1. Introduction to Assessment Centres

2. Introduction
Dear Colleague, Welcome to this introductory module on Assessment Centres. Assessment Centres are often used as part of the selection process in organisations because they provide a fair and accurate way for organisations to observe and evaluate how an individual’s skills, behaviours and abilities match up with key competencies required for a specific job role. This short module is designed to help you understand more about the different components that make up an Assessment Centre so that you know what to expect and how to prepare. We hope you find the module helpful. Best wishes, The Workforce and Education Team

3. Learning objectives By the end of this e-module you should:
Understand the different activities that you could be expected to participate in at an Assessment Centre
Understand what might be assessed in different activities and how to prepare for them
Gain some understanding of general best practice for performing well at Assessment Centres
If you work in an organisation that doesn’t change

4. What to expect at an Assessment Centre

5. What is an Assessment Centre
An Assessment Centre is where a combination of selection methods are used to measure suitability for a job. It usually involves groups of candidates attending a selected venue for a day or a half day to participate in a number of selection activities, where they will be assessed against set competencies.
At an Assessment Centre you may be expected to participate in all of or some of the following activities:
Presentation
Group exercise
Case Studies
Psychometric tests
Role play
Interview
If you work in an organisation that doesn’t change

6. Why do employers use Assessment Centres?
Assessment Centres are an effective way for organisations to accurately observe and evaluate how an individual’s skills, behaviours and abilities match up with key competencies required for a specific position and job role.
The major advantage of an Assessment Centre for an employer is that it provides the opportunity to observe and evaluate a participant on a number of separate occasions in a range of different situations.
The activities that participants at an Assessment Centre will be involved in usually resemble situations and problems that are relevant to the job under consideration.
If you work in an organisation that doesn’t change

7. An example of Assessment Centre structure
10:00 Arrive, collect name badges, coffee
10:15 Introductions and presentation by the employer
10:45 Group Exercise
11:45 Psychometric Test
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Technical interview
14:30 Refreshments
14:45 Individual Presentation
16:00 Case study exercise
17:00 Debriefing
17:30 Depart
Note
There is often a panel of 2-4 people at the interview and presentation. In addition there is likely to be 2-3 assessor who will take notes during the group exercise. You may see different people for different exercises but the group will come together at the end to discuss each.

8. How to prepare for an Assessment Centre

9. Presentations
Presentation skills are important in the workplace and it is likely that you will be asked to deliver a presentation as part of an Assessment Centre. Typically you will be asked to prepare a presentation in response to a question posed by the employer e.g. “Prepare and deliver a 15 minute presentation on you will ensure that your team meets the performance expected of them”
Your presentation will be assessed on both content and delivery:
Content - You will be assessed on the extent to which your presentation answers the question posed and meets the criteria/objective of the employer
Delivery – You will be assessed on how well you deliver your presentation. Therefore your communication skill is often a key competency that will be looked at, this includes the structure, clarity and confidence with which you deliver.

10. Preparing your presentation
‘fail to prepare; prepare to fail’
Plan how you will introduce your presentation
Pitch the level of your presentation to the audience and keep it clear
Limit your points to key messages
Support your ideas with examples and facts
Consider your timing and how long each part of the presentation should take
Be prepared to answer follow up questions from the panel

11. Delivering your presentation
Speak clearly and slowly
Keep to time
Make eye contact with your audience
Adopt a relaxed open body language/posture
Avoid fidgeting
Flipcharts and power-point slides can greatly enhance your presentation but make sure you are comfortable with the technology
Don’t overcrowd PowerPoint slides with too much information
Don’t read through slides, use them as a reference point
Invite questions at the end of the presentation

12. An example of how a ‘presentation’may be assessed
To standardise assessment amongst candidates it is likely that you will be scored against a set of criteria. Example assessment criteria:
Criteria
Score
Was prior preparation and planning evident?
Was the presentation question satisfactorily answered?
Does the candidate come across as confident and convincing?
Were the audience engaged?
How well were additional questions answered?

13. Group activities
Assessment Centres often involve exercises that involve working as a team or group. You may be asked to complete a practical task or take part in a discussion. The assessor will be looking for your ability to work well with others. It is important to remember that good team work is not necessarily about getting your ideas taken forward, but also listening to, acknowledging and following through the ideas of others in the group.

14. Basic rules for group activities
Get a good grasp of the information you are given
Be assertive and persuasive, but also be diplomatic. Be tactful even when faced with an idea you think is weak. Try to speak with conviction about your ideas
Listen to what everyone else has to say and try to get the best contribution from everyone in the group. Don’t assume that shy or quiet members have nothing to contribute
Find the balance between taking your ideas forward and helping the group to complete the task constructively
Make sure the group keeps to time
Keep your cool and use your sense of humour where appropriate

15. An example of how a ‘group exercise’ may be assessed
Example assessment criteria:
Criteria
Score
To what extent does the participant contribute to group discussions?
To what extent does the participant grasp information quickly and think on your feet when presented with an issue?
Quality of Interpersonal skills
Verbal communication skills
To what extent does the participant listen to others?
Does the participant criticise or encourage input from others?
Does the participant take time to contemplate an issue or are they too busy talking?

