graduate assessment centre case study example

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Chapter 6: Case Study Exercises

A resource guide to help you master case study exercises

Page contents:

What is a case study exercise, how to answer a case study exercise, what skills does a case-study exercise assess, what questions will be asked in a case study exercise, case study exercise tips to succeed, key takeaways.

Case-study exercises are a very popular part of an assessment centre. But don't worry, with a bit of preparation and understanding, you can ace this part of the assessment.

Case study exercises are a popular tool used by employers to evaluate candidates' problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and decision-making abilities. These exercises can be in the form of a written report, a presentation, or a group discussion, and typically involve a hypothetical business problem that requires a solution.

The case study presents the candidate with a series of fictional documents such as company reports, a consultant’s report, results from new product research etc. (i.e. similar to the in-tray exercise except these documents will be longer). You will then be asked to make business decisions based on the information. This can be done as an individual exercise, or more likely done in a group discussion so that assessors can also score your teamworking ability.

Before you start the exercise, it's important to carefully read and understand the instructions. Make sure you know what you're being asked to do, what resources you have available to you, and how your performance will be assessed. If you're unsure about anything, don't be afraid to ask for clarification.

Once you've read the case study, it's time to start analysing the problem. This involves breaking down the problem into its component parts, identifying the key issues, and considering different options for addressing them. It's important to approach the problem from different angles and to consider the implications of each possible solution.

During the exercise, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to work well under pressure, to think on your feet, and to communicate your ideas effectively. Make sure to use clear and concise language, and to back up your arguments with evidence and examples.

If you're working on a group case study exercise, it's important to listen to the ideas of others and to contribute your own ideas in a constructive and respectful way. Remember that the assessors are not only evaluating your individual performance but also how well you work as part of a team.

When it comes to presenting your solution, make sure to structure your presentation in a clear and logical way. Start with an introduction that sets out the problem and your approach, then move onto your analysis and recommendations, and finish with a conclusion that summarizes your key points. Make sure to keep to time and to engage your audience with your presentation.

A case study exercise is designed to assess several core competencies that are critical for success in the role you are applying for. There will be many common competencies that will be valuable across most roles in the professional world, these competencies typically include:

Problem-Solving Skills: The ability to identify and analyse problems, and to develop and implement effective solutions.
Analytical Thinking: The capacity to break down complex information into smaller parts, evaluate it systematically, and draw meaningful conclusions.
Decision-Making Abilities: The ability to make well-informed and timely decisions, considering all relevant information and potential outcomes.
Communication Skills: The capacity to convey ideas clearly and concisely, and to listen actively to others.
Teamwork Skills: The ability to collaborate effectively with others, and to work towards a shared goal.
Time Management: The capacity to prioritise tasks and to manage time effectively, while maintaining quality and meeting deadlines.

By assessing these competencies, employers can gain valuable insights into how candidates approach problems, how they think critically, and how they work with others to achieve goals. Ultimately, the aim is to identify candidates who can add value to the organisation, and who have the potential to become successful and productive members of the team.

Different companies will prioritise certain competencies; the original job description is a great place to look for finding out what competencies the employer desires and so will likely be scoring you against during the assessment centre activities.

The type of questions that may be asked can vary, but here are some examples of the most common types:

Analytical Questions: These questions require the candidate to analyse a set of data or information and draw conclusions based on their findings. For example: "You have been given a dataset on customer behaviour. What insights can you draw from the data to improve sales performance?"
Decision-Making Questions: These questions ask the candidate to make a decision based on a given scenario. For example: "You are the CEO of a company that is considering a merger. What factors would you consider when making the decision to proceed with the merger?"
Group Discussion Questions: In a group case study exercise, candidates may be asked to work together to analyse a problem and present their findings to the assessors. For example: "As a team, analyse the strengths and weaknesses of our company's current marketing strategy and recommend improvements."

The questions are designed to test the candidate's problem-solving, analytical thinking, decision-making, and communication skills. It's important to carefully read and understand the questions, and to provide well-reasoned and evidence-based responses.

It has been known for employers to use real live projects for the case study exercise with sensitive information swapped for fictional examples.

Information from the case study exercise lends itself to be used as scene-setting for other exercises at the assessment centre. It is common to have the same fictional setting running through the assessment centre, to save time on having to describe a new scenario for each task. You will be told in each exercise if you are expected to remember the information from a previous exercise, but this is rarely the case. Usually the only information common to multiple exercises is the fictional scenario; all data to be used in each exercise will be part of that exercise.

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Here are some key tips to help you prepare for and successfully pass a case study exercise at an assessment centre:

Understand the Brief: Carefully read and analyse the case study brief, making sure you understand the problem or scenario being presented, and the information and data provided. Take notes and identify key issues and opportunities.
Plan Your Approach: Take some time to plan your approach to the case study exercise. Consider the key challenges and opportunities, and identify potential solutions and recommendations. This will help you structure your thoughts and prioritise your ideas.
Use Evidence: Use evidence from the case study, as well as your own research and knowledge, to support your ideas and recommendations. This will demonstrate your analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Stay Focused: During the exercise, stay focused on the task at hand and avoid getting sidetracked by irrelevant information or details. Keep the objective of the exercise in mind, and stay on track with your analysis and recommendations.
Collaborate Effectively: If the case study exercise involves group work, make sure to communicate clearly and effectively with your team members. Listen actively to their ideas, and contribute constructively to the discussion.
Be Confident: Have confidence in your ideas and recommendations, and be prepared to defend your positions if challenged. Speak clearly and confidently, and use evidence and data to support your arguments.

Here is the summary of what case-study exercises are and how to pass them:

A case study exercise is a type of assessment where candidates are presented with a hypothetical business scenario and asked to provide solutions or recommendations.
These exercises assess a range of competencies such as problem-solving, analytical thinking, decision-making, communication, teamwork, and time management.
To pass a case study exercise, it's important to carefully read and understand the brief, plan your approach, use evidence to support your ideas, stay focused, collaborate effectively, be confident, and manage your time effectively.

Fully understanding the format of the exercise, taking practice case-study exercises and following our tips outlined above will drastically improve the chances of you standing out as a star candidate at the assessment centre.

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Assessment Centre Case Studies Practice & Tips – 2024

Case studies are a central part of the exercises making up most assessment centres . Employers use them to provide valuable insight into the applicants. They provide a way to assess a graduate or job-seeker’s capability and their potential performance after selection. To do this, the assessment centre presents the candidate with a simulated situation that might be faced on the actual job and waits to see how the candidate will respond. The information assessors collect proves invaluable to companies as they work through the screening and hiring process with the candidates who are most likely to perform well in the job opening.

