Assessment Center: What It Is And How It Is Used In Personnel Selection
Personnel selection is a part of human resources that encompasses a series of processes and strategies that allow finding the best candidate for a given job position (or vacancy). Within the selection of personnel, we find the Assessment Center (AC), sometimes called Situational Assessment Interviews
ACs are personnel selection methodologies that allow several candidates to be interviewed at the same time. They are made up of a series of tests and activities led by one or more interviewers. In this article we will learn what they consist of, how they are developed and what aspects they allow for evaluation.
An Assessment Center (AC) is a group candidate evaluation methodology , typical of the Human Resources sector; Specifically, it belongs to the field of personnel selection. This is a group selection process, which allows more than one candidate to be interviewed at a time (in fact, groups of people are evaluated, which may vary in number).
There are various types of Assessment Center, but broadly speaking, we are talking about group interviews where a challenge, test, dynamic, etc. is posed (usually more than one).
In the Assessment Centers, various techniques and strategies are used to select the best candidate (or candidates) for the position offered; All of these techniques are developed under the supervision (and direction) of one or more evaluators.
These evaluators, for their part, are Human Resources professionals which can be psychologists, graduates in labor relations, Human Resources technicians, etc.
Characteristics
In the Assessment Center, a series of activities, debates, dynamics or games are proposed that must be solved in a group (although there may also be individual activities). Thus, in a certain way it is a group dynamic that includes individual tasks, and that aims to evaluate the competencies and skills of candidates through a series of preset parameters.
As has been said, one or more evaluators participate in it (generally and ideally, more than one); In fact, it is advisable that several participate, in order to be able to observe and analyze the behaviors, attitudes and responses of the participants.
Goals
The objective of an Assessment Center is to determine which candidate or candidates are the most suitable to fill the position or positions in which the interviewer or evaluator is working.
Generally, Assessment Centers They are used in a complementary way to other selection processes (for example telephone interview, face-to-face interview, psychotechnical tests, etc.). However, it can also be used as the first and only filter to select the right worker.
In turn, the Assessment Center seeks to create an environment from which candidates can develop the specific skills sought for the position to be filled. That is, in the AC the candidate must demonstrate that she has these competencies, as well as the skills required for the vacancy.
Material
Assessment Centers typically take place in more or less large rooms, with a table and corresponding chairs for the candidates. It is advisable to have water bottles for them. They can also be done outdoors; Everything will depend on the company’s philosophy and way of working.
Sometimes, in addition, the use of a camera is used, which allows the entire session to be recorded; This is done to later be able to analyze in detail the responses and attitudes of the candidates. The use of the camera is also frequent in consultancies that is, in companies that work for other companies, looking for candidates for their positions.
In this case, the consulting client (which is another company) requests a series of candidates to cover “X” positions; What the consultancy does is record the Assessment Centers it develops to later send the material to its client, so that the client can decide which candidate to select.
How long do they last?
The duration of the Assessment Center It will depend on the type of position to be filled, the number of vacancies, the number of candidates who apply for the offer as well as other variables related to the company and the offer in question.
Generally, however, The duration ranges from a few hours to even days (the latter being less common).
When it’s used?
The Assessment Centers They are indicated for almost any type of selection process The positions on which the Assessment Center works can be positions that require certain types of studies (such as a marketing technician, human resources, publicist, etc.) or positions that do not require studies – or that require less advanced studies – ( for example telephone operator, salesperson, etc.).
Even so, It is more frequently used when the positions are higher in terms of demands for the candidate (level of education) and in terms of salary.
However, although an Assessment Center can be used for a wide variety of job offers, we must keep in mind that This procedure usually has a high financial cost since carrying it out involves many hours of design, planning, preparation, development, etc., as well as subsequent hours of evaluating results.
In any case, although it has a high cost, if applied properly and thoroughly, an Assessment Center can be a good option due to its high validity (provided the design is appropriate), and It can even save the company certain costs, preventing it from hiring unsuitable candidates for the position.
What is evaluated in Situational Assessment Interviews?
Depending on the positions that must be filled, the design of the Assessment Center and what is intended with it will vary; Thus, in some processes, specific aptitudes, capacities or abilities will be valued, and in others, others.
1. Capabilities and skills
There are some of these skills or abilities that are usually valued especially : for example, organizational skills, leadership skills, decision making, analysis, planning, social skills, communication, problem solving, teamwork, working under pressure and the ability to suggest. .
2. Personality traits
Personality is a construct that can also be evaluated in an Assessment Center, although in a more superficial way than through another type of individual test or personality test.
The personality variables that are usually evaluated, and that are valued more in different jobs (in general) are initiative, proactivity and motivation That is, showing initiative to resolve issues, participating in debates that may arise in the Assessment, and helping other colleagues, are actions that are usually valued positively by companies. Furthermore, contributing ideas, knowledge and opinions also favors the image that the evaluators are forming of oneself.
On the other hand, the motivation that we mentioned refers to the desire that the candidate shows to solve the problems posed in the Assessment Center, as well as the interest generated by the job position offered.
Types of tests
We have already mentioned that the tests carried out in an Assessment Center are diverse. Specifically, tests of three types are usually used:
1. Situational tests
This type of tests, also called professional, They evaluate the specific competencies for the specific position that must be filled They are tests that emulate real situations, and that require the candidate to develop or solve a series of specific tasks.
Examples of situational tests are role plays, debates, practical cases, etc.
2. Knowledge tests
Knowledge tests involve the person developing a series of responses, based on specific questions asked for the vacancy that is being filled That is, they evaluate specific knowledge required for the position.
This knowledge can be of different types (depending on the vacancy): languages, computing, chemistry, mathematics, etc.
3. Psychotechnical tests
Finally, within an Assessment Center (and other selection processes) we can find psychotechnical tests, which evaluate different personality traits, as well as specific aptitudes and competencies.
This type of testing is mainly used to determine what degree of adaptability the candidate has for the position to be filled that is, to what extent he is a good candidate to carry out the tasks of said position.
