During the recruitment process, and particularly in graduate schemes, it's likely you will be invited to an assessment centre. Assessment centres vary in structure, however, their key purpose is to assess your skills and competencies through a range of different exercises, along with other candidates.
The competencies that employers will measure you against will vary depending on the job role, industry and organisation. Common skills tested could include communication, team-work and problem solving. These could be measured through different activities including group tasks, case studies and presentations.
Large organisations in both the public and private sectors will generally use assessment centres. Some of these include:
Did you know 68% of employers in the UK now use some form of assessment centre as part of their recruitment/promotion process? (Source: assessmentcentrehq.com)
Group exercise tests your ability to work in a team, looking at how you support a group.
Role play exercises are interactive scenarios, which focus on how likely you are to perform in day-to-day tasks involved in your job.
Case studies can be individual or group exercises, where you need to respond to a case study brief.
In-tray exercises focus on a candidate’s ability to prioritise administrative tasks within a time limit.
Presentations are a good way for employers to assess your verbal communication skills.
The purpose of the interview is to see if you match the requirements of the job.
Kent Students can register here for psychometric tests, including logical, numerical and verbal reasoning tests.
The Careers and Employability Service regularly run workshops on assessment centres for you to practice going through a selection process. Find out when the next workshop is running on our Events page.
