How to prepare for an assessment centre
Assessment centres are an increasingly popular tool in the recruitment process of graduate employers. They offer recruiters the opportunity to observe the way you operate and interact with others, and provide more information about your skills and abilities than an interview alone.
Assessment Centres are usually the last stage of a recruitment process. If you have reached this stage, you have already done extremely well. The employer thinks you have great potential so you are close to being offered a job Assessment centres will generally:
- Be held over a longer time than a conventional interview - this can be half a day up to two days, including an overnight stay.
- Involve various activities.
- Involve multiple assessors - your performance in each activity will be evaluated by a different assessor.
- Have informal elements such as lunch with recent graduates.
- Include a number of candidates.
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- Research - read the information from the employer carefully as this will tell you what to expect at the centre and what competencies the employer will be looking for. Note the activities involved and whether you have to prepare anything in advance, such as a presentation. If you are not clear, contact the employer for clarification.
- Preparation - mock interviews can be arranged with us. Practice psychometric tests are available too. Numerical and verbal puzzle books can also help you prepare for reasoning tests.
- Review - look over your application form, the job details and company information. Look at the employer's website, news websites and newspapers for current issues involving the employer and its business sector. Other student's experiences of assessment centres can be find in our information room and contain valuable hints and tips. If you had an interview previous to the assessment think about the areas you could have improved on or answered better.
- Practical matters - organise your travel and what you are going to wear in good time to avoid last minute panics. Take directions and contact details with you.
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- Be professional - arrive in good time, inform the employer if you can't avoid being late. Be polite to everyone you meet. Stay calm, focused and positive throughout the assessment centre.
- Talk to the other candidates - if you find small talk difficult ask other candidates about their courses and where they are studying. Remember that you are not necessarily in competition with the other candidates so treat them as allies rather than rivals. If you all perform well, you might all be successful.
- Take time to think - follow any instructions carefully and ask questions if there is something you don’t understand. Don't be tempted to launch straight in to exercises, but make sure you understand the facts placed before you and the requirements of the task.
- Don't dwell on perceived failures - you do not have to perform exceptionally in all activities; concentrate on doing well in the next task. Assessors know that candidates will be better in some areas than others, and will take an overview of your performance at the end of the day.
- Don't compare yourself with others - you only see other candidates in group activities. Employers recruit to a standard based on overall performance across all activities.
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Employers will use various activities to assess your skills and abilities. Hints and tips on facing some of the most commonly used activities are detailed in the links below. Please see our page with more detailed information on these types of activities.
- Group exercises
- In-tray / e-tray exercises
- Presentations
- Case studies
- Psychometric testing
- Social activities
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Employers are mostly interested in your skills and career motivation. For certain jobs, they may also want to assess your technical or specialist knowledge. An assessment centre should provide the ideal opportunity for you to demonstrate all of these. Find out more about:
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Make notes
Make notes on your experience for future reference. Do this as soon as you can after the event while details are still fresh in your mind.
Feedback
Feedback is important even if you aren't successful, it will help you think about skills you could develop and improve. If you are successful the feedback will help you prepare for starting the job and the skills you can improve when you join.
After you receive an offer
Make sure it is the right role and company for you before accepting. If you receive more than one job offer, take into consideration:
- Salary level
- Training opportunities
- Future prospects
- Location
- Pension
- Other benefits
- Impression of the company culture
These may all impact on what makes the offer you accept the right decision for you.
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Useful links and resources
E-tray exercise on WebCT
