Business games assessment center. An assessment center for managers: we prepare competent managers from employees with potential. The basic principles of the assessment center

One of the stages of the competition for a vacancy in serious companies is the assessment center, or, in other words, the "assessment center".

What is an assessment center interview?

The assessment center or assessment interview is usually conducted at the final stages, when the pool of finalists has already been determined, and the employer wants to choose the best of the best. Assessment is a rather expensive procedure for a company, but for a candidate it is an opportunity to assess their competencies and qualities deeply and not biased. Therefore, whether you passed the assessment successfully or not, the experience will remain with you, which is not unimportant for the next step.

The assessment center can be carried out internally by the company, or a specialist from a third-party company (for example, Ecopsy, SHL, DDI) can be invited.

Assessment interview. What are we evaluating?

The main objective of this event is to assess the competence of the candidate. Competencies are carefully selected in advance, their priority and importance are discussed. As a rule, 5+ competencies are chosen for the assessment, which are priority for the successful completion of tasks in the company. Using this method, you can assess the potential of the candidate, his strengths and weaknesses. This is the most accurate assessment method that gives a complete picture of the candidate.

Then assignments are developed with clear and understandable assessment criteria. After the assessment itself, the specialist takes several days to decipher the results.

On average, the assessment center lasts from several hours to one working day, this is how much time is needed for the candidate to reveal himself as much as possible and show the real level of competence.

All tasks that a person must complete are designed in such a way that, using the example of solving specific problems, several parameters can be seen and evaluated at once.

An assessment center may include:

• Testing, questionnaires
• In-depth interview
• Competency interview
• Business games (simulation)
• Paired role-playing games
• Presentation on a given topic (with analytics)
• Role-playing group role-playing games

It is not necessary that all the components described above will be encountered during the assessment; often this event includes interviews and business games.

How is the assessment going?

Assessment is a type of group interview and is similar to business training, where the candidate participates in business games and completes tasks. During the AC, business cases close to reality are modeled, solving which, the candidate exhibits certain qualities.

Consider an example of an analytic presentation

The assessor gives the task, explains what is expected of the candidate and clearly fixes the time, and then leaves the candidate alone. The candidate receives material on the basis of which he needs to solve a business problem. For example, he received statistics on the development of different markets, and he needs to draw up an offer to enter a specific market with a certain product. Or he receives a description of the company's work for the last 2 years, employee data, a profit and loss statement, and other input. He needs to offer a solution that will help bring the company out of the crisis.

After a certain time, the assessor returns and begins to check the result of the work, that is, listen to the candidate's presentation, which will contain data analysis and some kind of solution. And observers at this time record the information provided by the candidate: how much he correctly assessed the situation, whether he used the provided analytics, how much he speaks convincingly, conveying his idea, etc.

Consider an example of a paired role-playing game

The candidate receives an assignment from the assessor, which describes a situation where 2 employees are involved: the candidate (manager) and the subordinate (the assessor himself can play the role of the subordinate). There is a description of the subordinate's merits, his behavior, importance for the company and the department. The leader (our candidate) needs to give him feedback after an unfulfilled assignment that had consequences.

The assessor leaves again and gives the candidate time to prepare the interview. When the allotted time for preparation runs out, the presenter returns to the room, and a dialogue is played out between them. Observers at this time describe the candidate's leadership style, how he reacted to a particular phrase of a subordinate, etc.

Consider an example of a group role-playing game

The candidate receives a description of the situation in which he is playing the role of the sales manager for a specific region. Over the past three months, sales have fallen by X%, and he, together with the heads of the marketing, purchasing, customer service departments, needs to develop a plan. The reasons for the decline in sales are clear, there are certain introductory notes. Each of the participants has his own position (plays a role, studies the material in advance), there is a participant with whom it is most difficult to agree, who has a different point of view, there is one who will support the candidate during the conversation, and there is one who will be inert, will not participate in the discussion. Candidate task-end the meeting, having in hand a plan of action for the next quarter, with which all the participants in the meeting would agree.

After a certain time, which is given to study the situation and data, the assessor returns to the room with other "department heads" and a discussion begins.

Observers at this time record how well the candidate understands the situation, how he defends his position, whether he hears others, whether he involves passive participants, etc.

Observers

At any stage, internal HR can join the interview, which is also interested in hearing how the candidate is solving certain problems. Usually at the assessment center there are 1-2 observers for each candidate, who do not interfere in the process and do not ask questions, they note important points, their thoughts.

Observers play an important role in the assessment center. Their task is to record and describe in maximum detail the behavior of the candidate during the execution of tasks, they use the NOCO technology - observation, description, classification, assessment. Observers can be employees of the third-party company that conducts the assessment, or internal employees of the company in management positions. Thus, managers have the opportunity to get to know the candidate before his employment.

In-depth interview

Often, at the request of the company, an in-depth interview is carried out during the assessment. The AC can begin with it. Such an interview is conducted by an independent specialist - a psychologist or even a psychiatrist. The result of such a conversation is a psychological portrait of the candidate. The Assessment Center is a stressful but highly effective assessment method that benefits not only the company, but also the candidate.

Competency interview

It is a structured one-on-one conversation. The hallmarks are tight timelines, clarifications, attention to detail.

Evaluation and Feedback

At the end of the AC, the observers and the facilitator discuss the candidate's behavior and give marks. This process negates the risk of subjective assessment, allows the most accurate assessment of the quality and potential of a person.

Once the assessments have been aggregated, the assessment company provides a written report on the candidate to internal HR, and then the candidate receives feedback.

Serious companies take everything they do seriously, including hiring new employees. As a rule, when recruiting for such companies, the competition is at least 100 resumes per position. If you managed to go through a multi-stage selection system and get to the assessment, which is usually held at the very end, then the competition will be smaller - about 3-5 candidates for a place. And it will be especially offensive not to pass it when the chances are so high. At the same time, assessment is not only an assessment of what you already know how, but also a certain skill that needs to be developed.

In this article, we have collected information that will help you:

a) understand what assessments are and what types of tasks are encountered in them;
b) prepare correctly for the assessment;
c) determine how to behave during the assessment and what should not be done in any case;
d) draw the correct conclusions for themselves based on the results of the assessment.

