Interviews are a core part of job applications and bring nerves to almost anyone applying for a role. In recent years, more companies have started to incorporate interviews into larger processes known as assessment centres. At these assessment centres, applicants complete many more tasks including presentations, technical challenges, and group tasks. With the world going virtual, these assessment centres are beginning to go virtual too. But how do virtual assessment centres work and how can you succeed in one?
Virtual Assessment Centre Tasks
There are a wide variety of tasks that you could be asked to perform at an assessment centre. These include group discussions, presentations, role play, written tests, case studies, and technical questions. Tasks will depend on the specific role you apply for. For example, if you apply for a data analyst role, there could be technical data questions.
With assessment centres going virtual, companies have found ways to perform these over a video call. For example, you could be put into a video call with five other applicants and all asked to discuss a philosophical problem. This works in a very similar way to how it would work in real life.
Some tasks are slightly different though. If you were at a teacher assessment centre, you are not going to be asked to role-play a traditional school lesson. It is possible though that you may be asked to role-play a small “zoom” lesson, as that is the current state of teaching in many countries.
Ultimately, assessment centre tasks are staying similar as they go virtual, but with some small changes to ensure that they still work. You will usually be told the tasks before the assessment day, but if not, you can always ask via email beforehand.
Structure of the Day
The length and structure of an assessment centre can depend on the role and the company. They will typically begin with arrival and an introduction. In a virtual assessment centre, this is where everybody joins the video call, and then the people running the assessment centre introduce themselves and the company.
After this, there may be a short presentation on the company as well as an icebreaker for all the applicants. With the use of the screen share feature, this step can be done as usual.
Applicants will then move onto their individual or group tasks. These tasks will be spread out throughout the day (or the length of the assessment centre). There are usually gaps of 10-30 minutes between each task to give candidates time to regroup their thoughts or in case any tasks overrun in time.
Any resources needed to complete tasks will be sent over by email on the day. For example, if you need to complete a programming task, you will be sent the source code by email and then given time to complete the task.
After all, tasks are completed, there could be a final talk by the company at the end of the day, although with the unreliability of technology, and with candidates potentially finishing at very different times, this may not always happen at virtual assessment centres.
Tips To Succeed
Since these days happen virtually, there are many advantages that can play into the hands of good or prepared candidates.
You will perform these assessments in the comfort of your own home. That means you can set up your desk or workspace to maximise your comfort and attention. If you get motivation from having a picture of your friends or family, you can keep that on your desk. If you are more relaxed with a stress toy, you can keep that with you. Since these cannot be seen on screen, it will not look unprofessional.
This also means you can bring notes with you to the assessment centre. An annotated CV or resume can help you in case they decide to ask about your past experiences; this is particularly useful if an interview is one of your tasks. If you know there will be a technical task on a certain topic, you can also prepare a small sheet of notes to help you. If you spend your whole time looking away from your computer then the assessors will mark you down, but a quick glance at your notes will not hurt.
Remember that you will be always on camera unless they ask you to turn off your camera. This means they can still see what you are doing. Dress professionally and pay attention when other people are speaking, otherwise, you will appear unprofessional. With fewer chances to display your professionality, these are easy things you can do to tick off these boxes.
You can also do this by replying to emails that are sent before and after the assessment day. If companies are moving to work-from-home working, it is important that employees are responsive. This does not mean that you need to reply to every email within five minutes, but do not completely ignore emails, especially if they are asking you questions.
Common courtesies and preparation play an even more important role when you are doing virtual assessment centres. Not only does this show off some great personality treats, but it can help you perform better in interviews, group discussions, and technical tasks. Remember that a virtual assessment centre is a new ground for many companies too, so don’t panic if something goes wrong.
Have you had a virtual assessment centre recently? Or are you preparing for one in the coming weeks? Comment below with how it went.
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