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Advanced Psychometric Testing and Assessment Centres

Duration

2 Days

Overview

Advanced training has been designed to cater for those with some experience in designing and/or running assessment centres. The design and running of an assessment centre, while vital, is only part of what makes a recruitment process a success. An understanding of such factors as the fairness of the assessment centre, the evaluation of its effectiveness and its efficiency can make the difference between a good assessment centre and the very best assessment centres. The understanding of these and other factors will help delegates ensure that the assessment centres they design and run are adding maximum value for their organisation.

Objectives

By the end of the course, delegates will be able to:

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  • Explain the key principles of Assessment & Development Centres;

  • Describe the components of a typical Competency and recognise appropriate positive and negative behavioural indicator;

  • Identify different types of Assessment/Development Centre Exercises and the competencies typically assessed by each;

  • Understand common challenges and issues with assessment centres together with their solutions;

  • Prepare and present their candidate data in accurate behavioural terms, supported by relevant examples for inclusion in a data integration discussion;

  • Write a candidate report outlining strengths and development needs against individual Competencies and Exercise Types;

  • Prepare for and run a face to face feedback session of average difficulty.

Areas Covered

What types of tests are there?

  • The three main types of psychological tests

  • Types of ability tests

  • Tests of general intelligence

  • Differential tests of ability

  • Main categories of occupational ability tests

  • Work sample tests

  • Types of score interpretation

  • Personality questionnaires

  • The Occupational Personality Questionnaires (OPQ)

  • Occupational interest inventories

  • Projective techniques

 

Why are tests used?

  • The cost of selection errors

  • The objectivity of testing

  • The validity of testing

  • Principal steps in using occupational tests

 

Examples of ability tests

  • Verbal reasoning tests

  • Numerical tests

  • Spatial tests

  • Mechanical tests

  • Diagrammatic

  • Tests

  • Clerical checking tests

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Assessment and development centres

  • Use of assessment and development centres

  • Historical background

  • Key stages in design, planning and implementation

 

Competency models and the foundation of assessment centre design

  • Defining competency

  • Why are competency models important in assessment/development centres

  • Characteristics of good competencies

  • Generic versus tailored models

 

Job analysis – the route to competencies

  • The relationship between job analysis and the HR function

  • The development of job analysis techniques

  • Which is the best job analysis technique?

  • A multi-method approach

Methods of assessment

  • What types of assessment methods are available

  • Other assessment techniques

  • Multiple assessment programmes

  • The assessment centre or development centre competency matrix

  • Tailor-made vs off the shelf exercises

  • Design issues for developing simulation exercises

  • Assessing performance on exercises rating scales

 

Assessor training

  • The objectives of assessor training

  • Distance learning for assessor training

  • Assessor training course

  • Generic assessor skills

 

Implementation/managing the centre

  • Programme design

  • Administration for centres

  • Briefing assessors prior to a centre

  • Participant briefing prior to a centre

  • Integration of information

  • Managing the paper

 

Feedback and report writing

  • Feedback skills

  • Development of action plans

  • Report writing

 

Internationalisation of Assessment and Development Centres

  • What does an “international manager” do?

  • What different, internationally oriented competencies are required

  • Issues for international design, planning and implementation of assessment centre method

 

Development centres

  • When are assessment centres development centres?

  • The assessment centre continuum

  • Comparison of development and assessment centres

  • Guidelines for setting up a development centre

 

In-tray exercise, presentation and analysis

  • Nord Gas

Who Should Attend

Anyone who wishes to enhance their skills as an assessor for the Assessment and/or Development Centres.

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