How to prepare for your grad assessment centre

It's December - most of you will be eagerly awaiting to find out if they have been invited for an assessment centre for the company you really want to go and work for. And this is usually a moment where many students tell me they worry. So #challengetoday: let me help you to destress a little...

Firstly, it is totally normal to worry at this stage. A lot of students and future grads do. This is about securing your first step into your career and it ranks amongst the top decisions people recall when they look back over their careers even many, many years later.

I am going to focus this article on the top 3 exercises you will most likely encounter at an assessment centre and how you can best prepare for them.

Exercise 1 - The Interview

Most organisations conduct a competency based interview as part of their graduate selection process. They give you a chance to highlight your personal and individual strengths and to shine as an individual. Organisations are typically very explicit about their values and their competency frameworks. Check them out and then do the following:  

• Do your homework, prepare and research well. Organisations will use your competency based interview to find out about how much you know about the organisation, as well as how committed you are to starting your career with them.
• Work through your examples. Preparing one or two examples of when you have demonstrated these competencies will definitely help you to stand in good stead and to have something at hand when you get asked. Think about whether you have examples from different situations or contexts as well. This can give you great variety in what you talk about.
• Write these examples down in STAR format. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. If you can articulate your answer like this, you can make sure that your assessor gets the information they are looking for.  

Exercise 2 - Group Exercises

Over the course of your assessment centre, you will most likely encounter a group exercise. This is an opportunity for the organisation to see what you are like in a group setting, how you manage different points of view and how you reach consensus and conclusions with other people. As most of us will get drawn into managing the task, rather than your behaviour in this context, preparing for this is a little trickier, but nonetheless worthwhile.

• Demonstrate your own thinking, research and delivery. It is critical that you make your own points and build on those of others. Use the time you have to prepare well and think about what you want to contribute and how you want to approach the delivery against the brief. You might also have done research ahead of time that you want to bring in here - it demonstrates the breadth of your knowledge.
• Use positive group behaviours. Most assessors will be looking for indicators of positive group behaviour - e.g. do you manage not to interrupt others, can you bring quieter members into the discussion or manage to challenge people in a positive way, rather than shutting them down, if you don't like their ideas. Also think about how you can ensure that you contribute throughout the entire exercise.
• Watch your body language. Keep in mind to make eye contact, smile and use positive, open body language.

Exercise 3 - Presentations

Organisations often want to see what you are like when you are presenting a topic. You might therefore find yourself in a position where you either have to present in a group or on your own. Organisations are often looking for your ability to be coherent and that you have understood a brief or data you have been presented with. Good practice for presentations are:

• Demonstrate your confidence. Your assessor will most likely look for signs of energy and engagement. Make sure you can tap into your most beaming smile and make good eye contact with the assessors.
• Speak slowly and intonate well. When our nerves get the better of us, we tend to speed up, and to speak faster and in a more monotonous tone than we naturally would do. Take a breath after each sentence, it will force you to slow down and convey less nervousness and to intonate better.
• Prepare for questions. Your assessor might quiz you after your presentation on some of the conclusions you got to and how you got there. Don't let these questions throw you. Expect the questions, breath and then answer them. You've got this!

Remember with all of these activities, organisations are keen to get to know the real you. Be authentic and if it feels right, you'll know. Prepare well and it will definitely help to reach a #healthiertomorrow at an assessment centre. Good luck to all of you out there.