Aviva
Candidate Assessment & Selection
Wednesday 27th June 2012, BDO LLP
HR Attendees:
• Emma Barbour - Graduate Recruitment Specialist
Graduate and School Leaver Stakeholders
• Julie Turner – Trading Team Manager
• Emily Morris – Executive Trading Underwriter
June 2012
Author: Emma Barbour
Sponsor: Kate Erskine
Agenda
• Common Assessment & Selection methods
• Key skills and competencies sought
• What is new in Assessment and Selection?
• Pre-Assessment Centre activity
• Assessment Centres
• Common reasons for unsuccessful performance
• Changing assessment and selection methods
Most Used Assessment and Selection Methods
• Application form and ‘killer questions’
• Essay questions
• CV screen
• Online aptitude tests
• Telephone interview (sometimes two stages)
• Assessment centre (sometimes inclusive of a one to one
interview)
• Social assessments – lunch, dinner or drinks with prospective
employers.
• Final interview
Skills, competencies and behaviours
In addition…..
•Dependent on the scheme or
•
Right Attitude
programme there may be specific
•
Willingness to learn
capabilities that we look for that
•
Patience
are critical to that area of
•
Demonstrate development potential
•
Behavioural skills
•
Life Experience – are they ‘street wise’?
•
Commercial Awareness
leadership capabilities we expect
•
IT Competent – can they adapt to regular changes in technology?
of our employees
•
Communication Skills – both verbal and written
functional discipline a student
may be entering
•Global framework for the
•Global framework of ‘shared
Many competencies are potentially common across other
financial services firms!
capabilities’ i.e. behaviours we
think should be common to all
irrespective of their role.
Assessment and Selection – Continuous Improvement
Within Aviva we are focused on continuously improving our A&S
process for three key reasons;
• Ensuring we identify and select the top talent within a talent pool –
it is particularly important that we identify individuals who will
thrive in Aviva's culture and the potential to gain the professional
• We ensure that recruitment is effective and cost efficient for the
business - recruitment takes time and costs money
• Ensuring the candidate experience is always positive. Aviva wants
to be the most recommended insurance firm and that extends to
recruitment too.
What’s new in Assessment and Selection?
Situational
Judgement tests
Identifying ‘high
fliers’
Work
samples
Assessment of emotional
intelligence and other
‘social intelligences
Increased use
of ability tests
‘Near to Peer’
assessment
Strengths-based
interviewing
‘Interview in a
Lift’
Assessment & Selection Process
Stage 0
• Candidate
self deselects
Stage 1
• Application
form and
‘killer
questions’
- 25%
Stage 2
• CV and
application
screen
- 50%
Stage 3
• Online
aptitude
tests
- 5%
Stage 4
Recruitment
handover
candidates
to the
business
• Telephone
screen
- 10%
Stage 5
Key
%
Anticipated % of candidates be
screened out at this stage of the
recruitment process
• Assessment
Centre
(Supported)
14
Assessment Centre Preparation
• Practice online aptitude tests
• Student’s should research the company profile
• Be prepared for a full day of activities
• Bring the requested documents (CV, ID checks etc)
• Smart office attire appropriately dressed for an interview
• Think about the information they would like to know about the
role and Aviva – have some pre-prepared questions of their
own!
Aviva’s Golden Rule
Preparation, preparation,
preparation!!!
Common Reasons for an Unsuccessful Performance
Not speaking or
listening to the
appropriate level
Lack of team
work
Not standing
out from the
crowd
Commercial
acumen
Preparation, preparation,
preparation!!!
Over
confidence
Being underprepared
Changing Assessment and Selection Methods
•
Smarter use of automated screening tools and appropriate online testing
•
Ensure attraction materials and job description are fully reflective of the offering and the
requirements to be met. (This is our first and most crucial selection tool)
•
Planning and coordination of talent pipeline stages – create a plan of activity for the year
•
Provision of sufficient guidance and support to applicants
•
Higher benchmarks to allow organisations to access the highest calibre in the talent pool.
•
Establish candidates commitment to and organisations long term career proposition.
•
Candidates changing reaction to assessment and feedback must be considered
This is all leading to and overall change in attraction strategy!
© Aviva plc