16. Case Studies
Case studies often involve a realistic simulation of the type of problems or issues that you are likely to encounter in your role if selected. A case study may present a candidate with a series of fictional documents or a scenario. You will then be asked to make decisions based on the information given. After analysing the information provided you will need to decide on the best way forward. You will be required to present your response in the form of a brief report, action plan or presentation. Case studies are designed to assess your approach to problem solving as much as the solution you arrive at. It is important that you are able to provide a rationale for your decision. Case studies are usually given out on the day of the Assessment Centre.

17. An example of how a ‘case study’ may be assessed
Example assessment criteria:
Criteria
Score
Analytical thinking demonstrated
Problem solving skills evident
Sound judgement and decision making shown
Action/report addresses key issues
Understanding of key issues/risks shown
Planning demonstrated

18. Psychometric Tests
Psychometric tests are structured, computer-based or pen/paper exercises. They are often presented in the form of multiple-choice questions and are usually timed. They are designed to assess your reasoning skill or how you respond to different situations. There are different types of tests. 1. Aptitude test Aptitude tests such as verbal, abstract and numerical tests will assess your logical reasoning or thinking performance. 2. Personality Questionnaires Personality questionnaires are designed to assess the way you tend to react to and or deal with different situations.

19. Preparing for Psychometric Tests
Aptitude tests
To prepare for numerical reasoning tests you can practise doing some basic math without a calculator to improve your mental arithmetic.
To prepare for verbal reasoning tests you can practise summarising key points a report
Personality questionnaires
There are no right or wrong answers to a personality questionnaire therefore its much harder to prepare for. Employers are looking for characteristics match the job or organisation.
It is s still worth looking at the examples available on line, so that you become familiar with the concept

20. Role Plays
Role plays tend to simulate a real life situation that you are likely to face in the workplace. They often involved scenarios where you have to deal with a challenge such as an upset customer; a deal that needs to be negotiated or giving difficult feedback. Example You may be given the scenario of a challenging customer who has come to make a complaint to you. The interviewer may play the role of the customer and you will have to take on the role of dealing with complaint. Usually you will given sometime on the day of the Assessment Centre to prepare for the role play.

21. Preparing for Role Plays
The role play scenarios used by organisations will be different. However you can prepare by considering the types of scenarios that you could be tested on and then practicing your response with friends or family. The purpose of the latter is to help you to become comfortable with the process of a role play. Its important that when you are participating in a role play you get into the mind-set of the situation and try to respond as you would do if the situation were real.

22. Interviews
There are different types of interview processes and questions. It is likely that in an interview at the Trust you will have a combination of different types of interview questions including:
Values Based Interview question
Competency Based Interview questions
Technical interview questions
Generic interview questions

23. Preparing for Interviews
Ensure that you read and understand the person specification and job description
Underline all the statements that indicate the skills, experience and knowledge required
Look back on your career to date and consider examples that illustrate that you meet the requirements for the post
Do your research and consider potential interview questions, prepare and practice your answers to them
Note
For more information about interview skills please refer to the separate Interview Skills e-learning module.

24. General Guidance for Assessment Centres
Be clear about the job requirements
Be yourself; show your passion and enthusiasm
Follow instructions given. Each task will have clear instructions and objectives.
Be aware - assume that you are being assessed at all times
Be prepared to be surprised – you may be asked to take part in an activity that may seem strange, but all activities are designed for a purpose. Sometimes an employer is assessing at your flexibility to do something different
Take part in discussions and give your ideas/suggestions, but don’t monopolise the conversation. Show interest in what others are saying and ask questions
Plan your time - ensure that you are aware of the time limit on any exercise and produce what was asked for on time
Don’t panic. If you feel you have not done well in one of the activities it does not mean that you have failed. There are 4/5 different activities that you will participate in. Your overall performance will be assessed.

25. In summary
Get involved - don’t be nervous about speaking up, employers want to see and hear what you have to offer.
Manage your time - make sure you are aware of how long you have for each exercise and manage your time appropriately. If you are participating in group work it may be a good idea to split parts of the exercise up.
Be yourself and enjoy your assessments - remember the Assessment Centre is an extra opportunity for you to show the organisation what you have to offer.
Think positively about the process and about how you will perform – the way you think will influence whether or not you give your best on the day.

26. Additional Resources
Further useful information is available via the links below: 1. Assessment Centres Psychometric Tests