Assessment centre

If you are successfully short-listed for the Graduate Recruitment and Development (GRAD) Scheme (based on your initial application), you'll be invited to attend a half-day session at an assessment centre.

What is an assessment centre?

The GRAD Scheme assessment centres use different activities and exercises to assess your competency levels against desirable selection criteria. This gives you the opportunity to show your level of competency in different situations. It also allows us to assess your competency levels across a range of exercises.

You’ll be asked to complete the following assessment activities:

• a role play
• a case study exercise
• a behavioural interview
• a technical interview (for economics graduates).

You will also have the opportunity to chat informally with staff from the departments, as well as with past and current graduates.

Activities on the day

Role play

What happens?
In the role play you will act out a work-based scenario as part of a small group.

For example, this exercise could involve prioritising tasks and you should therefore have an understanding of how and why tasks should be prioritised. Take into account importance, consequences, goals (long and short term) and resources available.

Tips
Make sure you listen carefully to all instructions and keep in mind which selection criteria are being assessed. You should play your role seriously and do your best to behave as you would if the situation were real.

Case study

What happens?
During the case study exercise you must develop a response to a particular government proposal.

This is an example of a case study used at a past Assessment Centre.

DEVELOPING REGIONAL VICTORIA Time Allocated: 20 minutes Activity: The population in regional Victoria declined significantly throughout the 1990s as many people moved to Melbourne. However, the current Labor Government has focused upon improving services and industries in regional Victoria, which has seen rural populations on the rise again in recent years. Yet, this population growth is beginning to have some negative side-effects. The Department of Industry, Innovation and Regional Development (DIIRD) was established in 2002 to lead the public service over issues relating to both economic and regional development. DIIRD provides advice to many Ministers, one of whom is the Minister for State and Regional Development, The Hon. John Brumby. As a senior policy advisor from DIIRD, you must urgently write a report for Minister Brumby, who is attending a Cabinet meeting in 20 minutes. Your report must outline strategies to tackle at least two likely negative side-effects of population growth in regional Victoria. Note: One page limit.

Tips
Make sure that you read through the case study carefully and are sure of what it is asking you to do. Keep your response brief and get straight to the point as you don’t have much time or space for this exercise.

Aptitude test

What happens?
This computer-based testing assesses your verbal and conceptual skills.

Tips
Listen carefully to all the instructions. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand an instruction.

Be aware of the time limit.

Behavourial interview

What happens?
In the behavioural interview you will be asked to respond to questions by describing specific situations you have experienced or may experience.

You can draw on examples from all aspects of life, work, university, leisure and home.

Tips
The most important thing here is to relax: the interview is not a test.

Practice can be of real benefit. Engage in mock interviews with friends, colleagues, careers advisers – anyone who is prepared to help. Don’t be afraid to ask questions at the end of the interview.

Choose examples that highlight your strengths and focus on your own involvement in various situations (use ‘I’ rather than ‘we ’). Use examples from within the last two years where possible.

Use the STAR approach to answer questions: describe the situation (outline), the task (what you did), the approach (how) and the result (the outcome).

Re-read the questions you were required to answer in the application. Make sure you have examples of previous experiences and activities that will demonstrate your level of competence against each criteria.

Some further advice
Remember, if you feel you have not done particularly well in one exercise you will have the opportunity to excel in other areas. The overall outcome does not depend on the results from any one exercise.

Remember to:

• Address all the issues outlined in each activity.
• Know the time limit for each activity.
• Consider the selection criteria when framing your answers.
• Make notes and bring them with you to jog your memory.
• Gather information about the specific assessment centre: visit websites, read printed material, talk to previous candidates or career advisers. Speak to the contact officer or someone else who is involved directly with the assessment centre and find out as much as you can about what is involved. Obviously some details will be confidential but any information about the make-up of the centre is helpful. Your careers adviser would be a great source of information for how to prepare for an assessment centre.
• Do some basic reconnaissance, familiarise yourself with the location and such things as parking, public transport and security requirements.
• Ensure you have the right start time!