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Arti Kumar
CETL Associate Director
Using Assessment Centre approaches for skills development
Take-aways from this session..
Learn about employers’ recruitment practices: what do they look for in their graduate recruits, and how do they test this in Assessment Centres?
Consider which of these personal skills, qualities and attributes you possess
What opportunities do you have for developing your ‘employability’?
A typical application /selection process
Attraction ApplicationResearch
InductionJoinDecide Accept
Selection Pre-selectionOffer
The application process for job-seekers…..
The selection process for employers…..
Explore
Assessment Centres in context
Apply online/ on paper
Employer sifts applications
Initial interview (by phone or in person)
Invite to assessment day
Assessment Centre
Offer
(Typical activities, not necessarily in this order)
Tour / introduction to the company and key people
Group discussion
Group exercise or task
Presentation
Written exercise
In-tray or e-tray exercise
Psychometric tests
Second interview
Social activities
Why do employers use Assessment Centres?
‘The assessment centre is an integrated process of simulations designed to
generate behaviour similar to that required for success in a target job or job level. It enables candidates’ performance to be
measured objectively against specific key criteria’
Association of Graduate Recruiters (2008)
How do employers try to get it right?
1990s 2000s
Interviews 99% 99%
References 96% 96%
Personality tests 35% 64%
Cognitive tests 30% 70%
Assessment centres 21% 59%
[Source :University of Liverpool - c. 2000]
Note: The AGR Graduate Recruitment Survey 2006 Summer Review found that 83% of their members use
final round assessment centres or selection events.
Assessment Centres Video/DVD (AGCAS)
What activities do you see being assessed?
What skills/ behaviours are they looking for?
How do employers assess these?
What criteria do they use?
Which of these do you consider important in higher education – and in life generally?
Do you develop these skills through the curriculum?
What benefits could you gain by experiencing this type of activity and assessment - and how could it be done?
Assessment Centres contain a number of elements
What did you see?
What do employers look for? (Logica)
WellWellRoundedRoundedIndividualsIndividuals
CommunicationSkills
BusinessAwarenessTeam
Players
ProblemSolvers
Flexibility &AdaptabilityDrive for
results
ClientFocus
What makes a Fast Streamer in the Civil Service?
Drive for results
Learning and improving
Decision-making
Constructive thinking
Building productive relationships
Communicating with impact
an inquisitive mind
adaptability
robustness impartiality
the ability to challenge
collaborative
attitude
decisiveness
lucidity
Skills that you need to demonstrate
Time management ensuring that you complete the task in the allocated time
Communication expressing your views, allowing others to speak, being
supportive, using whiteboards, presenting
Drive for results keeping the group focussed to achieve the goals
Creative thinking / problem solving
Adaptability tackling problems that may not be from your area of expertise
Self-assessment Questionnaire (SAQ)Group work: How can I be effective?
Caution!
This SAQ is expressed in terms of an ideal world where perfect people conduct themselves perfectly in dream teams! Arguably there is no such thing.
Your ratings are therefore expected to be low – especially if you are new to group interactions. Please consider each statement as potential for a learning process and not in terms of expecting perfection. Low ratings are not to be viewed as failure but as raw material for development and success.
It can seriously damage your sense of well-being as a learner if you evaluate your abilities harshly and use any SAQ as a stick to beat yourself up with!
Realising the potential of this SAQ:
It alerts you to actions you may need to take in order to be(come) more effective in group work (similar to marking criteria and assessment rubrics that show what it takes to achieve a top A+ grade).
Use it as a self-diagnostic tool at the start (Time 1) and then return to it at a later stage (Time 2) to evaluate how your behaviours may have changed.
At any stage of the group work process it serves as a frame of reference.
You can identify those behaviours that are important for you to develop, and seek opportunities and resources to develop them – and Flux coaching sessions can provide those opportunities and resources.
Completing the SAQ
Please take time to read and understand the items in this SAQ, made available in print and online in BREO
Two intended uses of the form: Purely for your benefit, as explained An anonymous version used as one research tool within a mixed-methods
approach to evaluate the benefits of Flux
Complete the SAQ and save it for later reference and future re-use
If you agree to participate in our research question, we will photocopy an anonymous version and return it to you
In relation to group / team effectiveness…
The behaviours I consider most important are…
My highest ratings:…
Evidence that I do this in real life…
Areas I need to improve:…
Opportunities I will use in order to improve…
Please rate the extent to which you
(a) consider these actions important; and (b) act in this way?
where 4 = high and 1 = low
a) Ratings1 – 4importance
b) Ratings
1 - 4
frequency
I express myself confidently and assertively
I contribute ideas and suggestions relevant to the task
I take on a specific role when required
I listen respectfully to others
I support others’ positive contributions
I focus (or re-focus) the group on its tasks and goals
I help the group to achieve its goals within a given timeframe
Observing the group exercise
For developmental reasons, we need to observe and provide formative feedback
Ideally one observer per participant
Make detailed observations relevant to the competencies of interest
You can use a checklist as an aid to observe, record and give feedback
Giving and receiving feedback
Owned Ask the recipient of feedback: How did you feel? What
worked well? What didn’t? Discuss rather than tell. ‘I realise I was not letting the other participants give
their opinion’
Specific describe specific observations ‘during the brainstorm I noticed you interrupted when
Jon was trying to talk ’
Constructive say how it could have been done better ‘you could try and listen to others more, and draw them
into the discussion’
To make this a success
Room should be arranged so that candidates (ideally group of 4) sit at small tables, with plenty of room around the outside for observers
Ideally groups spread round a room - noise from other groups is distracting
Discuss and set ground rules for giving and receiving feedback
Take time to share the feedback collectively
Example of a student brief for experiencing a group exercise
You will be allocated roles as participants and observers/assessors of a group discussion
You will be given written candidate and observer briefs and time to read/prepare
Observers will provide constructive feedback after the exercise
This should be a fun learning opportunity! (before you experience the real thing!)
“How did it feel…
To do the exercise?
To observe the exercise?
What did you learn from this exercise?
What might you do differently as a result?
What questions do you still have about it?”
Key messages
You could get better at assessment centre activities for employability reasons
Competencies developed are transferable
Preparation for entry to jobs provides a practical incentive
Process of participating in and observing group exercises is beneficial as a generic developmental activity
Opportunities and materials are available for you to develop a range of skills and attributes.
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