experience, they can still demonstrate their aptitude through an online assignment.

It’s also an easy way for candidates to show they’re truly interested in the position and the employer and stand out from the crowd of other applicants.

Not only do these task projects give them a peek into their potential day-to-day responsibilities , but it’s also a window into whether the role is a good fit for them in the long run .

writing assignment for job interview

If they find the task takes too long or that the topic or sector is dryer than toast – they should put their sights elsewhere. But if it’s all systems go – then they’ve already got a head start on producing what’s needed for the role.

5 Types of take-home interview assignments

Take-home interview assignments are a popular choice for assessing technical and creative candidates. But now companies are seeing the benefits for other roles too.

Three things that hiring managers should consider for all these types of interview assignments:

  • Letting candidates know about the test beforehand. That way, they’re not surprised and feel they’re starting off on the wrong foot.
  • Automating everything they can in the testing process, so they don’t leave candidates high and dry in between lengthy hiring phases.
  • Using the data they gain from these tests and candidate feedback to update their hiring process.

And now, onto the examples of homework assignments.

#1 Basic skills screening

Quick skills screening tests as a pre-qualifying step can help reduce the volume of applications without any manual effort. That means no manual resume screening or individual candidate feedback.

As applicants get instant feedback via skills test results (they either pass the required score threshold and move on or stop there), recruiters and hiring managers benefit in three major ways: 1) they save hours of their time by automating CV screening; 2) they can easily identify qualified applicants who should move to the interview stage; 3) they ensure a great candidate experience with modern skills-based hiring practices.

basic skills screening

Good practices:

Keeping the tests short and sweet to respect candidates’ time and effort. We’d recommend 15 or 20-minute assessments at the kickoff. However, it’s important to ensure the tests are hard, so they actually act like a quality filter for your candidate pipeline.

Bad practices:

Focusing too much on theoretical, bookish questions that make the test feel like a school exam can harm your test completion rate and prevent great candidates from submitting their applications. Additionally, making the screening tests too long or too intrusive (e.g., taking snapshots through the computer camera) can create an unnecessary barrier and reduce your chances of sourcing top-quality people.

#2 Pre or post-interview coding challenges

While a job interview can help hiring managers assess interpersonal skills, such as communication , teamwork, or motivation, it’s not the best medium for evaluating hard skills . Online coding tests help the hiring team select technically capable developers that can contribute to the business.

A recruiter would typically source candidates with the right programming languages listed on their profile or resume. And then, it’s the hiring manager’s responsibility to work out if the applicant has what it takes to write good code. Easier said than done!

That’s why a coding assessment as a homework assignment has become the norm in tech hiring, and most developers are willing to take them on.

how we do work assignments at Toggl Hire

Remember, though; candidates don’t owe you free work. Your approach to designing a coding test will determine whether people continue in the hiring process or drop off.

First of all, decide what you want to assess and why. If you’re hoping to ascertain a candidate’s troubleshooting and problem-solving skills, time-boxing the assignment wouldn’t work to your advantage. The candidate can always use the ‘lack of time’ as an excuse for lower-quality work.

Another thing to remember is to set the test at the right skill level, depending on whether it’s a junior, intermediate or advanced role.

Testing skills that are nice to have or don’t match the role is a common mistake. Focusing on too many topics requires candidates to switch context from question to question – which is often confusing and tiring in such a short span of time.

Another issue employers run into is using clunky testing software that candidates need to figure out on the fly. If it takes effort to learn the platform or the platform doesn’t have the required features, developers will have to pay the price.

Interview Coding Challenges: A Way to Hire Developers Who Know their Code

#3 Portfolio reviews and spec work during the job interview process

Ask any creative about their opinion on spec work, and you’ll likely hear that it sucks. And there are good reasons for graphic designers, writers, and other creatives to hate this kind of work – why should they commit to the project without any promise of payment?

If you’re hiring a professional from the creative field, we highly recommend starting with a live portfolio review . That’s when a candidate can take the interviewer through specific portfolio examples and share the backstory and lessons learned from that project. With creative roles, it’s often the unique style and quirks alongside the technical skills that can help determine the best person for the job.

However, sometimes paid spec work is a much fairer and more accurate way of getting insight into a candidate’s skillset. For tasks that require a highly personalized approach or solution, going the freelance gig route can yield better results.

Inform candidates ahead of time that you’d like to review their portfolio during a live interview. This will give them time to prepare and update their work samples. Ask questions that relate to their portfolio, even if the current samples don’t match your brief – you want to understand their creative process and practices. For paid spec work, make time to discuss the brief in person and agree on a check-in schedule to ensure work progresses in the right direction.

