Assessment Centres
From CareersWiki
A successful first interview will often lead, with larger employers, to an assessment centre. What should you expect?
Typically you will join a group of (often 6 to 8) candidates and will be asked to undertake a series of assessments designed to demonstrate your potential. The team of selectors will measure you against a set of competencies. The programme is often intensive and you might be required to stay overnight. If it is not clear what the format is to be, ask the employer.
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Group discussions
It is common for the group to be given a topic to discuss, reach a consensus and perhaps make a proposal. You may be given a briefing pack and asked to take on a particular role. The assessors are looking for your contribution to the team, along with your communication and planning skills – to see if you can work with others to reach a suitable outcome. Remember that you don’t have to be the leader – assessors aren’t impressed by people who hog the discussion or by those who contribute nothing. Well regarded candidates include those who address others by name, encourage quieter group members to contribute, and who keep the discussion and planning to time. A good rule of thumb is to do everything you can to ensure that your group completes its assigned task successfully.
PwC has a great group exercise video on its website.
Psychometric assessments
The most commonly used psychometric assessments are aptitude tests and personality questionnaires. More information, along with practice verbal, numerical and analytical reasoning tests, and two personality questionnaires can be found on the Psychometric Tests page.
Interviews
If you have already had a first interview, this ‘second interview’ is likely to be more in-depth, and may probe any weaker areas that emerged earlier, including your performance in the tests and exercises you have just encountered. Treat this interview as independent from an earlier one – never assume that your interviewer is familiar with your previous answers.
Written Exercises
A typical written exercise is an in-tray (or e-tray) exercise, designed to test how you analyse complex information within a limited time. It is common, particularly in an e-tray exercise, for additional emails to arrive, requiring you to re-prioritise within a tight timescale. Careful management of your time is essential.
Presentations
It is common for you to be asked to give a presentation to the selectors and possibly the other candidates. This may be a set topic, perhaps related to one of the other exercises, or you might be given a free choice. You may be asked to prepare your presentation in advance or it may have to be produced on the day. Again, as with interviews, a focus on your audience is the most important consideration. Keep things simple. If you manage to get them to remember three key points, you will have done well. It’s a good idea to bring things to life with examples or stories.
Social events
Use every opportunity which arises to talk to recent graduates. Remember, however, that you are being assessed all the time so don’t let yourself down by asking inappropriate questions, or getting drunk. Behave consistently and try to show genuine interest in what other people do by asking questions such as “What work have you been involved in over the last 6 months”?, and go prepared with a simple answer to the question “Tell me about yourself”.
Remember that where there are several vacancies, you will be assessed against a standard and not against the other candidates in your group. Also it is not necessary to excel in every exercise; a great performance in one may balance a modest performance in another.
Practicalities for interviews and assessment centres
- Find out as much as you can about the assessment format in advance
- Plan your journey carefully, leave plenty of time and take a map and contact details
- Take your application, preparation notes and letter of invitation with you
- Dress appropriately and neatly, err towards formality if in doubt.
At the Assessment Centre (online videos and dvd)
At the Assessment Centre shows real students and graduates being assessed by actual recruiters from Enterprise Rent-A-Car, HSBC and RWE npower in activities which commonly feature at assessment centres. It includes extracts from each exercise, selectors' verdicts and candidates reflections on their own performance. The programme lasts for 73 minutes but is designed to be viewed in short sections.
The DVD can also be viewed at the Careers Centre.
PwC also has a great group exercise video on its website.
Links
- Wiki Page
