Assessment Centres
Potential Problems
There are also disadvantages to using assessment centres:
- They are expensive operations, in terms of the requirements for employee time, hire of facilities (if you cannot run them in your own office) and materials.
- It is imperative that all assessors are adequately trained. The process is not robust unless everyone involved is professionally prepared and a lot of good work can easily be undone by occasional lapses.
- A great deal of planning before the event is necessary, for example booking facilities, coordinating the diaries of a number of senior managers, preparing the tests and test materials. The management of the centre itself is a significant activity too.
- Due to the quality and nature of the information noted concerning candidates, it is vital to provide feedback to the candidates on their performance. It is best if this occurs at the end of the assessment (without necessarily giving away the final result), even though this adds time to the duration of the exercise. Careers Services encourage students to seek feedback, particularly after assessment centres, and additionally this is also good PR. Some companies also offer telephone feedback to candidates.
At the start of the assessment centre, candidates are understandably nervous. It is usually clear that there is to be intense competition between them, as this is usually the final stage of the recruitment process. They are in new surroundings and want to make a good impression. It is helpful to run a short introductory session, or ‘ice breaker’, which breaks down the barriers between the candidates and makes them feel more comfortable with their peers. This is useful particularly if there is to be a group activity early in the process, because the candidates will be more relaxed and communicative.
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