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OxfordGuideToCareers2017
OxfordGuideToCareers2017
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“assessment centres<br />
are considered a better<br />
predictor of future<br />
performance in the<br />
<br />
interview.”<br />
To perform at your best in these tests:<br />
] Choose a time and place where you can focus and not be<br />
distracted.<br />
] Follow the instructions exactly.<br />
] Work as quickly and accurately as you can, reading both<br />
questions and answer- choices carefully.<br />
] A good strategy is to eliminate as many wrong answers<br />
as possible. For example, with numerical tests a quick<br />
estimate may help you discard several of the options<br />
without working out every alternative.<br />
] Keep an eye on the clock.<br />
] Don’t spend too long on any one question – if you are<br />
stuck on a question, leave it and move on rather than<br />
wasting time.<br />
FURTHER STUDY<br />
APPLICATION ESSENTIALS<br />
FURTHER STUDY<br />
APPLICATIONS:<br />
TESTS AND INTERVIEWS<br />
Admissions tests are rare in the UK for Masters and PhD<br />
programmes. However, some vocational programmes (e.g.<br />
Medicine) do require test results, and there may be tests to<br />
demonstrate your language capability.<br />
In North America, standardised tests are an almost<br />
universal part of the application process. You will most<br />
commonly come across the GRE, but others exist and it is<br />
important that you check both which tests are required for<br />
your chosen courses and the cut-off dates for taking these.<br />
In the UK, interviews are common but not ubiquitous. Not<br />
all Masters courses interview candidates, but most PhD<br />
programmes will. Vocational courses like the PGCE nearly<br />
always involve an interview. If you are based in a different<br />
country, you won’t usually be expected to travel for<br />
interview: Skype and telephone interviews are becoming<br />
more common in those cases.<br />
If you are interviewed, then expect a rigorous examination<br />
of your motives for applying to the course, as well<br />
as questions exploring your academic interests and<br />
knowledge. Be ready to talk about dissertations or other<br />
pieces of work, and keep in mind that this is also your<br />
chance to determine whether a course is right for you –<br />
particularly important for PhDs.<br />
D<br />
ASSESSMENT CENTRES<br />
Larger organisations often use assessment centres to assess candidates’ performance against a<br />
range of competencies in more than one situation. By the time you attend an assessment centre,<br />
you should have developed a clear understanding of the organization, its core values and preferred<br />
competencies: even so, it’s well worth revisiting your research and your application materials.<br />
WHAT TO EXPECT<br />
Assessment centres will usually last from half a day to two<br />
days and will consist of a range of selection methods such as<br />
aptitude tests, personality questionnaires, case studies, group<br />
discussions, spoken presentations, one-to-one interviews,<br />
socialising (which is still observed!) and meeting current<br />
trainees.<br />
Because of this overall breadth of assessment, assessment<br />
centres are often considered a better predictor of future<br />
<br />
They are also considered fairer for candidates as a strong<br />
performance in one task can compensate for a less impressive<br />
performance elsewhere<br />
A typical one day assessment centre may consist of:<br />
] Introduction and company presentation.<br />
] Psychometric testing (see above).<br />
] In-tray exercise.<br />
] A presentation.<br />
] Buffet lunch, socialising informally.<br />
] Group exercise, solving a work-related problem.<br />
] Competency-based interviews (see pp.53-55).<br />
The employer will have a checklist of ‘competencies’ (abilities,<br />
skills and behaviours) based on the organisation’s core values<br />
to use as the selection criteria. These competencies are likely<br />
to include key transferable employability skills (pages 30-32)<br />
<br />
skills for some roles. Typically, competencies cover areas<br />
like: Creative problem solving; Effective communication<br />
skills; Team-work; Business/commercial awareness; Ability to<br />
<br />
The assessors will keep notes of how each candidate performs<br />
during every exercise and interview, and they will score the<br />
candidate’s performance against the relevant competencies.<br />
Try to stay focused throughout the day, and don’t allow<br />
<br />
performed in an exercise because the assessors are looking at<br />
your overall performance.<br />
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