Overview
Assessment days are designed to support Module structure company under study program. On assessment day we Interconnect
students with companies, universities, employers, organizations and research institutes as a way to make it easier to both students and employers to identify suitable students or vice versa. Considering that every student has to understudy at list one company per year this is a great opportunity for students to make informed decisions on their career choices. An assessment day is a day of tests and activities that allow recruiters to assess your abilities and to see whether you have the skills to qualify on their organizational programs. And vice versa the students will be identifying companies that can offer satisfaction to their career choices.
What is an Assessment Centre?
Assessment day is a specific day set aside for a province to bring together organizations, educational institutes and students. Organizations, educational institutes set up stands and bring their representatives along to educate students about their company or industry and to make awareness on what opportunities they have for students and graduates.
Assessment Centre offer students valuable face-to-face time with recruiters and Universities representatives. Students get to understand what companies expect from potential applicants on a practical point of view. These events provide a great chance for students to find out more about companies, universities and their culture, in the process students will get a clear picture and direction they want to take with their careers. They will also be plenty of company literature to help you to research companies, career and Universities. In addition to company stalls, students will also be able to talk with presentations and attend CV workshops, this is certainly worth attending.
Why should students attend careers fairs?
Careers fairs are a great way of getting to know the different employers and their demands in your chosen industry. This is also a great way of building networking and connections with different stockholders in your industry of choice.
Recruiters will also have an opportunity see how student perform in real life situations. For example, students will be given a task to work as a team, recruiters will be able to see for themselves how you interact with others in a group, how you go about solving problems, how effectively you interact and work with others. This also give them a chance to see how candidates who are equal on paper fare in real life situations, as they could have completely different approaches when it comes to the task at hand.
Why assessment days are important to students?
An assessment center is also a platform designed for organizations and research institutes to identify managerial potential and determine candidate's suitability for future positions. This day is also used for student development purposes, we take it as a tool to evaluate candidates' personality traits and abilities. In turn students use this as an opportunity to assess their competences in particular areas.
Assessment center provides an opportunity to students of testing techniques and it allows candidates to demonstrate, skills and abilities that are most essential for success in a given job under standardized conditions.
What will an assessment day involve?
An assessment day will involve a combination of tasks and activities that are all designed to test your suitability for a
Job
Course
Degree
Students will have a chance to demonstrate a wider range of skills and
competences.
Our experts will help students to decide on their next steps
On the day you will assess all your options under one roof. We will also help you find out about more careers, traditional degrees and apprenticeships. The aim of an assessment day is to help you to make informed decisions on your next step.
During your visit, you will be able to:
- Talk to universities and colleges about their courses.
- Speak to employers and apprenticeship providers about what an apprenticeship is like and the options available
- Speak to our qualified careers advisers about your future
- Listen to talks from experts in their fields
- Hang out with our experts to get dedicated support about your options
- Practice job interviews on a real job interview scenario.
- Speak to current students, apprentices, and employees about their experiences
- Take part in hands-on workshops and watch live talks from industry experts
You will work both individually and as part of a group on a variety of exercises, including:
- case studies
- group discussions
- in-tray exercises
- presentations
- psychometric tests
- role play
- social events
- written tests.
How will students be assessed at an assessment day?
An important thing to note about assessment centers is that employers aren’t just looking at students perform and competencies, they will also be assessing to see how well you fit in to the company values and culture.
Key skills that employers look for include:
-
Adaptability
- Analytical thinking
- Commercial awareness
- Communication
- Creativity
- Decision-making
- Leadership
- Negotiation
- Organization
- Persuasion
- Planning
- Teamwork
- Time management
Assessors, will usually complies of a mixture of HR consultants and line managers. They will score your actions against competency frameworks. They will discuss all aspects of your performance before reaching a final decision on whether or not to hire you.
Methods used at the assessment center
Role Play
It’s a method where the candidate is given a work situation and has to deal with it. The employer evaluates the candidate based on their competency and their ability to cope up with the situation.
This method is effective for certain evaluation skills such as communication, assertiveness, etc.
In Basket Exercise
It is a method of assessment where an applicant is evaluated based on their ability to perform the job-related tasks.
Under this method, the applicants are supposed to perform some job-related tasks in a given time.
E.g. While hiring a copywriter, the candidate gets a task to write a sales copy on a particular product within the given time.
Competency-Based Interview
It is a method where the interviewer asks the interviewee a predetermined set of questions. Each set of questions focuses on a particular skill. As a result, these interviews are more systematic and provide some meaningful insights about the other person.