What Is a Case Study Exercise?

Case studies are simulation exercises that put a candidate into situations they might actually see while on the job. The exercises can be done as a group or individually. Which it is will depend on the employer and the assessment centre. The case studies typically provide information that includes financial reports, market studies, or competition analysis and other information that may relate to any aspect of the profession. It may also provide other company reports, consultant’s reports, new product research results, and more. This makes the exercise similar in some ways to an in-tray exercise though the documents are longer for a case study.

Key Features of Case Studies

The exercise can be presented at the end either in written report format or as a presentation, depending on the preference of those running the exam. The assessors then evaluate the candidate’s ability to analyze information with a logical approach to decision making and their aptitude for tackling difficult situations. From there, they score performance.

Case study exercises often are based on a few core topics. Some of these include:

Finding the feasibility and profitability for the introduction of a new product or service
Merger, acquisition, or joint venture related managerial decisions
Annual report evaluation and profitability and loss analysis
Task prioritization and problem-solving with a given deadline

Many times, the case study’s theme or scenario provides the stage for other assessment centre exercises, so paying attention to what the scenario is and the information provided about it can prove helpful in further exercises. If this is the case, the problem-solving case study is likely to show up as one of the first few exercises you do after re-taking the necessary psychometric aptitude assessments for score confirmation.

Competencies Required for Case Studies

The key competencies that case study exercises usually assess are:

Analytical thinking and assimilation of information
Commercial awareness and Innovation
Organization
Decisiveness and Judgment

The goal of the exercise is to review and analyze the given information to come up with solid business decisions. The assessors will look at both the decision reached and the logical justification for the recommendations. Because of this, the test is not designed to have one ‘correct’ answer. Instead, it is concerned with the approach to solving the issue as much as it is with the solution.

This is the point in the assessment and pre-hiring process where candidates should show the recruiters what they can do. Usually, the exercise lasts around forty minutes. Employers may use either fictional examples or, in some cases, even real live projects with the sensitive information replaced for fictional information.

Due to the nature of the exercise, job-seekers and graduates taking this type of assessment should possess several key skills. They must be able to interpret large quantities of data from multiple sources and in varying formats, use analytical and strategic analysis to solve problems, formulate and commit to a decision, demonstrate commercial and entrepreneurial insight on a problem, and use oral communication skills to discuss the decisions made and the reasoning behind them. Without these key abilities, case exercises may prove challenging for individuals.

How to Prepare for Case Study Exercises?

With the large amount of information presented on assessment centre case studies and the many things to consider, it can be difficult to know where to start. Particularly for those participating in a graduate assessment centre case studies with no prior experience with assessment centres, the case study may seem daunting.

However, it is possible to prepare with some case study practice and by reviewing assessment case study examples similar to the ones that will be given in your assessment centre. These tips for preparation and practice as well the day of will help those facing a case study assessment to do so with confidence.

Case Studies: Tips for Success

Review the advice below as you begin to prepare for the assessment centre:

If it is a group exercise , show the recruiters you can work with the team.
For a group exercise, determine what roles individuals in the scenario are associated with and how they may interact with your or impact the analysis and decision-making process.
Determine what information needs to be kept and what should be discarded as early on as possible.
Manage time carefully and plan your approach based on the time available to you.
Consider all possible solutions and analyze them carefully before choosing a decision.
When finished, ensure that you have a solid foundation for the proposal and a plan of action to implement for your chosen solution.
Make sure you communicate that foundation and the logic behind your decision.
When presenting as a group, actively participate but avoid dominating the conversation or situation.
Gather information on the organization, job profile, and any other data that could be in the case study to be prepared before assessment day if possible.
If you do not need to present for a group exercise, consider nominating yourself as someone who can respond to questions.
Practice structuring and delivering presentations in a case study format before testing.

If you follow the advice above and put in enough time practising and preparing to feel confident, you should be able to ace this portion of your assessment centre. Remember that the solution is not the most important thing about this exercise. How you work with others and the reasoning behind your answer is. So, use the time you have wisely and do not overlook anything as you work to come to a good solution. As you do this, relax and use this as a chance to show the recruiters that you really know what you said you did during the interview stage . That is what this exam is about.

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Case Study Exercise At Assessment Centres

A case study exercise is a practical assessment commonly used in the latter stages of recruitment for graduate jobs. One of several activities undertaken at an assessment centre , this particular type of exercise allows employers to see your skills in action in a work-based context.

What is a case study exercise?

A case study exercise consists of a hypothetical scenario, similar to something you’d expect to encounter in daily working life. You’ll be tasked with examining information, drawing conclusions, and proposing business-based solutions for the situation at hand.

Information is typically presented in the form of fictional documentation: for example, market research findings, company reports, or details on a potential new venture. In some cases, it will be verbally communicated by the assessor.

You may also have additional or updated information drip-fed to you throughout the exercise.

You could be asked to work as an individual, but it’s more common to tackle a case study exercise as part of a group, since this shows a wider array of skills like teamwork and joint decision-making.

In both cases you’ll have a set amount of time to analyse the scenario and supporting information before presenting your findings, either through a written report or a presentation to an assessment panel. Here, you’ll need to explain your process and justify all decisions made.

Historically, assessment centres have been attended in person, but as more companies look to adopt virtual techniques, you may take part in a remote case study exercise. Depending on the employer and their platform of choice, this could be via pre-recorded content or a video conferencing tool that allows you to work alongside other candidates.

What competencies does a case study exercise assess?

There are multiple skills under assessment throughout a case study exercise. The most common are:

Problem solving

In itself, this involves various skills, like analytical thinking , creativity and innovation. How you approach your case study exercise will show employers how you’re likely to implement problem-solving skills in the work environment.

Show these at every stage of the process. If working in a group, be sure to make a contribution and be active in discussions, since assessors will be watching how you interact.

If working solo, explain your process to show problem solving in action.

Communication

How you present findings and communicate ideas is a major part of a case study exercise, as are other communication skills like effective listening.

Regardless of whether you present as an individual or a group, make sure you explain how you came to your conclusions, the evidence they’re based on and why you see them as effective.

Commercial awareness and business acumen

Assessors will be looking for a broader understanding of the industry in which the company operates and knowledge of best practice for growth.

