Assessment centres, psychometric tests and other scary stuff

Employers realise that one of the most important factors in ensuring that their company grows and is successful is the quality, calibre and happiness of the employee’s within it. It used to be that by simply placing an advert, reading the cv & covering letter and interviewing the apparent “best” candidates constituted effective recruitment, but now recruiters have realised that this is an exceptionally time consuming and inefficient methodology. In addition, it is universally accepted that cv’s are generally far from accurate and fail to provide vital information that is essential to the recruitment decision. As a result, recruiters are increasingly using psychometric testing in addition to the more traditional methods to ensure that the most appropriate candidates are considered for recruitment.

Psychometric testing is a specialised business and there are numerous companies and products available to the modern recruiter. Details on where you can find out more can be found in the research section although it would be fair to say that
generally these all follow a common theme.
The candidate is presented with a series of statements or questions and is invited to either agree or disagree with them or to grade them numerically depending on whether you “strongly agree” or “strongly disagree” with the comment. In some variations, the candidate is invited to first answer as they see themselves before subsequently answering a second series of statements as they believe others see
them. The answers are then processed, generally on a computer, which produces a graph, curve or profile. This will comment on the answers provided and it is essential that the candidate answers as honestly as possible (this is because many of these systems will identify if the subject is lying and besides, although you may be a complete nutcase – you may be exactly the kind of nutcase that the recruiter is
looking for!)
Psychometric profiles give an overview of a subject’s personal work style, strengths and interpersonal abilities. It will generally give some insight as to how a person will interact with others and what their decision-making processes will be. Similarly, this will identify strengths that may support their application for the specific role (persuasion and tenacity for example in the case of a Sales Person, or patience,
logic and long-term strategic thinking for a business development role) These tests generally give great insight into the perceived strengths and possible weaknesses of an individual which may also provoke meaningful questions for a subsequent interview. There may also be an overview commenting on the most appropriate environment for this character and the contribution that they can bring to the team.
Depending on the specific test utilised, a recruiter can discover communication efficiency, potential problem or conflict areas and tips on how to manage and motivate an individual, together with an idea as to what management style this person will generally employ. This degree of insight can significantly influence the ability of a recruiter to get the right candidate and should not be feared by any applicant. After all, is it really your desire to secure an appointment for which you are unsuited or incompatible or would you rather find meaningful employment within a role you can succeed at?

Employers are increasingly using Assessment Centres as a selection method in their recruitment process. So what exactly is an Assessment Centre and what can youexpect as a candidate?

Assessment centres are an ideal way for employers to combine a number of selection methods to test candidate’s competencies and suitability. They can be tailored to any stage of the recruitment process, whether as a tool for short-listing for interview or even at the final stage of the selection process. Assessment Centres can vary from a couple of hours to a whole day and usually involve participation in a
range of exercises. These may be group activities, psychometric testing, individual aptitude tests and even interviews.
As a participant, attending an Assessment Centre is an ideal opportunity for you to demonstrate your skills and strengths to show the potential employer that you are the right person for the job. Most of all, be yourself as the real you may well be what the company is looking for. These sessions are designed to assess if you are right for the company and if the company is right for you. It will allow the recruiter’s to see how you interact with others in a variety of scenarios and will give you the opportunity to prove that you are the most suitable person for the role! How can you prepare for an Assessment Centre? Research the company, this will provide you with an indication of the organisations values and culture and may give you an idea of the style in which the Assessment Centre will be conducted and
managed. Research the job role this will provide you with an idea of what the key competencies are and thus what you will be evaluated against. Dress as you would for an interview, first impressions do count. If an agenda is not provided, do not be afraid to ask the employer for an outline of what is involved.
What kind of exercises will you have to take part in? Are they group or individual activities? How long will they last? Are there any outdoor activities? Will the interview be on the same day? What is the next stage after the Assessment centre? What Techniques can I use? Relax and enjoy yourself, aim to do your best and learn form the experience. Have the right attitude, whilst there is a certain element of "competition" do not approach the activities with the attitude that you have to "win" against the other attendees. Be yourself, you may appear insincere if you try to be the person you think the assessors are looking for. Whilst the criteria against which you are being assessed will depend on the job in question, you may be assessed against "people" skills, such as team working, communication, listening, initiative and motivation. Therefore you will need to show that you can work effectively with others. Participate and get involved in all the exercises. Don’t be put off by the other participants and how you think they are performing; everyone will do better in some exercises than others, so concentrate on demonstrating your own strengths.

What will happen after the Assessment Centre? Take some time to reflect upon your performance and ask yourself what went well and not so well. If the next stage is an interview, you may be asked how you feel you performed and how the day went.
If you are not successful, contact the employer to request feedback on your performance. Also, remember that even if you are not successful in securing the job, treat the Assessment Centre as a learning opportunity, which you can use to benefit from for the future.
Finally, be the most prepared person there. Ensure that you have pens, pencils, a calculator and any other items that you feel would be reasonable to take. Exercises are likely to be timed so ensure that you have a watch. Make an active contribution to the exercises within the group and ensure that you display a whole suite of interpersonal techniques and skills throughout the assessment. The specific role that you are being assessed for will determine what the content of the assessment will take although you should be aware that it is not unusual for one of the delegates to be an insider from the company and you should therefore realise that all of your
comments and opinions are being examined. You will be given assignments designed to test any technical skills appropriate to the position as well as individual and team-based exercises. Throughout these your ability to work within a team, clearly communicate your idea’s and opinions, utilise your powers of persuasion and logic to influence others and your leadership abilities to take control and achieve a specific result.


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