Case Study
In this method, candidates are given a case study along with some documents to analyze it. The candidates are supposed to go through the case study and form conclusions. After forming conclusions, they are supposed to give a brief report.
The candidates are evaluated based on their problem-solving skills and their presentation skills.
Group Discussion
Under this method, a group of candidates gets the opportunity to discuss a topic in detail.
Group discussions aim at evaluating the following skills
-
Communication skills
- Leadership skills
- Confidence
- Industry awareness
- Logical arguments
Benefits of Assessment Centers
- It helps in selecting the right students for attachment, and the selection procedure is education.
- Allows students to showcase their wide range of skills that they couldn’t show otherwise.
- Provides students with a better understanding of their job role.
- It helps in screening multiple students at the same time.
- Allows the interviewer to assess existing performance and predict future performance at the same time.
- It helps in differentiating candidates who seem similar on paper.
How to Prepare for an Assessment Centre?
As with interviews, assessment centre preparation is vital.
It's important that you:
- Read about the organization and its goals.
- Learn about the skills that the employer is looking for. Go through the job expectations or any other job material to get an idea of what the employer is looking for.
- Be aware of industry-relevant topics.
- Practice your communication skills with someone else beforehand.
- Be confident and learn all about the job role that you’re applying for.
- Give yourself time to complete and practice any material that you've been asked to prepare.
- Identify which skills, interests and experiences the employer is looking for by revisiting the job description and any other material that the company has sent you.
- Read the organisation's website, social media profiles and key literature (e.g. business plan, financial reports and corporate social responsibility strategy), ensuring that you're prepared to share your views and ideas.
- Reflect on your first interview, asking the company for feedback, reviewing your performance, and noting any questions or situations that caused you difficulty.
- Research the news, trends, competitors, history and opportunities of the organisation and its job sector.
- Review your CV and application
Choosing The Right University
Choosing where to go to university is a really important decision – it's going to be your home for the next three to four years, after all. Assessment day will answer all your questions you will have all universities under one roof.
- Check if the University is officially recognised
You name any university, and they will have accreditations. Look out for the names of certification, and if the course of your choice has accreditation. It is also essential that the University is well-known for the degrees it awards in the area of your interest.
- Look up the ranking of the University
It is advisable to apply to a university that ranks in the top 50 of your subject. There are many you can look at, such as QS World University Rankings and the World Reputation Ranking
- Make sure you find the course details interesting
You can check the course content on the university website. If there's an area within the subject you're particularly interested in, check whether the University has it "on its menu".
- Is it within budget?
It is essential to consider the overall expense involved in studying at a particular destination. When calculating your costs, don't forget to consider ancillary charges such as accommodation, utilities, transportation, etc.
- What job prospects are like
Another essential aspect is to see the university reputation in the job market. Many universities across the globe have tie-ups with top industry players, and this opens your doors to the right internship and job opportunities.
- Check what the local transport is like
Whether it's centrally located or in the outskirts of the city, what's important is how well connected it is with train and bus facilities.
- How safe is the location?
This is one thing that you should always consider. Always try to understand how safe the University and the surrounding area is; check if there are sufficient safety measures in place to provide international students with a secure atmosphere.
- What extracurricular activities are available?
Your studies are necessary, but so is everything else you can get up to at university. Before finalizing your choice, it is crucial to find out what societies and clubs you can join. It's a great way to try something new and make new friends.
- The course
Find out on the course or subject area you want to study.
Get the understanding to which universities offer the course you’re interested in?
If you want to study engineering science, for instance, there are only a handful of Zimbabwean universities offering it, narrowing your options straight away. On the other hand, if you want to study something like business, there is a large number of universities to pick from, not to mention different types of business degree.
- The course content
Does the university cover the areas of your subject are you really keen to study? Courses can vary widely between universities, so it’s a good idea to dig into the detail and ask yourself which courses cater best to your interests.
- The entry requirements
You'll want to focus your application on courses where you've got a good chance of meeting the essential entry requirements and that aligns with your career
- What other possibilities are available?
Find out about what the university has to offer when it comes to:
- Strong connections with your future industry.
- Sandwich or placement options that'll look great on your CV.
- Modern facilities (labs, studios, specialist equipment) that will help enhance your course experience and learning.
- Look at whether you can do the extracurricular activities that interest you as this is a hugely important part of your personal development.
