Assessment Centre in the recruitment process

Assessment Centre, or AC, is one of the most effective methods supporting the recruitment process, which reduces the risk of hiring the wrong person and the possible costs associated with it. AC is used both to support external recruitment and to select the best candidates from within the organization. Most of the tools used in recruitment refer to the candidate’s self-assessment, while AC refers to their behavior in a reality resembling a work environment. A well-prepared AC session allows for a thorough analysis of the competences, knowledge or attitude of the job applicant. At the same time, it allows candidates to take on the role of an employee and find themselves in a situation in which they could find themselves in the organization. AC sessions are very often created by specialized consulting companies, but it happens that employers prepare and carry out the assessment process on their own. If a company is considering using AC to support the recruitment process, it does not have to outsource the entire process right away. The employer can carry out the acquisition of applications, their selection, conducting interviews, selecting candidates for the session on their own, and the consulting company can only commission the preparation and implementation of the AC session. When and why it is worth using AC in the recruitment process explains Anna Kurczewska-Formela from LeasingTeam Group, an expert with many years of experience in constructing and conducting AC sessions.

When we need a “tailor-made” recruitment tool

The use of the AC method works well both in the case of mass recruitment and those related to the selection of candidates for strategic positions in the organization. Many companies want to use recruitment tools that are tailored to their business and current needs.

Preparing an AC session tailored to the needs of the company is a time-consuming process and consists of several steps. In the first stage, people preparing tasks for the AC session should familiarize themselves with the specifics of the work, organizational structure, expectations towards the candidate, including the required competences, as well as get to know and understand the company’s strategy well. Next, select the key competencies to be assessed. It is very important to take care of this at the very beginning of the session preparation. Only after gathering all the information can you start constructing the AC schedule and tasks. Different tasks will be created for mid-level positions and others for managerial positions. The next, very important step, is the introduction of assessors and presentation of the entire scenario, which will include definitions of individual competences, their assessment scale, as well as the course of the entire process. Only when we have gone through all the stages related to creating a dedicated session, we can proceed to conduct AC in the organization. The last three stages are a summary of the results of individual AC participants by assessors, presenting the company with a detailed report comparing the results of session participants, selecting a candidate and providing feedback to all participants of the process.

The key to preparing a professional and customized AC session is a good relationship between the company and the partner, who will be responsible for developing and then conducting the evaluation process. It is very important that the relationship is based on partnership, mutual trust and openness – explains Anna Kurczewska-Formela, acting Director in the Recruitment Department, LeasingTeam Group.

It should be remembered that AC may extend the recruitment process. This is due to, for example, the need to plan additional time in the recruitment process to conduct sessions with participants, assess assessors and provide feedback to candidates. Depending on the level of the position for which the recruitment is conducted, the session may last 1, 2 or even 3 days. Usually, the higher the position, the longer the AC time. Assessors should ensure that the candidate spends no more than 8 hours on the session on one day, as fatigue can adversely affect the results.

When we have a dilemma which candidate is the best

Regardless of the level of the position for which the company is recruiting, AC is a method that will allow for an objective, impartial assessment of candidates. The employer may invite several best candidates to the AC session and ask them to perform a group task or conduct individual meetings. However, when all candidates meet in one place and carry out a task prepared by assessors, the future employer has the opportunity to compare them in terms of individual competences, skills and predispositions. On this basis, it can be easier to make the right choice.

When we want to observe the candidates’ competencies in business realities

Conducting AC sessions gives the employer a unique opportunity to observe candidates in situations very similar to their daily work: check how the candidate behaves during presentations, negotiations, teamwork, etc. It is worth remembering that different competencies will be examined in the case of conducting the process for sales positions and different for director positions. And so, in the case of positions related to trade, competences such as communication skills, goal orientation, relationship building, pro-customer attitude, and stress management will be important. On the other hand, in the case of managerial positions, competences such as team management, leadership, presentation, management by objectives, motivating employees, conflict resolution, working under time pressure, and communication will be taken into account.

Thanks to AC, we gain valuable information on the basis of which we can predict how the future employee will find himself in the new organization and how he will work. Properly constructed tasks will help to show what the motivation to work, attitude and competences of candidates are – says Anna Formela from LeasingTeam.

When an unbiased assessment is important

A great value of the AC method is that it is carried out by assessors who are not related to the company, and thus objective. Their participation in the assessment affects the reliability of the process, and looking at the results of the tasks performed gives a comprehensive picture of the candidates. Due to the fact that the candidate cannot prepare to participate in AC, he can only find out what the AC rules are, the employer, by using this recruitment method, the risk of hiring the wrong person is reduced.

Especially in the case of recruitment for higher positions, the proper filling of which is crucial for the proper functioning and subsequent development of the organization, the cost of hiring the wrong person may significantly exceed the cost of using the AC method in recruitment ,” says Anna Kurczewska-Formela.

When we care about the image of a professional employer

The use of AC is time-consuming and expensive, and its price depends on the level and number of positions being assessed, as well as the competencies that will be assessed. The approximate cost of AC can range from one and a half to several thousand zlotys for each participant in the process. On the other hand, the high accuracy of the AC method in the assessment of the candidate compensates companies for the costs incurred related to the possible employment of the wrong person, such as re-conducting the entire recruitment process, training a new person, the cost of time commitment of employees introducing the new person to work.

Professional preparation and implementation of the AC process in an organization can have an impact on the employer’s image. The very fact that a company is ready to invest in an additional tool can affect its positive perception by the participants of the recruitment process – sums up Anna Formela.

Recruitment is a very difficult art and sometimes it is worth increasing its accuracy by using additional assessment methods, such as competence tests or AC. Both of these methods can also be used. Nevertheless, the tests, unlike AC, do not provide a unique opportunity to observe the candidates’ competencies in business realities. By using AC in the recruitment process, the company increases its chances of hiring the best-matched, competent candidates who will contribute to its development.