Recruitment and Selection What is an Assessment Center? An Assessment Center is

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Recruitment and Selection

What is an Assessment Center?

An Assessment Center is a standardized evaluation method intended to measure a candidate’s behavioral dimensions (i.e., knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies) that are required for a specific position. The evaluation process consists of simulations, exercises, or tests that are designed simulate the challenges of the position. Candidates are placed into a group of approximately six participants to be observed by a panel of assessors (generally 3) that evaluate the candidates’ proficiencies and ability to effectively perform position related tasks (Byham, 2016). The assessment center process ensures that the evaluation conclusions are reliable, relatively free of the various forms of rater bias, and can serve as predictor of a candidate’s potential.   

In order for the assessment center to be an effective selection tool, the organization must initially conduct a thorough job analysis to ensure all necessary behavioral dimensions are included during the assessment phase. The job analysis will assist in determining the difference between good and poor performance levels of current employees. The performance levels will be ranked and applied by the assessors when evaluating candidates.

Assessment centers have traditionally been utilized for management level employee selection and training/development. However, more organizations are realizing the benefit of utilizing this type of approach at the entry level in order to select the best qualified candidate for the position (Thorton & Gibbons, 2009). In addition, organizations are utilizing this method to observe current internal candidates for potential promotions. The assessment center provides the current employee with an opportunity to demonstrate proficiencies that they may not be able to demonstrate in their current position.    

Advantages of Assessment Centers:

Measures specific position-related behaviors rather than skills that are not directly related to effective job performance.

Direct observation allows for measurement of behavioral dimensions compared to traditional methods such as written tests or interviews.

Standardization offers consistency during the evaluation process; conditions are similar for all candidates.

Unlike traditional testing programs, research suggests that assessment centers are equally valid regardless of age, gender or race because these categories do not have an influence on the assessment ratings received.

Candidates typically view assessment centers as a fair method for promotion/training opportunities.

Disadvantages of Assessment Centers:

High cost to organization in terms of time, resources, and personnel necessary for the assessment center to be well developed and effective.

Reusing exercises or simulations can give future candidates an unfair advantage if information is passed on to them.

If the simulations and exercises are not thoroughly evaluated against the results of the job analysis process, the results obtained from the assessment center may be inconsistent and not representative of the organizational goals. Therefore, the effectiveness of the selection process will be impacted.

Discussion Questions:

1) Assessment centers are costly investments for many organizations. After evaluating the article listed below on Assessment Center Methods (Byham, W.), how do you think an organization could justify the costs associated with utilizing an assessment center?

2) Previous research has indicated that assessment centers are unbiased regarding predictions of future employment performance. Would a federal court system determine that assessment centers are a valid selection procedure? Why or why not?

Byham, W. (2016). The Assessment Center Method and Methodology. Retrieved from: http://www.ddiworld.com/resources/library/white-papers-monographs/the-assessment-center-method-and-methodology

Phillips, J. M., & Gully, S. M. (2015). Strategic Staffing. Hoboken, NJ: Pearson.

Explanation / Answer

Ans:

1) An assessment focus is a procedure in which a few unique capabilities of potential or existing representatives are assessed by more than one assessor utilizing various strategies. These procedures incorporate paper and pencil inventories meeting and pretends and reproductions. The aftereffects of the appraisal focus procedure can be utilized for representative choice or development.Assessment focus activities can be utilized to gauge various sorts of employment related capabilities including interpersonal aptitudes oral and composed correspondence arranging and assessing and thinking and critical thinking capacities. A much of the time utilized evaluation focus activity is the in wicker bin test. A run of the mill in bushel test is intended to mimic managerial assignments. Amid this activity candidates are solicited to assume the part from a man new to the occupation and are told to peruse and respond to a heap of reminders, messages, reports, and articles.

All together for the evaluation focus to be a powerful determination instrument the association should at first direct a careful occupation examination to guarantee all vital behavioral measurements are incorporated amid the appraisal phase.The work investigation will help with deciding the distinction amongst great and poor execution levels of current representatives. The execution levels will be positioned and connected by the assessors while assessing candidates.Assessment focuses have generally been used for administration level representative choice and preparing development.While evaluation focuses can be intended for different sorts of occupations they are especially viable for surveying more elevated amount administrative and initiative capabilities. Evaluation focuses require broad experience to create, significant logistical wanting to set up and various work force to manage. Exceptionally prepared assessors are expected to watch and assess candidate execution on the gathering and individual exercises.Direct perception takes into consideration estimation of behavioral measurements contrasted with customary techniques, for example, composed tests or interviews.Standardization offers consistency amid the assessment procedure conditions are comparative for all candidates.Unlike conventional testing programs, research recommends that evaluation focuses are similarly legitimate paying little respect to age, sex or race in light of the fact that these classifications don't have an impact on the appraisal appraisals got. Competitors commonly see evaluation focuses as a reasonable technique for advancement preparing opportunities.

2:

Legitimacy is a measure of the adequacy of a given methodology. A choice procedure is legitimate on the off chance that it helps you build the odds of contracting the opportune individual for the employment. It is conceivable to assess employing choices as far as such esteemed results as high picking speed, low non-appearance, or a decent security record. A choice procedure is not legitimate all alone, yet rather, in respect to a particular purpose.These imperatives have restricted evaluation focus strategy applications in a few associations to just a couple choice or advancement choices. Therefore numerous critical and powerful applications, for example, characterizing preparing needs have not been used broadly. In spite of the fact that associations perceive the expanding significance of precisely diagnosing preparing needs before sending individuals to preparing programs the issues connected with staffing formative appraisal focuses frequently make their utilization restrictive despite the fact that appraisal focus philosophy is the best accessible demonstrative instrument for some positions. Supervisors concede to the significance of careful and exact findings however are hesitant to invest the energy expected to create the great analyses that the appraisal focus strategy yields.

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