An Assessment Centre is an all day event, sometimes stretching to two, where you, along with as many as 20 other candidates will be simultaneously assessed against a number of key criteria by a panel of interviewers. Assessment Centres are generally used for graduate roles as the second stage in the recruitment process. Only a small percentage of initial applicants make it this far, but you will still be competing with dozens of other candidates across a number of different Assessment Centres and only a select few proceed forward.
Assessment Centres are designed to test your full range of abilities with a variety of different tasks. Though it can be a daunting and grueling ordeal, and at times may resemble a dog & pony show, think of it as an opportunity to add value to your CV and prove what a well-rounded person you are and how you, specifically you, can benefit the organisation. Preparation is everything, and the following guide will outline the typical stages of an Assessment Centre and what you’ll need to stand out from the crowd.
Upon taking your seats, attaching your nametags and hearing the welcoming remarks from the Assessment Panel – typically made up of Human Resources and select members of Senior Management, who are also wearing nametags – you will be asked, one-by-one, to introduce yourselves.
First impressions count for a lot so be confident in your introduction. You will only have 30-90 seconds so only include key information that highlights your personality, attributes, achievements and career and life objectives. Don’t just say your name and that you studied Commerce at University. Say why you chose to study Commerce and what you want to achieve with it. Mention things that mark you out as an individual such as extra-curricular activities, sporting achievements and personal interests. Practice your personal introduction and don’t be afraid to inject a little humour.
The most common group exercises are Discussion Groups, Leaderless Tasks and Role Plays.
Discussion Groups involve the breaking down of applicants into sub groups, who are given a topic and asked to form a united opinion. The topic will be either current affairs or job-related. This is designed to test your ability to speak up, contribute to a group and persuade others.
A Leaderless Task is a problem solving assignment. A group will be given a brief and asked to debate the possible courses of action and formulate recommendations. Group dynamics are closely observed. It’s important that you contribute so make sure you don’t hide in the group. Put your opinion forward and remember to back up your opinion with evidence. However, don’t try to dominate the discussion. There’s a fine line between making valuable contributions and resolutely ignoring the input of others. Remove your blinkers and remember it’s a team effort.
Role Plays are typically based on the role you are being assessed for. Depending on the role, you might be asked to simulate a customer service problem or negotiate a sale amongst others. This isn’t about showing your talents as an actor, it’s about how naturally suited you are to tasks you will likely encounter on a daily basis should you get the job. Read all briefing materials carefully as it contains specific considerations and possibly clues on the best approach. Put yourself in the shoes of the party you’re role-playing with and think about what it would take for you to be convinced.
This is generally an individual task that requires you to produce a written report or presentation. You will be given a business plan or problem along with a lot of related documents, some of which may be hundreds of pages long. You’re not expected to read all of it! The trick is to find key information and use it to structure your recommendation accordingly. Approach it the same way you’d approach essay questions in a university exam. Keep an eye on the clock to ensure you leave yourself enough time to write a succinct report.
This is particularly common for Sales & Marketing and Management Consulting positions. Presentation time will likely be very short (5-10 minutes), and you will likely be given the presentation topic well before the day of the Assessment Centre. Remember to:
- Have a structure – Structure gives you reference points and provides insurance should your mind go blank. It also makes it easier for the panel to follow your argument and understand your reasoning.
- Engage the audience – Make eye contact with the panel, but don’t stare at just one, engage all of them equally. Smiling makes the audience smile and speak as naturally (though professionally) as possible as it makes you easier to listen to.
- Never, ever read from a prepared script. Simply reading your notes will always make it very difficult to engage the audience, and speaks poorly of your confidence and verbal communication. The very best public speakers speak with no notes at all, though it is permissible to use cue cards if you’re worried about forgetting an important point.
- Keep it relevant – You only have a very limited amount of time so use it wisely. Keep the points you wish to communicate to the panel at the forefront of your mind and don’t meander.
- Don’t be reliant on visual aids - Visual aids such as PowerPoint are there to support the presentation, not steal focus away from you. All the visual tricky in the world, impressive though it may look, won’t get you anywhere unless it specifically addresses key points. Remember that the panel is assessing how well you speak, not how well you arrange slides.
The three most common tests are:
- Numerical Reasoning – Multiple choice, these tests are designed to see if you will cope with the numerical analysis side of the job. A typical question could be a “fill in the blank” i.e. 3,6,…,12 or you might be asked to analyse a chart or graph and asked “how much did (A) spend compared to (B)?” and so on. You will be marked on a percentile with 1 being the lowest. How high you have to place to get through varies from company to company.
- Verbal Reasoning – Multiple choice, these tests are designed to see if you can correctly interpret written information. You will be given a short paragraph on which you are asked a series of questions of which “True”, “False” or “Cannon Say/ Not enough information” are the possible answers. You will be marked on a percentile with 1 being the lowest. How high you have to place to get through varies from company to company.
- Psychometric – Multiple choice, this is a personality test with no right or wrong answers. You will be given a very extensive list of questions or statements for which the possible answers range from “Strongly agree” to “Strongly disagree” and everything in-between. This is the most common type of personality test though you might also encounter a “Most Like” or “Least Like” my behaviour options. The desirable answers to Psychometric tests might seem obvious e.g. choosing “Strongly Agree” when asked if you enjoy hard work, but you will likely be asked that same question dozens of times in different ways, from which a pattern then emerges.
Which tests you’ll be asked to complete depend on the role and the company, some require you to do all three, some none at all. Since you don’t know what will be asked you can’t exactly ‘study’ for them as you would with an exam, but it is advisable to practice beforehand using tests available online, such as SHL Direct – a leading provider of testing to many of Australia’s largest companies. See http://www.shldirect.com/example_questions.html to practice.
Generally the last step of the Assessment Centre, and is used to both wrap up your time in the Centre as well as serve as a standard interview (albeit, a short interview). Along with
Common Interview Questions
Common Interview Questions, you will be asked how you think you went. Answer as truthfully as possible to show you’re capable of accurate self-analysis. Say where you think you believe you performed well and how you approached it. If there are any areas you are worried about, say what they are, why you feel that way and how you feel you could have improved. Do not use this as an opportunity to lay blame or speak poorly of other candidates. Use the opportunity to ask questions about the company, the role and the next step. The panel will most likely consist of only two or three of the Assessors, who will not provide feedback on how you performed at this stage.
Dress for Business!
There will be breaks during the course of the Assessment Centre where food and drinks are provided. Avoid the “us and them” mentality and use the opportunity to chat to the Assessment Panel and not just your fellow candidates. Ask them intelligent questions and build a rapport. Alcoholic beverages are sometimes provided so feel free to partake… if you trust yourself. Either have one glass or stick to the orange juice.
It is likely that certain panel members have been assigned to watch you. During group exercises take note of which Assessors are hovering nearby as they will be monitoring your performance in all tasks and will be present at your final interview. Make sure you speak to them during breaks. Remember, the Assessment Panel is not technically on “break,” they never stop judging you!
Obviously, not every candidate present at the Assessment Centre will make it through but do not strictly think of your fellow candidates as competitors. Several candidates will succeed and you may well be working with them later. How you work in a team is just as important as how you perform as an individual. No matter how smart you are, if you can’t work with other people the Assessors won’t want to work with you.
Pass or fail news may be given on the day, but you will usually have to wait 1-2 weeks for feedback. If you get a congratulatory phone call, well done! If you get the dreaded thin envelope, ask for feedback, as most organisations will be happy to help and remember, the next Assessment Centre will seem much easier!
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Jeremy Bost |
Assessment Centres - Survival advice