What is assessment and what they are

Most of all, the assessment resembles an obstacle course. Assessment is a set of tasks, role and business games, interviews and other assessment methods that allow the employer to assess the candidate in the most structured, comprehensive and objective way. First of all, representatives of the company will be interested in your competencies.

Each competence has its own behavioral indicators - an externally manifested type of action, by which you can understand how much you have a given competence. For example, the “analytical thinking” competence can manifest itself as a set of the following indicators: “is able to process a significant amount of information in a short time”, “is able to generalize and draw conclusions from data”, “is able to prioritize”, etc. For each of these indicators observers record your behavior and put down points. In addition, the company will definitely pay attention to your personal profile and motivational component. To identify these factors, you may be asked to complete a questionnaire or to be interviewed.

Thus, the assessment focuses on three main things:

• checking your professional and personal competencies;
• identifying basic patterns of behavior and ways of interacting with other people;
• defining your motivations, values ​​and attitudes.

Assessment tasks can be both group and individual, and the number of assessors can vary from one person for 2-3 candidates (for example, during a business game) to 3-5 assessors per 1 candidate (for example, when passing the final interview with top management ). According to the number of participants, assessments are:

• small (3-5 people);
• medium (8–12 people);
• large (20-30 people);
• massive (more than 30 people).

By the nature of the tasks and methods of assessment, there are a great many, but all of them can be conditionally divided into several types.

A. Series of different interviews

You will have to go through several interviews in sequence: with an HR specialist, your immediate supervisor, representatives of top management. As a rule, such interviews include a short self-presentation, a story about your personal and professional achievements, specific examples of the manifestation of certain competencies (for example, the ability to lead people, resolve conflicts, overcome obstacles). Sometimes interviewers may be interested in the informal side of your life - be ready to talk about your hobbies and interests.

B. A set of small assignments and exercises for your future work

Assignments of this type can be very different. The most common options are:

• Individual exercise

You may be asked to give a presentation or do an individual exercise on a given topic. As a rule, such tasks are associated with the processing of a large amount of textual and quantitative information (for example, disassemble a mailbox, correctly prioritizing, draw up an action plan, write a letter, or solve a problem in Excel).

• Tests and questionnaires

The company assesses potential employees using standard psychometric tests for intelligence, motivation, self-esteem, or situational behavior. In such tests, it is important to answer as honestly and objectively as possible, since they do not have correct answers, and it is almost impossible to manipulate the results in the direction you need, if the questionnaire is compiled with high quality.

• Group discussion

Group discussion is a discussion of a problem with other candidates, the result of which should be a joint solution of the issue. Sometimes an assignment may have a solution that is acceptable to all members of the group, as a rule, hidden in the different information given to each participant. Sometimes you need to find a compromise. You can decide what to spend the company's budget on, which project should be implemented, allocate office space, or even survive on a desert island.

• Role-playing game

Most likely, during the assessment, you will also participate in a role-playing game that simulates your interaction with a client, colleague, boss or partner. This type of assignment has a conflict of interest from the start. For example, you might have to deal with a client's objection, deal with a negligent employee, and convince your boss that he is wrong. It is important here not to show knowledge of the correct theoretical schemes of action in such a situation, but to really get used to the role and demonstrate that you can do it in practice.

• Creative tasks

Most of the assessment tasks are quite transparent - you understand what qualities and skills you must have in order to successfully complete them. But sometimes companies include non-standard tasks in the assessment, which, at first glance, have nothing to do with your professional activity. For example, you may be asked to build something out of paper or draw a drawing while blindfolded by following the prompts from your teammates. Such tasks can be aimed both at testing the creativity of your thinking and ability to find a way out of non-standard situations, and at teamwork.

“The most unusual task in my practice was to build a city of the future and choose the most necessary professions for it. It was necessary to think over everything (the location of the buildings, what they will have inside, the provision of energy and the budget), without relying on any auxiliary materials. "

B. Case solution

During the assessment, you may be asked to solve a small case. It can be about both the industry of the company you are interviewing, or a completely different industry. In the second case, this is done deliberately to test your problem-solving skills without reference to previous experience in a well-known industry. Sometimes case materials are sent in advance, and it is necessary to prepare a ready-made solution for the assessment itself.

The case can be both individual and team. The case assignment is mostly printed on paper and includes additional information, diagrams and tables, but otherwise you will only be orally described the problem. For example, you may be asked to come up with a plan to bring a new product to market, develop a marketing plan, calculate inventory, or find out why the bottom line is dropping. With the help of case studies, such professional competencies as strategic and analytical thinking, business understanding, etc. are usually tested. In a team decision, group work and presentation skills are also assessed.

D. Mix of these types

Many companies do not limit themselves to just one type of assignment and offer candidates one- and two-day assessments from several assignments at once. During such an assessment, you will most likely have time to make a self-presentation, take part in solving a case and role-playing game, and go through a series of interviews with future leaders.

Preparation for assessment

What does it mean to prepare for an assessment? You will not be able to know in advance the tasks that you will have to go through, besides, in different companies they are fundamentally different, but still something can and should be done. Your preparation must necessarily include three stages.

1. Collection and study of information

Begin your preparation by gathering information. Explore the company's website, specialized forums, and social media communities again. Carefully analyze the company's projects, try to imagine yourself in these projects. What would be your responsibilities? It is important for you to accurately determine for yourself the skills and personal qualities that you possess and thanks to which you are suitable for this position. In addition, many companies describe in detail on their website all stages of the assessment and give advice on how to prepare for them.

Checklist of what you need to know in advance:

• How long does the assessment take?
• What tasks are planned for it?
• What pitfalls are encountered in these assignments (lack of time, lack of information, conflict of interest)?
• What are the restrictions (for example, you cannot use calculators, the Internet, or the assessment is carried out exclusively in English)?
• What competencies will you be assessed by?
• What are the company's values ​​and principles of work, what is its mission?
• How many people will rate you? Who are they - hr-employees, employees of business units, line managers or top managers?
• How are the evaluators set up, in what manner is communication with them carried out (interviews, role-playing games, etc.)?
• How many people participate in the assessment and how many of them go to the next round?

