The in-basket exercise is designed to assess a candidate's adaptive thinking, problem-solving, judgement, administrative abilities, planning, organising, delegating, and integrative skills while dealing with memos, e-mails, requests, messages, handwritten notes, and other items while under pressure. Various definitions may be merged or adjusted in each particular in-basket exercise. The following competencies will be examined in the in-basket exercise, albeit the particular competencies will differ.
1. Ability to plan, evaluate and execute-Organizes work, defines priorities, and determines resource requirements; establishes goals and strategies for achieving them; monitors and assesses progress toward the goals.
2. Ability to identify problems and areas of improvements-Gathering, interpreting, and evaluating information to determine its accuracy and relevance; generating alternatives; making well-informed decisions; and committing to achieve organisational goals are all part of problem solving and decision making.
3. Ability to manage and organize information-Recognizes the need for information; analyses and interprets data in complicated settings including competing demands, requirements, and priorities; assesses its value and correctness; and communicates it using a variety of techniques.
4. Ability to be independent and accountable-Takes initiative; sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; tracks progress and is driven to succeed; effectively manages time and copes with stress.