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Assessment Centres
What is an assessment centre?
An assessment centre is a structured process by which an organisation assesses the capability and potential of a group of candidates against an agreed profile of relevant skills and competencies. The focus is on the assessment of individuals against a given set of requirements, in contrast with a development centre where the focus is on the potential development needs of participants. A well-designed assessment centre will improve the accuracy of your selection decisions by providing the opportunity to observe how candidates handle simulated situations similar to those they may encounter in the role.
Research has shown that competency-based assessment processes provide more accurate predictors of future performance. Assessing candidates against a consistent “competency profile” gives the organisation – and the successful candidate –a better understanding of the role requirements. It also provides a clear starting-point for shaping an appropriate development plan for the successful candidate, once they have joined your organisation.
Assessment centres are used particularly to inform decisions about recruitment. However, you could also use this approach for selection to a particular leadership development programme or as part of a “talent management” process.
An assessment centre will typically include some or all of the following elements:
- Competency-based interviews.
- Observed group exercises.
- Simulated work tasks.
- Case studies, written reports & presentations.
- Self-reflective activities.
- Critical Thinking Appraisal (or other Ability Tests as appropriate).
- Personality Instrument (often used to develop target interview questions).
What Salomons can do for you
We will work in partnership with you to design an assessment centre that meets your needs and is best suited to the role being assessed. We make sure that the processes we design are robust, fair, and person-centred. We also ensure that the centres are run in a consistent and equitable way, with due regard paid to equality and diversity.
Assessment Centres can vary in length, content and format depending on your objectives, the criteria against which candidates are to be assessed, and the composition of the group. We work with you to determine the appropriate range of elements, together with the shape of each element. The critical point is that each element should be relevant and tailored to your requirements. We also flex the role we play in the assessment centre, according to the organisation’s needs. We can:
- Help you identify the role requirements as the base-line for assessment by developing a competency framework in partnership with you;
- Advise on the appropriate use of psychometrics as part of assessment;
- Administer and deliver feedback on the outcomes of psychometrics used as part of an assessment process;
- Design tailored work-based group exercises and case studies or work with ‘off the shelf’ exercises;
- Develop and undertake structured competency-based interviews and/or presentations;
- Manage the whole assessment centre process on your behalf or work as part of your assessment team.
- Provide support and training for your in-house assessment team.
In designing and running assessment centres, we use highly experienced consultants who are trained and accredited in observing, assessing and providing feedback on behaviours demonstrated by individuals throughout the process. We encourage organisations to develop their internal capability wherever possible.
All candidates are offered the opportunity for confidential one to one feedback. This enables the successful candidate to begin their new role with an awareness of their strengths and personal development needs. It provides the unsuccessful candidates with more insight into their areas for development and helps to increase their self-awareness and performance at interview.
Examples of our work.
For an initial conversation please call our team on either 01892 507696 or 0141 548 8140 or email ask@salomons.org.uk
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