英国工作申请Assessment Centre全攻略(1)
英国工作申请Assessment Centre全攻略(1)。
最近，接到两个assessment centre邀请，跟期末三大project交相辉映，让我简直那个焦头烂额。
但是！都到这个份上了不把握机会就不是我了（喵的干了那么多网申+刷题+面试）。
所以，研究了很久人人闻之发抖的AC，再实践了两把，发现，没那么难嘛，满满的套路呀！
到底谁跟我说AC难于上青天来着，害得我还小紧张一把。
接下来，分为三篇：
一讲讲AC的详细信息和一些考量的重点；
二讲讲我去Willis Towers Watson实操的经验和教训；
三讲讲我去Scottish Widow实操的经验和教训。
先给一个我觉得讲AC最靠谱的网站：
这篇文章分为：
第一部分：大概
第二部分：群面
第三部分：工作情景演练
废话不多说～马上开始！
一. AC大概介绍
1.契合度
It is important to remember that the assessment centre is just a way of finding candidates suitable for a role; you are not in competition with the other candidates at the assessment centre.
重点都加粗了。
首先，ac并不是说考验你专业知识咋地，而是需要展现你的能力，公司不期待你上岗前十项全能，他想看的是你对公司的契合度和工作岗位的契合度。
对于不同公司需要不同的策略。
就算你牛逼上青天，不对公司胃口，一般来说，没戏。
因为不同的职业需要不同的人才，就拿我大精算来说，分析、交流和群体工作的能力是必须要考察的，而对于程序员那肯定首先看编程能力了，先来考试再说。
对于不同公司需要不同人才，同是精算岗，Willis Tower Watson要的人就要交流能力第一的（咨询公司），而Scottish Widow肯定要分析能力更好的（普通保险公司），从他们AC面试不同风格都看得出来。
各位AC之前请把公司价值，历史，竞争对手，主要产品这些重点信息背熟好吗？
2.AC流程
大多公司都是先宣传一下自己公司（一个帅哥或美女念PPT+提问）
然后分组群面
面试+单人测试
工作情景演练。
相比于国内经常只考虑群面和单面相比，英国公司工作情景演练也是重要的，考验面试者的反应能力和抗压能力（通常会拿工作内容相近的问题给你）。
虽然国内我群面服服的，但是在这边，不知道为啥，插不上话，很尴尬有时候。
面试单人测试这个都没得说。
最难的就是工作情景演练了，哭晕在厕所。
3. 雇主考量的一些重要特征
虽然每个公司都不一样，但是有些核心能力公司都需要员工具有的我列在下面了：
1）Communication
如何跟组员交流，如何分配自己的角色。
像我上次群面吃了个大亏，考官最后也说我不要怕说错，说出来，不说出来他咋知道你想些什么。
2）Teamwork
是否跟队员协作得好，我上次很尴尬，没聊好，结果她们也不管我就三个人讨论，我也就羞涩得插不上话，事先要交流呀亲！
还是一句话，要敢说，不要憋在心里。
虽然有些时候她们不会接受，但是这样考官才能给你加分。
3）Leadership
领导能力，不用我说吧。
但是有种很不好的现象，有些人想领导是好事，但有些时候需要让插不上话的人说话（比如我），不要一直都说自己的想法，这样印象分很低。
可以看到有小透明没有说话的帮他一把。
4）Customer focus
在做case study的时候有没有从顾客的角度分析（如果是咨询公司就更重要了）。
不要你想什么，客户想什么才是最重要的。
5）Influencing（persuading）
是否你的观点影响讨论的方向，别老说些无关紧要的，抓重点（我的阅读虽然8.5但是还是不够快），要自信地说出来，才会有人接受
是否观点有说服力，哎，要练。
6）Problem solving
是否抓住重点，全面地分析问题，逻辑是否清晰？
上次我们组一会儿一个感觉不对，一定要有一个领导者把握住脉搏。
7） Achieving results
最后的报告是否能让评委满意，也挺考表达能力的（最后的presentation）。
上次我忘词了，本来10分钟，只讲了2分钟，尴尬得要命，还照着念，一定一定下次记住不要照着念和记住自己的部分（伤心）。
还有其他的例如structure，是否讨论的时候逻辑清晰；visual aid，是否有画图表帮助理解；decision making，是否做出很好的决定等等。
但其实，据我观察，中国学生的两个缺点很明显：
第一：阅读和听力理解速度跟不上本地人，开始讨论的时候还没看完，听讨论太快了又没听懂。这个要改进的话真得好好集中精力，认真听，相信还是可以的；
第二：没自信说出自己想法，在心里憋着，怕自己语法错误或者啥的。这个真要好好调整自己的状态，一定要自信，大方，开朗地陈述自己的意见，不要怕错，错了又咋地。
所以说，多多练习，集中精力，不要怕错，自信一点，相信自己可以的。
经过两次AC，别的不说，还是把群面练好了点。
二. 群面
英国的群面，跟中国的群面，唯一的不同——他是英文的。
虽说就这个不同，但是你的反应能力，插话能力，语言表达能力都会大打折扣。
再加上很多公司材料又给得很厚，早上起早了头脑不清醒，一不留神就走神了。
所以，得练。
一般考量的方面：
- Analytical Thinking
- Achieving Goals
- Assertiveness
- Creativity
- Interpersonal Effectiveness
- Oral Communication
- Teamwork
Overall, they are assessing how you will perform in everyday working life, which involves getting on with people in a group.