Standout candidates will approach their case study with a business-first perspective, able to demonstrate how every decision made is rooted in organisational goals.

Decision making

At the heart of every case study exercise, there are key decisions to be made. Typically, there’s no right or wrong answer here, provided you can justify your decisions and back them up evidentially.

Along with problem solving, this is one of the top skills assessors are looking for, so don’t be hesitant. Make your decisions and stick to them.

Group exercises show assessors how well you work as part of a team, so make sure you’re actively involved, attentive and fair. Never dominate a discussion or press for your own agenda.

Approach all ideas equally and assess their pros and cons to arrive at the best solution.

What are the different types of case study exercise?

Depending on the role for which you’ve applied, you’ll either be presented with a general case study exercise or one related to a specific subject.

Subject-related case studies are used for roles where industry-specific knowledge is a prerequisite, and will be very much akin to the type of responsibilities you’ll be given if hired by the organisation.

For example, if applying for a role in mergers and acquisitions, you may be asked to assess the feasibility of a buy-out based on financial performance and market conditions.

General case studies are used to assess a wider pool of applicants for different positions. They do not require specific expertise, but rather rely on common sense and key competencies. All the information needed to complete the exercise will be made available to you.

Common topics covered in case study exercises include:

The creation of new marketing campaigns
Expansion through company or product acquisition
Organisational change in terms of business structure
Product or service diversification and entering new markets
Strategic decision-making based on hypothetical influencing factors

Tips for performing well in case study exercises

1. process all the information.

Take time to fully understand the scenario and the objectives of the exercise, identify relevant information and highlight key points for analysis, or discussion if working as part of a team. This will help structure your approach in a logical manner.

2. Work collaboratively

In a group exercise , teamwork is vital. Assign roles based on individual skill sets. For example, if you’re a confident leader you may head up the exercise.

If you’re more of a listener, you may volunteer to keep notes. Avoid conflict by ensuring all points of view are heard and decisions made together.

3. Manage your time

Organisational skills and your ability to prioritise are both being evaluated, and since you have a set duration in which to complete the exercise, good time management is key.

Remember you also need to prepare a strong presentation, so allow plenty of scope for this.

Make an assertive decision

There’s no right answer to a case study exercise, but any conclusions you do draw should be evidenced-based and justifiable. Put forward solutions that you firmly believe in and can back up with solid reasoning.

5. Present your findings clearly

A case study exercise isn’t just about the decisions you make, but also how you articulate them. State your recommendations and then provide the background to your findings with clear, concise language and a confident presentation style.

If presenting as a group, assign specific sections to each person to avoid confusion.

How to prepare for a case study exercise

It’s unlikely you’ll know the nature of your case study exercise before your assessment day, but there are ways to prepare in advance. For a guide on the type of scenario you may face, review the job description or recruitment pack and look for key responsibilities.

You should also research the hiring organisation in full. Look into its company culture, read any recent press releases and refer to its social media to get a feel for both its day-to-day activities and wider achievements. Reading business news will also give you a good understanding of current issues relevant to the industry.

To improve your skills, carry out some practice case study exercises and present your findings to family or friends. This will get you used to the process and give you greater confidence on assessment centre day.

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Case Study Assessment

Case Study Assessment - Learn How to Pass

A case study assessment is a popular tool used in assessment centres for evaluating candidates by presenting them with complex and previously unknown scenarios . After analyzing the information and identifying the most relevant parts, candidates answer questions that provide the employer with insights regarding important aspects of the candidate's knowledge, cognitive abilities, and personal attributes.

Like other tests, preparing for the case study assessment can make a huge difference to your score. On this page we will review useful information that can help you arrive at your case study assessment better prepared and maximize your chances to pass and land the job you're after.

JobTestPrep is a leading test prep company that offers accurate practice simulations for hundreds of pre-employment tests. Since 1992, it has helped 1M+ candidates. If you have any additional questions about the Assessment Centre Test, feel free to send us an email , we usually reply within 24 hours.

What is a Case Study Assessment

A case study assessment is a test in which candidates are presented with a scenario related to the position or the company's wider operations, followed by several questions that are designed to measure specific abilities. Through the candidate's answers, employers gain insight into their ability to handle tasks similar to those they might be responsible for in the future, thus indicating their problem solving abilities and compatibility with the job description.

Typically, a case study assessment introduces a series documents such as reports and data from recent market research, which may relate to hypothetical or real-life situations. You are asked to analyze the case at hand, make business decisions, and/or give a brief verbal or written report of your recommendations. You may be asked to complete the case study as an individual exercise or as part of a group, which allows assessors to evaluate your teamwork.

The Two Main Types of Case Study Assessment

An assessment center case study will typically belong to one of two main categories:

Subject-related Case Study Assessment

In this type of case study assessment, specific and professional knowledge of the subject is required. In cases of candidates applying for a position in which industry knowledge is essential, the content of the case study will be directly relevant to that role . In these cases, candidates are required to use their existing knowledge and experience to identify key information from the brief.

For instance, project managers may be asked to plan for the release of a new product, which incorporates scheduling, budgeting and resourcing.

General Case Study Assessment

These case studies are designed for a broad audience of candidates who are tested for various positions. Answering the case study questions does not require any specific prior knowledge , and most questions can be answered with common sense. Any information that is required for answering the case study questions is provided by the assessor, whether orally or through additional documentation.

These case studies are much more popular as they can be completed by a large number of candidates applying for a wide array of positions.

What the Case Study Assessment Measures

The advantage of the assessment center case study is that it measures a number of elements simultaneously, giving the employer a picture which combines soft skills with cognitive abilities and even personality attributes. Through your answers, the employer can learn about your:

Judgement and understanding of the situation at hand
Thoroughness of analysis
Logical presentation of ideas
Practicality of the proposed solutions
Creativity and innovation in problem solving
Presentation abilities & communication skills
Ability to answer off the cuff comments
Commercial awareness
Organizational skills
Decisiveness

Which Types of Companies Use Assessment Centre Case Studies

The first type of assessment centre case study exercise is those for various positions in finance, banking , audit, marketing, IT, and others. These case studies are based on a large file of documents such as company reports you must quickly read and analyze. They may be completed as part of an assessment day or given at the employer's office as part of the interview.
Another type of case study assessment you can find in assessment centres is for consultancy and business management companies. The scenario is usually described by the interviewer or is limited to a few pages. Generally, the task revolves around mathematical problems, estimation questions and strategic thinking. The candidate is expected to ask the assessor for more details in order to understand the problems at hand. Learn more about these tests here .

