Mandarin Consulting Edinburgh Mock Assessment Centre
From our many years of coaching experience at Mandarin Consulting, we know the most challenging step for Chinese students, during their job application process, is the Assessment Centre.
What is an Assessment Centre?
This is a method used by employers to assess your suitability for the job by asking you to complete various tasks and activities; the way you deal with these can reveal skills and qualities about you which aren’t necessarily accessible in a traditional interview. You will usually be joined by six to eight other candidates, so your ability to work in a team is crucial, and this is often the final stage of the selection process for large graduate recruiters.
Assessors are usually a mix of HR consultants and line managers. They score your actions against a competency framework. They discuss all aspects of your performance before reaching a final decision on whether or not to hire you.
Key skills that employers usually look for include:
Analytical thinking, commercial awareness, communication, creativity, decision-making, leadership, negotiation, organisation, persuasion, teamwork, time management, etc…
What can we do to help?
At our Edinburgh office, we have designed and trialled a Mock Assessment Centre which simulates a real world scenario. This is a first for the UK and something we look forward to making available to all Chinese students across the country. The mock AC included a combination of individual and group tasks such as an In-tray exercise, Group Discussion, One to One Interview, Case Study and a One to One Presentation. It was a tiring but fruitful whole day session. All attendees found it extremely useful as it gave them practical experience of and vivid insight into this important and challenging part of the interview process. Through this session they also realised their weaknesses and areas of improvement, which will help them to learn and grow. At the end of the day, practice makes perfect. Mandarin Consulting has provided Chinese students with this crucial platform in order to take them another step closer to their goal.