Assessment Centres are an objective process designed to give you a range of opportunities to demonstrate your skills and abilities.They are not trying to catch you out so the best approach is to be yourself and sell yourself. You are not in competition with other candidates but against a general standard. The aim is to consider making offers of employment to all that reach that standard.

What is being assessed at a selection centre?

The employer will have a checklist of competencies - the essential skills and personal attributes required for the job. These will naturally vary from job to job but may include:

Leadership skills
Analytical skills
Working under pressure
Teamwork Co-operating with other people
Verbal and written communication skills
Numeracy

Case Studies

You are given information about a situation which you will need to assimilate and form an opinion on. You could be asked some questions about what you would do. Alternatively you may be asked to write a recommendation in a report. Either way you are being tested on your ability to analyse information, come up with solutions, exercise your judgement and express yourself.

In-tray Exercises

These may be on computer or on paper. Whichever it is, you will be given a scenario, for example - you are the new manager of a unit and your task is to assess an in-tray. It will contain a pile of internal and external messages, letters, faxes, reports and correspondence to deal with. You must make a decision about each item, prioritising it, drafting replies, delegating tasks and recommending actions. You may find new items are added as the exercise progresses. You are being tested on how you handle complex information within a limited time. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your planning, decision-making and communication skills.

Presentations

You may be asked to give a short talk to other candidates and/or the selectors. Sometimes you prepare it in advance of the interview, other times it will be prepared on the day. It might be related to another exercise. There may be on a topic you have been asked to prepare in advance or may be impromptu speeches. Generally, candidates are given up to half-an-hour to prepare their topic. Try to:
Speak clearly and confidently.
Keep within the allotted time.
Give a structured talk with an introduction and conclusion
Maintain good eye contact with your audience
Note down key points to keep yourself on course during your speech

Group activities

You may have to take part in a practical task, like building a paper clip and pipe cleaner bridge capable of transporting a golf ball from one table to another. Alternatively it could be a leaderless discussion or a role playing exercise where you are each given a brief and a goal to work towards. The selectors are looking for how well you work with other people. They may also be looking for verbal communication, negotiating, persuading, problem-solving and planning skills. Good team working is about getting your ideas forward in a co-operative way. You will get credit for listening to and building on other people's ideas not just your own ideas. Being assertive, persuasive and diplomatic is the key. Manage any dominating characters by allowing them to have their say and then encouraging contributions from others. Don't try to shout them down. Remember you are not competing against the other members of the group. The assessors will be aware of your diplomatic contribution even if it does not change the behaviour of the dominant one. Other tips to consider include:
Get a good grasp of any information provided to you without getting bogged down in detail. Not everyone in the group may have exactly the same information.
Work out your objectives, make a plan and follow it.
Keep a balance between taking your own ideas forward and helping the group achieve its task.
Actively listen to everyone else by nodding, smiling and making eye contact.
It is what you say not how much you say that counts.
Don't assume shy or quiet members have nothing to contribute, helping them to participate will go in your favour.
Make sure someone in the group keeps an eye on the time.

I believe this will go a long way to help fellow landers!

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