Leading companies that Use Assessment Centre Case Studies:

EY (Ernst & Young)

Tips for Approaching Your Case Study Assessment

Immerse yourself in the case study - try to imagine you really are in the scenario, and put yourself in the shoes of the decision maker and those he needs to report to.
Time management - as you will have a lot of data and documents to make sense of in a short period of time, your time management skills are being put to the test here. The key to success is learning how to identify key points and prioritize relevant information while ignoring the irrelevant, giving you the ability to work efficiently on the actual assessment day.
There is more than one ‘correct’ answer - a case study assessment usually has more than one right answer, and as long as you can logically justify your recommendations and they stand up to questioning by the assessor, your analysis can be regarded in a positive light.
Don't get lost in the nuances of a particular industry you are presented with in the case studies. Focus instead on tackling common challenges faced by most businesses.
Client focus - all companies want to keep their clientele happy. If there is a client in the case study, put plenty of emphasis on them and their needs.
Be confident but not arrogant. When presenting, try to convey an air of knowledge and authority - without appearing overconfident or arrogant.
Practice your presentation skills with friends or family to reduce the pressure at the actual assessment centre.

Common Questions in the Assessment Center Case Study

There are two main types of questions that can be asked by the assessors in an assessment center case study.

Quantitative questions involve basic mathematical operations, using of the four basic operations, percentages and ratios. Qualitative questions will relate to strategic decisions, future projections, and market analysis. Popular questions would be:

What penetration strategy do you find suitable for the market in question?
What are the changes that company Y must go through if it seeks the preservation of existing markets?
What are the approximate annual developmental costs of company X?

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Assessment Center Case Studies Practice & Tips – 2024

Case studies are a central part of the exercises making up most assessment centers . Employers use them to provide valuable insight into the applicants. They provide a way to assess a graduate or job-seeker’s capability and their potential performance after selection. To do this, the assessment center presents the candidate with a simulated situation that might be faced on the actual job and waits to see how the candidate will respond. The information assessors collect proves invaluable to companies as they work through the screening and hiring process with the candidates who are most likely to perform well in the job opening.

What Is a Case Study Exercise?

Case studies are simulation exercises that put a candidate into situations they might actually see while on the job. The exercises can be done as a group or individually. Which it is will depend on the employer and the assessment center. The case studies typically provide information that includes financial reports, market studies, or competition analysis and other information that may relate to any aspect of the profession. It may also provide other company reports, consultant’s reports, new product research results, and more. This makes the exercise similar in some ways to an in-tray exercise though the documents are longer for a case study.

Key Features of Case Studies

Case study exercises often are based on a few core topics. Some of these include:

Finding the feasibility and profitability for the introduction of a new product or service
Merger, acquisition, or joint venture related managerial decisions
Annual report evaluation and profitability and loss analysis
Task prioritization and problem-solving with a given deadline

Many times, the case study’s theme or scenario provides the stage for other assessment center exercises, so paying attention to what the scenario is and the information provided about it can prove helpful in further exercises. If this is the case, the problem-solving case study is likely to show up as one of the first few exercises you do after re-taking the necessary psychometric aptitude assessments for score confirmation.

Competencies Required for Case Studies

The key competencies that case study exercises usually assess are:

Analytical thinking and assimilation of information
Commercial awareness and Innovation
Organization
Decisiveness and Judgment

How to Prepare for Case Study Exercises?

With the large amount of information presented on assessment center case studies and the many things to consider, it can be difficult to know where to start. Particularly for those participating in a graduate assessment center case studies with no prior experience with assessment centers, the case study may seem daunting.

However, it is possible to prepare with some case study practice and by reviewing assessment case study examples similar to the ones that will be given in your assessment center. These tips for preparation and practice as well the day of will help those facing a case study assessment to do so with confidence.

Case Studies: Tips for Success

Review the advice below as you begin to prepare for the assessment center:

If it is a group exercise , show the recruiters you can work with the team.
For a group exercise, determine what roles individuals in the scenario are associated with and how they may interact with your or impact the analysis and decision-making process.
Determine what information needs to be kept and what should be discarded as early on as possible.
Manage time carefully and plan your approach based on the time available to you.
Consider all possible solutions and analyze them carefully before choosing a decision.
When finished, ensure that you have a solid foundation for the proposal and a plan of action to implement for your chosen solution.
Make sure you communicate that foundation and the logic behind your decision.
When presenting as a group, actively participate but avoid dominating the conversation or situation.
Gather information on the organization, job profile, and any other data that could be in the case study to be prepared before assessment center day if possible.
If you do not need to present for a group exercise, consider nominating yourself as someone who can respond to questions.
Practice structuring and delivering presentations in a case study format before testing.

If you follow the advice above and put in enough time practicing and preparing to feel confident, you should be able to ace this portion of your assessment center. Remember that the solution is not the most important thing about this exercise. How you work with others and the reasoning behind your answer is. So, use the time you have wisely and do not overlook anything as you work to come to a good solution. As you do this, relax and use this as a chance to show the recruiters that you really know what you said you did during the interview stage . That is what this exam is about.

Assessment Center

Written Exercises
Job Interviews
Competency-Based Interview Q&A
In-Tray Exercise
Case Studies
Group Exercises

Your Guide to Assessment Centre Case Studies

Case studies are a vital activity at assessment centres. Graduate recruiters use them to assess a candidate’s capability after being shortlisted; to see the candidate “in action” and obtain valuable insights on how they would perform on the job. Just like how job interviews and assessment centre presentations are all about telling recruiters what you can do; case studies are about demonstrating your potential to recruiters in a practical way.

What Is a Case Study Exercise?

A case study is a simulation exercise that gives candidates a realistic representation of a scenario that they’ll experience while on the job. The exercise – depending on the recruiter and the nature of the job you’re applying for – may be done as a group or individually.

In short, you will be provided with a brief describing a problem that the company is trying to solve, and then asked to come up with a proposed solution to said problem. You (and your group) will then need to present your proposed solution to recruiters and defend or justify your approach.

The case study brief will typically provide additional information such as financial reports, market studies, competition analysis, and other information that may relate to any aspect of the job. It may also provide other company reports, client reports, new product research, etc.

