To help students understand and succeed in Assessment Centres we delivered a presentation at Heriot-Watt University.
What you will learn:
Get a better understanding of why companies use assessment centres
Knowledge of the various elements included in an assessment centre
Practical solutions to succeed in the various exercises.
An insight into what the assessors are looking for
How to avoid the main pitfalls that occur in assessment centres
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Assessment Centres - Secrets Uncovered
1. Eden Scott & Heriot Watt University
Success in Assessment Centres
| Graduates 2017
2. Today’s
Agenda
Introduction – Simone Thompson
Technical elements of assessment
centres, how to succeed and the pitfalls
from Michelle and Chris
Background
What is an Assessment Centre
Interviews
Presentations
In Tray Exercise
OPQ’s
SHL Testing
Case Study
Group Exercise
Assessment Centres
Question and Answer
3. About Us
Established in Edinburgh in 2003
Excess of £15 million turnover
Offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow
and Belfast
70 discipline-specific recruitment
consultants across the country
Global reach – EMEA, North America, Asia
Pacific
Recruit from entry to executive level
Permanent, contract and temporary
solutions
Leading Scottish recruitment brand on
social media
TalentSpark – our offering to the start-up
and SME community
4. Why are we
here?
To help you understand and succeed in
Assessment Centres
Wealth of recruitment knowledge in our
Executive Team; Chris and Michelle
Run a graduate programme
Run Assessment Centres for number of
large organisations,
NHS
Glasgow City Council
Standard Life
LifeScan
5. What will you
learn?
Get a better understanding of why
companies use assessment centres
Knowledge of the various elements
included in an assessment centre
Practical solutions to succeed in the
various exercises.
An insight into what the assessors are
looking for
How to avoid the main pitfalls that occur
in assessment centres
Experience of Assessment Centres
So, who has had experience of and
assessment centre?
How do people feel about attending an
assessment centre?
6. Assessment
Centres
Assessment centres have origins in war
time Britain
Large number of unsuitable Officers being
sent back
Failing recruitment system – social
standing & educational background
Assessment centres introduced including
leaderless group exercises, selection
tests, individual interviews.
Resulted in far less returned Officers and
version of the system still used today.
7. Why Assessment
Centres
Validity, most reliable method of assessing
candidates ability to perform
They are fair and objective
Provide a wealth of information on each
candidate which forms the basis of a robust
Personal Development Plan if appointed
Skills are assessed over a number of
exercises
They assess what candidates can actually
do
Individual Exercises
Interviews (CBI, Biographical)
Role play
Formal presentations
In tray exercise
OPQ’s/Psychometric testing
Group Exercises
Case study
Group consensus exercise
Group presentation
8. Interviews
Biographical
Traditional interviews based on
experience, training and education,
health, motivation.
Relies on assumptions about candidate
Competency Based Interviews (CBI)
Structured Interview
Questions relating to specific
competencies
Examples from work, education, social in
relation to required behaviours
Stronger picture of strengths and
weaknesses What assessors are looking for
Getting to know the candidate – Personality fit
Assessing competencies - CBI
Building rapport
Dealing with stress
9. Role Play
Usually business related tasks to assess
suitability
Call and sell product to potential client
Negotiating a pay rise
Business development call
Dealing with angry customer call
Assessing for:
Initiative
Ability to think on your feet
Confidence
Communication
Tenacity
10. Presentation
A pre-prepared and timed presentation
on a chosen subject
Showcasing knowledge on specific topic,
usually industry related
Usually provided with brief and timings
prior
Assessing for:
Research skills
Communication skills
Presentation skills
Working under pressure
Ability to engage an audience
Adaptability
Handling objections
11. In-Tray
Exercise
Dealing with heavy workload
Provided a list of tasks and challenged to
manage time and workload
Prioritising tasks
Coping with unexpected additional
demands
Assessing for:
To assess ability to cope under pressure
Knowledge of requirements of the job
Communication skills
12. OPQ’s
Occupational Personality Questionnaire
Identifying an individuals preferences to see
how they align with a job role
Number of variations for the online
questionnaire
Four statements requiring choosing the
most appropriate
Four statements, choose one most like and
one least like
32 questions on a scale and judging the
level of relevance
Requires honest answers
Aim is to ensure the right personality is in
the right job
Assessing for:
True reflection of personality
To identify your real strengths
Communication skills
13. SHL Testing
SHL Numerical Reasoning
Online or offline testing
Interpreting numerical data and answering
related questions.
