Assessment Flashcards

As a graduate trainee, you are employed by a big bank. You answer a call from a dissatisfied customer as you begin your placement with the customer support team. He claims that he was anticipating receiving a refund for some banking costs that he had been incorrectly charged, but he has not yet done so. He notes that despite a promise from one of your colleagues that the reimbursement will be in his account today, the funds have not yet arrived. He raises his voice and becomes increasingly agitated. What do you think you’re MOST LIKELY to say to him?

Answer: "I will do all I can to help you with this issue. If you give me your account details, I will investigate what has happened here."

This response is the most effective because it is empathetic, takes ownership of the problem, and immediately moves towards a solution. By stating 'I will do all I can to help you' and offering to 'investigate what has happened,' you reassure the customer and demonstrate a commitment to resolving their issue professionally, without making unrealistic promises or sounding dismissive.

You just submitted a paper to a professional conference that will draw lots of people from your field and from institutions all over the world. Since you've been to the conference before, you are aware of how well-regarded it is in the sector. The essay is a synopsis of some highly involved study you've been doing, with important conclusions you think readers will find both fascinating and helpful. Your manager asks you to consider how you will deliver your findings in order to have the greatest impact after discovering that it has been approved. Your presentation only has a certain amount of time allotted. What do you think you're "MOST LIKELY" to do next?

Answer: Say that you will spend a small amount of time introducing your approach to the research, but will mainly discuss your key findings and conclusions.

For a professional conference presentation with limited time, focusing primarily on key findings and conclusions is the most effective strategy to maximize impact. Attendees are typically most interested in the results and implications of research, so dedicating the majority of the time to these aspects ensures the most valuable information is conveyed clearly and concisely.

You have been completing a range of internships with various business divisions as part of your graduate training program with a major energy firm. After a particularly productive placement with the procurement team, you're about to move on to the finance team in a week. During lunch, a Procurement coworker with whom you have grown close approaches you and informs you that she has previously had issues with several members of the Finance team. She claims that there are individuals in finance who, in her opinion, cannot be trusted; if at all possible, you should steer clear of them. What do you think you’re MOST LIKELY to say?

Answer: "Thanks for flagging that but it’s probably better if I go there with an open mind rather than having preconceptions about my future colleagues."

This response is the most professional and mature. It acknowledges the coworker's input without validating or dismissing it, while clearly stating your intention to form your own opinions based on direct experience. This approach helps maintain a positive relationship with the coworker while ensuring you approach your new team with an open mind, which is crucial for building new professional relationships.

You are currently employed in a high street branch of a large international bank as a graduate trainee. Your boss has requested that you think about what you might suggest improving business development chances inside the branch. Recently, a number of initiatives that offer small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) solutions have been put in place, but the branch assistants' team has had limited success in selling the packages to bank customers. The group has received training on these solutions, and it appears that other branches are successfully marketing them to SMEs in their region. The group at your branch is directly in charge of these kinds of sales, and their specific goals reflect this. What do you think you're "LEAST LIKELY" to do next?

Answer: Suggest that you could spend a few days calling local businesses to discuss the offer with them and to try and close some sales yourself in that way.

As a manager, your role is to empower and enable your team, not to bypass them and do their job. Spending days making sales calls yourself, while potentially generating short-term results, does not address the underlying reasons for the branch assistants' struggles or provide a sustainable solution. It undermines their responsibility and does not scale effectively.

As a graduate trainee at a small consulting firm, you've observed that a lot of helpful research is carried out both internally and on behalf of clients. It is clear that this would be advantageous to both clients and coworkers in many ways, but there isn't currently an obvious mechanism to share the information. Your boss proposes that you consider this and come up with a plan to improve practice when you bring it to her attention. What do you think you're "LEAST LIKELY" to do next?

Answer: Suggest that an area is created on the company intranet where people are encouraged to upload the research that they undertake.

This option is the least likely because it proposes a passive, unmanaged approach to information sharing. Simply creating an intranet area and 'encouraging' uploads lacks the structure, active engagement, and dedicated oversight needed to ensure consistent and successful knowledge transfer in a professional setting. The other options (Research Forum, annual conference, webinars) all involve more proactive, structured mechanisms for sharing, which would be more effective as a 'plan to improve practice'.

You are a department store employee. A consumer comes up to you and inquires about a specific product. Previously, the store had a supply of this item. The consumer is adamant that they want this item despite the fact that it was quite popular and may already be sold out. What do you think you're "MOST LIKELY" to do next?

Answer: Check on the system to see if the item is in stock. If it isn't, try to find an alternative item similar to what the customer is looking for.

This is the most effective response as it demonstrates excellent customer service and a proactive approach. First, it verifies the item's availability, addressing the customer's direct request. If the item is unavailable, it immediately offers a solution by suggesting alternatives, maximizing the chance of a sale and ensuring the customer leaves satisfied, even if they don't get their original choice.

You are a department store employee. A consumer comes up to you and inquires about a specific product. Previously, the store had a supply of this item. The consumer is adamant that they want this item despite the fact that it was quite popular and may already be sold out. What do you think you're "LEAST LIKELY" to do next?

Answer: Tell the customer that you don’t have the product as it is more than likely sold out.

This is the least likely action because it represents poor customer service. It makes an assumption about stock without checking, dismisses the customer's request outright, and offers no assistance or alternatives. Such a response is unhelpful, unprofessional, and would almost certainly lead to customer dissatisfaction and a lost sale.