It is also very helpful to start reading the trade press every day, 2-3 weeks before the assessment, to stay on top of the top news, as well as key issues, language and industry terms.

From the scene (comment from the participant):

“Be sure to study the documents related to the corporate culture of the company. It is even better to memorize the most important values ​​and prepare examples from your personal and professional experience in advance. One way or another, this question will be raised in the assessment - if not in a direct formulation (“what do you know about the company's values, do you share them”), then indirectly (“how would you act in such and such a situation; tell an example when showed such and such a quality "). If you prepare examples in advance, you will easily find out which principle you are asked a question for, and you will find the most appropriate answer. "

2. Preparation of materials

You must be clear about what you want to demonstrate to the company and how you will do it. One of the biggest disappointments in life is failing an assessment because observers failed to correctly assess your potential. You will not always be asked the right questions and put you in convenient situations, so you need to take care in advance to accurately convey all the necessary information to those people who make the decision.

During the assessment, you will most likely have to make a self-presentation and pass interviews on competencies. Prepare a structure for a story about yourself and examples from your life experiences showing how and where you unlocked the required skills and qualities. Try to keep 2–3 examples in stock - you may be unexpectedly interrupted and asked for an additional example.

When preparing for an interview, look at yourself through the eyes of the interviewer. What would you like to know about a potential employee? What conclusions about your motivation and priorities can be drawn from your story? What values ​​are reflected in it? What words do you use? For the interviewer, there is a difference between the words “I had to / I was forced to” and “I had an opportunity”, “on the first working day I will be introduced to colleagues and introduced to the instructions” and I will get to know my colleagues and my responsibilities. " In your examples, are you talking about yourself personally or about the team?

3. Practice and practice skills

Now that you know what awaits you, and have a good idea of ​​what you should say and how to act, it's time to turn knowledge into skills, that is, to move on to practical exercises.

When preparing for your interview, be sure to do some good practice. Your speech should not sound memorized, but you should not get lost and mumble either. It is best to memorize the structure and say the examples out loud several times in your own words to achieve a confident and fluent presentation. Discuss the text with friends, ask them to act as an interviewer and give you feedback.

If you know that you will have tests to check intellectual skills (verbal, logical, etc.), search the web for relevant materials and pass a few tests. Be prepared in advance for the fact that sometimes intelligence tests are specially designed in such a way that you do not have time to complete all tasks 100%. It is useless to prepare for psychometric tests in advance, since they measure basic personality traits, but you can also look at the descriptions of the corresponding tests to understand what they are.

If the assessment includes a case solution, read the tips on how to do the case interview and refresh your knowledge of the cases. However, if in practice you are faced with this type of task for the first time, be prepared for the fact that, most likely, you will not be able to prove yourself to the fullest. So make sure you get some hands-on experience with case solving ahead of time. Try to find out if you can use the Internet. Perhaps, in the course of solving the case, you will need to clarify some details or find the necessary information on products. Role-playing in terms of preparation is very similar to an individual solution to a case: in theory you can know perfectly well what the catch is, but without practical training this knowledge will not help you. Practice solving cases and resolving the main types of conflicts encountered in role-playing games with friends and classmates.

In addition, during the assessment, you will most likely have teamwork. You will solve a case or participate in a group discussion together with other participants - complete strangers, who are also your competitors. How to Prepare? The chances of you hitting the perfect team are slim. You need to learn to work with different people, and in especially difficult cases, fight your own shyness. You will probably have to publicly come up with your ideas. The best way to train is practice. Firstly, it is worth submitting a resume to the maximum number of companies that use assessments at the selection stages.

In addition, you can take part in case championships. An additional plus of such competitions is the opportunity to get feedback on your skills in solving cases, public speaking and teamwork from judges, who are usually top managers of the largest companies.

And finally, try to tune in to the assessment correctly. Do not perceive assessment as execution, and assessors as strict examiners who are just looking for a chance to fail you. First, it will inevitably affect your behavior. Secondly, the purpose of the assessment is to get to know you better and give you the opportunity to open up, so most companies do their best to provide participants with the most friendly and comfortable environment. Another important difference from the exam: a sleepless night spent preparing is likely to negatively affect the result. This is due to the fact that competencies are rather complex structural formations of a personality, and in order to noticeably improve your level, you will need from six months to two years of work. Assessment is a serious test, but too much excitement has not yet benefited anyone. Relax and try to get a good night's sleep.

Let's summarize. Three factors will maximize your success in the assessment:

• Knowledge of the assessment procedure.
• Ability to demonstrate the required skills at the appropriate level.
• Well-being and a positive attitude.

How to behave during the assessment itself

The main rule: be yourself and open up as much as possible

One of the most frequently asked questions hr-specialists: how to behave correctly during the assessment? And there is only one correct answer to it: just be yourself.

Why is this the best strategy in this situation? First, as mentioned above, you will have a comprehensive assessment of a number of parameters, and it is very difficult to convincingly imitate all of them and play the role of a person who you really are not. Secondly, even if you manage to get the appraisers, you will have to play the same role not for two days, but for the next several years of work, and you will definitely not be able to cope with this. Assessment is a two-way process: not only the company chooses you, but you also choose the company.

There is no need to overact, but at the same time, it is important not to be shy and not pinched, hoping that observers, using telepathy, will be able to discern your high potential. You need to open up as much as possible in the assessment, and perhaps for this you will have to be a little more active, offer more initiatives, take on additional responsibility and act a little more confidently than you do in ordinary life.

Teamwork

Remember that in all group assignments, it is not so much the final result that is important as your behavior during decision-making. Observers will evaluate how roles are assigned in groups. Who takes responsibility and is challenged to become a leader, how effectively does the leader manage to organize the work of the group, does he try to do all the work on his own or crush other participants, which of the participants takes the initiative, who sits out passively, and who only interferes with everyone's productive work? trying to stand out.

During the discussion, try to hear the point of view of each member of the team. In doing so, do not forget that you too need to demonstrate active participation. Make comments on the speeches of other participants, be sure to state your position, but try to do it as briefly and reasonably as possible. Be friendly, do not try to argue and defend your point of view with all your might, even if you are absolutely sure that you are right. Never interrupt your teammates (observers are watching this closely!), Even if you fundamentally disagree with them - wait until the end of the statement, thank you politely, express your disagreement and present carefully thought-out arguments against.

