Careers Servicewww.careers.qmul.ac.uk

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How to prepare, top tips and general tactics20th November 2008

Caroline Henry

QM Careers Service

Careers Servicewww.careers.qmul.ac.uk

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Agenda

• Accuracy of Selection Methods

• What are Employers looking for?

• Typical activities

• How you can succeed at assessment centres

• Useful Resources

Careers Servicewww.careers.qmul.ac.uk

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Accuracy of selection methods

0%

0%

12%

15%

38%

38%

54%

55%

63%68%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Graphology

Astrology

References

Typical interviews

Personality tests

Biodata

Ability tests

Work sample tests

Structured interview

Assessment centres

Accuracy

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What are they looking for?

• Team Work• Problem Solving• Drive• Motivation• Client Focus/Commercial Awareness• Communication Skills/Impact• Time Management

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Typical activities

• Interviews• Psychometric tests• Group exercises• Case studies• Work sample tests• Presentations

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Interviews

• More in-depth than first interviews

• Probe ‘concerns’ from first stage

• Covering different competencies

• More senior interviewers• May be more ‘technical’

than 1st round

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Interviews — Tips

• Establish rapport, smile and be yourself

• Prepare different examples as evidence for ability and motivation

• Reflect on strengths and weaknesses in previous stages

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Psychometric tests

• Attainment tests– Measure previously acquired knowledge

• Aptitude or ability tests– Measure how good you are at certain tasks

• Personality or temperament inventories– Categorise your working styles

• Work motivation questionnaires– Assess the strength of your career choice

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Psychometric tests — Tips

Aptitude tests• Understand the task before you start• Balance speed with accuracy• Don’t guess• Practice speed reading and basic

arithmetic• Practice test material available in the

Careers Service!

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Group exercises

• Discussion groups – Current affairs, business topics

• Task groups– Achieve a set goal as a group

• Group case studies– Business scenarios, may involve role play

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Behaving in groups

Initiating Responding Maintaining

• Proposals & suggestions

• Contributing information

• Inviting contributions

• Listening, supporting, disagreeing

• Asking questions & clarifying

• Paraphrasing & summarising

• Getting on with practical tasks

• Keeping to time

• Keeping to the subject

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What are they looking for?

Someone who can:• make regular contributions• express themselves with clarity• show original thinking • influence the group (without dominating)• acknowledge the views of others• facilitate the discussion

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Group exercises — Tips

• Contribute regularly

• Join in enthusiastically

• Propose original ideas

• Listen to others

• Support others’ ideas

• Encourage others • Summarise

• Influence the group

• Ask questions

• Clarify ambiguity

• Keep time

• Handle disagreement

• Give information

• Explain

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Case studies

• Based on business scenarios • Information to analyse• Propose solutions• Discuss your reasoning and decisions

with an assessor

Example Case Studies:• McKinsey -

http://www.mckinsey.com/careers/how_do_i_apply/how_to_do_well_in_the_interview.aspx

• Bain & Co - http://www.joinbain.com/apply-to-bain/interview-preparation/default.asp

• BCG - http://www.bcg.com/careers/interview_prep/interactive_splash.html• Accenture -

http://www.accenture.com/Microsites/UK_graduate_joiners/Apply/Application_process

• Consultancy Links (provides links to useful websites and further examples) http://www.consultancylinks.com/case_study_interviews.html

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Case studies — Tips

• Get an overview• Plan your approach• Work backwards from the goal• State your assumptions• Evaluate possible options• Explain each decision

position, problem, possibilities, proposal, procedure, product

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Written Exercises

Writing and drafting– Letter, memo & report writing– Summarising diverse information– Proof reading

• In-tray exercise– Documents from a typical working day– Identify issues, decide on action

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Etray Exercise

An E-tray exercise is a computer based simulation of an email inbox thatlasts for and must be completed within a fixed amount of time. Emails willarrive into your inbox throughout this exercise and you will be required to:

• Make basic calculations; • Extract information from data provided; • Make judgement calls on how to deal with demanding managers/unhappy

clients etc.

Practice OnlinePWC - http://www.pwc.com/uk/eng/car-inexp/student/challenges.html

Faststream - http://www.faststream.gov.uk/index.asp?txtNavID=140

Leeds University – http://careerweb.leeds.ac.uk/students/gettingajob06/e-trayexercise.asp

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Written & E-tray Exercise — Tips

• Get an overview

• Prioritise & plan your approach

• Clearly structure written information

• Use appropriate style and layout

• Check spelling and grammar

• Use tact and commercial awareness

• Look for internal contradictions

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Presentations

• Topic may be allocated or chosen• Usually 5–15 minutes• Prepared before or on the day• May be related to case study• May have to answer questions• Audience may include other candidates

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Presentations — Tips

• Keep it simple• Have a clear structure (headings)• Outline and summarise• Speak clearly• Vary tone and speed• Look at your audience• Keep to time• Practice public speaking

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How you can succeed at assessment centres

• Read carefully all the literature the employer sends you

• Revise your employer research from earlier stages of recruitment process

• Brush up on your interview technique • Remember it’s not a competition• Speak to the Careers Service• Be yourself!

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Identify what employers are looking for….

• Team Work

• Problem Solving

• Drive

• Motivation

• Client Focus/Commercial Awareness

• Communication Skills/Impact

• Time Management

Careers Servicewww.careers.qmul.ac.uk

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Useful Resources

• QM Careers Servicehttp://www.careers.qmul.ac.uk/students/applying/assessment%20centres/index.html

• Prospects http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Applications__CVs_and_interviews/Tests_and_exercises/Assessment_centres/p!eeXpllc

• Target Jobs: http://targetjobs.co.uk/general-advice/assessment-centres.aspx