How to pass
Group Exercises
Important notice - This material is copyright of SimBus Aviation Ltd.
Group exercises are now a common part of airline selection procedures. They afford your potential employer the opportunity to observe you interacting with your peers, and are generally regarded as an effective way to assess the behaviours and personalities of a number of candidates in a relatively short space of time.
Love them, or hate them (and we don't know many pilots who love them), it is likely you will have to complete a group exercise at some point in your career.
First, a few rather obvious, but vital, points that are often overlooked and lead to a candidate being eliminated.
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Make sure you understand the task the group has been given. You will not impress if you are seeking clarification after the exercise has begun.
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Remember - It is NOT a competition. trying to force the group to follow your 'brilliant idea' will not go down well.
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The task you have been given is merely a vehicle to see how you interact with the rest of the group. If the group works well together a sensible solution to the task should be achieved, but it is not the main point.
So how do we demonstrate that we interact well with the rest of the group ?
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Don't try to take the role of leader. The group may listen to, and gravitate towards you as the task progresses, but don't try to take over. If another group member is quiet or not engaging very much, draw them into the conversation by asking them what their view is - this will show off your CRM skills and that you are involving everyone - just like you should be doing with your crew. If you can remember their name when you ask them, you will get even more brownie points.
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Acknowledge the validity of other peoples' suggestions, even if you do not agree. Phrases such as 'that's a good/interesting point' etc go down well and also give you the opportunity to get into the conversation by carrying on with your own ideas, or developing their point.
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Manage the time allowed for the task - offering to do this and keeping the group abreast of how much time has gone/is left is a great way to subtly show you have things well organised. If someone else is monitoring the time, ask them how long is left, to show you are aware of it.
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Be enthusisastic. Be careful with your body language and tone of voice. Sitting back with your arms folded will not give a good impression. A lack of active participation is a primary reason for failure at this stage. Try to enjoy it, and if you can't do that, make sure you look like you are enjoying it !
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Do your homework. Don't leave researching the airline and preparing for an interview until after the group exercise. If the exercise is aviation-related, it will give you a chance to subtly refer to something you know about the company.ID
