01 May 2022
What is an assessment centre?
A graduate scheme or program's recruitment procedure frequently includes the usage of an assessment centre. The goal is for employers to assess your suitability for the post and for you to demonstrate their fundamental competencies. In contrast to an interview, which is often conducted between two or a panel of recruiters, an assessment centre compares a group of candidates through a variety of activities, which can include presentations, simulated scenarios, or ice-breaker activities.
Assessment centres, which usually last between half a day to a full day, are frequently the final stage or even the penultimate stage in some cases, whereby it is followed by a final interview of the selection process for large graduate recruiters. You'll normally be joined by six to eight other applicants, but it's critical to focus on your own performance.
Since there are various industries that differ massively from one another, it is also expected that assessment centres will also vary slightly depending on the role, sector and company. For example: consulting firms such as McKinsey, Bain & Company focus heavily on case study interviews. However the ‘Big 4’ focus a lot on assessment centres with PwC having only a 10% pass rate!
What to expect at an assessment centre
Assessment centres can be done anywhere, such as at the employer's headquarters, in a hotel, or at a training centre. However, in order to keep up with the increasingly digital working world, most of the assessments are done online, and even if the restrictions are relaxed, face-to-face assessments and virtual assessments may continue to coexist. You will tend to do a variety of exercises, both individually and in groups, including: tests, e-tray exercises, interviews, presentations and a networking session.
Example of an assessment centre day
Assessment centres vary in length, style and content, but an example assessment day might be as follows:
09.00 - Introduction
09.15 - Employer presentation and group ice-breaker exercise
10.00 - Psychometric tests
11.30 - Individual task: in-tray exercise
12.45 - Lunch
13.45 - Group exercise: case study
14.45 - Assessment interviews - (Not every Assessment Centre has them but you should be prepared for both behavioural, competency and technical ones.)
16.15 - Individual presentations - (This can depend on what you’ve applied for, but employers look for your communication and analytical skills.)
17.15 - Evaluation
17.30 - Finish
During the assessment centre
Assessors, who are typically a mix of HR consultants and line managers, grade your actions in relation to competency frameworks. Before making a final judgement on whether or not to recruit you, they discuss all areas of your performance. All, some, all, or none of the candidates may be successful.
You may find out right away whether you've been hired, or it may take a few days, but the employer will let you know when you may expect to hear the outcome. If you are unsuccessful, make sure to get comments so you know what you need to work on for the next assessment day.
How do I prepare?
Choose your clothing the night before and get plenty of rest. Plan your route such that you arrive at least fifteen minutes early. If the event is being hosted online, secure/make sure that all of your equipment is operational and that you are familiar with the software that will be used. Completing a 'dry run,' if possible, also helps to calm worries.
Other preparation steps, if not done so already, would be to learn about the company’s culture well in advance. Also connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn that were offered internships/graduate roles in that specific company and/or department to gain useful prep advice - your network is your net worth!
See (related to mind testing) tests for free practice tests, or get tips on preparing for and answering some of the most popular interview questions.
You can also check out Practice Assessment Centre Exercises provided by Assessment day which includes a free guide on how assessment centres work and what knowledge candidates should take into the assessment centre with them.