Identify the participants who apply for a leadership position, and do not enter into direct confrontation with them - observers always have a negative attitude towards participants who initiate conflicts in the team. Try to gain credibility in the team in another way - for example, by your professional qualities, helping to solve a common problem. A good move is to take on the role of moderator of the discussion, write down the opinions of all team members, and then take stock: to clarify whether you understood each of the teammates correctly, offer generalized conclusions and ask if anyone has any fundamental objections. This behavior will allow you to very naturally take a leadership position in a team without directly hurting other members. Observers often give extra points to the participant who keeps track of the time and manages the discussion to meet the deadline.

From the scene (comment from the participant):

“Sometimes during the assessment you come across perfect“ inadequacies ”who shout, stand up, throw their pens or even try to offend other participants. In this case, you need to control yourself and be able to resist stimuli. Better yet, try to turn the situation in your favor: turn everything into a joke, sober the person up with a reminder of the limited time or complexity of the problem. Observers will appreciate your behavior from all sides: self-control, stress resistance, time management, the ability to resolve conflicts. Indeed, in real work, people are also subject to stress, nervous breakdowns, and it is important to control yourself and be able to cope with such situations. "

While defending the solution of the case, try not to leave the role - in front of you are not the interviewers, but the client's board. If you are presenting a team solution, it is advisable that all team members have time to speak. It is better to distribute in advance who is responsible for which part of the decision. Don't interrupt each other, don't contradict each other. If your colleague suddenly starts to answer incorrectly, in no case say “no, in fact, everything is not so,” wait until the end of his speech and say that you would like to add and clarify important points.

Generally positive attitude

The right attitude is very important. Think of assessment as a fun game where you need to demonstrate what you can do, not as an assessment of your self or a place where they want to find your weak points.

Be flexible. Try to consider several versions and options at the same time, do not dwell on one solution or example. Be prepared to change your behavior - Observers can change assignment conditions and assess your learning ability. When passing interviews or role-playing games, your evaluator can at any time turn the dialogue in the other direction, put obstacles for you, insist on your opinion - be prepared for this.

Be calm and confident. It is important not to get lost during the assessment. You may be asked to substantiate your point of view in a variety of assignments. For example, ask questions about solving a case, or ask why you did this in a role-playing game, or clarify why you think you have such and such a quality or skill.

Behave naturally, be kind, and smile - this disposes people to you. Try not to think about the impression you make on observers. The best way to behave is to concentrate on the essence of the tasks and their solution - this will help you not to get nervous and not think about how you look.

Eight common assessment mistakes

Demonstrative behavior

Do not try to stand out and attract the attention of observers. This will most likely have the opposite effect. Observers will think that you tend to work for the audience, not for the result.

Pretense and attempts to deceive observers

Don't try to show qualities, knowledge, and skills that you think the company needs and that you don't really have. Personality traits change rather slowly, and attempts to demonstrate behavioral features that are not characteristic of you, on the one hand, will look artificial, and on the other hand, may prevent the existing strengths from manifesting.

Attempts to invent or embellish examples from life experiences

If you unexpectedly recalled an excellent example during the interview that you had little to do with in reality (for example, your friend or colleague was involved in this project) and are not completely sure that you can talk about it deeply and in detail, choose another and simpler example. In the first case, if you are asked to give details or start asking you tricky questions, you will float and it will certainly be noticed.

Hostile attitude towards competitors

Do not perceive other assessment participants as enemies, even if they are your direct competitors. The assessment will surely include people who will make you sympathetic. Exchange contacts with them, try to get to know each other better and find common interests - in the end, useful contacts may be even more important than working in this particular company.

Stubbornness and arguments within the team

Do not argue with your teammates, do not enter into conflict with them, even if you are sure that you know best how to solve the task. Argument your point of view, state it as structured as possible. “I believe that the right decision would be to do this and that, because one, two and three” - this approach will certainly be highly appreciated by both your team members and observers.

Inconspicuous quiet

Assessment is a case where modesty can work against: observers simply will not notice you and will not be able to correctly assess you. They don't have much time for this, so give them the maximum opportunity to understand who you are. You do not need to climb forward all the time and shout down your teammates, but also do not be quiet and silent. Communicate and express your point of view, be proactive, make comments and ask questions.

Lack of information about yourself

Sometimes participants come to the assessment with the attitude “whatever you say can be used against you”. But they lose sight of the fact that keeping silent and trying to hide information about themselves is no less pointless - the appraisers will fill the blank spaces with their conjectures. Do not present a one-sided positive portrait and idealize yourself. Feel free to share your mistakes, but be sure to celebrate what you learned from your mistakes and how it helped you act more effectively. Be prepared to name your weaknesses - there are many guidelines on how to do this correctly.

Lack of attention to the task

Many assessment participants do not take the tasks they face seriously enough. For example, they do the wrong task that was assigned to them or do it not to the end, or in the wrong format in which it was necessary. Another common mistake is to incorrectly estimate and allocate time for the task. At the assessment, they want to check you in a work environment, and if you are asked to do something in exactly the way, and not the way you are used to, do not argue and do as they want from you. Always carefully read the assignment and instructions for it, ask questions, if something remains unclear, carefully control the time - it will always be just barely enough. By the end of the assessment, you need to do everything and answer all the questions - the assessors will have a separate checklist for completing tasks.

An outside perspective: expert opinions

Anton Klygin, Recruiter, Accenture: Be sure to review the company values ​​and principles before the assessment. At the event, observers will assess, among other things, how your behavior relates to these values, or will ask situational questions about them in interviews. Another thing is that on the company's website this information may not be presented in full, in this case, make every effort to find it. For example, try to find a friend who works in a company, do not hesitate to contact the HR specialist who invited you to the assessment directly.

And the second important point, to which the assessment participants are often inattentive, is the dress code. If you are interviewing for a consulting or auditing firm, then a business suit is an important condition for passing the assessment. Therefore, the dress code is often specially indicated in the invitation to the assessment. But even if you were not warned in advance, try to comply with business etiquette, because there is a high probability that you will have an interview with top management.

