Before Applying
Spend some time carefully evaluating whether or not it’s worth your spending a lot of time and effort on each application.
- Consider how well your ability, interest, motivation, and style suit a particular job.
- Think about the company culture – could you see yourself as a part of that organisation?
- Do you think you have a realistic chance of getting the job?
When Applying
- Apply in the format the company asks for: application forms or CV’s.
- Follow the instructions carefully.
- Include any information specifically asked for.
- Make sure it’s easy to read (have they asked you to type or use block capitals? Do you need to use black ink?)
- Make sure you have answered every question.
- Think about your objectives. Make sure you’re familiar with the responsibilities and conditions of the post you’re applying for, and some background information about the company.
- Make your achievements and skills clear (this is not a place for modesty).
- Know yourself; draw up a list of your strengths and weaknesses in relation to the job.
- Ensure that you can describe yourself and your experiences in and out of work – be prepared to give examples of particular skills.
Before the Assessment
- You may wish to do some preparation.
- Get the feel for the assessments you’re going to do – read up on the methods of assessment.
- It may be helpful to be up-to-date with current affairs, so listen to the news.
- Reading a newspaper will also help you to practice taking in written information.
- Crosswords are useful for practising verbal critical reasoning, and number puzzles for numerical critical reasoning.
- If you are likely to be presented with numerical data to analyse, it’s worth reminding yourself how to do basic calculations such as percentages.
- Think about how you work in a group; be aware of how loud and fast you speak, how much eye contact you have with others, and how often you ask for others’ opinions.
- If you’re being interviewed it’s worth thinking of examples of times when you’ve displayed important attributes.
- Stay calm; make sure all practical arrangements are clear so that you do not arrive feeling flustered or unprepared.
- If you feel nervous, try breathing deeply to help yourself calm down.
- Make sure you bring with you anything you might need during the day, such as reading glasses or an inhaler. You may want to bring a watch in order to keep track of time during exercises.
- If you have any special requirements, contact the assessor in advance to discuss the best ways to meet your needs.
During the Assessment
- Listen carefully to the instructions you are given, and ask if you are unsure about what you have to do. Assessors will be looking to see how you perform on the exercises themselves, rather than how well you understand the instructions.
- Be alert and aware throughout the assessment. Recognise your non-verbal signals such as eye contact, facial expression, and gestures.
- Don’t make assumptions about the way you should respond. If you try and guess what the assessors are looking for, you may be wrong. It is usually best to be yourself, and respond honestly. Remember that it’s not in your interest to get a job to which you are not well suited.
- If there is more than one exercise, you will have plenty of opportunities to show what you can do. If you feel you have done poorly on one exercise, don’t give up; your performance on all of them will be taken into account.
After the Assessment
- Being assessed is often challenging and you should expect to feel fairly stretched by the end of the assessment, particularly if there have been multiple exercises.
- Try not to judge you own performance in relation to the other participants’. You should be assessed on your own merits. Similarly, try not to let other participants intimidate you or make you anxious.
- Many organisations will offer you feedback, regardless of whether or not you are successful. This may give you an insight into your strengths and limitations, and may prove useful for future selection procedures; so if feedback is not offered, ask if it is available.
Good Luck!
Select a link below for more advice:
Understanding the assessment process
What employers are looking for
How the assessment process works
Methods used to compare candidates
Practice Tests