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Several candidates have applied for your job offer, and you're looking for a highly reliable way to differentiate among them. The Assessment Center can be an excellent method for achieving this, as it is considered the most reliable evaluation method by HR professionals.
Assessments are not only used for recruitment but also for internal mobility. In fact, it is one of the seven steps for successful internal mobility.
Assessments help ensure HR and recruiters make informed decisions by identifying the right person for the right position.
1 - What is an Assessment?
An Assessment is an evaluation process that allows companies to assess not only the level of knowledge, as commonly seen, but also the skills (often behavioral) important for the position. It employs various psychometric tools and simulations to observe behaviors in a professional environment.
It enables HR professionals to assess individual abilities and skills such as active listening, interaction with others, decision-making, teamwork, and stress resistance.
This phase evaluates soft skills, which are behavioral competencies that are particularly challenging to assess since they can only be observed in real-life situations.
2 - How does an Assessment work?
2.1 Individual Perspective
Individual Assessments, typically conducted over one day or half a day, evaluate three categories of skills: social, managerial, and methodological skills.
These assessments provide valuable insights to recruiters and managers by thoroughly analyzing the behaviors of talented individuals, which can be challenging without the Assessment process.
They can be useful at the beginning of the selection process to establish an initial filter or towards the end of the recruitment process, just before hiring, to confirm the decision regarding the chosen profile (they can also be complemented by more traditional tests such as personality assessments).
2.2 Collective Perspective
Regarding the Collective Assessment, recruiters utilize various tools to efficiently evaluate participants, including role-playing, simulations, and case studies. These tests, for example, can help assess leadership skills.
The Collective Assessment can last longer than the individual evaluation (3 to 6 weeks). It aims to assess each individual's potential to assume a specific role or mission. Through this type of Assessment, it is possible to develop the strengths of a team and envision potential improvements.
Recruiters can assess communication skills, empathy, as well as the candidate's ability to work within a group through this type of Assessment.
3- Classic Exercises in an Assessment Center
3.1 - "In basket" Test
In this exercise, the candidate assumes the role of a fictional manager who must quickly sort through a filled inbox upon returning from vacation. The messages represent problems the candidate may encounter in their future position.
This evaluation method, known as the "in basket" exercise, is the most common one. Its objective is to assess the participant's ability to organize, manage, and make decisions under pressure.
The candidate has 1 to 2 hours to prioritize and plan these tasks. The recruiter can evaluate their adaptability based on how they handle the situation.
3.2 Role-playing
This test involves analyzing a candidate's behaviors in specific contexts with other participants.
The other participants can be candidates, employees from your company, or members of the recruitment team, serving as role models and facilitating the discussions. The simulated situations can vary, such as conflict management, brainstorming sessions, or sales simulations.
When well-executed, this exercise allows you to observe essential skills such as self-confidence, initiative, leadership, communication, and negotiation abilities.
3.3 Case Studies
Case studies are frequently employed in Assessment Centers by HR professionals.
They are typically conducted in groups and involve presenting a problem that needs to be solved within the context of the company. When performed individually, this exercise can last from half an hour to two hours.
The candidate must be able to successfully analyze and solve a complex question. The main interest of this practice lies in the path and method used to provide an answer rather than the result itself.
3.4 - Group Discussions
The objective of group discussions for HR professionals is to compare 4 to 6 participants discussing a predefined topic. The topic can either be chosen in advance by the recruiter or participants can have the freedom to choose.
Our advice: It's preferable to select general topics so that no one benefits more due to specific expertise.
In addition to comparing the participants, the recruiter can leverage this exercise to analyze their rhetoric skills, ability to compromise, and persuasive abilities.
Towards Online Assessment: The New Generation of Assessment Centers
Introducing the Yuzu Model
After several years of research and development with experts in Work Psychology and Neuroscience, we have created Yuzu: a gamified, new-generation Assessment Center.
We immerse talents in simulated situations developed with the latest video game technologies. Each adventure assesses a specific competency within 10 to 20 minutes.
Candidates are evaluated based on their behavior and choices during the modules.
The simplified controls enable fair evaluation for all profiles.
Advantages of the solution:
- An exceptional candidate experience to enhance your employer brand.
- An accessible solution for everyone from any computer.
- A decision support tool to reduce cognitive biases.
We transform the assessment of soft skills into a memorable and enjoyable experience for your recruitment and internal mobility processes.
Discover the future of Assessment with Yuzu
Key Takeaways
Note that for effective selection, the Assessment Center exists. It primarily evaluates the soft skills of talents to determine their suitability for the position. Remember, their knowledge doesn't matter.
The talent should be capable of managing stress effectively, and the playful nature of the exercises in which they participate will help them feel at ease. It's now up to you to choose the most engaging Assessment to ensure your future talent is recruited under the best conditions and in the best possible environment.