Structured screening for operations and administration hiring

Choose a task from an ordinary working day

For administration, ask the applicant to write an update after two meetings move and a deadline stays fixed. For operations, describe a late delivery and an incomplete handover. Give enough context to make a reasonable decision without knowing your internal systems.

Use fictional details. A small exercise should reveal judgement without asking the applicant to solve a real business project for free.

A few prompts to adapt

• Two urgent requests arrive from different teams. What would you check before deciding the order?
• Write a handover for a task unfinished at the end of your day.
• Describe a recurring error you helped prevent. What did you change and how did you check it?
• A document contains conflicting numbers. Explain how you would investigate before sharing it.

Review accuracy and ownership separately

Look for a clear next action, a reason for the priority chosen and a useful escalation when the person cannot decide alone. A fluent explanation can still miss an important detail.

Use the later live interview to clarify assumptions and discuss working arrangements. If the role needs hands-on skills, include a suitable practical assessment in your process.