Hey!
Congratulations on receiving the assessment centre invite, that is fantastic news!!
Of course, happy to share my main thoughts after my experience with the Farrer & Co AC last cycle
Written Exercise
The main thing I would make sure to do is to have an understanding of the types of structures and document types that could come up. I would look up things such as attendance notes, memos, client emails, letters, and reports, and make a note of what elements you need to include and structure it in that way.
I also made use of headings and subheadings, and a mix of bullet points and prose, and I think that it made it easier to read and follow. Additionally, make sure you are clear on what practice area Farrers has - in my task, the hypothetical scenario included advising on certain areas of law and it was important to know whether Farrers actually advised on them.
Other than that, I honestly think just give it your best shot and you'll do well! During my first few ACs, I used to panic when under timed conditions, but I found that using a clear structure helped as it meant that I could tackle each bit at a time.
I have also written some more general written exercise posts that are largely based on my own experiences with them (including Farrers) - I have quoted them below.
Group Task
This type of exercise is usually much more about how you work with others rather than dominating the conversation. I would aim to contribute early, listen actively, bring quieter people in (if appropriate!), and help the group stay on track by keeping an eye on the time and making notes of agreed points. If you are debating views with another person or team, show that you have listed to the other side by addressing their argument directly and adapt your response from there, rather than defaulting to rehearsed points.
If there is a disagreement in the team, I would acknowledge the different views but ultimately try to move the group towards a decision. I also would try not to panic if you feel something goes slightly wrong - in my AC, I fell victim to being labelled the 'quiet person that needed to be brought into the conversation', but I still ended up with an offer! Additionally, aim to contribute where you can and facilitate the team working well together above saying as many points as you can - in my AC, 3 out of 4 of my group members ended up with a VS offer, so I think ensuring that you work well as a team and supporting each other through the exercise can really help!
I hope that provides some pointers - it can be hard to prepare in advance for both of these exercises, but having an idea of what to expect can be useful! Best of luck with the AC, I'm sure you'll do great!
Hello!
Congratulations on getting the invite! 🎉 Whilst I haven't completed the Ashurst written exercise, they will usually test your ability to communicate clearly and structure your arguments logically - similar to what you'd do as a trainee when drafting emails or internal notes.
I've outlined some previous tips that I always used when preparing for written exercises below:
- Practice timed writing - pick a 30-45 minute slot, read a short business or news article, and summarise the key points in a structured 1-2 page memo with a clear conclusion summarising your findings.
- Work on prioritisation - pick an article with a lot of information, and practice picking out the 3-4 most important issues rather than trying to summarise and include everything.
- Use a clear structure - this was the main thing that I implemented that helped me score higher on written assessments! Follow a clear structure in your answer, and practice what this would be for each type of document.
- Check clarity - after writing (potentially one of the above), ask yourself if someone with no context to the facts could follow along with the information and your reasoning.
- Proofread under pressure - I would get used to quickly checking grammar and flow, as this is really important in a written exercise! I sometimes struggled with this, as the pressure made me skip parts of my writing, but I found that literally following along with a pen or your finger can make sure you don't miss anything.
- Review sample case studies - I would have a look online and see if there are any free resources that you can have a go at. A true lifesaver during my last cycle was this forum post by Jacob Miller, and I would definitely give it a read!
The main thing that assisted me in written exercises is following a clear structure! I would go through and read all of the materials first, and then go back to pick out the key details. You should be looking for key issues, areas that you will require more information, and anything that you think is important for the client to know.
I would then follow a clear structure in your answer. There are a a few different types of documents that they could test you on - e.g. an email, memo, report, note, etc. I would have a look beforehand at the formatting of each, and have a go at writing them! If you are writing a letter / email to a client, make sure that you aren't including technical terms and writing in way that is easy for them to understand.
I would also try and find ways to showcase that you have the skills that they are looking for in trainees. For example, in one of my previous ACs I was asked to write an email to a supervisor. In this email, I outlined my arguments and recommendation, but I ended it by offering to draft the email / document for the client (e.g. proactivity). This will be dependant on each exercise, but if you can incorporate this in some way, I think it's a great way of standing out!
I hope that assists - best of luck with the written exercise, I'm sure you'll smash it!