Ekaterina Moiseeva, Chief Specialist of Employer Brand, Adaptation and Engagement, Alfa-Bank:

I will point out a few important points that participants usually overlook.

First, the company makes an impression of you throughout all the selection stages, starting with the receipt of your resume. It is important to show your best side: to respond to emails as soon as possible, to warn of possible overlaps and delays, to be attentive to requests from the company, to be involved and interested in what is happening.

Secondly, additional points on the assessment itself will be added by attentive attitude to the questions asked, completeness of answers (but without water!) And especially punctuality. If the presentation is given 4 minutes, then it should be exactly 4 minutes. Always remember that the assessment conditions are as close as possible to corporate reality.

Thirdly, keep in mind that assessment is not only cases and tasks, but also the time between them. This does not mean that the observers will keep a close eye on you during your coffee break. But if you showed your best side in the process of completing assignments and working in a group, and as soon as you left the audience, you immediately began to complain to your friends and tell that you were not very interested in this company at all, or it is impolite to treat the service personnel of the site, most likely , such a difference in attitude will not go unnoticed.

And finally, save your face! Even if you didn’t make it to the next stage, you were upset, or the assessment didn’t meet your expectations, remain polite and correct. In no case do you express negative feelings and do not be rude to the employees of the company, do not throw tantrums and do not rush to your teammates. Remember that the corporate world is very small, and it is possible that someday you will again have to deal with people whom you hurt or who have left an extremely negative impression of yourself.

Pavel Tyutyaev, Senior Recruitment Specialist, L`Oreal Russia:

I would suggest three main tips.

First, preparation is half the battle! Before the assessment center, it is necessary to collect as much information as possible about the company, its values, and the direction you are interested in. If you know the names of the observers, I advise you to meet them in absentia by looking at their profile on LinkedIn. It will be easier for you to communicate with a person about whom you already know something. Try to come up with the three most difficult and dangerous questions that may be asked to you, and be sure to have an answer to them in advance.

Second, when working as a team, try to choose a specific role for yourself (leader, analyst, idea generator, etc.) that suits your strengths and stick to it. This way you can show your best side, contribute to the team's activities and create the right image in the eyes of observers. During an interview or defense of a decision, do not rush to answer the questions posed - take a break and collect your thoughts. This will give you the impression of a collected person and significantly reduce the risk of making an annoying mistake.

Finally, remember that you are being judged not only during assignments, but also during breaks. Be active, communicate not only with the participants, but also, if possible, talk to the company's employees. You will feel more confident and possibly get a couple of extra points in their eyes. Do not be afraid to chat and make new acquaintances, because in the worst case, you just hear no.

Maria Maltseva, Certified Assessor, Chief Recruitment Officer, Raiffeisenbank:

Two important things to remember for any assessment participant are time and concentration. I advise you to carefully monitor the time, both in the group exercise and in individual ones. Time for completing tasks is always limited, you may simply not have time to present a solution. The second important thing is to always read the assignment very carefully, it is even better to re-read it several times. When stressed, you may miss the point of the task or do the wrong thing.

What should never be done during the assessment? Absolutely no need to pretend, sooner or later observers will notice it. It is also not necessary to show an implausible focus on the result, try to speak more than anyone else, it is better to follow the content of what is said. Well, you should not remain silent - no one will appreciate your thoughts, the way they are good and constructive. The company expects you to demonstrate real qualities. In addition to formal criteria, your motivation, flexibility and desire to join the company can also affect a positive assessment result.

And finally, I recommend in any case to try to get substantive feedback from assessors. Feedback is an opportunity for development, it will help you better understand where you failed to prove yourself, and what, on the contrary, is your strong point.

If you have not passed the assessment

If you are unlucky and you did not pass the assessment, take it calmly. Firstly, well-trained and motivated participants with high potential pass to this stage of selection, each of whom has a chance to get a job offer, and the final success in such an environment can be determined by a combination of random factors. You may not have been able to fully show everything that you are capable of, but since you cannot change the external conditions, you will have to think about what needs to be changed in your behavior.

Second, there is no universal role for a good employee. Different companies have different values ​​and are looking for people for themselves. Therefore, if you were not selected according to the results of the assessment, this does not always mean that you are less prepared for work, perhaps you did not fit in some personal competencies. Some companies need emotional leaders, others need intelligent leaders, and still others need competent team players. Never compare yourself with other participants, this will save your nerves, on the one hand, and on the other hand, it will shift the focus of attention from complaining about the injustice of the world to working on yourself. Think, perhaps, you will find your true calling and people close to you in spirit and style of work in another company?

And thirdly, remember that you have not lost anything, but gained valuable experience. Try to get the most out of the situation: be sure to ask the company for feedback, analyze your behavior, understand where and what mistakes you made and what you were missing.
A quality assessment can be very beneficial for your development: with a balanced, objective and structured assessment, you will better understand your strengths and weaknesses and track how they manifest themselves in your actions and words.

As for weaknesses, we usually tend to resist realizing them, close our eyes to them, make excuses and even deny our shortcomings. Try to be open and receptive to new information. If observers have noticed some unpleasant moments for you in your behavior, it means that they may be obvious to other people, although they are not obvious to you.

On the other hand, remember that observers can only assess the external manifestations of your personal qualities and professional skills, so your task is to express yourself as much as possible. If you suddenly get low marks on some skill that you have always considered your strength, first of all think about why you could not demonstrate it to the observers in the proper measure and what you should change in your actions. You may also decide that the observers are unprofessional, but this point of view will not do you any good personally, other than calming your own self-esteem, while the first path stimulates further development.

Strengths are also not as simple as they seem at first glance. We take the ability to do something well for granted and don't give credit to praise when we get feedback. While strengths are the key to professional success, understanding how to use them in the best possible way will help you achieve your goals with less effort and more impact. It may even turn out that your competency profile is more consistent with a different content of activity, and you should think about changing the direction of activity.

After all, assessment is just a stepping stone in your professional and personal development. You have climbed one step higher regardless of the result shown, now you have a little more experience and understanding of yourself, you can imagine what the assessment looks like from the inside, which means you can even better prepare for the selection to the next company.

