May 11
Reflecting on my assessment centre
When I found out that I would be taking part in an assessment centre I was nervous, and unsure as to what it would entail. I mentioned it to a friend, who revealed that when applying to work at a supermarket they were asked during an assessment centre what they would do if a bird flew into the shop. This did not make me feel any more reassured, as I did not believe that I would be any good at thinking of solutions to problems on my feet, especially in front of others.
However, as things often are in retrospect, it was not nearly as daunting or scary as I thought it was going to be. As a group, I felt as though we were very cohesive. We were able to listen to everyone’s ideas and combine them to create reasonable compromises. This dynamic immediately put me at ease, and I found that I was able to immerse myself in the scenario and find creative solutions to the task at hand. I also believe that I was able to find a good balance between arguing for my proposal and supporting other group members proposals.
However, I feel as though I could have improved on my organisation during the assessment centre. I did not keep track of the time or take detailed enough notes of everyone’s proposals. This meant that at some points I was unsure about the costs or specific aspects of some people’s pitches. One group member did take the initiative to time the assessment and make the rest of the group aware of how much longer we had left at certain points. This was very beneficial, and in future situations I aspire to be this member of a group.
Reflecting back on this experience, I understand that I need to worry less about uncertain situations or the idea of failure. I was nervous to take part in the assessment centre as I didn’t know the exact details of what it was going to involve. However, it turned out to be a positive experience in the end. I also understand that I need to be more confident in my abilities as I often doubt myself, and before taking part I did not believe that I would contribute anything beneficial to the group. This made me worried about saying the wrong thing or not doing well in the assignment. However, the assessment centre feedback showed me that I am able to take initiative, be adaptable, and make valuable contributions. Therefore, in the future I need to remember to enter new situations feeling as though my opinions and thoughts are valid. This is especially important when entering the workplace and starting a career, as it is easy to feel Imposter Syndrome in these environments.
Moving forwards, I aim to work towards having more confidence in my abilities, worrying less about failure, and being more organised in general. This is because these are qualities and goals that are relevant to all aspects of life, not just an assessment centre or the workplace.
