How does an assessment center work? This is the perfect way to prepare for it

With an assessment center, a company can test applicants and evaluate them better.

Find out how an AC works and how you can prepare for it here.

Anyone looking for a new job has to overcome several hurdles. With a successful application, only the first step is taken. This is usually followed by an interview. However, many companies use assessment centers to put

through their

. On the one hand, this has the advantage that the HR managers get a more precise impression of the applicants, and on the other hand, the candidates themselves also see whether the possible future employer really suits them. If you feel bad, the job offer can still be rejected.

In most cases, an assessment center takes several hours, but some companies invite their applicants for several days.

But they all have one thing in common: Find out in several tasks, exams, discussions and tests which candidate is best suited for the position.

In this article, you will learn everything about the

and how you can best prepare for it.

Also read:

How does an assessment center work?

An assessment center is a

. In addition to the candidates, the company usually includes HR managers and the team leaders from the department. An AC consists of several parts:

• The

  (self) presentation

  is usually a short round of introductions. The applicants introduce themselves and their previous professional career and argue why they see themselves in the respective position in the future. However, some presentations are also of a technical nature. Often a suggested solution for a specific problem has to be discussed. Aids such as a flipchart can be used during the presentation. The presentation is about taking a close look at the oratorical skills and the ability to express themselves as well as the argumentation.

• A

  group discussion

  can focus on different topics: from technical discussions that have to do with the company to socio-political topics, practically everything is included. Keep up to date with politics and business in the days and weeks before that. In the group discussion, too, the argumentation, demeanor and interaction with the other participants are closely observed. Let others finish speaking, be polite, and cooperative.

• Similar to the group discussion, there are

  role-playing games

  . The focus here is on social competence, as the portal

  karriereboost

  reports. Competitors or employees of the company play a certain role and try to lure you out of the reserve. It can get strange, emotional and loud under certain circumstances. Keep a cool head, listen carefully, and show empathy. However, the HR managers also expect results: The right discussion strategy with a suitable solution is sought.

• In the case of

  tests

  , the candidates are then left on their own again. The range of these tasks is huge. Usually it is the classic IQ tests with logic puzzles, arithmetic and concentration tasks. The classic post box exercise can also be included. Lots of brain teasers for sure. Of course, the tests all have to be completed within a certain period of time. This is how the HR manager wants to expose you to pressure and stress.

• After all of these exercises and discussions, you are almost there.

  A

  feedback discussion

  usually follows towards the end of the assessment center

  .

  Here you will be asked for your self-assessment before the HR manager is assessed.

  After working on an AC part, did you think of something and would you like to correct something from a previous discussion?

  Always out with it, you can also collect plus points in the feedback discussion.

Also read:

The right preparation for the assessment center: This is how you are well prepared

Anyone who has received an invitation to an assessment center can start preparing now.

Often the invitation only contains the procedure, times and content.

But

valuable conclusions can

also be drawn from this

, as

writes.

Collect

in advance

.

In which business areas it is active, which products are manufactured.

You should also explicitly think about the advertised position: which skills are required, what exactly does the job profile look like.

These two points are self-evident, but they are extremely important.

The

. Think about which previous professional positions could be important for your future job. Which tasks did you master particularly well? Prepare yourself for the typical questions of a classic job interview. Important: practice, practice, practice. Only in this way can you speak freely, have a central theme and be able to present yourself well.

One point that some employees pay less attention to when preparing for an assessment center is travel.

The AC is probably not taking place in your neighborhood.

.

This is the only way to avoid stressful travel and concentrate fully on the assessment center.