career essentials
assessment centres
What are assessment centres?
Assessment centres are used by employers to assess candidates for evidence of skills and
qualities that they require in their organisation. They typically last between one and two days
and require candidates to perform a range of tasks designed to assess each skill or quality
required by the organisation. A range of people are involved in assessing the candidates, and
at the end of the assessment centre each assessor contributes to the selection decision.
The aim of this leaflet is to provide an overview of what to expect at an assessment centre and
to provide tips for getting through them successfully. While most people find some elements of
assessment centres stressful, they can also be an enjoyable experience.
What is being assessed?
When designing an assessment centre, employers identify the particular skills and qualities
required in the job or organisation to which they are recruiting. They will be as specific as
possible and set benchmarks (levels) against which they will assess each candidate.
When preparing for an assessment centre it is vital that you identify the specific competencies
needed to be successful. The following are examples of skills, which may be assessed:
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Communication skills: Clear and positive expression; attentive listening; presenting
information effectively and concisely; making well-reasoned arguments; ability to find
middle ground.
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Leadership: Vision; strategic thinking; seeking out responsibility; appropriate delegation;
setting standards or procedures; encouraging others; tackling conflict effectively.
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Organisation & planning: Contribution towards structuring planning; setting objectives
and / or time scales; evaluating / reviewing progress; goal setting; prioritising.
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Teamwork: Co-operating with others; showing sensitivity to the views of others; keeping
others informed; making effective contributions; involving quieter members.
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Decision-making: Logical processes; using available resources effectively; weighing
advantages and disadvantages; reviewing; taking responsibility for decisions.
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Problem solving: Identifying critical issues; recognising links and connections; finding
original solutions; using problem-solving techniques.
November 2000
www.plymouth.ac.uk/careers
What might an assessment centre involve?
The format of assessment centres varies depending on:
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the nature of the job for which candidates are being assessed
the particular competencies that are required
facilities and time available
the nature of the organisation
The following activities are typically used:
1. Group exercises
Group exercises typically involve participants in one of the following:
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task solving e.g. cross a fast flowing river with a plank and a ball of string
discussion exercises e.g. the low price of petrol is the main cause of global warming
role plays e.g. you are assigned a role in a company - managing director, PR manager,
human resources manager, technical manager, product manager, finance manager – and
set a task which involves participants in assuming their role in solving a given task.
During the exercises one or more observers will watch the group in action and record
evidence of positive and negative behaviour.
Before the exercises somebody in your group may be asked to take on the role of leader.
Alternatively groups may be ‘leaderless’. Where a leader is assigned observers will assess
that person for their leadership qualities and the other members of the group to see how they
respond in this situation. In leaderless groups observers will be looking for natural leaders to
come from within the group.
In both instances, observers are looking for evidence from everybody of teamwork skills, cooperation, ideas, problem solving, organisation, etc.
2. Presentations
As highlighted in the last example, there may be many opportunities to make a presentation at
an assessment centre!
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Presenting your team’s response to a group exercise
Presenting a view point as part of a role play
You may be given a topic on which to make a presentation (or asked to determine your
own topic)
3. Written tests
Similar to the role-play task, you may be given a range of information and asked to assimilate
this into a written report. Another variation on this theme is to be given information or tasks
and asked to prioritise them, including your rationale.
4. Psychometric assessments
There are generally two types of psychometric assessments used at assessment centres –
aptitude tests and personality questionnaires. These are dealt with in more detail in the free
AGCAS leaflet ‘Psychometric Tests – What are they and how to prepare for them’.
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Aptitude tests assess logical reasoning or thinking performance - not general knowledge.
They are designed to assess abilities relevant to particular jobs or tasks and do not
assume a range of existing skills. This means that they measure potential (or aptitude).
