Assessment
centres are on the rise and applicants are being asked to do an increasingly
wide range of activities, according to research.
A
survey of more than 250 HR professionals and more than 8,000 jobseekers by recruitment
firm Reed, found that 55 per cent of employers are using assessment tools more
frequently than before. Only 5 per cent said they were using them less than
they were three years ago.
The
top three assessment methods are presentations, psychometric tests and
competency-based interviews. The public sector makes more use of presentations,
group exercises and work simulation tests. The manufacturing sector is the
least likely to use work simulation tests, while the service sector is the
least likely to use in-tray exercises.
Jobseekers
were most impressed with the accuracy of the competency-based interviews (37
per cent), and were least impressed with the personality questionnaires (18 per
cent).
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Respondents
who said the tests were unfair had experienced badly-implemented, confused
tests, with no explanation of the objectives or any feedback. But 33 per cent
said that completing assessments made them feel better about the organisation
they were applying to, regardless of whether or not they actually got the job. www.reed.co.uk,
020 7313 7461
