Selection and assessment methods

Employers will look for a match between your experience and qualifications and the requirements of the job. Remember that interviewers are likely to ask you questions based upon the information which you have included in your CV so it is essential to be relevant, honest and succinct wherever possible. Remember that potential employers usually have at least several CVs to read through and that they will often check the accuracy of the information you have provided.

Questions are likely to be based around your experience as well as the job competencies and requirements that should have been detailed in the advertisement. The key is to remember to be honest and to use relevant examples from your career, studies or private life that provide evidence to the interviewers of any skills being discussed.

Ability tests look at the extent to which you are able to carry out various aspects of a job; for example, your verbal reasoning and numerical reasoning abilities. Often employers are interested in your potential to do a task. In this case, they may use assessment methods that aim to simulate aspects of that task (see Simulation Exercises below)

Personality Questionnaires look at behavioural preferences, that is, how you like to work. They are not concerned with your abilities, but how you see yourself in terms of your personality; for example, the way you relate to others, and how you deal with feelings and emotions. There are no rights or wrongs in behavioural style, although some behaviours may be more or less appropriate to certain situations.

Examples include:

• - Group Exercises
• - Presentations
• - Role Plays

Where many selection and assessment methods are used together, this can be referred to as an ‘Assessment Centre.’