What We Do
Assessment & Development Centres
Triangle has wide experience of designing, running and supporting Assessment Centres across a full range of skills, seniority levels and industry sectors as free standing exercises or in support of a recruitment and selection campaign.
Please contacts us to discuss your unique environment and specific circumstances. We would be pleased to assist and to meet, at your convenience, to talk about how assessment and development centres may be suitable and effective for your particular organisation and environment.
Background to Assessment Centres
Assessment Centres are a series of extended selection procedures. Usually, these are held after the first round of interviews and before the final selection but can be used as an initial selection process. They are considered to be the fairest and most accurate method of selecting staff. A number of different selectors get to see the candidates over a longer period of time and have the opportunity to see what they can do in a variety of situations. Assessment centres typically include a number of elements including social/informal events and tests and exercises designed to reveal potential.
Exercises employed at assessment centres may include...
Competency Based Interviews
One-to-one or panel interviews probe any weaker areas that may have emerged at a first interview. Interviews at this stage are more in-depth and are usually carried out with someone from the employing department/division. Questions may refer back to earlier interviews, to assessment centre activities or to aptitude test results.
Psychometric/aptitude tests
These are timed tests, taken under exam conditions, designed to measure intellectual capacity for thinking and reasoning, particularly logical/analytical ability. The tests are designed for specific roles and are meant to be challenging. Accuracy is more important than speed. Most tests are multiple choice and designed so that very few candidates both finish and get the correct answers.
Personality inventories
These assess personality and reaction in different situations. They are not usually timed, have no right or wrong answers and are often used to see if a candidate would fit into the company culture.
Case studies
In these exercises, candidates are given a set of papers relating to a particular situation and asked to make recommendations in a brief report. The subject matter itself may not be important; candidates are being tested on the ability to analyse information, to think clearly and logically, to exercise judgement and to express lucidly in writing.
In-tray exercises
These are business simulation exercises in which candidates are given a heaped in-tray or electronic in-box, full of e-mails, company memos, telephone and fax messages, reports and correspondence, together with information about the structure of the organisation and the candidate's role within it. Designed to test the handling complex information within a limited time, the exercise highlights organisational and planning skills.
Giving presentations
Candidates prepare a short talk for presentation to other candidates and/or the selectors. Candidates may be asked to bring a prepared presentation to the assessment centre or present one produced on the day. A topic for discussion may be given or a completely free choice may be allowed. The subject matter is not necessarily important as this exercise shows the extent to which a candidate can structure and communicate information effectively.
Group activities
Most assessment centres involve a substantial element of group work, possibly requiring the completion of a practical task or taking part in a discussion to highlight the ability to interact with other people.
Practical tasks
Candidates may be asked as a group to use equipment or materials to make something or achieve a simple goal. This task highlights how the group interacts. It helps assess planning and problem-solving skills and the creativity of individual ideas.
Discussions and role plays
Candidates may take part in a leaderless group discussion or in a role-playing exercise where a briefing pack is given and they are asked to play a particular part. The assessors are looking for an individual contribution to the team, as well as verbal communication and planning skills.