群面中，想想你达到下面几个方面来吗？
- Are you taking on board everyone's input?（每个人的意见都要考量）
- What balance do you strike between letting go insignificant asides and making sure everyone agrees on important issues?（如何让讨论不偏离轨道）
- How do you deal with quiet people?（鼓励小透明）
- Would the discussion benefit from some structure, and how are you for time?（讨论的框架是否有逻辑，是不是看到哪里就扯哪里）
- Are you talking for talking's sake? (是否为了说而说，只想展现自己) Has your contribution helped solve the problem?（你有贡献自己的意见吗）
- Do you criticise or encourage input from others?（评论别人意见的能力）
- How convincing are you? Do you speak with conviction?（是否论据有道理）
- Can you think on your feet when presented with an issue?（从什么角度说出自己想法）
- Can you recognise a good idea, and how do you tactfully deal with weak ideas?（区分好的和不好的想法）
- Do you take time to contemplate the problem or are you too busy talking?（又没有思考自己的方案是否可行）
- Have the group strayed from the original exercise brief?（有没有偏题）
3. 工作情景演练
这是我意料不到的一个 part。
因为，本来以为很简单，但是做起来，那叫一个痛不欲生哦。
角色扮演就是想看你在实际情况下如何做出反应，跟你在面试的时候说法相同吗？（本来面试就是精心准备的产物）
因为在实际演练里，可以真实地测试性格品质是否和工作要求相符（因为就是模拟真实工作情况），相比于面试和心理测试还有case study都可以作’假’的情况，这点至关重要。
说说大概，具体的我会在 (2) 讲WTW AC的时候细讲。
不是多人战哦～开始的时候我还以为会一坨人一起来，但是，并没有！
就是某个帅气小哥哥进来，给你一个小时，完成你手上的那坨纸。
对，坨。
有时间表，邮件回复，分析案例，计算错误等等......（每个公司不一样）
天真的我就开始满满做。
但是30分钟过去了，第一题才做一半（总共三道大题）。
哭了。
一定要把握时间！
In general terms, in-tray exercises test your ability to:
Demonstrate the level of knowledge appropriate to the job for which you're applying
Display the skills necessary for the job
Show that your attitudes are a good fit for those specified for the role
就我的经验和网上所说：
一种是新生上路；一种是离职后回来工作交接。
You might, for instance, be told to imagine that it’s your first day in your job as a stock controller, and be handed a stack of documents and tasks to prioritise and action. You might be given this role even if you’re applying for a job that has nothing to do with stock control; similarly, you might be asked to imagine yourself as a teacher or a lawyer, even if you’re applying for a quite different job.
Another common scenario is that you’ve just returned from annual leave to find a pile of correspondence in your fictional in-tray. The point is that the skills and attitudes being assessed will be relevant to the job you’re applying for; the types of issues and problems you’re asked to consider will be similar to those involved in that role.
- How many in-tray items will there be?
最好把发下来的资料（公司背景，目标，愿景，问题，结构，员工，对手和合作伙伴，还有日历）全部记在脑子里！比拼记忆力的时候到啦！
It’s usual to be given between ten and thirty in-tray items to work on, in addition to a description of your role and responsibilities in the fictional organisation. You’ll also normally be given information about the fictional organisation’s aims, objectives and problems, as well as its structure; a list of key fellow employees; and information about key third party organisations and relationships, as well as a calendar of future events. The best candidate will keep all of these things in their mind whilst responding to the in-tray items. So there's a lot to get through in the hour or so you usually get allowed!
- How will my in-tray exercise be assessed?
有两种考察，第一种是做出选择（很像网申时候做的situational judgement test上面加东西），第二种是向面试官解释自己的行为和判断（我遇到的第一种）。
一定一定要做笔记，这么长的时间，有很多东西比如会议内容，客户资料，各种任务等，等到之后阐述就有利了。
The two most common ways in which your response to the in-tray items will be assessed are via (a) your response to questions in a multiple choice format, or (b) your performance in an interview with an assessor in which you need to explain and justify your actions and decisions. Sometimes, you will be assessed via a combination of these methods.
