Assessment Centre is the most effective and objective method for evaluating the competences of Candidates for given positions. The method may be used in external recruitment, internal recruitment, as well as mixed recruitment procedures.

When it is necessary to find a new person for an ‘open’ position, a range of questions appear, posed by those making personnel decisions. Here are just a few:

• Is it better to search for Candidates among your own employees or on the job market?
• Who from among the internal Candidates should be promoted to this position?
• Who from among several interesting external Candidates short-listed would be more effective in our company at the position in question?

The right preparation and execution of an Assessment Centre process facilitates finding the right answers to these questions. For this purpose we conduct an in-depth analysis of the responsibilities and duties on the position, combined with specifics of the Client company’s organisational structure and culture. We also take into account anticipated direction of market changes in the company’s market segment.

Basing on in-depth analysis of the situation, we define a model of competences including knowledge, skills and attitudes required on the position in question, as well as further skills which are expected from the ideal Candidate. The Assessment Centre method allows us to place the Candidate in various situations and confront him or her with scenarios simulating the real work challenges. The way the Candidate fulfils tasks during the AC session is observed by specially selected and trained assessors with the appropriate business experience and psychological background. Consultants of PSI Polska are the main assessors, but it is also possible to include representatives of the Client’s company as observers.

On each occasion we prepare a unique set of tasks with regard to the specific situation and skills involved.

These tasks might include:

• group discussions with specific roles assigned or without such roles,
• group/individual tasks to be carried out,
• presentations in a larger group forum or only in front of assessors,
• simulated ‘difficult conversations’ e.g. with Clients, employees, superiors etc., the conversational partners being played by specially prepared ‘actors’,
• written ‘case study’ tasks, ‘in basket’ tasks (the analysis of a large number of documents and decision-making on this basis), ‘fact finding’ (establishing facts on the basis of given information),
• knowledge tests,
• tests of the ability to analyse verbal and numerical information,
• tests of creativity and perceptivity
• professional personality questionnaires (e.g. OPQ by SHL, the Thomas International method).

With external recruitment, we observe strict confidentiality of participants and that is why all the interactive tasks are performed with the participation of actors, sometimes played by selected assessors.

A well conducted Assessment Centre process allows us to make optimal employment decisions regarding the position in question. The participant, thanks to the feedback obtained, is in a much better position to make appropriate self-assessment, achieve fuller awareness of his or her competences, as well as build individual development plan to become more effective.