Beginners Guide to Assessment Centres

#1 You’re already good enough to do the job if you get to an assessment centre. 

Sometimes candidates feel like they’re still being tested to see if they’re good enough. 

You already are. 

You’re basically being put through your paces to test individual skills which generally tend to revolve around teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, working under pressure, and being adaptable and flexible, which is a good reflection of high-value professional service type jobs where you’re going to be interacting with clients who have paid a lot of money, dealing with people who don’t have a lot of time, and you’ll need to be flexible and quick on your feet as well as very often switching a lot of times between teams and the people that you work with.

#2 Everyone is as nervous as you.

I tend to typify the type of people you’re going to meet at assessment centres into three types

The Jibber Jabber

This is the person who can’t stop talking and seems to talk over everybody, loudly, and basically has no concept of social niceties, allowing other people to speak. 

The Silent One 

Who just sits there thinking, “God, I wish I could say something, I wish I could do something. Oh my God, that was what I was going to say.” 

And end up saying nothing at all.

The Furious Note Taker

These tend to manifest in group discussions, writing lots of notes and listening to everything being said, but they don’t tend to say very much. 

The trick is, everybody is just as nervous as you. 

Nobody turns up without a care in the world thinking, “It doesn’t really matter what happens.” 

That’s a good way to think about things. 

Just remember that what you’re seeing is just a way they are displaying their nerves, and you learn to navigate and manage that person’s behaviour.

#3 Train hard to compete easily. 

This is something that we do with clients in one-to-one sessions. 

We always say, when preparing clients every week for assessment centres, make sure you practise some case studies, presentations, and the elements you will be appearing in. Generally, there tends to be one thing that will be more important than others. 

For example, next week, we have clients going to the final assessment centre for a large multinational energy company and a large professional services firm. We tend to zero in on the one exercise which is your obvious weakness, something you really struggle with. For a lot of people, that’s presentations or group discussions. Then we think about the exercises we can do to train those skills. Group discussions tend to be quite difficult because unless you can randomly get a couple of people together to do some form of open-ended discussion, that tends to be hard. 

A good practice for this is if you struggle with confidence and anxiety, go to meetups, meet some people, engage with strangers, engage in random conversations in a safe way. 

This helps to overcome nerves of meeting strangers and being out and about. If you train hard and well, on the day, you’ll find it quite easy because everyone is nervous and a lot of people don’t prepare. You’ll give yourself the ability to relax and really be yourself.

#4 Everyone can pass or everyone can fail. 

We’ve had candidates go to assessment centres where all the people passed, generally in small groups of four to six, or everybody can fail. 

Recognise this when engaging and trying to work as part of a team. 

Don’t feel like you have to work against people; work with them. This is crucial in the group discussion because it’s the only time you really engage with others. T

This changes your mindset and approach, forming relationships with people who could end up being your colleagues for years to come. Compete as a team rather than as an individual, irrespective of what others do.

#5 Remember to talk and listen. 

In group discussions, all candidates will be sitting there. 

What tends to happen is one or two people will speak more than others. 

You’ll have the jibber jabber, the quiet ones, and the furious note taker. If you’re not naturally charismatic or a natural leader, you need to listen carefully. 

As you talk, say things like, “That’s a great idea,” showing positive body language, really paying attention. An opportunity will present itself where you can speak, either because you have unique material to present or because you can agree with the speaker and offer useful insight. 

Don’t just think about talking; think about listening and paying attention to what’s going on.

#6 Pay attention. 

Don’t just read the material and take notes without thinking about how you can contribute. 

Even if you’re not speaking right now, you need to come across as a positive and motivated individual. Candidates who get frustrated show it in their face and body language, and that’s noticed. 

Everyone can’t lead, and everyone can’t follow. 

There’s a natural hierarchy and order. If you’re paying attention, picking up on what people are saying, using names, and referencing data and material, you’ll establish yourself as useful, trustworthy, and relevant.

#7 Prepare questions beforehand. 

Many big companies’ assessment centres now incorporate some element of introducing the company, meeting graduates, and possibly a partner interview. 

Prepare questions that are insightful and help you learn about the experience. 

Avoid questions about pay or when you’ll hear back. Instead, ask about their biggest lesson, how they started, what would prepare you for the job, the biggest mistake they made, or the best piece of advice they received. 

Use the opportunity to learn from those who have been in your position.

#8 Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. 

This is something I learned from martial arts training, originally attributed to Bruce Lee. It applies to assessment centres. 

Whether you’re doing an online test, individual exercise, presentation, group discussion, role play, or coding, go slowly at first. 

Make sure you understand the question, study the material, and make effective notes. 

Ask questions if needed. 

This allows you to make a mini plan for each exercise. Candidates who initially went slower but knew what they were doing always outperformed those who rushed and got lost.

#9 Do your research on the format and exercises. 

Companies will generally send out information on what to prepare for.

 Do your homework on Glassdoor, Student Room, WikiJob, and other forums. 

Look for recent and detailed recollections. Understand the format to inform your training and preparation. 

Most assessment centres will have an individual exercise, a group exercise, and some interaction with another person. The more you understand, the better you can prepare.

#10 Everything is not assessed, but you are always being observed. 

While some elements like presentations or graduate interactions may not be assessed, people are always watching. 

Companies may ask graduates for their impressions. 

Conduct yourself positively, confidently, and be engaging. Avoid being noticed for negative reasons. 

You need to be remembered for the right reasons because you are there to compete and cooperate.

#11 Chunk down your timings. 

For individual exercises like written exercises or case studies, chunk down your time for each section. 

Wear a watch to keep track. 

This makes the task more manageable and helps you perform better under pressure. 

Set small constraints to focus your efforts effectively.

#12 Be likeable, happy, and approachable. 

People like people who are like them. 

Be positive, engage in small talk, and show interest in others. Even if you’re anxious or socially awkward, play the game. 

Show that you’re someone others want to work with. Be that person people want to engage with, not the one they avoid.

#13 Don’t just be the timekeeper, be useful. 

Being the timekeeper alone won’t make you successful. 

Focus on being useful and contributing to the team’s success. 

Offer helpful commentary, solve problems, and support the team’s efforts. Be the person that is useful and contributes meaningfully.

#14 Use the data and material, don’t just jibber jabber. 

Use notes to reference material confidently. 

Deliver information clearly and authoritatively. 

People will lean towards those who know what they’re doing. Use data to appear more credible and trustworthy.

#15 Lead, follow, or get out of the way. 

Take responsibility if you lead. If following, take orders. 

Don’t jostle for leadership unnecessarily. 

Find your role within the group and contribute effectively.

#16 Enjoy it and treat it like a test run. 

Don’t let anxiety hinder your performance. 

Enjoy the experience and remember you’re good enough. 

Approach it with a spirit of fun and potential.

#17 There will always be another chance. 

Many clients pass assessment centres on subsequent attempts. 

Learn from each experience and improve. 

If you fail, reflect on what you learned, what you did well, and what you can do better next time. 

There’s always a next application.