Assessment Center: The Amazing Situational Assessment Method

The job market is increasingly competitive. It is not easy to choose the right candidate for each position, and there are currently different selection methods. In this article, we refer to one of the most current ones that, in addition, facilitates the prediction of candidates’ behavior in specific situations: the Assessment Center.

How to choose the right candidate? What skills to evaluate? What steps should be followed? How to take a situational assessment test and how effective is it? What should I do in such an interview if I am the candidate looking for a job?

The Assessment Center is an enriching process, and knowing it can help resolve these issues.

This competency-based assessment system is increasingly used today. Knowing him gives us tools as a recruiter, but also as a job applicant.

What is Assessment Center

The Assessment Center is a form of assessment of professional skills. Its name comes from English, and means selection centers. It emphasizes observing and recording behaviors a person exhibits when applying situational testing.

Several evaluators specializing in this technique are responsible for evaluating candidates’ competencies.

For this, they project a situation in which their performance is observed and through which they intend to predict how each one will develop in a typical situation of the job for which they applied.

There are tests that vary depending on the characteristics of the position offered. Now, for it to be an Assessment Center, there must be a moment of simulation. Furthermore, the situation used must be very close to the reality of the position to occupy.

It is a process that allows you to register, classify, analyze and evaluate the competences demonstrated by the candidates. The main features of the Assessment Center are as follows:

• Management tool.
• It is applied in group.
• It adapts to the competencies of each organization.
• From 3 to 12 candidates participate, preferably.
• Lasts from 4 to 8 hours.
• Can be applied in different steps.

• It consists of a moderator, observers and participants.
• Participants have the same opportunity to demonstrate skills.
• It is possible to combine this technique with other psychotechnical tests.

The person in charge of carrying out the methodology can design the tests themselves. For this, it must take into account the skills needed for the position, the skills that the company is looking for so that the employee is in accordance with the organization’s objectives.

In addition, you must be rigorous in following the requirements of the methodology.

The most sought after skills

Corporate competencies are the skills, knowledge, attitudes and capabilities defined by a company or organization. They must reflect your values, services, behavior patterns and strategic objective management.

Furthermore, these competencies, when developed, should contribute to the organization’s productivity.

For example, a sales company will need its employees to have leadership skills. So there are specific skills for each position. It is important to analyze them from three points of view:

• Cognitive: knowledge that a person must have to perform a certain function.
• Technician: specific knowledge and skills about the position you will occupy.
• Behavioral: are the person’s attitudes that demonstrate their ability to obtain results quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, they are part of the personal qualities that help the individual to develop his/her work.

Over the years, companies are looking for certain skills. These are some of the most sought after:

• Work attitude: having ideas, emotions and behaviors in relation to the customer’s needs.

• Time management: ability to plan, organize and establish strategies that minimize and optimize activity time.
• Verbal aptitude : ability to express themselves effectively, evidencing professional and technical language, according to their level, experience and position.
• Numerical Analysis: Ability to accurately analyze, systematize and display numerical data.
• Self-Control: ability to manage emotions, thoughts and behavior in a given situation.
• Ability to learn: facility to acquire new knowledge, which will be used in the practice of work.
• Creativity: ability to generate new ideas within the work environment.
• Listen: willingness to understand and receive information.
• Ethics: ability to internalize the company’s and its position’s moral norms and principles.

• Loyalty: having a sense of belonging.

Assessment Center : how to do it?

The person in charge of choosing the candidates and their team are the ones who must decide what actions to take before, during and after the Assessment Center. This is the process:

• Before: profiling the position to be evaluated to have clear criteria for evaluating candidates. For this, it is important to have a list of behaviors to observe in each skill, design situational tests focused on the position, seek a suitable environment for the application of the technique. In addition, there must be a moderator and several reviewers.
• During : evaluate the candidates’ behavior taking into account the expected behavior for the situation raised according to the position. Then rate them according to performance levels: 1 to 5, with 1 being null and 5 being excellent. In addition, there may be a qualitative assessment, saying, for example, whether the candidate fully develops competences, does not possess them, etc. Thus, each skill must be observed and evaluated.

• Afterwards : the evaluators must reach a consensus on the results. Afterwards, they write a report and communicate the result to the candidates.

You have to be very strict at every step. Therefore, it is important to have clear criteria to assess. Some formats can be established to facilitate their availability during the assessment. Furthermore, there must be an assertive communication between the evaluators.

It is important to have a format for the profile criteria, another for the activity plan, an observation and skills record sheet, and a consolidated sheet for each participant to establish a comparison between different performances.

How to prepare for an Assessment Center ?

It is important to take a role during the posed situation. With this you will have the opportunity to show your skills. It is also important not to pretend, because evaluators are highly trained and know what behaviors are expected for the situation they propose.

Knowing the company will help you understand what its values ​​are. Even if you don’t get 100% right, it will help you get closer to what’s expected of you. Also, you should take into account the position you are applying for, as knowing it well will make you more secure.

Act as if it were reality. That’s what the evaluators expect, so taking the situation seriously is the best option. Pretending to be what you are not conveys insecurity not only through words but also through nonverbal language.

The Assessment Center is one of the most trusted methods to assess and know candidates’ skills for a job. It is, without a doubt, a wonderful way to assess the competences of the participants, allowing them to demonstrate what they are capable of.

In fact, a study by Richard Klimoski and Mary Brickner, published in the journal Personnel Psychology , claims that the Assessment Center is successful in making valid predictions.

It is an effective method if done properly, if it has experts and if it is well planned.

Its use in companies is increasing as it provides insight into how candidates would react in a given situation if they held the position, which helps to contribute to a favorable selection for both parties.