Test batteries typically include verbal, numerical and diagrammatic reasoning questions in
a multiple-choice format. They are administered under strict exam conditions and the
questions have right and wrong answers. Each candidate’s score is compared with a
representative ‘norm’ group for each test. You may be sent sample questions before the
test.
Employers use aptitude tests in one of two ways: to cream off the best applicants or to
ensure that successful candidates achieve a minimum level required for the job for which
they are applying.
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Personality questionnaires are based on self-report - how you perceive yourself and how
you would typically behave in given situations.
Questions typically take one or more of the following formats:
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Rating questions e.g. ‘I enjoy social gatherings’ (rate from 1 ‘not at all’ to 5 ‘very much’)
Choice questions e.g. Which of the following is most and least like you: a highly
organised person, anxious when meeting new people, the ‘life and soul’ of the party, an
energetic person
Yes / No questions e.g. ‘I like to try new ways of doing things’ (True / False)
When you have completed a personality questionnaire the results are analysed and
your personal profile produced. Employers use this in selection by comparing your profile
with an ideal profile created for the job. To be successful your profile needs to closely
match that of the job.
So long as you are applying for a job for which you are suited you should face no
difficulties with personality questionnaires. They are not timed so you can work at your own
pace. Answer honestly, trust your first impressions (rather than over-analysing questions)
and try to answer all the questions.
6. Evening at the bar / dinner with recent graduates
You will be told this is your opportunity to find out what the organisation is really like, and to
all intents and purposes it is. However, you are still being assessed and so use the free bar
sparingly. Employers will be making a mental note of how well you interact with others, how
well you relate to new people and whether you are likely to fit in to their organisation?
Before checking out the cocktails menu think about questions you want to ask of the
graduates e.g. what is it like working for the organisation, how is your career likely to
progress, etc. Beware, however, of becoming the bore who wants to impress so much that you
talk of nothing but the company and how much you’ve read up on them. Be yourself.
6. Site visits
A chance to look around and find out more about the organisation. Try to ask sensible
and informed questions – car parking requests can usually wait until later.
7. Interviews
At assessment centres you are likely to encounter two types of interview (dealt with in detail in
our Careers Essentials leaflet on interviews):
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General interviews used by employers to assess the general skills they require e.g.
teamwork, problem solving, and leadership. Questions take the form ‘give me an example
of when you have led a team / organised an event / solved a problem. What did you do
and how well did you do it’. In answering these questions it is vital that you present
evidence of what you did. It is often personnel staff or general managers who conduct
these interviews.
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Technical interviews used to test what you have written in your application about the
technical skills and experience that you possess. This means going into more detail about
the applied problem solving skills you used in increasing Microsoft’s profit margin by 33%
during your sandwich placement. Your interviewer(s) will have a technical background in
your area which means they can talk on your wavelength.
Who is doing the assessing?
A range of people are involved in facilitating and assessing assessment centres. Each will be
involved in observing, recording and classifying your behaviours on different activities during
the day and assessing them against their required competencies. At the end of the
assessment centre all of the assessors will feed their comments into a discussion to agree
whether you have been successful or not. It is important to remember that you are being
assessed throughout the whole assessment centre.
10 tips to help you succeed at assessment centres
1. Get to know as much as you can about the tests and exercises you will be doing before the
assessment centre
2. Identify the competencies assessors will be looking for
3. Practice some of the more practical exercises, e.g. tests
4. Remember you are being assessed (nearly) all of the time
5. Watch the clock during assessments
6. Put across your point of view during discussions but know when to compromise
7. Attend a preparatory workshop prior to attending an assessment centre
8. Reflect on how you are doing at the assessment centre as you are going through it
9. Try to get feedback after assessment centres
10. Be yourself
Further Information and Advice
Career Essentials – Interviews
AGCAS leaflet ‘Psychometric Tests – What are they and how to prepare for them’
Prospects Directory
AGCAS video – ‘The Assessment Centre Video’
How to succeed at assessment centres (in 'Job Search' collection in Careers Centres)