TITLE Assessment Centre How to Succeed at your After first round interviews some organisations run extended selection activities before making their final selection decisions. These are known as assessment centres and an organisation is likely to be running a number of these and will invite a small number of candidates to each. Assessment centres allow a number of different selectors to see a large number of candidates over a longer period of time than what is usually possible during a 1:1 interview. At these events you will be measured against a variety of competencies based on the roles being offered and the sector to which the organisation belongs. The exercises are designed to allow you to highlight how your core skills fit with the organisation’s required competencies and each activity provides an opportunity for you to perform well. Many graduates attend assessment centres thinking they are being assessed on their performance compared to other attendees, but this is not the case. An assessor will be judging you on how you perform as an individual according to the competencies they seek, rather than score your performance compared to other candidates. On average around 90% of all applicants for the top consultancy firms never make it to an assessment centre, if you have been invited then you have travelled a long way and have already made a huge impression on the organisation. Attending the assessment centre will be your final opportunity to impress the selectors and secure yourself an offer of employment – don’t waste this amazing opportunity, ensure you have fully prepared and practiced your assessment centre techniques. Assessment centres typically include a variety of activities and here we share a sample of our tips on how to succeed.
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GROUP ACTIVITY Most assessment centres involve an element of group work and this could be in the guise of a group discussion or practical task. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re an ‘Apprentice’ candidate and trying to impress Sir Alan Sugar with your amazing ideas and therefore feel like you need to shout your ideas and force your team to accept them. Selectors will be observing how well you work within a group, can you confidently provide creative ideas, and are you listening to feedback and suggestions from others? It’s important to fully understand the task, be aware of your time limits and to make a start at reaching a result without dwelling on any internal politics i.e. squabbling within the group. You need to be persuasive at putting your ideas forward and this will include being assertive at times, but always remember to be open to suggestions from others and be diplomatic.
Shy members of the group can often be overlooked; allowing yourself to be an inclusive leader by encouraging quieter members to contribute could make you stand out in the eyes of the assessor. IN-TRAY EXERCISE These exercises simulate daily business routines where you will be expected to deal with an ‘in-tray’ full of paperwork. The tray could contain a variety of items including internal memos, telephone messages, company reports and external stakeholder correspondence. You will be provided with the structure of the organisation, your role and its objectives, and any other relevant information. The exercise is designed to assess how you handle complex and sometimes conflicting information within a limited time period. The assessors will be observing how well you manage your time and priorities and the ownership you take to solving any conflicts. In-tray exercises provide you with an excellent opportunity to highlight your planning, organisation and communication skills; plus provide some insight into how you can assert yourself and ensure stakeholders remain happy.
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PRESENTATION Many selectors will ask attendees to prepare and make a short presentation to other candidates and assessors. Most often you will be given a topic or subject to talk about and will be given time to prepare on the day, rarely do you get to know the subject topic before the event. After you’ve made your presentation the other candidates and the selectors will be asking questions; ensure you anticipate these questions and prepare some answers during the planning stage. You will usually be assessed on how you plan and structure your presentation and how successful you were at getting your point across to the audience, rather than on the subject matter itself. Planning is key to making effective presentations and as a minimum you need to consider the following:
Know your audience and ensure you pitch at their level Keep it clear and don’t be tempted to be too technical Avoid ‘Death by PowerPoint’ – use slides to highlight the discussion area and not the whole text; use slides for key stats and facts and as a guide only Support any statements you make with examples, statistics etc. Talk to the whole group and engage them with visual aids Remember your timing, break down each section and ensure you don’t overrun Speak clearly, watch your body language and be confident
PARTNER INTERVIEW You should expect to be interviewed by a key decision maker through either a 1:1 or panel discussion. The interviewer will use this opportunity to further probe your reasons for applying and whether you are a suitable fit for their organisation. During this interview you will be asked about your performance at any previous interview, any tests you’ve taken and the activities during the assessment centre; and the questioning is often in depth. You must be fully prepared for this interview and this means reviewing your overall performance to date, consider any areas the interviewer is likely to highlight and how you will approach questions on these areas, and by having prepared answers to further competency based questions that will come your way. As always, remain calm and confident in your preparation and assert yourself as a credible candidate – and remember to have some questions of you own!
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PRACTICE THE EXERCISES AND IMPROVE YOUR PERFORMANCE Remember what we said at the beginning – being selected to attend an assessment centre means you have already made a significant impact on the organisation! When attending an assessment centre you are up against the very best candidates and you have just one opportunity to make a further positive impact and secure employment. YOUR CHANCE TO SHINE! We run regular assessment centre simulation events, these mock assessment centre workshops provide you with an opportunity to experience the pressures of corporate graduate selection in a safe environment; an environment where you can make mistakes and learn from them. Our full-day workshops operate like the real thing, with groups of students between 6 – 15 all taking an active part in the following tasks:
Individual Presentation; to test your planning and communication skills
In-Tray Exercise; to test your time management and analytical thinking skills
A Group Exercise; to test your leadership and verbal reasoning skills
A Mock Interview; to test your competency based interview skills
All our tasks and exercises are designed to ensure you have the opportunity to practice and highlight the key skills required by most graduate recruiters. Our events are a truly unique opportunity for you to practice your techniques, improve your performance and impress the selectors. Why risk making a mess of impressing the recruiters of the company you have long dreamed of working for?
Our Current programme of assessment centre simulation events will be visiting Lancaster, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, London and Exeter. Spaces are strictly limited. Further details on how to book your place and ensure you don’t miss out can be found here.
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