Assessment Centres
Assessment Centres are an alternative method of recruiting to the usual
interview structure. They have gone in and out of favour – when ARE they the
best solution to a recruitment need, and what should they consist of?
In an ideal world, when recruiting for positions we would have the opportunity
to "try before you buy" and see an individual actually at work before you hire
them. This is often impossible and even if you look at employing people as
temporaries it means you can only select from the pool of candidates that are
immediately available. An assessment centre aims to replicate some of the key
tasks and let you see how people deal with the scenarios you put them in.
Assessment Centres can be used for almost any kind of job – and in fact are
also used to identify training needs and for long term career planning. Some of
the big four accounting firms put prospective partners through an assessment
centre prior to their promotion. They need to be professionally run by
qualified individuals, preferably psychologists or at least professional
recruiters who can demonstrate a track record in the area.
The format was originally designed to recruit defence personnel as it enabled
mass assessment in a real life pressure situation. Eventually the corporate
world picked up the method and it became "the right way" for many large
companies throughout the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Still in use today in some of those
pioneering companies, the methodology has changed along the way and is now used
on a much broader scale by many types of organisations.
Assessment Centres operate on the principle of a "cross reference" system - there are multiple assessors, evaluating against multiple competencies in multiple exercises. The key is defining the right competencies and behaviours beforehand so that the exercises will facilitate the relevant behaviour. Benchmarking existing employees who are regarded as above average performers is one way of doing this, but for a start up operation it is a bit more difficult and requires more research and planning to identify the right skills. Once you know the behaviours that you are looking for it becomes a matter of designing the exercises to easily identify them and candidates are each measured objectively against the same criteria. Some regular "behaviours" sought would include Team Play, Customer Focus, Influencing, communication skills and Leadership.
Generally Assessment Centres are a half-day affair but it depends on the
structure and exercises. It is very important that candidates know what they
are likely to be faced with prior to the day otherwise it could come as a total
shock and they are unlikely to perform to their full potential! All attendees
should be given the same opportunity to demonstrate on the day whether or not
they can do the job. As a rule, there are at least three or four different
sessions such as Group discussion (which lets you see how the group interacts,
who takes a natural lead etc), a Role Play, which might focus on team related
activities, an ability or psych test, and a structured interview. Most
professional assessors operate a standard rating scale against each candidate
for each exercise, and then the team of assessors consolidates their findings
at the end of the session.
The session can also be used to promote the company and the day might
incorporate a tour of the premises or an induction style video – the
requirement to "sell" your company, as THE place to work should never stop!
Advantages of an Assessment Centre
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It is proven to be more effective in predicting on the job performance because
it simulates real work situations
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Candidates are given a much more realistic perspective on the role and company
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All candidates are measured objectively to the same criteria
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Cost of hire is reduced because the "hit rate" is higher
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Candidates feel more satisfied that even if they are not successful they have
been given a "fair go"
-
Feedback is much more detailed and relevant to the task and can even be used to
assist in designing training
The disadvantages?
Some could say it could be unfair to the candidate that they have to be at
their best on the day or they lose out. Two things there, usually they only
have a one-hour interview and secondly there is no reason for them to muck it
up if they have been given a thorough briefing and know what to expect.
Definitely an approach worth considering!
