Body language, facial expressions and gestures and of course the quality of your answers; everything counts in the interview in the assessment center. Do you maintain eye contact and turn to the person you are talking to? Do you ever laugh during the conversation or are you just annoyed and you can hear it in your voice because you either grumble an answer or say nothing at all? All of this will ultimately decide how your interview in the assessment center goes and also whether you get your new dream job.
The interview is an essential part of theassessment center , a very popular group selection process in which companies can get to know and assess their applicants live. To put it simply, the AC interview can be compared to an everyday situation in which you get to know a new person and decide whether they talk nonsense and are unfriendly, or whether you like the person and they tell you something relevant about their career and their attitude to life and can report work. Sounds easy, right!?
Tricky questions
The AC interview consists of a handful of questions that are asked either to you alone or to a small group. Take your time when answering and think about how your answer can be interpreted, in a positive and negative sense. Dare to ask again if you don't understand a question or are not sure what the other person is trying to get at.
Basically, what matters in the AC interview is that you sell yourself well. So don't be too critical of yourself and explain to the interviewer why you are an asset to the company, what sets you apart and what your strengths are. Show that you are determined, motivated and success-oriented. It is also helpful if you can give a few examples of where you have already scored points in practice. However, it is important not to overdo it.
An absolute no-go is if you speak badly about previous superiors and colleagues in your AC interview. This gives the impression that you are not loyal to your employer and suggests that you will also speak negatively about your next employer. Of course, no company wants bad publicity and therefore no employee who complains in the AC interview.
Always be on guard
The interview situation in the AC is not always obvious, but the typical question and answer game can take place in addition to the interview, also during small talk during the lunch break or on the sidelines of your tasks. So during the assessment center, always be aware that your future employer may include an interview in the process to test whether you are suitable for the job.
And it gets even trickier: The interviews in the AC are sometimes carried out in stressful situations or you will asked provocative questions. But don't let that bother you, because you know best how good you are!
Preparation is everything!
As you have now found out, the interview in the AC is not without problems and that is why it is even more important that you prepare well. Think about how you feel about self-motivation. Are you someone who delivers full performance in your job or do you always need a push in the right direction? Also think about what you can say about your profile and your own skills. How do you see yourself and has this self-image ever been confirmed by a previous employer, professor or teacher?
And there are even more topics to consider: customer orientation, leadership skills, entrepreneurial thinking, organizational talent, conflict behavior or willingness to change, all of which can be asked about in the interview in the AC.
The Barmer GEK also offers you extensive preparation for your interview in the AC. In the free AC training you will learn everything that is important for the assessment center and can practice with practical examples. You can find out more about this extremely helpful offer here .
The interview in the AC can be pretty tricky. Be sure to read our tips first before you take part in an assessment center!
