The candidate's perspective

Although assessment centres are becoming standard recruitment practice for many organisations, for candidates who have not yet attended one the prospect can appear daunting. If you are invited to attend an assessment centre the following information may prove helpful

Why have I been invited? An invitation to attend an assessment centre means that the hiring company is very interested in you and would like a chance to find out more about your talents and potential. You may already have attended a first interview but this is not always the case.

What can I expect? The invitation to attend should explain what is involved in terms of format and content as well as practical details about travel/accommodation and any special requirements you may have. It won’t tell you everything you may do, nor give you specific details about content but there should be enough to help you understand the overall purpose and approach. You may be asked to complete online psychometric tests in advance of the day. This helps the hiring company to make good use of the time on the day

How can I prepare? As with any recruitment process it is important that you have researched the job and the company properly. After all, this is a two way process so remember that you will be deciding whether this is right for you as much as the hiring company will be making a recruitment decision about you. Apart from this The Urquhart Partnership advises you to come along and be yourself. Bring an open mind and a positive attitude. Above all don’t adapt your behaviour to what you think the company wants.

What’s in it for me? Assessment Centres give you a chance to present your skills, knowledge and potential over a number of exercises and over a longer period than a traditional interview allows. It’s fairer and more comprehensive than an interview alone. You can also obtain a better feel for the hiring company by spending time with more of their people and having the opportunity to ask questions. Very importantly you should receive feedback after the assessment centre, whatever the outcome. This can help you to identify areas of strength and those of development.

Good assessment centres aim to get the best out of the candidates. If you are invited to attend one and you have specific questions beforehand, ask the organising company who should be happy to answer these for you.