Role of Assessor in Assessment Centre

rTopic: Role of assessor in Assessment Centre Assignment MMS II, Sem III

Role of assessor in Assessment Centre

Definition of Assessment Centres

Assessment Centres are often described as the variety of testing techniques that allow the candidates to demonstrate, under standardized conditions, the skills and abilities most essential for success in a given job.

Source: Dennis A. Joiner, ‘Assessment centre in public sector: A practical approach’, Public Personnel Management Journal.

Definition of Assessor ‘An Assessor is an individual trained to observe, record, classify and make reliable judgements about the behaviours of those being assessed.'

Source: Lewis Rowe, Tina; A Preparation Guide for the Assessment Center Method; (2006) Charles C Thomas Publishers Ltd, Illinois, USA.

Who are your assessors? They are usually people one level above the position you have applied for. They will be ambitious and successful individuals within their own departments. These people will have a very clear idea of the qualities they expect to see in an individual performing the new role. Many agencies have a preferred list of assessors they like to use and the human resources department will have key people they call upon for the assessment centre days. For senior roles, assessors who are external to the organisation may be used to bring a broader perspective to the assessment. Many organisations like to include an exercise in assessment centre where they use multiple assessors, usually a minimum of three people, and they will be at least one level above the position you are applying for. In these exercises the panel will be made up of diverse individuals, some may be external to the organisation or department. So it is necessary for assessors to have different priorities and adapt to the behaviours accordingly.

There are three things you need to remember about the assessors: 1. They know nothing about you. 2. They can only give you marks for behaviours you show...