Assessment Days: How To Ensure Success
Skye Vadas
Creative Director - Greenpoint | Director Growth & Partnerships - Natty Workwear
Assessment Days – they’re an increasingly popular process when it comes to screening large volumes of candidates, especially within larger businesses or organisations.
These sessions allow employers to observe candidates in multiple settings and scenarios and allow candidates a better chance to get their personalities across. Conversely, candidates to get a great feel for the company’s culture, way of working and what their jobs would involve should they be successful.
Assessment days can vary greatly, as can candidates’ preconceived attitudes towards them. For this reason, it is imperative to carefully plan the session so as to ensure it’s engaging, informative and insightful for all parties involved, as well as offering a brilliant first impression of your brand.
Love Recruitment has facilitated multiple assessment days recently for clients across London, with two case studies below:
Case Study 1: Gambado, Chelsea
Wednesday 1st March saw our first ever Recruitment Evening for Gambado. Gambado is one of the most exciting children’s indoor play, party and entertainment brands in the UK.
Candidates were found through advert applications and through searching on databases for those with experience/an interest in leisure, childcare, nurseries etc. We call through all these candidates and do a thorough telephone screening before inviting them onto the day.
We were at the Chelsea site and had 16 eager candidates in attendance. The format for the evening included an introduction to the brand and an outline of roles, various individual and team activities, as well as a balloon-making workshop and multiple racing competitions around their kiddie-sized dodgem car track with the option to host/compare a race.
These activities provided ample opportunity for Gambado’s management team to get a feel for each candidate’s personality, motivations, experience and adaptability to on-the-job tasks.
From a candidate’s perspective, they had insight into the jobs they would potentially be hired for, the opportunity to be seen and heard as individuals and team members, as well as enormous buy-in to the brand as the evening was fun, engaging and educational.
Some of the activities were hosted by Gambado’s gregarious staff members, which gives candidates great confidence that they will be working with fun and helpful people.
We’re happy to report that of 16 attendees, 13 were hired.
Case Study 2: Oxygen Freejumping, Croydon
We have absolutely loved doing the recruitment for multiple Oxygen Freejumping sites across the UK. Oxygen Freejumping is one of the leading trampolining brands in the leisure industry and have recently teamed up with Bear Grylls to implement freerunning and parkour.
Rachael and Lawrence facilitated three assessment sessions for Oxygen Freejumping’s new site opening soon in Croydon, over the course of the day on Wednesday 1st March.
Candidates were found through advert applications and through searching on databases for those with experience/an interest in leisure, fitness, trampolining, gymnastics, childcare etc. We call through all these candidates and do a thorough telephone screening before inviting them onto the day.
The day started with an introduction to the brand and the site, a Youtube video of Oxygen Freejumping and an introduction from the management team as to what candidates can expect from the brand, the management team, their roles, development and progression etc.
At Oxygen Freejumping, the site’s management team are actively involved throughout the whole session, hosting and taking part in activities. This means management get to know candidates much better, and candidates are much more bought into the brand and the team.
The group participated in three team activities, each designed to give insight into how candidates work in a team setting, who has leadership qualities, who listens to/supports fellow teammates, takes responsibility and shows personality.
The high level of information given to candidates and the fun way they were introduced to the company and further assessed, ensured huge buy-in and a great first impression.
We’re happy to report that of 71 candidates in attendance, 41 were hired over the three sessions, for a mix of full-time and part-time roles
If your company is in need of quality employees to represent your brand, we are continuously working with, and sourcing for, high calibre candidates who are keen and able to do just that.
Get in touch to discuss recruitment packages tailored to your business’ needs.