Candidates who meet the screening requirements will most likely be invited to participate in assessment activities. Hiring departments use a variety of assessment activities:
Review of past performance and accomplishments
Samples of previous work
Standardized tests
Full range of standardized tests may be used for assessment, such as:
- In-Basket Exercises
- General Intelligence Tests
- Office Skills Tests
- General Competency Test
- Candidate Achievement Record
- Writing Skills Tests
- Identification of Candidate Potential Tests
In general, standardized tests assess knowledge, abilities and competencies
Simulation/Situation exercises
- The goal is to simulate the important aspects of a particular job. A range of issues and problems are presented where candidates must respond to requests for service and/or advice and work with managers as partners
- Duration of the exercise depends on the target outcomes anticipated by the selection board
- Simulations/situational exercises are commonly used to assess abilities and competencies
Written exams
- May be administered using different formats and media such as email, take-home, paper/pencil, computer-based, open or closed book
- Multiple choice, fill in the blanks, open or close ended questions, essay questions
Interviews
- Characteristically used to assess knowledge, abilities, personal suitability and competencies
- May be administered using different formats and/or media such as: in-person, teleconference, videoconference, webchat. May be structured or unstructured, formal or informal.
- May use behavior questions, knowledge questions, or situation questions.
When providing examples, try using the STAR technique (situation, task, action, result)
- Role play
- These activities are specifically designed to put you in a work situation.
- The members of the selection board (or other people) play the roles of colleagues or clients.
- You must pretend you are the person in the position and demonstrate certain abilities/skills or personal suitability
- Reference checks