To ask you to help me land my dream job?

[whitershadeofpale]

I've had a difficult few years and have put my career on the back burner but am now in a place where I am ready to really focus on my career.

I had an interview last week for a job which would offer amazing professional opportunities, but in addition to this I just fell in love with the company and the people who work there. I've been offered another role with a company that does a similar thing but I am not inspired by them at all but the thought of working with company one fills me with excitement.

The interview went extremely well (I think!) and whilst I was still there we organised a date for a second stage. This is where I need your help! The second stage is for a writing test. Although I have writing experience and have test for various roles I've had before (including the one I've just been offered), I've never had a specific writing test and have no idea what this entails. I want to be as prepared as possible and knowing what form this is likely to take would be a huge help. Does anyone have any experience of this? If so I'd be indebted to you forever!

*any typos are the result of bad typing on my phone, not my writing skills 😉

Hopeful bump!

What sort of job is it that needs the test? I haven't done one but I am a headhunter so know a bit about getting jobs.

Hard to say without further info on the job! I'm a technical writer so can tell you what we do, but irrelevant if that's not your field!

Need a few more details!

It's a writer/ researcher role for a consultancy.

It's just usually a timed version of what you would do in the role, so they mic give you some info and ask you to write a press release in 20 minutes.

Consulting in what field?

I agree with Bears - usually I would ask someone to do a short version of what they might be expected to write/draft in role (HR person here!) I wouldn't expect them to be able to draft anything that didn't include information freely available online and/or their own personal knowledge and experience based on the needs of the job. For example, I was recruiting an admissions officer in higher ed, so the writing test was a response to a potential student who had asked questions about the admission requirements and process.

Do your research and you should be fine - I would imagine they are mainly looking for the ability to relate that information in a clear, grammatically correct and compelling way.

Hope that helps and good luck!

It's connected to the legal field (sorry, trying to give enough info but not be too outing).

All I know about it is that I'll have an hour for the test.

Thank you Pinot (and everyone else), that's what I thought it might be and I've done lots of research but the complete unknown nature of it, combined with how much I want the role, has thrown me a bit.

I'd go with my preferred option but hold on to both jobs til you know the outcome - good luck!!! Did you have to do a Watson Glaser test??

I did for the one I've been offered but haven't done any test for dream job so far. The one I'd prefer not to take has given me until after my second interview with dream job to let them know.

Ask HR to clarify. We sometimes get people to just spot errors in some basic paragraphs. It's about attention to detail.

If it's about writing style then that is to a degree more subjective so you would need to understand the tone of voice of the company etc.

Thanks Jakey it's a pretty small company so I don't think they have a HR department.