Hey nairalanders!Info reaching out is that LNG has begun contacting for the next stage holding around last week in June, which is an assessment centre.It is believed that it comprises sets of individual assessment and group assessment in the format of some oil companies.Does anyone have any info of how the process is like; for people who have no previous experience?All the best to the invitees.

Hello. I'm also preparing for the next stage. Here's what I found on Assessment centres. I hope it turns out useful!

[b]What is an Assessment Centre?[/b]
The term 'Assessment Centre' does not refer to a location, but to a process which is being increasingly used by middle to large organisations in Australia and overseas to: assess the most suitable recruits to a wide range of positions; and to identify staff who possess strong potential for higher level positions, or who can best adjust to changes within the organisation. Positions as varied as production line process workers, accounts clerks, customer service officers, human resource personnel, sales staff, first and second line managers, professional occupations, and CEOs have been filled, using Assessment Centres as part of the selection process.

Assessment Centres allow recruits to demonstrate aptitude and general skills related to the requirements of the job. They do not aim to test knowledge and technical skills which are unique to the job within the recruiting organisation. The Assessment Centre develops a set of varied exercises which are designed to simulate different aspects of the work environment. These exercises may run from 1/2 to 2 days, and are conducted away from the actual workplace, usually in the employer's training/meeting area, or in facilities provided by a Human Resource Consultancy, who may be contracted to design and conduct the testing.

While the process is intensive and commonly viewed as 'stressful' by recruits, it also provides additional opportunities for those who feel that they are not able to demonstrate their abilities as strongly during an interview. Assessment Centres enable recruits to obtain a practical working idea of what the employer expects from staff, and may provide opportunities for recruits to network with other participants during group exercises.

How are Assessment Centres conducted?
Assessment Centres are highly structured in their design, application, and assessment procedure. They are commonly conducted by outside consultants who have invested large amounts of resources into researching and designing Assessment Centres, which will produce valid measurements and a good predictor of future outcomes of test candidates for the business customer. In other cases, Assessment Centres may be conducted by trained personnel within the employer company. Each Assessment Centre is specifically adapted for the advertised position, to assess factors such as the candidate's level of skills, aptitude and compatibility with the organisation's culture. Each test measures a range of indicators within these factors.

How do they work?
During each test, a group of trained observers will rate individual candidates on a range of set indicators, using a prescribed performance scale. Results are then cross compared against the same indicators, which are measured in other tests. Following test completion, observers meet to discuss the test results and reach a group consensus about each individual's ratings. Observers may be visible during the test, or more commonly, may view a videotaped recording eg.telephone role play.

What can I expect?
At the beginning of the Assessment, candidates will receive an initial briefing about the timetable of tests, location of rooms etc. Prior to each test, they will be given instructions describing the exercise, their role, timeframes, equipment etc. They will not be informed in detail about the individual indicators which will be measured. Recruits are unlikely to receive feedback on their Assessment Centre results, unless they have been successfully selected. Employees of a company who have undertaken Assessment as part of a restructuring or personnel development process, will receive detailed written feedback on their performance and future development needs.

What types of exercises are used?
The most common type of exercises include:

Exercises to measure a particular set of job skills
Case Studies
In Tray exercises
Group exercises
Role plays
Exercises to measure a particular set of job skills
Recruits for a car production line were tested on physical strength, coordination and aptitude for production line work, by repeatedly fitting tyres onto wheel rims.

Accounts Clerk recruits were asked to complete tests measuring accuracy against speed. A particular test required invoices to be reconciled against a spreadsheet ledger, with errors being appropriately amended. Numerical tests may involve calculating hotel accounts, goods invoices, and vehicle mileage examples, using a multiple choice answer format. Many of these tests are not designed to be completed within the given timeframe.

Case Studies
Project Managers may be asked to plan for the release of a new product, which incorporates scheduling, budgeting and resourcing. This type of exercise may measure the ability to: analyse complex data and issues; seek solutions; project plan; and present findings, using a mixture of presentation skills.

In Tray Exercises
If you are asked to do an In Tray exercise, you may be asked to assume a particular role as an employee of a fictitious company and work through a pile of correspondence in your In Tray. These tests commonly measure Job Skills such as: ability to organise and prioritise work; analytical skills; communication with team members and customers; written communication skills; and delegation (if a higher level position). This type of exercise may take from several hours to a day. Try to imagine that you are at work doing the described duties, rather than completing a test. Phone interaction will involve a role player who has been thoroughly briefed in their respective role as a customer, manager etc.