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You have been invited to Assessment. Congratulations: it means that you are already in the final and the employer wants to evaluate you "in action". What is required of you? About 5 ways to assess your competencies and 4 steps that will allow you to prepare for them, said the general director of OOO "TiSEm" Tamara Siukati.

Assessment- the procedure is quite common today, but this makes it no less exciting for candidates. According to our statistics, now the number of selection stages in the company has seriously increased: line specialists go through 4-5 stages, and managers go through up to 7 stages.

What is an assessment or assessment center - this is an assessment of the knowledge, skills and competencies of candidates through business games and tasks, where experts carefully observe the real behavior of the participant and evaluate his answers.

The competition for one good vacancy reaches about 10 specialists, and the employer wants to approach the selection process as carefully as possible and, as a result, tries to apply all, in his opinion, effective assessment methods in order to minimize their risks. Therefore, additional assessment tools are gaining popularity so actively.

And now such an assessment is carried out not when the interview is not enough, but when the company has chosen 2-3 finalists and wants to evaluate them "in action."

Popular assessment methods:

1. Tests- very different: from IQ assessment to specialized professional. They especially like to torture accountants of different levels, and it does not matter what part of the job you are applying for - the test can be as comprehensive as if it includes "the basics of accounting." This method of assessing knowledge and competencies is now rather fading into the background and is mainly used only for vacancies, where candidates need to assess the ability to think analytically, work with a large amount of information, and respond quickly in a stressful situation.

Such testing can last up to 6 hours, when the candidate, being in a small meeting room, is trying to answer hundreds of diverse questions ... it's not very comfortable.

2. Cases and business games for an interview, when you may be asked to sell something as part of a conversation, discuss a discount and other "difficult" terms of the contract.

This method of assessment is gaining popularity, because the interviewer here and now can evaluate your creativity, ingenuity or ability to handle yourself in difficult and stressful negotiations, defending the company's position.

3. Homework especially popular for IT professionals. Even before the interview, you are asked to complete the task, you send the result and wait for the decision.

Here you have the opportunity to solve the task at home quite calmly, the result will also be assessed online, and either you will be invited for an interview, or you will be politely refused.

4. Presentation. In this case, you get a serious case for a solution, for example, "The company's product development strategy" or "visit our stores and present your ideas for ..." You carefully study the product, read a lot of information about the company, visit their stores. After that, prepare a presentation at home, and then give a live presentation to a panel, which usually consists of HR professionals and senior management.

The speech lasts 40 minutes, then you are asked various questions. Moreover, the presentation can be held both in Russian and in English. This method is very popular for evaluating salespeople, Key account, Brand and Product managers.

5. And, of course, Assessment centers, when, within the framework of one business game, specialists can evaluate several candidates at once, and for different vacancies. You just come at the appointed hour and, together with other candidates (3-6 people), participate in business activities.

Such an event lasts from 3 to 6 hours. In this case, 2-3 experts assess your behavior, and a professional trainer conducts the event itself. According to the participants, it is a rather exhausting procedure.

All these assessment tools are actively used among the important stages of the selection of candidates in Western companies and more and more actively in Russian ones. Therefore, if you want to get a Job Offer, you need to prepare for such events very carefully and responsibly.

Many candidates refuse, for example, a case - presentation, as they believe that the employer simply wants to "remove" ideas from the market. My experience shows that serious companies, Russian or Western, do not do this. The only task is to look at you in action, evaluate your ideas, your ability to communicate, react in difficult situations and, if you are a really excellent specialist, invite you to work.

A few tips for those preparing to pass the assessment:

1. Responsibly prepare for the assessment and do not let things take their course. Even if the task itself is not known to you in advance. Rely on important competencies for this position, on what is most interesting for the employer to evaluate and "play out" all possible situations. If we talk about tests, rehearse on those available on the Internet, train your brains.

2. Try not to plan anything for this day in order to go through the assessment without rushing anywhere, giving it the necessary amount of time.

3. Treat all participants with respect: both those who evaluate you and those who, in this case, are your competitors. Employers always like this - endurance and ability to cope with stressful situations.

4. Be sure to sleep well, drink a cup of invigorating coffee and smile. This will definitely help!

Good luck to you!

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Today, quite often one has to listen to the mention of a technology called "assessment". What it is? What characterizes this concept? Read more about everything below.

What is assessment

The definition of "assessment" refers to the method used in order to correctly assess employees. It is based on modeling the main aspects of the functioning of employees, which allows you to determine how developed their important professional qualities are, as well as to predict the possible potential.

The primary use of the assessment technique is tantamount to the Second World War. It was in those years that the United States and England began to use it. The British army thus recruited officers into its ranks, and the Americans used this technique when selecting candidates for intelligence. Further, an adaptive restructuring of the technology was carried out to introduce it into the business sphere, where it achieved high popularity and fame in the right circles. This confirms the application of this technology in such large companies as Nestle, Xerox and others. Today, the breadth of application of technology is confirmed by numbers - the assessment is used in every second large company.

Assessment technology is also used in the Russian Federation. The beginning of use is characterized by the nineties. Today, Rosneft, Beeline, Lukoil and many other well-known companies use assessment as a personnel assessment.

The widespread popularity and widespread use of such technology must be explained by something. First of all, let's define what is the purpose of the assessment.

Today the management environment suffers from a lack of talent. The problem is very high. That is why it is necessary to increasingly search for employees in which possible prospects are read. This does not mean that the search circle is limited only to a list of already existing managers. A search and selection of potential leadership among middle-level workers is being carried out. The process of searching, developing a personnel resource for a company is a rather difficult process. At the same time, in order to successfully develop, the company cannot do without this process. Only a competent approach, planning, development of correct tasks and their achievement will be able to prepare a worthy and professional stock of personnel.

So, what tasks of the company will the use of such technology as assessment allow to solve?

• First, an objective assessment of the professional level of personnel is made;
• Secondly, employees with high potential are identified, with whom work will subsequently be carried out for the future;
• Third, a strategy is being developed to select personnel with the highest level of efficiency;
• Fourthly, a personnel reserve is being prepared;
• Fifth, special attention is paid to the development and training of the company's employees.