How You’ll Be Assessed

Case study exercises are designed to give the recruiter a fair and balanced evaluation of each candidate. Be it an individual or group case study exercise, recruiters are typically monitoring these competencies:

Analytical Thinking
Assimilation of Information
Commercial Awareness
Organisational skills
Decisiveness

If it’s a group case study exercise, recruiters may be assessing how the group interacts and who takes thelead. Some examples of competencies are:

How you interact with other people – your interpersonal skills
How you deal with a difficult teammate
How you would fit into the workplace
How you cope with group or peer pressure

How It Usually Goes

Case study exercises are often timed and you’ll need to carefully examine the brief before presenting your findings and solutions. After analysing the documents and deciding on a way forward, you or the team will be required to present your talking points in the form of a presentation. With individual case studies, you will probably present your solutions at an interview with a recruiter or in a written form.

It’s important to note that a case study exercise is just as much about assessing your approach to solving the problem as the solution you arrive at. Case study exercises are usually designed not to have one “correct” answer. As long as you can justify your proposed solution and withstand scrutiny from recruiters, you are likely to score marks.

Example Case Studies

Try your best at these 2 quick case study examples and grab a family member or friend to present your solutions and findings to. Remember to time yourself for the exercise and read your case study brief carefully and understand what the recruiter is looking for.

Example Case Study 1

The following group exercise is an investment case study. Candidates have to work together to find answers and respond to incoming news and data. They then have to make a presentation to a ‘management board’.

A conglomerate of media companies is looking to make a significant acquisition. It has identified a target e-commerce company and approached a number of investment banks for their views on the merits of a potential deal and a target price. Based on these presentations, the publisher will decide whether to proceed with a bid and, if so, select one bank to act as their adviser.

Your team is one of the investment banks bidding to win the mandate. You need to analyse the figures provided; to review the marketplace, your potential client and the target company; and to prepare a five-minute presentation giving your recommendations. (e.g. whether to go ahead, go ahead under specific conditions, hold off on the deal entirely. etc.)

Example Case Study 2

This is an example of a case study used for FMCG graduate programmes. In this case, the groups are given a pack with details of the product range, sales figures, marketing campaigns and news clippings. The basic problem in this type of scenario is that a product range or the company receives some negative publicity on the eve of a new product launch or marketing campaign. Assessors are interested in whether and how you would respond to it.

You are a member of the marketing team at a global organisation, Choc-O-Lot Ltd. It is headquartered in Europe and manufactures and distributes chocolate products throughout the world. Its flagship bar is ‘Dairy Dream’, but the business has expanded rapidly over the past eight years, launching new products and diversifying into new areas (such as starting a new capsule coffee product lineup).

The company is planning a huge brand relaunch. Just as Choc-O-Lot is about to launch a marketing campaign, articles appear online alleging that Choc-O-Lot treats its workers, and members of its supply chain poorly. In particular, its Malaysian manufacturing plant is alleged to be exploiting migrant workers. These articles are widely shared on social media, with calls from readers for a boycott. What would you do?

More Related Advice

graduate assessment centre case study example

Assessment centres

Ruairi Kavanagh

Last updated: 21 Dec 2023, 10:40

How to prepare for a graduate assessment centre; examples of assessment centre exercises, tests and case studies.

Second interviews and assessment centres allow recruiters and job applicants a more in-depth look at whether they suit each other. Assessment centres involve assembling in one place several candidates who are applying for the same position and putting them through a variety of different tests.

How employers use assessment centres

Assessment centres make it easier for candidates to showcase a range of skills and competences than they would be able to demonstrate in an interview alone. Exercises and tasks are designed to mirror those needed in the job, so they are measuring you directly against the skills you would need to do the job well. This is why some employers feel they are a fairer way to select graduates than traditional interviews.

You are not in direct competition with the other candidates – you are all being assessed against the employer’s criteria, not against each other. In fact, it’s important to show that you can work in a team and co-operate with others.

Some assessment centres will include meals and refreshments and while this acts as a pleasant social introduction to the firm, be aware that the recruiters will notice candidates' behaviour and form preliminary impressions of people.

What to expect from assessment centres

Assessment centres can last from half a day to three days. A typical one-day assessment centre would start with a welcome to the company followed by introductions and an ice-breaker. This might be followed by individual and group exercises. During lunch you might be able to mingle with current graduate employees, with interviews taking place in the afternoon.

The programme of events can incorporate some or all of the following:

Group exercises
Individual exercises
Panel interviews
Social events
Written exercises or case studies
Aptitude tests, psychometric tests or personality tests.

Assessment centre group exercises

A group of six to eight people may be given a task to do under observation by the selectors. Group exercises are designed to assess how you communicate and your ability to accommodate the needs, views and skills of others in order to achieve a goal. Listen carefully to the instructions and focus on helping the group to complete the task.

Your aim should be to make a constructive contribution. How you work together to solve the problem is usually more important than the solution.

The group is asked to deal with a scenario based on a real-life business situation, and to present its findings.

Tip: Show recruiters you can work together. They won’t be looking for the ‘right’ conclusion but the steps you took to reach it.

Get the insights and skills you need to shape your career journey with Pathways. Gain a strong grounding in the various ways you can prepare for an assessment centre, so you can give yourself the best chance of success.

Discussion group

The group is given a topic, often a recent news story, to discuss.

Tip: Listen to other group members as well as speaking up. Prepare by reading a quality newspaper in the weeks before the assessment centre.

Leaderless task

Each member of the group is given an individual briefing document. As a group you must come up with a decision acceptable to everyone within a time limit.

Tip: No-one in the group is the designated leader so you’ll need to work together to find a solution. Recruiters will be interested in whether you’re comfortable working with differing views and able to broker a compromise.

Assessment centre individual exercises

These are designed to mirror tasks you would be doing on the job.

In-tray exercise:

You are presented with a series of letters or emails varying in degrees of importance and given about 30–60 minutes to tackle it.

They are looking for: decision making, time management, how you work under pressure.

Tips: Quickly read through everything. Identify requests needing immediate action; those you can delegate; and those you can delay. Be prepared to justify your priorities and actions to the assessors. Pace yourself; work quickly and accurately.

Case study:

You will be given a business scenario and asked to imagine they are giving advice to a client or colleague on the basis of the evidence. You may have to make a presentation explaining your findings. This may be either a group or an individual exercise. They are looking for: analysis, problem solving, business acumen.

Tip: Practise by carrying out some basic research. Find out the kind of real-life business decisions the company has to make. Read the business pages of newspapers to get a feel for current issues. See if your careers service runs workshops on preparing for case study exercises.

