Assessment Center: That depends on you

Assessment Center: Definition

The English term "assessment"? means translated assessment, evaluation or assessment. And this is what you mean by an assessment center: The company wants to use this selection process to find out how your abilities and your social behavior are, It therefore checks whether you are the appropriate candidate for the position and fit in with the company. The Assessment Center (AC) is usually carried out with several employees from the companyThese will too assessors called. Here are z. B. Personnel, managers from the department and possibly even psychologists. And of course you meet the other competitors - and they are as excited as you! A good group size is between four and eight candidates.

How long does an Assessment Center take?

This varies from company to company. As a rule, there is several roundsthat on one day or even up to three days be distributed.

Not only the duration differs per company, also the procedure and the exercises can vary. A certain standard has prevailed, d. H. the rough process can look like this:

1. Company presentation by employees
2. self-presentation
3. Exercises: Mailbox Exercise, Role Play, Case Study, Group Discussion
4. individual interview
5. final discussion

All of this is variable and changes depending on the company and its resources.

tip: Keep a certain spontaneity and do not stiffen yourself too much on certain tasks. Being authentic is an important factor at the Assessment Center, which you should not underestimate. Remember: Your application has made an impression and you are already part of a narrower selection of candidates? not all have come as far as you!

Assessment Center: self-presentation

A point that many are struggling with. But with a little preparation she will succeed you guaranteed. In the AC, you do not necessarily have time to prepare, so start thinking about it at home. That gives you more security in advance. The time available to you on the application day can be between two and ten minutes. So think twice the key points for a short presentation and advanced version, if you have more time.

6 tips for a successful self-presentation

• Practice your self-presentation at home ? in front of friends or in front of the mirror? until you feel safe. But: Do not memorize it, otherwise you'll get too far out of the box when it comes to inquiries.
• A creative start sets you apart from the competition - and you are more in the memories of the assessors. This can be a short (!) Anecdote or related to the company or job.
• Cut your presentation to the advertised position, So highlight experiences and activities that are relevant to the new job. Let your strengths flow in if they fit the job description. You underpin with examples from your previous jobs, your studies or your education. Do not forget at the presentation, one red thread to follow.
• Your motivation must also occur: Why are you the right person for the job? Why are you interested in the job and the company?
• Access to aidsif you have the opportunity and the time. It may, but it does not have to be a PowerPoint presentation. A flipchart, small graphics or drawings are sufficient and make your self-presentation more active and creative.
• You do not know what to do with your hands? Take a pen in your hand? That's guaranteed to help!

You are under observation throughout the Assessment Center, not just during the presentation - even in the breaks. Hold back on topics such as religion and politics and avoid anecdotes about sprawling party nights or the like. Watch out for your body language, step up confidently (Is it difficult for you to be nervous? Look here: Confidently occurring).

Assessment Center: exercises in detail

Mailbag exercise

This single exercise is often used in the AC. A work situation is simulated: you get a time frame (often one to two hours) in addition to a given situation, in which you should edit a full mailbox. There you will find appointments, news, to-dos, etc. Your task now is to prioritize, delegate, work off. In some cases, you encounter contradictions and interruptions by, for example, one of the assessors.

Why? Here is yours Stress resistance and decision-making ability tested, and thus your priority setting and self-organization.

Important: Why did you make the decisions you made? The goal is not: is the result right or wrong?It is much more about your reasoning!

Example mail basket exercise:

You have an important meeting right now, but you actually have to complete the presentation for your boss. Now your colleague is also reporting sick, while the request for quote is stacked in your mailbox. But the telephone is constantly ringing because your diseased colleague's device has switched to you. And then there's the complaint email from a major customer who was not happy with the last shipment.

tip: A good help to set priorities is the Eisenhower? s method.

• Is it important and urgent? Do it now.
• It is important, but not urgent: plan / make an appointment
• It is urgent, but not important: delegate it
• It's neither urgent nor important: let it be - filing P!

role playing game

A role play is usually practice-related, d. H. if you apply as a leader, it may be good that you should have a difficult employee review, for example. After a certain preparation time, the game should take about ten to thirty minutes.

Why? You try to assess your leadership, but also yours conflict management and your decision-making ability.

Important: Try to understand the perspective of your counterpart. Stay here always objectively and try to lead the discussion goal-oriented, But do not take everything as given, what you have got in the role description, you may also ask your opponent questions!

Assessment Center Example role play

The role play is highly dependent on the vacant position. Popular are:

• sales talks: In this case, the potential customer should be made a certain product tasty
• Pre-setter Leaders Talk: A problem situation is to be solved, this can be for example a misconduct or it must be delivered a bad message
• Colleagues Talk: Here is a problem from everyday life to be managed from the world

case study

A specific case from the workday is presented to which you should present the solution. What this case study looks like depends heavily on the company and the open position - in marketing this will be different than in IT. A case study can also be submitted as a group task!

Why? Your competence, especially in the Troubleshooting, is queried here, but also yours expertise.

Important: In the procedure you should also consider alternative courses of action. Explain how you came to your decisions and your solution, Write down your solution.

Example of a case study

The case study often comes from the corporate context, topics could be:

• How can the profit be increased?
• How do you (as a manager) deal with a crisis among employees?
• How do you find and open up new markets?
• How can the image be polished up?

group discussion

Often, a discussion topic is dictated by the company, This can come from the corporate context, but also be taken from the current daily debate. After a short preparation time (about 15-30 minutes), the discussion starts with the other participants. This can take 15 but also 45 minutes.

Why? The company is looking at yours Communication and assertiveness exactly. But you are, too cooperate can and how you are with conflicts umgehst. Especially in this exercise the assessors can compare the candidates directly.

Important: How do you interact in the team? Are you the moderator or the listener? Here, too, the focus is less on the result or the decision, but on how you came to be in the group. Therefore, it is extremely important to get involved with the Discuss the facts and understand this correctlybefore you come up with arguments.

Tips for the group discussion:

• Do not become personal, remain polite and argue factually
• Do not lose yourself in details
• Pay attention to a clear language
• Be attentive and listen well
• If it fits: Use knowledge from your company research
• Pay attention to your gestures and facial expressions (even if there is a reason: refrain from eye rolling or crossed arms)
• Avoid sarcasm or irony

Individual interview and final interview

In the individual interview, the applicant often gets the chance to assess himself in the AC. What did you particularly succeed and what less? Do you have anything else to add? In this interview, you also have the opportunity? as in the normal job interview? to present you really well and to highlight your strengths and your motivation.

In the final discussion, the whole Assessment Center will be considered again.Be self-critical, but hold your ground when it comes to your competitors, Let's not get carried away, to evaluate them somehow.If you are asked directly, try to be diplomatic and respond as positively as possible (? I really liked being together in the group?). But the company also has its say and gives you feedback on the AC.

How can I prepare myself?

You can present yourself, you are well prepared for role-playing games, what is missing now in preparation? Please note the following tips:

• Dress up the position and the company appropriately (6 parts you should never wear for a job interview)
• Practice the role-playing games or a group discussion with friends or relatives
• Get to know the company before your appointment! Take a close look at the website, read press releases and ask what's happening in the area you've applied for.
• Inform yourself about the industry! What is a burning topic, what about the competition?
• Do you still have questions? Excellent! Memorize them or write them down and put them at the right time (eg in a one-to-one interview)

Video tip: 5 tips for a confident body language

How To Pass A Pre-Employment Personality Test Part 1 (April 2024).