It should be noted that this method is distinguished by its reliability, objectivity, efficiency and high level of evaluations. Why? The fact is that the activity and professionalism of each employee is assessed using special criteria. This is a multifaceted work of several personnel experts.

Assessment technology implies the participation of three groups of characters:

• These are the personnel who are being evaluated;
• A selection of dedicated HR experts who perform direct assessment;
• The head of this center. It is possible to invite a hired consultant from the outside or the participation of a leading specialist of the personnel service.

Assessment interviews

Quite recently, this type of interview was a rare event in our country. However, over time, the requirements for the quality of hired personnel are increasing, and more and more selection methods are being invented for candidates. Today, the assessment interview method is used more and more often.

Typically, this method is used for hiring and middle managers. Many potential employees are often intimidated by the name alone. However, meanwhile, this method has a high level of efficiency.

An assessment-style interview is not at all like regular dialogue. It is also not so easy to prepare for it, since each company may have its own tasks. What is required of a candidate? Composure, ability to quickly respond to a situation, quick wit. Resistance to stress will be a very important factor. Be prepared for the fact that the interview will be present not only, but also your immediate potential manager, as well as other candidates. It is most likely that the interview will take place in a group form, when candidates will jointly participate in game tasks. What are the benefits of such business games? The fact is that it is these situations that show what you are in real life.

It is also possible to conduct an assessment interview in the form of a discussion. This type of interview is very clear about the candidate's ability to defend his position and competently challenge the opponent's point of view.

Conduct this interview and in the form of tests and presentations. They may be asked to introduce themselves and the company.

It is believed that an interview in the assessment technique has a high reliability - it is about seventy percent. This is a very good indicator. The use of different techniques during the interview makes it possible to evaluate the candidate from different angles and aspects.

How to pass the assessment

The process of preparing for an interview in the assessment technique is inherently quite complex, but quite real. Naturally, the essence of such an interview will remain a secret to you until the last moment.

First of all, you must be collected and mentally prepared for the interview itself. Carefully study the history of the company in which you want to find a job - you must be ready for any questions. We have already discussed the main methods used in the interview. You should also be ready for each of them. It is believed that the greatest difficulties are caused by discussions and games. You can involve your loved ones in training in these areas - play with them, hold discussions. Rest assured - this practice will certainly be useful for you. Prepare in advance for the presentation of yourself - indicate your important professional qualities, back up with facts from your work biography.

It is possible that the assessment interview will be conducted in the form of a regular conversation. But you should know - in the course of such a conversation, an assessment will be made not only of what you say. They will also appreciate the ability to behave, your gestures, facial expressions. You also need to prepare for this - take up the "acting" game, talk in front of the mirror, pay special attention to all of the above details.

If yours will be in the form of a survey or testing, pay attention to honesty. You should not try to show yourself as correct and ideal as possible by choosing the appropriate answers. Just answer honestly, you can't think of a better solution. The fact is that in many tests there is a special test for the sincerity and purity of the experiment. And excessive "correctness" will clearly raise doubts about the employer. So don't go overboard with your answers.

If the interview is a group, the final "chord" can be your opinion on the work of all those present or the team as a whole, a general vision of the situation. In this case, restraint is required from you. Think carefully about your conclusions, do not be harsh and overly critical - this is not welcome.

Be honest and natural, do not try to deceive and seem better than you really are. You can rest assured that in case of deception, you will certainly be exposed.

Assessment case examples

Naturally, each company has its own stock of cases, exercises and methods for conducting assessment interviews. We will give you an example of a case used during an interview in one of the companies.

Task 1. You are a successful leader. One of your subordinates is Alexey, he has wide potential and ambitions. His work experience in the company is equal to three years, over the years he has established himself as a professional in his field. He solves all the tasks set quickly and clearly, there are no complaints about his work. But you have a letter of resignation on your desk. However, you do not want to lose such a valuable employee. In five minutes, you need to prepare a conversation with Alexey, which will convince him to stay in the company.

Task 2. You are an employee of the company. Work experience in this company is three years. At the time of employment, you received a higher education. A year later, after graduating from an educational institution, you dreamed of a promotion. However, despite this, as well as the good results in the work, this did not happen. Since you need career growth, you started looking for a new job. In the course of these searches, you received an interesting offer from one company, where you get a position above the current one. However, working for the new company has its drawbacks, including low wages. Your manager, after reviewing the application for leaving, wants to talk to you. Build your conversation and line of conduct during it.

So, before you are examples of cases used in an assessment-style interview. Of course, in reality, completely different options may await you, but you should not be afraid. Be confident and collected. Believe - you will definitely succeed.

The Assessment Center has its own examination committee. Not a single incompetent employee will seep into the walls of the company.

To the accompaniment of talk about a new crisis, this prospect seems all the more tempting. How to organize your own assessment center? How expensive is it? The experts shared step-by-step instructions and examples of assignments.

"The assessment center is a method of personnel assessment based on modeling the key points of the person being assessed to identify the professionally significant qualities he has," - gives the definition of the assessment center of the St. Petersburg Center for Psychological Support Ilgiz Valinurov, President of Business Connection Corporation.

For the first time in the foreseeable past, such a method of assessment was used by the British army: in the 40s of the XX century, young officers were asked to show their management skills in a situation that simulated military operations. A few years later, the US Central Intelligence Agency adopted the new method.

Therefore, perhaps it is to intelligence officers that we owe the fact that now the assessment center is used to assess personnel in thousands of companies. Who knows if the American Telephone and Telegraph employees were retired CIA agents? One way or another, it was AT&T that introduced the "army" method into business practice. For these purposes, the company even built a separate building called "The Assessment Center". Since then, this phrase has entered the vocabulary of HR specialists.

Valuable assessment method

“Currently, more and more companies are turning to the issue of personnel assessment, since the issue of employee performance is very acute,” says Irina Kandaurova, Managing Partner of HR-studio "Time of People"... It is the assessment center that makes it possible to comprehensively assess a candidate or employee, that is, to weigh all his skills and abilities required to work in this position.

According to experts, the assessment center has a number of advantages over other methods. “Over the course of decades, this method has established itself as the most effective,” says Irina Kandaurova.