Presentation:

You will be asked to prepare this in advance: you will be told the subject and length of the presentation and the visual aids available (eg flipcharts, presentation software or a laptop).

They are looking for: communication ability, confidence, thinking quickly on your feet.

Plan the content: If you have a free choice, choose a subject you know or understand well. Break your presentation into three memorable points and give it a good structure – starting with an introduction and ending with a summary and an invitation for questions. Visual aids must be visual: don’t include too much text.
Think about your delivery: Less experienced presenters tend to speed up as they talk, so be aware of this and pause if necessary to get back on track. Vary your tone of your voice; minimise your movements; engage with everyone present by looking at each person from time to time.
Get plenty of practice: Practise out loud, so that you are comfortable speaking from memory with brief prompts on screen or on index cards. Get used to the timing and speaking at a measured pace. A final dress rehearsal the day before will help your confidence.

Assessment centre tips

Get as much information as you can about the tests beforehand.
Listen carefully; pace yourself; work quickly and accurately.
Be yourself – don’t act a part. If you’ve had to change your behaviour or personality radically to fit in then it could be a sign that this employer is not for you.

Learn more about preparing for assessment centres.

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Assessment centres

Find out what an assessment centre is, what to expect, types of activities, and top tips for performing well.

What is an assessment centre?

Assessment centres are typically the final stage of the recruitment process for large graduate recruiters. They may take place in-person or online and range in duration from half a day to two days (one day being typical).

Assessment centres are considered to be the most reliable predictor of performance in a job role and are used to assess candidates’ suitability. You will be asked to complete a range of activities designed to test your motivation, skills and fit.

The process itself can be exciting, stimulating and challenging. It’s normal to feel nervous but with the right preparation you can manage your anxiety and have the confidence to engage with the process. You might even enjoy it!

Before the assessment centre, remind yourself of the attributes this employer wants by looking again at the job description and person specification. These should give a good insight into the skills they will look for at the assessment centre. 
Read your original application so it’s fresh in your mind, as you may be asked for more detail.
Check the invite for further details; it will tell you what to expect and how best to prepare.

Considerations for in-person assessment centres

Read the information you've been given beforehand on location, date, time and the format of the day.
Check your travel arrangements and allow for delays and navigating rush hour traffic. Arrive ahead of time but not too early – why not find a cafe or quiet spot nearby?
Dress appropriately; you are well-advised to stick to more conventional clothing – think ‘business dress’. If you are on a tight budget you could try local charity shops.
Switch off your mobile phone.

Considerations for virtual assessment centres

Virtual assessment centres tend to be very similar to a traditional assessment day in terms of the tasks and activities they include. How can you prepare? What can you expect in the run up to the day? This article will help:

What to expect from a virtual assessment centre (University of Edinburgh login required)

How will I be assessed?

There will be an assessment framework which will reflect the job requirements and core competencies. All observations are evaluated using a scoring matrix.
Assessors will observe you closely and will make notes – don’t see this as a negative action – they are keen to record positive behaviours.
Recruiters will look at your performance across the whole assessment centre, so if one exercise doesn’t go particularly well try not to dwell on it. Look ahead to the next task. Stay focussed and motivated, even if you’re feeling drained, as this will be noticed. 
All candidates will receive feedback irrespective of the outcome.

Types of activities

The types of activities you might expect are:

Selection tests

Graduate recruiters often use selection tests as part of the recruitment process – typically online during the early stages of selection. These include aptitude tests, psychometric tests, and reasoning tests – all different terms for the same sort of thing. You may be expected to re-test during the assessment centre.

Visit our Selection tests webpage for tips on the preparation you should do and the ways you can practise:

Group exercise

This usually involves working with other candidates to complete a task in a specific time-frame; it might be a group discussion or a problem based task. The aim is to work effectively together, finding a solution built on collaboration and consensus.

Take every opportunity before the assessed exercises – and during breaks – to get to know your fellow candidates. You are not in direct competition with them.
Remember to work with everyone, not against them. All of you could be recruited, or equally none of you.
Try to engage with the process early on and don’t leave it too late to voice ideas.
Be confident enough to argue your case and defend your point but avoid dominating the process. Try to find compromises and common ground.
Encourage quieter members of the group to contribute – they may need a little more encouragement to participate. Like you, they are there on merit and should have ideas to share and much to contribute.
Pay close attention to your body language and other non-verbal communication.

Agree a method for managing the time, process and decision making. You need to be ready to share your conclusions. Techniques, such as a SWOT analysis which seeks to identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats involved in a project or organisation are helpful if established and used consistently. Use the following:

LinkedIn Learning - current University of Edinburgh students have free access to an extensive library of high-quality business courses. Here is an example of how to conduct a SWOT analysis:

Conducting a SWOT analysis (University of Edinburgh login required)

For guidance and tips on how to access and get the most out of LinkedIn Learning, visit:

Information Services - LinkedIn Learning

In the online environment

Don’t forget to interact with group members in the online environment and take any opportunities to chat and connect. Make sure you are using your camera!

If you naturally fulfil the role of leader, take an inclusive approach by giving everyone 1-2 minutes to explain their view.
Agree an etiquette e.g. using the hand-raise tool.
Suggest somebody volunteers to take notes for the group. These can provide a useful reference point for when you make and share your conclusions.
Pay heed to your body language and don’t be distracted by your familiar environment. Without a more formal physical setting you may become too casual.

Presentation

This is your chance to show you can research and convey a message (or argument) clearly and succinctly.

The assessors will be looking at your communication and time management, as well as body language. They may ask questions at the end of your presentation.

Practise, practise, practise! Deliver your presentation in front of others and get their feedback on i) content ii) clarity of message iii) style and body language.
Don’t read verbatim – have notes and prompts, not a full script. You need to try and sound engaging and enthusiastic.
Be clear about the key messages that you want to get across.
Don’t try to cover too much – focus on the salient point(s).
Make sure you deliver and tailor content to your audience. 
It sounds obvious but remember to breathe and pause when necessary. Be aware of your pace: we tend to speak more quickly when nervous.
Smile: you will be surprised how much difference this can make.

This excellent article from targetjobs provides pointers on how to step into the spotlight to deliver an effective presentation:

targetjobs - Deliver a presentation that's worthy of a graduate job

In-tray/e-tray

These exercises are designed to replicate an inbox full of emails. The purpose is to see how you prioritise the various tasks and differentiate between important and urgent. You will be expected to draft replies, delegate tasks and recommend actions – all within a clear time limit. Note there may be more emails than you can attend to within the set time.

