The assessment centre is another name for the interview day. Candidates are asked to take part in a number of assessments throughout the course of the day, details of which are listed within your interview letter. As some candidates may perform better in some assessments than others, our final decision is based on the entire assessment centre.
The interview panel
All our interviews are conducted by at least two managers to ensure fairness and objectivity throughout the interview. They will consist of the direct line manager of the vacancy and a member of Human Resources. In instances where a number of vacancies are to be filled, or where a role infringes upon a number of business areas, up to three managers may form part of the panel.
Competency-based interview
The competency based interview forms part of all our assessment centres. During the interview you will be asked to draw upon your personal experiences of when you have had to deal with certain situations or perform a particular task. Competency-based Interviews are widely used to gain first hand evidence from the applicant as to whether they have both the skills and experience to perform in a particular role. They also enable you to gain more information about the position.
Presentation
Depending on the level of the role, you may be asked to prepare a presentation on a topic directly related to the position you are applying for. We will either ask you to prepare a presentation prior to your attendance at the assessment centre or we will allocate time on the day. A presentation can be used to assess a number of skills that can not be fully gauged through the use of other assessments.
Group exercise
A group exercise is used mainly in the recruitment of senior management or for roles where the assessment of specific skills can not be obtained from either the interview or presentation. A group of applicants are given a topic to discuss and are observed by a group of managers whilst doing so. The aim is to assess a number of pre-decided skills relevant to the role. The group exercise usually lasts approximately 50 minutes.
Ability tests
Ability tests are used throughout all of our recruitment. They are a fair and objective way of assessing specific skills needed within a particular role. There is also evidence to suggest that candidates who perform well in these assessments go on to perform well in the role. A practice leaflet detailing the types of assessments used will be forwarded to you along with your interview letter. For further information on tests used please see the table below:
| Role | Pay zone | *Tests used |
|---|
| Senior Managers | A, B, C | Verbal reasoning and numerical reasoning |
| Managers/Specialists | D, E, F | Verbal reasoning and numerical reasoning |
| Technical | G, H | Verbal evaluation, interpreting data |
| Administrative | I, J | Verbal usage, numerical computation and either clerical checking or text checking |
*All our ability tests are provided by Saville & Holdsworth
Personality questionnaire
As part of the assessment centre you may be asked to complete a personality questionnaire. This is usually sent to you by e-mail prior to your attendance at the assessment centre. The questionnaire is designed to gain an insight into your preferred style of working and is not used as means of assessing your ability to undertake specific tasks.