An assessment centre is a collection of activities put together by recruiting organisations to enable them to identify the right people for their organisations and to persuade the successful applicants to accept their job offer. They are typically used where employers are looking for a number of graduates to join a graduate development programme (scheme) and are recruiting for long term career potential rather than specific jobs.
There is a selection of tools they may deploy which include:
- Interview – maybe more than one – perhaps one focusing on technical skills and another on professional/interpersonal skills
- Observed Group exercise – this could be a discussion of a scenario or a physical build something out of paper and cardboard activity.
- Written case study – (use bullet points to explain your approach)
- In-tray exercise or some other form of work/task simulation looking at how you prioritise
- Psychometric tests – aptitude and/or personality questionnaires
- Oral presentation
In addition, they may give you:
- presentations about the organisation,
- let you meet recent recruits for a question and answer session – maybe over lunch or coffee
- take you on a tour of the facilities/working areas.
Their website should outline their recruitment process and your invitation letter should give more detail such as the topic and length for your presentation but if in doubt talk to someone from the recruitment team – but check your information first – you don’t want to hack off the people managing the process because you haven’t read your instructions properly.
They are looking for:
- Competence – you could do the job well if they hire you
- Career motivation – you want to do their sort of work with their organisation and you are likely to stay for a serious chunk of time – 5+ years
- Working with others and leadership potential – if it is a ‘high investment’ programme – lots of training, rotations round different areas of their operation, funding professional qualifications – then they expect you to stay and move into senior positions in the future so they will want to see that you will be able to rise to the challenge of leading teams, heading departments.
Preparation
Take advantage of any workshops or practice sessions your careers service offers to practice the individual elements. They may get employers in to run mock assessment centres – even if you don’t want to work for those employers it is worth going for the practice. All employers are picking selection techniques from the same toolbox.
You really need to practice psychometric aptitude tests if you apply to organisations that use them. It is all about how quickly you can answer the questions, if you haven’t had a go before, you will lose time processing what you need to do and as a mathematician you will most likely overthink any numerical reasoning questions.
Read up what you can on the organisation – web-site, annual report, press cuttings
Tips on the day
- Read your application through to remember what you have told them, (have it with you)
- Be on time
- Be well presented in business appropriate dress
- Take part willingly – everyone is nervous doing a presentation but practice will help you. Group exercises can feel uncomfortable but you need to participate and show you can work well with others. Not all employers use them so if you really aren’t up for this then find employers who don’t.
- Ask questions of any recent recruits you meet and if you get the chance to meet your interviewers outside the interview and at the end of your interview. Show you are interested and you need to know if you really want to work for them if they make you an offer.
- Smile and be polite with everyone – reception staff may be asked their opinion of the candidates too. When I was working in the recruitment team we took turns to do the minibus run to collect candidates from the railway station – some people were very dismissive of a mere driver and very surprised to see you in the interview panel later in the day.
- Ask for feedback – if you are unsuccessful it helps with other applications and if you were successful it helps you prep for starting the position.