Springing this on the candidate without any warning and expecting the work to be delivered on a short deadline is a questionable move. Even if you’re opting for paid spec work, bear in mind these tasks are often completed in a vacuum and should be evaluated through a less critical lens. And finally, the not-so-secret secret: most creatives are terrible at maintaining their portfolios up-to-date. Giving them the heads-up will increase your chances of selecting the right talent.

#4 Time-boxed homework assignments that go in-depth to evaluate candidates’ competence

This type of home assignment can take many forms – from asking a marketing professional to write a press release for a product launch that already happened to requesting a business analyst to extract key insights from a dataset.

writing assignment for job interview

To ensure it’s not perceived as free work, time-boxed assessment projects often focus on real-world business problems that have been solved internally. This way, you can benchmark candidates’ work against your internal quality standard and reassure candidates of your intentions. The sole purpose of interview assignments is to confirm candidates’ technical fit in an efficient manner.

Keep the topic or assignment relevant to the role, and limit the necessary time it’ll take to complete to about 2-3 hours. Remember that the clarity of your brief will largely determine the quality of the deliverables, so be specific about your expectations.

Expecting someone to take 5-10 hours out of their busy schedule for an unpaid assignment is unrealistic.

#5 Paid projects during the interview process

Interviewing is exhausting for both the candidate and the interviewer. So it’s unsurprising that paid interview assignments have been gaining in popularity in recent years.

As a hiring manager, would you rather spend hours of your time interviewing candidates to filter out the bad apples or use the job interview as a way to get to know potential hires?

Homework assignments are exactly that – a simple, efficient method for spotting A-level candidates with the right skills for the job.

As you confirm the technical fit before the interview, both parties can focus on aligning on other important factors, such as the organizational fit , team culture, and manager expectations.

However, many employers have realized that the sentiment around homework assignments has shifted from acceptable to immoral, as applicants began calling assignments ‘free work’. Research shows that drop-off rates increased when candidates were asked to complete a take-home assignment.

Candidates tend to drop out from the recruitment process at two main points: after the first job interview and when asked to complete an assignment.

Enter paid homework projects.

The perfect combo of practical competency assessment and paid work. Since the candidate receives compensation for their time, these types of assignments can be longer and more complex.

Anything from analyzing the growth funnel to tackling a programming challenge to designing an effective product onboarding experience can serve as a homework assignment idea.

What’s important to note is that these kinds of work assignments allow employers to get a glimpse into a candidate’s work ethic , thinking process, time management, and many other skills that are impossible to assess during the interview process.

If you’re paying for their time, treat them like consultants: provide access to important information, answer their questions and connect them with the right people internally. And be sure to outline the recruitment process at the very start; not everyone will happily take on a bigger commitment project, even when it’s paid.

As a hiring manager, stay in touch throughout the recruitment process to lay the foundations for a good working relationship. Provide clear requirements and timelines to reduce stress, and don’t forget about fair compensation – going below the market rate is disrespectful.

A great way to cause unnecessary stress is to ask candidates to present to a large audience or high-level execs they would never work with on a day-to-day basis.

Be sure to provide a clear agenda for the presentation call ahead of time and prep your interview panel for follow-up questions.

5 Examples of Take-Home Tasks for Different Roles

The work assignments and interview process windup

Work assignments are a good thing for companies and candidates alike. The result is like the difference between speed dating and a real dinner and a first date. Yes, they’re both exciting, but in the case of hiring, you need to hire someone that can demonstrate they have the right skills. The cost of hiring the wrong candidate is just too high for companies.

To find truly interested candidates, who have the right aptitude, introduce your team to the benefits of work assignments. You’ll save both parties loads of time and the hassle of a dragged-out interview process and other redundant hiring steps.

If you’re ready to explore how to transform your business’ hiring process from a time-consuming to a slick candidate pipeline, we leave you with five simple tips on designing an effective homework assignment.

5 simple tips for designing a great homework assignment:

  • Replace resume screening with basic skills screening. Start the sifting process early with a quick skills screening test . This will weed out the bad eggs and leave you with a selection of good potential candidates.
  • Make your assignment brief and easy to understand, and explain the key outputs you expect.
  • Match the level of the homework assignment to the level of the role. Unrealistic tasks will only scare people off.
  • Don’t request candidates to solve super-specific business problems. Make the assignment generalized, not based on a super specific problem your business is experiencing.
  • Give the candidate a chance to show and tell. That way, you get insight into their thought process, presentation skills, and even emotional intelligence when their viewpoint is challenged.

Have a peek at our Test Library for more assignment ideas, and good luck!

Juste Semetaite

Juste loves investigating through writing. A copywriter by trade, she spent the last ten years in startups, telling stories and building marketing teams. She works at Toggl Hire and writes about how businesses can recruit really great people.