Read the brief and all information provided carefully.
Bear in mind that some of the emails/tasks will be high priority and others of much lower importance.  You may also receive a particularly important communication part way through the exercise to see how you cope with change.
Take a step back, consider what the major factors are and prioritise the tasks. 
Factors could include: stakeholders, commercial considerations, negative PR and budgets, for example.
Be systematic and logical in your approach.

You can try a practice test by selecting "E-Tray Exercise":

E-tray exercise (University of Edinburgh login required)

Would you like more practice? The following exercises may help:

AssessmentDay - Free e-tray exercise for practise

JobTestPrep - Free in-tray exercise practise questions

A case study tends to be based around a business scenario e.g. a company facing a particular issue. Facts are presented to candidates and they are expected to proffer a solution. This can include analysing a business problem (e.g. what would be the pros and cons of introducing a ‘regular user’ scheme to reward loyal customers of an airline?) or a brainteaser (e.g. how many bottles of wine are consumed in the UK each week?).

These questions are designed to assess your ability to synthesise information, alongside your problem solving skills and general suitability for the role. Clear communication is key to be successful.

No prior knowledge is required, as you will be provided with all the background information you need. There is not necessarily a ‘right’ or definitive answer. The assessor is looking for:

Your ability to identify the presenting issue.
A demonstration of how you approach problems, and your thought process e.g. what assumptions are you making; what conclusions are you drawing?
How you articulate and present your analysis.
How you explain and substantiate your argument and defend your points.

You may need to ask the interviewer further questions; often certain details are withheld to see if you can determine what additional information would be helpful. See this process of asking questions as a conversation, not an interrogation. (However, this will depend on the brief; in some circumstances, no additional interaction is allowed.)

Look at examples of case study questions and practise until you are more familiar with the format.

The following guide gives a breakdown of three types of case studies, and how to approach them:

Demystifying the case interview (University of Edinburgh login required)

For more examples, visit these employer websites: 

Bain & Company

Boston Consulting Group

McKinsey & Company

Social event

This can take many different forms, from very informal to sit down dinner. Remember: you are still being informally assessed during social activities, so remain professional at all times. Even if you are feeling tired by this point, try to engage with the process. This is another good opportunity for you to find out more about the company, its employees and cultural fit.

The interview may be at the end of the assessment centre or it may be something that you're invited to later.

See our webpage for advice:

Interview formats; how to prepare and practise

New developments in assessment centre activities

Escape rooms.

Nationwide Building Society, for example, have introduced an online escape room as part of their graduate assessment centre. For more insight, read this article:

The escape room assessment centre (University of Edinburgh login required)

Virtual reality ( VR )

This is an artificially created environment where you’ll probably be asked to wear a VR headset that generates sights and sounds, and then expected to complete tasks. These may not bear any relation to the job itself. VR tasks are designed to test your analytical skills and tease out your strengths and specific personality traits. For more details, this article provides a great insight:

Will your next interview be in virtual reality? (University of Edinburgh login required)

If you want to try out a free VR headset, current students can access the uCreate Makerspace at the Main Library, George Square. VR headsets are also available on loan throughout the year. For more information, visit:

uCreate Makerspace

Further support

If you’re unsure and would like to talk through aspects of the assessment centre or any concerns you may have, there are a range of ways we can support you:

Information and advice drop-ins

Offered online and on campus. No need to book! Great for asking quick questions and getting answers.

Information and advice drop-ins schedule (University of Edinburgh login required)

Book an appointment with any of our Careers Consultants

Use the "Talk to us" tab and select the “Discuss my career (up to 30 minutes)” option:

Book an appointment (University of Edinburgh login required)

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You are currently on: Assessment centres and case questions

Assessment centres and case questions

Assessment centres.

These are events held by an employer as part of their recruitment and selection process. Employers hold assessment centres to recruit people for a job or entry into a graduate recruitment programme.

What happens at an assessment centre?

Assessment centres vary in length – they might be just a couple of hours or spread across a couple of days. During the event you will undertake a series of exercises and tests that will be held on the employer's premises, at a specialist assessment centre or in conference venue.

Generally, you will be in a small group of six to eight other applicants. You will be observed by one or more assessors. Check your invitation for information about what to expect. If there isn't any, feel free to ask the employer.

Activities may include group discussions, presentations, in-tray exercises and social events.

How the employer will assess you

The various activities at the event are designed to give the employer a balanced evaluation of each candidate. Most assessors have a standard rating scale for each candidate and exercise, and a team of assessors consolidates their findings at the end of the session.

Depending on the activity, employers may be assessing how the group interacts and who takes a natural lead.

Employers will also assess how you:

work with other people (your interpersonal skills)
would fit into the workplace
behave under pressure
cope with work-related tasks
approach problem-solving

How to prepare

It's important to prepare for the types of activities and questions that will come your way so you can perform to your full potential.

Practice doing tests

MyCDES+ has an assessment centre tool which explains everything you need to know about assessment centres run by some of the biggest companies. Find out about individual hiring processes, the activities you may be assessed on, what the employers look for and how to shine. You can practice the following activities:

Case studies
Group exercises
Ice-breakers
Informal assessments
In-tray exercises
Presentations
Psychometrics

Take a look at the assessment centre tool now and keep reading for more of our top tips on how to approach them!

Refresh your memory and knowledge

Re-read your CV, cover letter and application form. Remind yourself of the attributes the employer is looking for.
Keep up-to-date with current issues relevant to the job or organisation by reading up on their website and checking out other appropriate industry newspapers, articles and blogs.
Ensure you know what the format of the day will be - ask if necessary.

Be yourself

Don't try to be the person you think they want, compete against other candidates or try to dominate the group. Employers look for a range of different leadership styles. Simply present the best version of you and your personal strengths.

Show your interest

Be enthusiastic. Show interest in the other candidates. Talk to senior staff if you get the opportunity.

Ask questions

Ask questions and join in discussions. Listen carefully to instructions, and ask if you are not clear about what you have to do.

Go the extra mile

Want to know more? Have a look at this video from UCL (University College London), for more tips and advice on assessment centres – Assessment centres video

Case questions

A case question is an example of a business dilemma facing a particular company. Your interviewer will give you some basic facts and then ask you an open-ended or specific question.

