Hi all,I have a problem - I'm wondering if any of you have been faced with this. I am about to embark upon a series of interviews/assessments with a consulting firm, part of which involves providing lengthy essay style responses to case studies. I have developed (and this began during my finals this summer) a problem whereby my writing hand cramps up within 5 minutes of starting an essay. This nearly impacted upon my exam performance this summer - luckily I gritted my teeth and gained a 1st. However, I'd like to find a solution to this problem before it really trips me up. Have any of you suffered from this?

Invest in a good pen and also have something you can rest your wrist on, similar to the cushioned pads that were all the rage a few years ago that sat at the front edge of a keyboard.

Hi, Do you mind me asking which consultancy is it? I'm trying for entry level positions and haven't heard of this before. Finding it slightly scary.......

You'll have to do something of this ilk whichever concultancy you apply for, usually the second round. Lots of data which you need to cherry pick, summarise and draw brief conclusions. In my experience about 1h30m max including reading time.In my opinion scientists find them a bit of a doddle, remember to bullet point and structure them clearly. Intro, analysis, discussion, conclusion etc.

Thanks Andy - I have tried to take mini breaks, flex my wrists and generally focus on my posture but your advice is helpful. Have you experienced this? It is so frustrating when your mind is working at full tilt, and you see the logic of your argument stretch out in front of you, whilst your hand leaves you hovering over the paper!

Most prospective employers would, I am guessing, provide you with a PC to type the essay on instead - provided you discussed your issue with HR first. I'm no expert but would be surprised if this didn't fall under the auspices of some sort of equal access/disability type of legislation.