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When Hiring, Prioritize Assignments Over Interviews

  • Geoff Tuff,
  • Steve Goldbach,
  • Jeff Johnson

writing assignment for job interview

Small projects can help ensure you’re hiring for skills — not just connection.

Companies over-rely on interviews when hiring, which has been shown to be a poor predictor of future performance and introduces opportunities for bias. As an alternative, try giving candidates who make it past an initial screening test a small test of the primary skill the job requires. For instance, ask a coder to solve a small coding project. This “minimally viable demonstration of competence,” and a follow-up discussion that debriefs the exercise, can be a powerful tool for moving beyond the resume to find qualified candidates that hiring bots might have passed over.

As a hiring manager, you want to bring on the “best” person for a job (whatever that means for the given role), but how do you know who’s right?

writing assignment for job interview

  • GT Geoff Tuff is a principal and leads Deloitte’s sustainability work in U.S. energy and industrials. He is co-author of the bestselling books Detonate (2018) and Provoke (2021 ).
  • SG Steve Goldbach a principal and leads Deloitte’s Sustainability practice in the US. He is a co-author of the books Detonate (2018) and Provoke (2021).
  • JJ Jeff Johnson is a managing director at Deloitte Consulting LLP who coaches leaders through sales and relationship-building with a focus on human connection, insight, and the art of communication.

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    3. Outline Main Points, Only Tease the Details. More often than not, the primary reason companies dole out homework is to get a better sense of your thought process, as well as how you structure and convey your thoughts and ideas. There's not necessarily a "right" answer, nor is there a need to get way down in the weeds.

  11. Work Assignments During the Interview Process: What To ...

    Work assignments are most common in creative and technical fields of work. For example, writers may need to complete a trial piece before being hired, and marketing professionals may have to create a campaign pitch and outline as part of their interview process. For more technical work, like information technology or computer science, the ...

  12. Eight Tips For Completing An Interview Assignment

    At some point in your job search, you may be asked to complete an interview assignment. Depending on the role you are applying to and your particular field, the assignment can be a written assignment, putting together a presentation, planning the logistics of an upcoming event, etc. Regardless of what exactly the project is, the purpose of this assignment is to show the organization you are ...

  13. Got An Interview Assignment? Don't Make These Six Common Mistakes

    Your potential bosses don't want to hire someone who will do only half the job or a different job entirely. This is how you can show them they can count on you to get it done. 2. You Didn't ...

  14. Writing Assignment At Teaching Job Interview

    So to recap, here are the 6 things that you need to do to prepare for a writing assignment at a job interview: Ask current faculty about their experiences with the writing assignment and the topics that they were asked to write about. Maintain currency in your discipline by reading scientific and industry publications. Practice writing.

  15. Is It Normal to Get a Job Interview Assignment?

    This misuse of the interview assignment is not normal, but it does happen. So, don't ignore a gut feeling you're being asked to work for free. One thing you can do if you think you're being taken advantage of is to ask someone in the field whether this seems like a reasonable task. (You can also follow these strategies to protect your ideas.)

  16. How To Write an Interview Essay (With Example Questions)

    How To Write an Interview Essay (With Example Questions)

  17. 10 Good Weaknesses for a Job Interview (+ Sample Answers)

    In case you don't know what your weaknesses are, you can draw inspiration from our list of the most appropriate weaknesses for a job interview: Lack of professional experience with non-essential skills. Taking criticism too personally. Imperfect presentation skills. Struggling to ask for help.

  18. PDF INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ASSIGNMENT EXAMPLES

    1 Description. Behavioral Based Questions ask a person for a specific example of a behavior or skill from their own experience. The initial question is usually followed by a series of follow-up questions which probe for further information and clarification. Behavioral Based Questioning can feel like a conversation, although interviewer should ...

  19. 5 Types of Homework Assignments for a Skills-First Hiring Process

    CVs and interviews don't predict job performance, but work assignments can. It's really simple; hiring managers need to place competence in context to assess candidates' technical and interpersonal skills. If a structured interview process can help flush out candidates with the right attitude and cultural alignment, homework assignments can highlight people with the perfect skillset for ...

  20. Guide to Submitting a Writing Sample

    Guide to Submitting a Writing Sample

  21. When Hiring, Prioritize Assignments Over Interviews

    Companies over-rely on interviews when hiring, which has been shown to be a poor predictor of future performance and introduces opportunities for bias. As an alternative, try giving candidates who ...

  22. Interview Questions About Writing Skills With Sample Answers

    When answering this question, provide examples that demonstrate your skills in this specific area of writing. Example: "I have five years of experience in technical writing. I have worked for software and aeronautics companies, producing their software manuals and instructional materials, so I understand the importance of clarity and ...