Most large graduate recruiters include assessment centres as part of their recruitment process. They typically last between 1/2 day- 1 day.

Assessment centres give the employer the chance to observe you and see what you can do, rather than what you say you can do, in a variety of situations.

They are usually the last stage in a recruitment process. Some companies may ask you for a final interview post-assessment centre with e.g., a senior manager.

"The Institute of Student Employers have reported that 95% of employers used assessment centres as part of their selection process in the last year"

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What happens at an assessment centre?

Assessment centres can either be in person or take place virtually.

During the assessment centre, you will have to meet and deal with a variety of people, both selectors and other candidates.

You'll work both individually and as part of a group on a variety of exercises, including:

tour of the employer's office (or a presentation if online)
lunch/coffee breaks, with a chance to meet other employers and graduates (or online networking sessions)
written tasks
group tasks
presentation
interview

Here's an example of what an assessment day might look like:

Table showing typical timings of exercises in an assessment centre
Time	Exercise
9:15	Employer presentation, meet other candidates
10:00	Recruitment test
11:30	Individual written task
12:45	Break for lunch
13:45	Group exercise
14:45	Individual interview
16:15	Individual presentations
16:45	Wrap-up questions and end

What is being assessed?

Employers could be assessing you against multiple skills and behaviours. The more practical tasks employers could be looking for include:

adaptability
analytical thinking
commercial awareness
communication
creativity
decision-making
leadership
negotiation
organisation
persuasion
planning
teamwork
time management

You can usually get an idea of what they will be assessing you for from the job description.

Accessing support

As with any other part of the recruitment process, you'll need to prepare thoroughly. You can learn more now by reading our guide to assessment centres.

Once you're registered as a student on campus, you can access a range of support to help you prepare, including:

booking an appointment via MyCareer to discuss how you can prepare
coming to a workshop on how to prepare or even practise a group exercise
accessing online tools like Graduates First to practise recruitment tests and case studies

Click through to the next page to discover resources for international students >