What is the Assessment Center

When talking about Talent assessment, one of the best known methods is the Assessment Center. Even so, this figure can generate many doubts and, therefore, today we talk about what the Assessment Center really is.

Although we can find a variety of definitions of Assessment Center, at Psicotec we consider that it is a standardized process, which combines different tests and interviews and that allows us to know the behavior and potential of a professional.

Thus, the Assessment Center is a technique that is used in personnel selection and evaluation to assess the competencies of a candidate through the application of a set of situational tests and interviews, being a technique with high effectiveness, obtaining successful results.

In essence, this method subjects candidates to a series of group and/or individual exercises with the aim of determining whether they have the necessary skills and abilities to perform the relevant functions.

Origin of the Assessment Center

The Assessment Center has its origins in the military field, specifically in Germany. It is a tool that is based on the observation of the behavior of candidates, who are subjected to a series of situational tests that simulate aspects of the work of the position to be filled.

During the Second World War, the need arose to select high-ranking military personnel with a great strategic capacity, on whom direct responsibilities would be placed in the war situation that was being experienced at that time. A small group of psychologists, under the orders of the assault troops, initiated programs to identify candidate officers and, once recruited, subjected them to observations during the performance of activities such as: physical effort, handling of weapons, monitoring and transmission of orders; they also made them get up early and go to bed late; This was the way to select and evaluate the “elite” forces.

At the end of the war, knowledge of the strategies and methods used was accessed, among which was the Assessment Center technique, which was immediately incorporated into the business world.

One of the pioneering companies in the application of the Assessment Center that carried it out in a structured way was the American Telegraph & Telephone, (or better known as A.T. & T.), in 1956. Its app was designed to track the career development of a sample of young managers.

The general application period begins at the end of the 60s; These applications were carried out in a wide variety of scenarios and with various innovations in time and number of evaluation exercises.

From there it spread with various variations or adaptations to multiple countries and different types of companies and industries, both in the private and public sectors.

The objectives for its use are very varied (external selection, internal promotion, identification of potential, performance evaluation, development of skills or training plans and talent maps) and can have different formats depending on the needs, budget or time available to the hiring company.

Assessment Center Formats

Here are the most common Assessment Center formats:

• Classic: It is the most common, in which candidates are given a series of tests, which can be individual or group, with which they will be evaluated.
• Individual: The same process is followed as in the classic Assessment Center, but it differs in that, in this case, the process is executed individually for each candidate.
• Developmental: In most cases, Assessment Centers are carried out for the purpose of talent selection. However, sometimes we find ourselves in a different case. An Assessment Center can also be used as an analysis tool for the company’s current teams. It consists of an internal evaluation of workers to detect skills that need improvement and possible training plans.
• Management: Like the development Assessment Center, the Management Assessment Center consists of detecting areas for improvement in the company’s own workers, but in this case in team management positions.

What tests are usually performed at the Assessment Center?

Although the variety of tests is immense and only increasing, the most common are:

• Personal interview and evaluation of competencies and values. Motivational aspects.
• Competency questionnaires.
• Group dynamics.
• Role-playing.
• Labor enforcement.
• In-basket exercise.
• Presentation exercise.
• An analysis exercise.

Tips for building a successful Assessment Center

From Psicotec we share some very useful tips in this task:

1. Firstly, define the job profile very well based on competencies: identify the key competencies of the position; those that undoubtedly must be possessed by anyone who wishes to successfully perform their position.
2. Identify the behaviors for each competency: this point is very important because it will be the one that allows us to guide the observers when assessing whether or not the person has the competence and at what level.
3. Design situational exercises , making sure that they allow the behaviors of each competence to be evidenced. They can be role playing activities, case presentations, group exercises, etc. The important thing is that each participant has the same opportunity to show their abilities.
4. Develop the registration templates. Each observer must have a registration template for each situational exercise, indicating the competencies to be assessed, the behaviors to be observed and the name of the candidates to be evaluated.
5. Train observers.
6. Select the participants.
7. Ensure logistical aspects.
8. Validate that observers are experts in this type of action.

What if we opt for a Digital Assessment Center?

Leave it in our hands. At Psicotec we design the Assessment digitally and tailor-made for our Clients, we facilitate it and help to analyse the data extracted from it. How?:

• Using innovation methodologies.
• We propose to potential candidates a business challenge that they have to solve during the session and that allows us to evaluate them.
• We carry out gamified dynamics to identify if potential employees have the skills we are looking for.
• We validate the cultural fit with the company.

Whether we opt for a traditional or digital modality, the Assessment Center has many advantages, as long as it is carried out by experts with proven experience. And of course, we cannot forget to focus on the experience of the person being evaluated, trying at all times to make it pleasant and enriching.

If you want to know more or need any kind of help to carry out an Assessment Center, contact Psicotec. We will be happy to help you.

At Psicotec, since our foundation in 1985, we have always worked with evaluation and assessment projects for multiple sectors: industry, automotive, services, engineering, distribution… and to do this, we rely on two of our main strengths: our international presence through our own offices, partners and international HR networks and the in-depth evaluation of applications and skills. Only in this way can we achieve the perfect match between person and organization.