Before you start, you should be sure to check how you’ll be assessed, and whether or not you’re allowed to write on your in-tray items. If you know you will not have the opportunity to talk through your answers with an assessor at the end, make sure you write down everything you have thought of otherwise you won't get the marks for it. Make a note of diary clashes, time commitments, resource constraints, appointments, interactivity between people...anything you think is important to consider in your answer.
- What's the best way to approach an in-tray exercise?
一定要 priority，不是说所有做完就好，而是要先把要紧的做完（时间超紧张！）。
Remember that it’s crucial that you identify the key issues arising from the in-tray items: while you should aim to complete every task in the limited time allotted, do not lose sight of prioritising more important tasks. You’ll be assessed, after all, not simply on your ability to get things done quickly, but on your ability to spot whether some tasks are more urgent than others, and on the balance you strike between working quickly and working effectively.
The best approach is to quickly read through every item in your in-tray before answering any questions. But do make notes on your thoughts as you read through each item. It's best to wait until you have read everything before responding because an item which comes up might affect how you react to an earlier item, or even contradict it. The assessor will not look favourably on you just ploughing in to the questions.
-考察啥？
压力下处理信息的能力，掌握信息的能力，priority的能力，交流能力，一定要把自己的想法清晰有效地说出来。
Whatever the topics covered, and whatever the nature of your fictional job, all in-tray exercises assess your ability to sort through, take in and analyse complex information efficiently even under pressure of time; your ability to explore and identify key issues and prioritise your work accordingly; and your ability to communicate effectively about the decisions you’ve made and to identify any special problems or issues that arise from the set of tasks and documents you’re given. You’ll also be assessed on how clearly and effectively you can explain your decisions and actions.
一定要和评分者多交流，让他知道你知道什么，让他知道你这样做的目的和意义，让他知道你可以在哪上面得分。
So, although you’ll be asked to imagine that you’re at work when carrying out the exercise, it’s crucial not to underestimate the importance of communicating your thought processes to your assessors. As mentioned earlier, you need to show what you know in order to be given credit for your responses – so, you must be clear about the reasons behind your actions and decisions.
态度也是需要时刻考虑的，笔记是否整洁（喂！），是否整理工作区域，是否采取平静的方式对待每件事情。
Remember that your attitudes are being assessed, too: because of this, pay attention to how you present yourself during the exercise – including how you organise your desk area, how neat your notes are, and whether you display a frantic or rather calmer approach to dealing with the in-tray items!
一定不能忘主题！只有这个才跟你之后做的一切行动有关，只有这个才是基础！
Be aware that many in-tray exercises have a central “theme” to them that you’re expected to identify: this might be the fact that a merger or takeover of your fictional organisation is imminent, or perhaps that a major re-structuring is on the cards. It’s important to identify anything like this because it will enhance your understanding of your fictional role, and affect the way in which you evaluate and prioritise tasks and information, as well as influence your decisions.
所以说，in tray其实考察了你各个方面，你的能力（沟通，处事，priority），你的态度（平静，条理清晰），重要的是，找到重点，他要考察你什么，就把什么大胆地抛出来。
- Tips for performing well in your in-tray exercise
As well as keeping in mind what type of job you’re being assessed for, and so which particular competency you should display, it’s important to work in as organised and logical manner as you can.
Try to approach the exercise in an orderly manner, ensuring that you neither miss out anything nor spend too long on any one task. One great strategy is to scan through every in-tray item right at the start of the exercise, and to sort them into an order than makes sense (whether it’s chronological, or perhaps topic-based) – keeping an eye out for items that affect each other. You should be especially alert to items that have perhaps already been dealt with (so you no longer have to worry about them), and also to items that are in need of particularly urgent attention.
Despite the pressure of time, you need to play close attention to details – including the names of key personnel, the date of each document, and actions that have already been taken that might affect your decisions.
Also remember to show what you know, rather than assuming that an assessor will credit you with characteristics that you do not actually display during the exercise. So, for instance, be sure to make notes of reasons for your decisions, and to explain your thought processes either during the role-play, or in the test or interview following it.
Key to success is keeping calm as you go through the in-tray items, and being methodical in your approach to handling them. Making brief notes in relation to each decision you make is important, too – especially if an assessor asks you to explain one of your decisions, but also to ensure you don’t lose track of what you’re doing as well as how and why you’re prioritising the tasks you need to do.
