Assessment centres typically include a number of elements:

• Social/informal events which offer an opportunity to meet other candidates, the selectors and the company management. Remember although they may appear informal these events are part of the selection process.
• Information sessions provide up to date information about the company and the roles available.
• Tests and exercises which are intended to measure your abilities against a set of competencies and reveal your potential. These are likely to include:
• Psychometric and aptitude tests designed to measure your intellectual capacity for thinking and reasoning, particularly your logical/analytical ability. Many organisations use these tests at an early stage in the selection process.
• Personality inventories designed to assess your personality and how you might react in different situations.
• Case studies where you are given a set of papers relating to a particular situation and asked to make recommendations in a brief report. The aim is to assess your ability to analyse information, to think clearly and logically, to exercise your judgement and to express yourself on paper.
• In-tray exercises to test your organizational skills and ability to prioritise.
• Giving a short presentation, usually produced on the day.
• Group activities including practical tasks to see how a group interacts and group discussion or role-playing exercises to assess your communication skills.

You may also have a one-to-one or panel interview as part of the selection process at an Assessment Centre. If the Assessment Centre exercise takes place in the later stages of the process the interviews are likely to be more in-depth and probe any weaknesses identified at an earlier stage.

It is important to remember that an interview is a two-way process – it is not just about a company deciding whether to employ you, but also for you to decide whether you want to work for them. Preparation and practice are the key elements to a successful interview technique.