Including a range of numerical operations,
multiplication, fractions, percentage
increases and decreases
Could be supervised or unsupervised.
SHL Verbal Reasoning
Mostly Online
Reading a passage in a book and answering
either true/false or multiple choice
questions on the understanding
Completely based on the content in the
book, not on any outside knowledge
Could be supervised or unsupervised.
Assessing for:
Ability to interpret relevant, job related information
Performance under pressure
Decision making
Attention to detail
14. Case Study
Group or Individual
Involves working through hypothetical data
to present back.
Scenario presented blind
Either as a group or as individual
Possible change in rules, information and
timings to unsettle candidates
Assessing for:
Teamwork
Leadership and influencing skills
Initiative
Creativity
Presentation Skills
Ability to assimilate info quickly
Working under pressure
Thinking Style
15. Group
Exercise
Discussion or consensus exercise
Reaching agreement as a group and
presenting
Pitch presentation
Desert island scenario
Technical job related
Assessing for:
Teamwork
Leadership and influencing skills
Initiative
Listening ability
Presentation skills
Ability to assimilate info quickly
Working under pressure
16. Group
Exercise
Secrets to Success in Group Exercises
Keep focused on the brief you have been given and achieve what
is being asked
Take on board every ones input, you don’t have to agree with it
but it’s essential to deal with things appropriately
Strike the balance of letting go of insignificant issues and pursing
ones which will lead to results
Timing is everything, don’t get involved in discussions and run
out of time without coming up with the answer
Don’t criticise others, just because their opinion isn’t yours
Speak with conviction and confidence
It’s not about how often you speak it’s about what you say. Is
your contribution relevant to the exercise?
Contemplate the problem and deliver the result don’t debate why
the problem exists or talk about information you’ve not got
Don’t think playing a part or a role is enough ie: Flip chart writer
Be prepared to present and think on your feet and always reflect
the agreement and findings of the group
17. Common
Competencies
Planning & Organising
Adaptability & Flexibility
Problem Solving
Communication with Influence
Decision Making
Resistance to Stress
Results Orientated
Persuasiveness
Quality Orientation
Interpersonal Sensitivity
Leadership
Resilience
Energy
Commitment
Creativity & Innovation
18. Assessment
Centre
Matrix
Competencies In Tray Customer
Role Play
Group
Exercise
Structured
Interview
Overall
Assessment
Organisational
Awareness
3 3 4 3 3
Job Specifications 4 5 4 4
Customer Focus 4 5 5 5
Managing Staff 2 1 2 2
Relationships with
Others
3 2 3
Focus on results 3 4 3 3
Personal Effectiveness 3 4 3
Manages Diversity 2 2
19. Assessment
Centre
Why do people fail at assessment
centres?
Lack of preparation
Lack of research
Lack of understanding of the role
Nerves
Focusing on a bad performance in one
exercises letting this affect performance in
all other exercises
Focusing on other candidates in exercises
rather than the required task in hand
Lack of understanding of where the
assessment centres fits in the recruitment
process and the weighting it is given
20. Assessment
Centre
How to perform well
Be assertive throughout all of the exercises
Treat each exercise individually, don’t dwell
on an exercise if you perceive you haven’t
performed well
Focus on showcasing your skill set and how
it will be beneficial to the role and the
company
Don’t focus on other candidates
Draw others into conversations in group
exercise and during break periods
Think about what you are saying and its
relevance
Relax
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Questions