England’s emergency ambulance service is said to be at ‘breaking point’ following recently released figures showing that of all the UK’s ambulance services, only Wales is successfully reaching emergencies within the target of eight minutes.
Reports and figures expose the fundamental root of the issue as a huge rise in demand from the public, adding mounting pressure on to the already overloaded system.
There is an array of terms used by ambulance service telephonists to describe the calls they receive and the way in which they are categorised. Everyone employed in this environment must work quickly, juggle priorities and think proficiently to categorise how each call is dealt with. This job requires a vast range of skills to determine the best course of action whilst under a huge amount of pressure; thinking fast and assessing how best to categorise these sometimes life-saving calls is of paramount importance.
Although not every job is as highly-pressured and intense as dealing with 999 situations, a similar skillset also crosses over into a selection of job roles in other sectors. In the world of corporate business, employees are bombarded with numerous emails and calls every day. The skill of deciding what is important and needs immediate attention, over what can be actioned at a later date is vital in order to work successfully and efficiently. For example, events management roles require strong time management and prioritisation skills to identify what needs to be tackled and by when in order to ensure everything is ready and in place for deadline dates or opening nights.
Skillsarena offers specific in tray skill tests designed to measure these important organisation skills, and help to identify how an individual would approach and action these types of tasks. These skills are highly transferable in many different work situations, so are a strong measurement of a candidate’s abilities and a solid representation of how they view work and priorities.
Clerical and Management In-tray skill tests present candidates with an assortment of emails, tasks and voicemail transcripts in a timed environment. The individual must decide how to prioritise their workload, outline the method they would use to respond, what they would say and their reasoning why. The benefit of using in-tray skills testing offers peace of mind that your chosen candidate is the right person for the role and will be able to keep calm under pressure, proving juggling isn't just for clowns.
To find out more call Skillsarena on +44 (0)203 693 2201 or email us.