How to win (or lose) in a Cabin Crew Selection Day Group Task

Airlines differ in what tests they will use to assess how hireable you are at a selection day. Many do use some sort of group task because recruiters feel this tells them a great deal about candidates’:

Communication skills
Interpersonal skills
Team working
Problem solving
Personality

The group exercise can run in a number of different ways. There are two broad types;

The Group Discussion

Imagine the situation; you are at your selection day and shown to a room with 5 other candidates. You are invited to sit round a table and told you have half an hour to discuss the topic or question on the paper in front of you. By the end of the 30 minutes you need to have made a decision about your solution or proposal. There are assessors sat around the outside of the room ready to make notes on what they see and hear. The administrator has a stop watch and tells you to read the instructions on the paper. Once you have done this, the time starts now…
How to win…

You smile and say something like ‘shall we make a start? How about…’
You listen to the suggestions of others, nodding to show your agreement
You say ‘good idea’ and ‘I like what you are saying (using the person’s name)
You make your own suggestion to add to those of others e.g. ‘what we could also do…’
You are diplomatic, saying things like ‘although I can see where you are coming from, I think if we tried this way it might work better because…’
You handle disagreements well by saying things like ‘I think you both have a lot to add to this discussion but in the interests of time you could perhaps agree to disagree so we can move on.’

How to lose…

You spend far more time talking than anyone else
You spend far less time talking than anyone else
You find yourself saying ‘I’ a lot and ‘we’ not very much
You dismiss the views of others saying things like ‘that doesn’t make sense’ or ‘that’s not a good idea’ without clarifying why
You are quick to point out the negatives without offering a credible alternative
You embarrass or belittle others, laughing at their ideas or talking over them

The Group Task

Imagine the situation; you are one of a small group of candidates. You have 45 minutes to create an advertising campaign for a new low-cost airline which specialises in business routes. You have to create a picture board of an advert and consider a multi-media campaign using the materials provided.
How to win…

You say something like ‘shall we go round the group first and get everyone’s ideas?’
If allocated a specific task you get on with it with enthusiasm
If working with a partner you say things like ‘what do you think?’ and ‘we could do it
this way, do you agree?
If you finish your task you ask other group members ‘is there anything I can do to help?’
If you see anyone getting flustered or stressed with the task you take time to say ‘it’s ok, we just have to work together. What is worrying you?’
You say things like ‘that’s great, I really like that’, making an effort to praise the contribution of others.

How to lose…

You find yourself disagreeing with the suggestions everyone else makes
You feel irritated with the other group members because they are doing it wrong (this will come across!)
You take charge and tell everyone what to do without asking for consensus
No one seems to want to do what you want them to (and you know you can be bossy)
You are vague about what to do and constantly look to others for direction
You are abrupt and impatient, saying things like ‘hurry up’ and ‘what’s taking so long?’