On the blog today, Rachel Few, Resourcer, discusses preparing for an assessment centre having previously attended this form of evaluation.
In the past I’ve attended assessment centres whilst seeking previous job opportunities and ultimately my first question was always, how on earth do I prepare? In this unknown environment it is often difficult to know how to prepare and what will actually be expected of you, with the word ‘assessment centre’ sounding rather unknown and intimidating, an alien concept compared with the traditional form of interviewing.
Recently, there has been an increase in the use of assessment centres in the recruitment process, allowing employers to test the ways in which candidates react in a given environment, a screening process to help find the ideal candidate for a role. Here are a few basic tips on what to expect and how to prepare:
– Focus on yourself and what you’re saying as opposed to worrying what others have said – You’re not competing against them, however, you are being measured against a predetermined standard, so focus on your own performance and preparing what you want to say.
– Try to be a team player and display your ability to interact and cooperate with others, a desirable quality that many potential employees will be looking for.
– Maintain a professional attitude at all times, as both your behaviours and actions are being assessed, even if you think that nobody’s watching, it’s quite likely they could be!
– Try to relax and maintain a positive attitude, that way assessors will have a greater chance of warming to you, by remaining calm and letting your personality shine through!
– Be prepared and look the part – come smartly dressed with any potential materials you might need, making sure you have done thorough preparation on the job you are applying for and have thought of potential questions to ask.
– Listen and follow instructions closely, show that you’ve got great engagement and are able to complete a given task successfully having listened to set expectations.
– Brush up on your interview skills as well as your comprehension – be prepared for potential role play exercises and presentations that will put you on the spot and test your reactions to given tasks.
Assessment centres have developed a global popularity, and are therefore definitely something to be made aware of. They’ve certainly come a long way after their origination in World War Two to test certain types of leadership skills……spoken like a true history graduate after all….
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