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01 Dec 2011
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Assessment centres are an important part of the job selection and recruitment process, in which candidate skills are tested through a series of psychometric tests and role playing exercises. These tests are designed to give a fairly accurate idea of how a candidate can be expected to perform in the job they are interviewing for.</div>
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<strong><u><a href="http://www.careergym.com/assessment_centre_training_webinars" target="_self"><img alt="Assessment Centre Secrets Revealed: How to Prepare for Assessment Centre Tests" src="http://www.careergym.com/images/upload/image/cg_tips5.jpg" style="padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; float: left; width: 261px; height: 250px; " />Assessment centres</a></u></strong> are an important part of the job selection and recruitment process, in which candidate skills are tested through a series of <u><a href="http://www.careergym.com/psychometric_glossary/psychometric_test" target="_self">psychometric tests</a></u> and role playing exercises. These tests are designed to give a fairly accurate idea of how a candidate can be expected to perform in the job they are interviewing for.</div>
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Though <strong>assessment centre</strong> evaluations may sound like a daunting exercise, they are fairly easy to prepare for. By spending time learning about the tests and exercises that candidates participate in, you will be able to perform better than your competitors.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; "><em><strong>Tasks, tests and exercises of an Assessment Centre</strong></em></span></div>
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Before starting the preparation, it is important to understand the type of assessments that make up an <strong>assessment centre</strong>:</div>
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<strong>Informational sessions</strong>: In these sessions, candidates are given a brief overview of the company and the role they are interviewing for. Take notes if required as the information given during this session may come in handy in the interview.</li>
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<strong>Social sessions</strong>: Candidates are given an opportunity to meet other candidates, talk to current employees, and get a feel of the company. It is important to remember that <strong>assessment centres</strong> start their evaluation process the moment you walk in the company doors. </li>
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<strong>Aptitude tests</strong> or <strong>psychometric tests</strong>: Depending on the role, these can include <u><a href="http://www.careergym.com/online_test_free_demo" target="_self">numerical and verbal reasoning tests</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.careergym.com/psychometric_glossary/abstract_reasoning" target="_self">abstract reasoning tests</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.careergym.com/psychometric_glossary/situational_judgement_test_sjt" target="_self">situational judgement tests</a></u> or other types.</li>
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<strong>Group exercise</strong>: A team of candidates involved in group discussions or strategic role playing while assessors are evaluating them and the group dynamics, based on various competency metrics.</li>
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<u><strong><a href="http://www.careergym.com/psychometric_glossary/in_tray_exercise" target="_self">In-tray exercises</a></strong></u> <strong>and </strong><u><strong><a href="http://www.careergym.com/psychometric_glossary/case_study" target="_self">case studies</a></strong></u>: These include exercises such as role playing or writing tasks such as creating memos, presentations, and training sessions under time pressure to measure analytical, problem solving and other skills, or competencies to work in a team.</li>
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<u><strong><a href="http://www.careergym.com/psychometric_glossary/job_interview" target="_self">Structured interview</a></strong></u>: a special set of questions that seeks to find examples from your professional or personal history to demonstrate certain competencies such as resilience, leadership, working with others and related competencies.</li>
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<em><span style="font-size: 16px; "><strong>Researching the Company and the Role</strong></span></em></div>
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The first step of <a href="http://www.careergym.com/online_test_packages" target="_self"><u>recruitment test</u> </a>preparation must include research about the company and the role. Read about the management, what the company does, corporate social responsibility, their Unique Selling Proposition and products. This information can be sourced from the company’s website and also from online and offline resources such as trade magazines and financial newspapers.</div>
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<em><span style="font-size: 16px; "><strong>Responsibilities of the Role</strong></span></em></div>
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Read about the responsibilities and especially the related competencies, skills and abilities you are required to possess in the organisation, either by reading the job description or by researching similar roles. This will help you tailor your <strong>assessment centre</strong> performance to meet these criteria.</div>
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<em><span style="font-size: 16px; "><strong>Focus on Strengths</strong></span></em></div>
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Make a list of your strengths such as good communication skills, ability to cope with pressure, fine analytical skills or any other, and figure out how you can use them in a way that takes attention away from your weaknesses. Tie your strengths to the qualities the <strong>assessment centre</strong> is looking for by formulating answers in a way that highlights your strengths.</div>
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<em><span style="font-size: 16px; "><strong>Practice, practice, practice</strong></span></em></div>
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Practice <u><a href="http://www.careergym.com/online_test_free_demo" target="_self">psychometric tests online</a></u> so you can be well prepared for your interview day. Take aptitude tests, <u><a href="http://www.careergym.com/online_test_free_demo" target="_self">reasoning tests</a></u>, and interview tests. Attend <u><a href="http://www.careergym.com/psychometric_training_webinars" target="_self">online training webinars</a></u> to learn more about the methodology and best practices. By practicing for one or two hours daily, you can improve your chances of performing well in <u><a href="http://www.careergym.com/psychometric_glossary/psychometric_test_types" target="_self">assessment tests</a></u> and also increase your chances of getting the job.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; "><strong><a href="http://www.careergym.com/live_webinars" target="_self">Questions? Check our live webinars for psychometric test preparation now!</a></strong></span></p>
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Assessment Centre Secrets Revealed: How to Prepare for Assessment Centre Tests
Assessment centres are an important part of the job selection and recruitment process, in which candidate skills are tested through a series of psychometric tests and role playing exercises. These tests are designed to give a fairly accurate idea of how a candidate can be expected to perform in the job they are interviewing for.