Also, as claims Ilgiz Valinurov, assessment center is a universal method that helps in all aspects of personnel management. The expert gives the following list: “The Assessment Center can be used for:

1. selection of personnel;
2. learning and development;
3. promotion of employees;
4. career management and mentoring;
5. motivating employees, getting feedback from them ”.

Proving the value of the assessment center, President of Business Connection Corporation refers to research studies: “How valid are the assessment results? Researchers from the British Psychological Society provide data on the validity of personnel assessment methods. They argue that a personnel assessment center (reliability of results 65-70%) allows evaluating a candidate with greater accuracy than a behavioral interview (48-61%), modeling a work situation (54%), and even more so a traditional interview (5-19%) ".

The effectiveness of the assessment center in the practice of talent management and motivation is confirmed by Irina Kandaurova... According to her, the use of this technology makes it possible to form an individual development plan for each employee, taking into account his strengths and weaknesses.

“The developmental assessment center contributes to the formation of employees' motivation for self-development and training, which significantly increases the effectiveness of further measures for the training and development of company employees,” the expert continues.

Dear Commission

Who should be on the examination board? According to Ilgiz Valinurova As a rule, the assessment is carried out by external experts: HR consultants. Their qualifications and experience increase the speed of preparation, implementation and processing of assessment results. Also, managers of the customer company must participate in the assessment.

Thus, the corporate "examination committee" includes: HR consultants, a representative of the company's management team and the immediate supervisor of the subjects or a leading specialist in this field.

Irina Kandaurova offers the following algorithm of actions for those who are planning to create an assessment center based on their company:

1. Preparation of materials for the working meeting on the development of competencies. Formation of a portfolio of competencies to determine the ideal employee profile.
2. Development of a profile of key competencies of an employee (at a certain position) in a group with the customer's experts and consultants (working session). In time, this stage can last from 2 weeks to 3 months.
3. Formation of an ideal profile, description of the behavioral manifestations of a successful employee.
4. Development of appraisal procedures (it is advisable to develop appraisal procedures based on the real activities of employees). Options.
5. Selection and training of observers (observers must have experience of similar work. 3-4 observers are required for a group of 7 people).
6. Development of score sheets.
7. Development of a schedule and agreement on the time of the assessment center. In a group of up to 10 participants, 2 observers are assigned to each.
8. Conducting an assessment center (the assessment takes from 1 to 2 days, depending on the category of employees).
9. Processing and analysis of assessment results (processing of results is the most time-consuming stage of work. It can take from 2 weeks to 1 month).
10. Preparation of the final report and individual expert assessments of the assessment center participants and presentation of the report to the head.
11. Individual feedback for participants on the results of the assessment center. This stage is necessary for the development of an employee development plan, as well as for the formation of motivation for development and training.
12. Development of a training program for employees.
13. Development of individual development plans for employees.

What assessment methods should you choose? "Each company forms its own set of components for the assessment centers, depending on its needs, as well as time and financial resources," - says Ilgiz Valinurov... The expert offers the following options:

1. An interview with an expert, during which there is a collection of data on the knowledge and experience of the employee.
2. Tests (psychological, professional, general).
3. Brief presentation of the participant to experts and other participants (sometimes audio and video is used).
4. Business game: under the supervision of an observer, a group of employees or candidates plays out a business situation according to a prepared scenario.
5. Biographical questioning.
6. Description of professional achievements.
7. Individual analysis of specific situations (case-study). The participant is invited to choose a specific strategy and tactics of action in the proposed situation.
8. Expert observation: based on its results, recommendations are made for each employee.

Initially, it was the business game that was the essence of the assessment. As we can see, HR managers now have a lot more options at their disposal. There are other methods of assessment - many of them are devoted to the materials on our portal.

Visual material

The experts described what a typical check in an assessment center looks like. Irina Kandaurova shared with us the cases that are used in this procedure.

1. Assignment for the leader

You are the leader. Specialist Alexander works in your subordination. This is a young and ambitious man. He has been with the company for 3 years, started from scratch, but has grown rapidly and is now a qualified specialist who knows the company's product well and shows consistently high results in his work. Today Alexander brought you his letter of resignation. You absolutely do not want to lose a qualified specialist. You decide to talk to Alexander. You have 5 minutes to consider what you will say to Alexander in order to prevent him from being fired from the company.

2. Task for an employee

You got a job at XXX company 3 years ago, when you were a student in the marketing department of a prestigious university in Moscow. You graduated 2 years ago and hoped that your college education would serve as a green signal for your career. For 3 years now you have been working as a specialist and show good results. But you would like a career advancement. You have decided to start looking for a job. You have job offers as a senior specialist with the prospect of moving to a managerial position after a probationary period. But the salary in the new job will be slightly lower than what you have now. In addition, the corporate culture of the new company is more rigid than in XXX, and you doubt whether you will fit into it, but you still decided to write a letter of resignation. Your manager wants to talk to you about your future.

Ilgiz Valinurov told what is included in the timing of the assessment procedure:

“A properly prepared assessment can be done in 3 hours:

Gathering of participants, tea / coffee - 15 minutes;
- welcome speech by the organizers or the presenter about the procedure - 5 minutes;
- filling out professional or personal questionnaires - 30-60 minutes;
- presentations of participants - 30-60 minutes depending on the number of participants;
- carrying out a business game: 3 minutes to explain the assignment, 15 minutes - individual work, 20 minutes - group work, 10 minutes to present the results, that is, approximately 50-60 minutes;
- summing up the results of the assessment and informing about further actions - 10 minutes.

That is, only 2.5-4 hours, depending on the number of participants and assessment procedures. "

Long and expensive

It is obvious that organizing an assessment center is a waste of time and resources.

Therefore, it is unlikely that it will be possible to evaluate each candidate using this method. “It is advisable to apply this method to assess the most significant category of employees for the company. More often it is used to assess sales managers, purchasing managers, service personnel, management personnel, "says Irina Kandaurova... Sometimes, in order to save time, a mass assessment is used for candidates applying for the most demanded positions in the company.

Another difficulty in organizing your own assessment center is the high requirements for those who conduct it. "The assessment center is one of the most labor-intensive assessment methods that require a high level of competence of the experts who carry it out," says Irina Kandaurova

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