assessment centre skills

7/28/2019 Assessment Centre Skills

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Assessment Centre Skills


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Objectives

To give an insight into recruitment process&

To provide practical advice on attending assessment

centres


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The Graduate Recruitment Process

Attracting

Application Form

Selecting 1

Selecting 2

Offer


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How many get through?

Applications 33%

First Interviews 33%

Assessment Centres 50%

Offers


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Employer

An alternative selection tool which allows the employerto test candidates in a variety of different situations

What is an Assessment Centre?

Attendee

The most terrifying experience of my life during which,rather unfortunately, I acted as if I was a somewhat

disturbed individual having a particularly bad day


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100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

The popularity of different assessment methods

Personalityquestionnaires

References

AstrologyApplicationforms

Ability testsInterview

Bio-data

GraphologyAssessmentcentres

100% Interview96% References

93% Application forms

70% Ability tests64% Personality questionnaires

59% Assessment Centre

19% Biodata

3% Graphology0% Astrology


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Accuracy of some methods of selection

1.0

0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0

Structured Interview

References

Astrology

Personality questionnaires

Unstructured Interviews

Ability tests

Assessment centres

Bio-dataGraphology

0.6 Assessment centres

0.43 Structured Interview0.39 Bio-data

0.37 Personality questionnaires

0.28 Unstructured Interviews

0.2 References

0.03 Astrology0.02 Graphology

0.57 Ability tests

Perfect Prediction

Chance Prediction


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Content of an Assessment Centre

Interviews

Psychometric Testing

Exercises


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Interviews

Not the same as your first interview

Still need to prepare!

Go on an interview skills training course


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Interview preparation

Know yourself and your achievements

Know what employers want in their graduates

And then..

Do your best to bring the two together


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Know yourself and your achievements

Similar to application form

3 year plan

List and consider all your achievements

Think about your strengths and weaknesses

Know why you want to do the job


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Qualities that employers look for

Academic achievement

Drive and leadership potential

Intellectual skills

Interpersonal skills

Career motivation


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Drive and leadership potential

People who have done something different

People who can differentiate themselves

Ability to get the job done

Pro-activity


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Career Motivation

Desire for, and understanding of, the job

Genuine interest in (the) business

Research!!

Reasons for career choices

Job Company


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Preparation for Interviews

(Bringing the two together)

Prepare for questions

Think about your examples

How can you fit them in?

How are they relevant to what employers want?

Research!!!

Practise interviews Careers Service, friends,

parents.


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In the interview

Body language from start to finish

Dealing with hard questions

Get to specific examples

Concentrate on what you did

Dont over-answer or get too technical


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Psychometric Testing

Aptitude Testing

Personality Testing

Numerical Ability Verbal Ability Abstract Reasoning Mechanical Reasoning

The results of psychometric tests usually used as a tool to supplement the information already gathered on the candidate


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What to expect

Tests may include: Shapes or Patterns Number or Time Sequences Words or Phrases

You may be asked to: Find the odd one out Identify the next sequences or what is missing Find opposites or identify similar meanings


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Exercises

Typical Exercises may include:

Group discussionsTeam building

Group presentationsIndividual presentationsIn-tray exerciseReport writingAnalysis

Written exercises

Job Specific

Exercises

Individual

Exercises

Group

Exercises


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In-tray Exercises

Tests various skills including:

Ability to understand and interpret information Planning & organisation

Ability to provide well-reasoned conclusions

Decision-making

Written communication

Financial/problem solving skills


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Case study exercise

Analysis of business information Extracting relevant information & making

recommendations Limited time frame

Need to learn how to process information quicklyand accurately!


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Case Study Exercise - EXAMPLE

A business in trouble

Issues facing business

Analysis and recommendations


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PROFIT & LOSS ACCOUNT

Sales 1,000,000

Cost of materials (400,000)

Cost of wages (300,000)Cost of rent (300,000)

Cost of advertising (200,000)

LOSS (200,000)


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What could they do?

Lay off staff? New product line/target market?

Cost cutting measures?

Takeover/merger?

Something else?

Advise your client on the pros and cons of each!


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Group discussion & Team building exercises

Skills being assessed:

Communication & persuasion

Understanding of material

Listening

Compromise and flexibility Utilising all team members

Team dynamic

Not only looking for Leaders


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Group discussion & Team building exercises

Know what you want to say

Put your points of view forward clearly

Listen to, and build on, others points

Help the group reach goals Be prepared to change mind

Body language

BE PART OF THE TEAM


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What can go wrong?

Individuals pursuing personal objectives

Lack of flexibility

Aggressive or submissive communication

Lack of trust

Lack of enthusiasm


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Indicators in group discussions

Confident v Cocky

Listening v Speaking

Body language

Derogatory comments


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Team Work

No matter how much work you can do, no matter how engaging

your personality may be, you will not advance far in business if you cannot work through others

John Craig


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Individual/Group Presentations

You may need to present by yourself or with others

Identify main points to convey Structure presentation

Good eye contact and body language

Do not over-rely on visual aids

Try to be CONFIDENT!!!

Go on a presentation skills course if possible


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Final advice to candidates

Play an active role in any group exercises

Be part of the team

In written exercises, make use of headings and PLAN

Try to incorporate your own business awareness

Be confident, speak clearly and precisely

Keep to the time frames given

Meet all of the objectives set out in all exercises


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Ernst & Young requirements

Grade A or B for GCSE Maths and English language

300 (24) UCAS points

2.1 Degree in any discipline

Some roles require higher academic qualifications andspecific degree backgrounds


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Thank you

Any questions?

assessment centre skills

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