One final word of advice for your in-tray exercise: be sure to take into account the personality and style of the fictional organisation you’re asked to imagine working for. Then ensure that your actions, decisions and any “work” you produce reflect your awareness. It might be that your role-play requires you to be highly independent, or, alternatively, to be very much a team player – but in either case, be sure and do your best to show your ability to “fit” with the organisation for which you’re pretending to work. This is important to employers, and is something you should consider in any recruitment situation.
Our eight essential in-tray exercise tips for success
When you take your in-tray exercise, remember our handy hints for getting the best scores. There are several tactics for performing well in your in-tray exercise but the most important thing to do is to take an example exercise yourself. Below we have listed our best tips for your next in-tray exercise.
In-tray Exercise Tip 1: Write down ALL of your observations
Assessors can award you marks only for the observations you write down or those which you explain to them. A common mistake candidates make is to not write down that they have deliberately left an item to come back to later, only to find they have run out of time. Quite correctly, candidates will deal with the more urgent and important items first but if they don't make it clear why something has been left the assessor can only assume you didn't know what to do with it!
In-tray Exercise Tip 2: Think about the proximity of your in-tray appointments
In your in-tray will be lots of items requiring your attendance, such as meetings, conferences, awards ceremonies and social events. Part of being a good organiser and planner is to take note of the locations of these various engagements and their time to decide if it's possible to go to more than one. For example two events either side of lunch might be at opposite ends of the country and so in your answers you should not agree to attending both. Similarly, two events might be in the same building and so you would be expected to notice this and respond accordingly.
In-tray Exercise Tip 3: Note the significance of the originator/receiver of communication
Some of the correspondence in your in-tray might be from the managing director of your organisation, some might be from a client, some might be a cold-calling sales representative.
Do you give the same level of priority to all of these? Of course not, so always have in your mind who is who and from where the correspondence originated. This is a common way for in-tray exercises to test your prioritisation skills.
In-tray Exercise Tip 4: Pay attention to the date you received correspondence in your in-tray
Your in-tray exercise will include correspondence from different times and dates. Has an urgent request been sitting in the in-tray for some time thus meaning it is now very urgent? When someone refers to for example "by the end of next week", you need to notice the date of sending for this to have significance.
Read through all your in-tray items before attempting your first question because you might well find that a later piece of correspondence contradicts or negates earlier messages. Decide if each piece of correspondence warrants an urgent response or if it can wait.
In-tray Exercise Tip 5: Imagine yourself actually faced with your in-tray items in real life
Your in-tray exercise is as much a test of role-play than of your attitudes because you have to treat the exercise like it is real if you want to perform your best. In a simulated environment it's easy to slip into the trap of sticking to rigid responses, or answering how you think you should answer. When in fact if you had faced a similar situation in real life you would have taken a more realistic practical approach.
An example to illustrate this point is coming across a broken bridge over a river. In a test situation you might think along the lines of constructing a new crossing from branches, or fixing the broken bridge with rope etc. But in reality aren't you more likely to just get out your iPhone and use Google Maps to see if there is another bridge nearby?
In-tray Exercise Tip 6: Think carefully about delegation during your in-tray exercise
Another skill your in-tray exercise will be assessing is your ability to effectively delegate, in the right situation to the right person. The extent to which you should delegate tasks depends on what your fictional role is within the fictional organisation. For a manager you would be expected to delegate all but the most strategic tasks, whereas a new recruit would be expected to carry out most of the tasks themselves and get it checked by someone more senior.
You will be marked down if you do not delegate enough, but equally if you delegate too much. You should consider if the task is suitable for your fictional role, and if not consider delegating it.
Consider also if an event requires you to be there in person or if you can delegate it out. You might first think it appropriate to delegate a more menial task, but is there another reason you should be there in person?
In-tray Exercise Tip 7: The most important piece of advice is to practise an example in-tray exercise
You can read about in-tray exercises but the most effective way to actually improve your performance is to take an example exercise yourself. By sitting one for yourself and going through the thought process you will become familiar with what to look out for, and how to deal with each item in your in-tray.
In-tray Exercise Tip 8: Lay out your in-tray items in a logical sequence
If you are taking your in-tray exercise at an assessment centre, you will usually take it alone in a room with a desk. Read through all the in-tray items once and as you do place them on the desk in a logical order. This will help when you come back to them and answer questions on them. For example lay them out left to right in the order you read them, placing urgent items higher than less urgent items. You might find a different method works best for you.
Apart from being a help to you, if an assessor sees the neat arrangement of items on your desk, they may be impressed with your methodical and logical strategy.
tips:
make notes of priority and details like date
mast tell the assessor what is in your mind
priority, delegate jobs in right person
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