Assessment Centres and Group Exercises

What to expect from an Assessment Centre

If you are invited to an Assessment Centre you can be sure that you have done something right and the employer is keen to see what else you are capable of. It can be daunting but is only those who have passed through the preliminary interviews and those that the employer thinks are capable of successfully carrying out the jobs on offer that are asked to attend - so be confident and positive.

Group Exercises

The key to handling group exercises is to have to the right attitude from the start. You must be positive and enthusiastic and unless told otherwise you should assume that your objective is to 'win' against the other members of the group.

Group exercises are set to test the candidates' teamwork ability and to see who come out as the leaders and who the followers are. The tasks may encourage competitiveness or co-operation.

Be actively engaged at all times and be yourself - not who you think the assessors are looking for. Try to introduce humour and be sensitive towards others and have flexibility of thought.

The assessors will be looking for candidates to take control of the situation, draw opinions from the other delegates, keep the group to time, stand their ground (without becoming argumentative) and successfully take the group to its stated goal

Presentation Exercises

Presentation exercises are common as part of test centres. Few people enjoy public speaking but it is a discipline, which should be practised and is very useful. If you can successfully address a room of delegates your confidence cannot fail to impress. It is often useful to make very brief notes, which you can refer to during the talk and you should be provided with sufficient preparation time

How to prepare

Before you attend the assessment centre you should research thoroughly the exact requirements for the job to which you are applying. These key criteria are what the assessment panel will be looking for from you.

Dress as you would for an interview with the organisation and make sure you arrive at the venue in good time. The moment you walk through the door you will be judged, on your appearance, your punctuality and crucially how you present yourself to your fellow candidates.

It could be useful to make a note of the names of all the company representatives you meet, and when in conversation with testers or candidates drop those names into conversation.

When you leave the assessment centre take time to reflect on your own performance. Then after a few days, if you have not heard, contact the employer and politely request some feedback on your performance.

The Assessment Centre is a time for the employer to find out more about you and your capabilities. It is also a time for you to learn more about the job and the company. Relax and enjoy it, just do you best and learn from the experience.