A common example of an in tray exercise at first level management may involve: placing you in a particular role within a work setting, where a crisis situation is developing. The situation requires you to take responsibility for the situation. During the exercise, mail is delivered and collected each half hour. The exercise will describe what resources are available to you: e.g. a list of internal phone contacts and who's who, a telephone, fax, personal computer, information such as a product reference chart, data showing the work area's performance, a calendar which notes key dates and relevant deadlines, a highlighter, pen, pencil, eraser, ruler, internal memo pad, letterhead stationery, writing pad, envelopes, out tray, and an in tray containing particular items. Intray items may range from requests to return calls to customers with specific complaints and queries, comments to be provided to your manager, reports to be completed, requests from your staff, and office social club notices. Some of this correspondence may be past the action date, other notes may be vague in meaning.

Group exercises
Group exercises involve candidates working together as a team, to resolve a presented issue. These exercises commonly measure interpersonal skills such as group leadership, teamwork, negotiation, and group problem solving skills.

Group exercises may range from 'leaderless group discussion' formats to problem solving scenarios.

In a 'leaderless group discussion' you may be assigned a fictitious team member role and asked to attend a meeting with other team members who are actually fellow candidates. By the end of the meeting, the group will choose the best strategy to meet a future prescribed target. Your role is to discuss the merits of your strategy (described in your written briefing), and to comment on the weaknesses of other strategies which you suspect will be presented by other team members. You will have some background on the other team members, including their past performance, knowledge of the product and situation etc. Other team members' briefs may ask them to promote the comparatively superior merits of their strategies.

One example of a problem solving scenario includes a Tower Building exercise, using play building blocks. In this exercise, a group may be competing with other groups to design and build a tower in accordance with a construction brief which may stipulate minimum height, time period the completed tower has to stand 'unsupported', colour, cost of block shapes, a time limit, and a budget. There may be monetary penalties for failing to reach particular aspects of the brief. Each group has access to a limited number of blocks.

Role Plays
If you are asked to do a role play, you will be asked to assume a fictitious role and handle a particular work situation. Customer Service Officers may be asked to respond to a number of phone inquiries, including customer queries and complaints.

This type of exercise may measure: oral communication, customer service orientation, and problem solving. Managers may be asked to provide feedback to a sales representative staff member, after viewing a videotape of the sales representative's call with a client, or meet with a same level manager of another section, to gain their agreement on a service delivery strategy.

Tips for Success!
You cannot study for an Assessment Centre, although it does help if: you have some idea of what to expect at an Assessment Centre or work simulation test; you have had some previous experience with different test formats such as multiple choice questionnaires, data checking exercises, role plays and group exercises. Most importantly, having a positive mental attitude about the process is invaluable.

If you have been given pre reading material prior to the Assessment Centre day - read, prepare and understand what is asked of you.

Refamiliarise yourself with the job description, duty statement and other background reading material about the organisation. This will provide some clues as to what type of employee they are seeking.

Get a good night's rest before the big day.

Arrive early so you do not feel rushed. Perhaps your waiting time in the reception area can provide you with a 'feel' for the environment - i.e. the written material in the reception/waiting area, other candidates you may see.

Read all test instructions carefully. Are all the resources, which are listed on the test instructions available and working?

Be yourself - bring your own personality and experience to the Assessment Centre.

Take the tests seriously - the hypothetical scenarios will require you to 'suspend your belief' and go along with the exercise. The tests are not designed to match the employer's real life workplace.

Do not guess what is being measured as this may affect your participation and assessment eg. quoting the employer's Mission statement, verbatim, may have no relevance to your assigned role as 'project manager of ACME Ltd.', when required to discuss a hypothetical problem with other 'ACME' team members.

Treat your attendance as a day at the workplace.

View the Assessment Centre as an opportunity to learn about the employer and the advertised position

Consider the process as a positive learning experience.

Ask for feedback if you were not successful so that you can improve your performance in the future.[/color][color=#990000][/color][color=#990000]


I hope this helps us! Goodluck guys! See u at the induction!