What happens in an assessment centre
The exercises are designed to look like the real job, so candidates show behaviour and not just opinions.
- Simulations and business scenarios that mirror the role
- Case study analysis and written or verbal recommendations
- Role plays, such as a difficult conversation with a team member or client
- Group exercises that show collaboration and influence
- Structured interviews against the same competencies
- Psychometric instruments, where they add useful evidence
How candidates are scored
Each exercise is mapped to competencies in your framework. Trained assessors record what they observe and rate each competency independently. The assessors then meet to compare evidence and agree a final rating, which gives you a report on strengths, gaps and fit for each person.
When to use one
An assessment centre takes more effort than an interview, so use it where the decision justifies the investment.
- Senior leadership selection
- Graduate and management trainee programmes
- Large-scale lateral hiring drives
- Internal promotion and succession decisions
Designing one that works
The quality of the design decides the quality of the result.
- Start from your competency framework and the requirements of the role.
- Use exercises that mirror real work.
- Train assessors and keep the scoring consistent.
- Give every participant feedback.
- Customise the centre to your business context rather than reusing a generic template.
Assessment centre or development centre
The method is the same, but the purpose differs. An assessment centre supports a selection or promotion decision. A development centre uses the same exercises to give people feedback and build a development plan.