You will be asked to:

Analyse the situation
Identify key business issues
Discuss how you would address the issues

Types of case questions

A case question may take one of these formats:

You may only be given basic information to work with to come up with a solution. The interview may proceed as an open dialogue between you and the interviewer. You may ask questions to uncover key information and move towards resolution of the problem.
You may be given a pack of information to work on (for example company reports, financial statements or graphs) and be asked to report your findings to the interviewers.

Example case questions

"You are heading part of a government task force looking into whether to introduce electric cars into New Zealand. As the head of this project, what would you do?"
"You are part of a consulting team working on re-launching a supermarket product which is losing market share. How do you approach this problem?"
"The government has decided to abolish daylight savings. As part of a consulting team advising on this change, what steps would you need to take?"

How to answer a case question

Listen carefully to the question. Take notes if permitted.
Summarise the question to ensure you have understood it and are answering it effectively.
Analyse the problem and ask questions – this demonstrates that you’re confident enough to take the initiative, and creates a conversation. This is more interesting to the interviewer than listening to a monologue.
Stay focused on the question and don't get so caught up in the detail that you can't get to the resolution.
Manage your time well.
Be creative in your thinking.
Try and offer a fresh new perspective.
Don't feel pressured to rush your answer – you can pause to think before you speak.
Be enthusiastic and positive. Structure your answer and quantify it if possible, as this demonstrates that you are comfortable with numbers.
Be aware of the interviewer’s responses. Read their body language - do they look interested? Are you on track?
Summarise your findings and make recommendations.
There is no "right" way of approaching case questions.
Often there is no one correct answer.
You are demonstrating that you can think in a logical process.
Practice is the key.

Why do employers ask case questions?

Employers ask case questions to:

Measure your ability to solve problems — how you identify, structure and think through problems
Examine your creativity in coming up with solutions
Measure your ability to cope with ambiguity
Test your communication skills

Who uses case questions?

Management consulting firms, research industries, marketing companies, consumer product management and investment banking.

Case questions are often used at assessment centres as part of a group exercise.

These are examples of companies that use case studies in their recruitment processes:

McKinsey & Company - Interviews
Bain - Interview preparation

For more insider tips on assessment centres, visit Case Interviews - Preparation or Assessment Centre HQ .

Book into one of our workshops

Don't forget we run lots of workshops dedicated to helping you prepare for interviews! Our Career Consultants are here to support your employability through a range of services, you can book into our workshops or book one-on-one appointments via MyCDES.

Why Do Employers Use Case Studies at Assessment Centers?

What to expect from a case study exercise, how to prepare for the case study exercise in 2024, how to approach a group exercise, how to approach a presentation, case study exercises at assessment centers (2024 guide).

Updated November 21, 2023

Should you be invited to be tested at an assessment center as part of an employer's recruitment process, one of the exercises you may face is a case study .

A case study exercise presents you with a scenario similar to what you would experience in the job you have applied for.

It will generally be accompanied by documents, emails or other forms of information.

You are asked to make business decisions based on the data you have been provided with, either alone or as part of a group of candidates.

A case study enables employers to assess your skill-base and likely performance in the job, providing them with a more rounded view of the type of employee you would be and the value you would bring to the company.

Commonly used in the finance, banking, legal and business management industries, the main advantage to employers of using case study exercises is to see candidates in action, demonstrating the skills they would be expected to use at work.

The skills assessed when participating in a case study exercise will vary depending on the employer, the industry and the job applied for, but may include:

Analytical skills
Strategic thinking
Decision making
Problem-solving
Communication
Stress tolerance
The ability to assimilate information quickly and effectively
Organisational skills
Situational judgment
Commercial awareness
Time management
Team working
Knowledge pertinent to the industry or job, for example, marketing skills

Despite the skills that the employer is actively assessing, such as those mentioned above, success in a case study exercise relies on your ability to:

Interpret and analyze the information provided
Reach a decision
Use commercial awareness
Manage your time
Communicate well

Practice Case Study Exercises with JobTestPrep

There are generally two types of case study exercise that you may face as part of a selection process:

Subject-related case studies pertinent to the job you are applying for and the related industry
General case studies that assess your overall aptitude and skills

The actual scenario of the case study exercise you face will vary, but examples of typical case studies include:

Expanding a team or department
Deciding whether an acquisition or merger is advisable
Investigating whether to begin a new product line
Re-organisation of management structure
The creation of an advertising campaign
Responding to negative publicity
Choosing from three business proposals
Developing a social media presence

Prepare for Case Study Exercises with JobTestPrep

For example: You are presented with the scenario of an IT company that went through an expensive re-brand one year ago. At that time, the company moved to bigger premises in a better area, and two new teams of developers were recruited to work with two new clients. The IT company has recently lost one of those clients and is facing increasing costs as the rent is raised for their premises. The company's directors have concluded that they must make one of the following changes: Make staff redundancies and offer the chance to several employees to change to part-time hours Move to less expensive premises in a less desirable area Combine a move to a flexible working business model where employees work part of the week from home and desk-share in the office along with a physical move to smaller premises in the same area where the IT company is currently based

You are asked to advise the directors on which change would provide the greatest benefit.

Here is another example:

A multi-national environmental testing organization buys out an oil-testing laboratory. A gap test is carried out on whether: The oil-testing lab should be brought in line with the rest of the organization concerning its processes, customer interface, and testing procedures The oil-testing lab should be closed down and its clients absorbed into the rest of the organization The oil-testing lab should be allowed to continue as it is, but new processes put in place between it and the larger organization

You are asked to consider the findings of the gap test and suggest the best course of action.

Just as you would prepare before a job interview, it is always in your best interests to prepare before facing a case study exercise at an assessment center.

Step 1 . Do the Research

There is a whole range of research you can look into to prepare yourself for the case study exercise:

The job description and any other literature or documents forwarded to you
The employer's website and social media
Industry related news stories and developments

Any of the above should provide you with a better understanding of the job you have applied for, the industry you will work within, and the culture and values of the employer.

Step 2 . Use Practice Case Studies

Practicing case study exercises in the run-up to the assessment day is one of the best ways you can prepare for the real thing.

Unless the employer provides sample case studies on their website or as part of their recruitment pack, you will not know the exact format that the exercise will take; however, you can build familiarity with the overall process of a case study through practice.

You can find plenty of practice case study exercises online. Most of these come at a cost, but you may also be able to find free sample case studies too.

For case study resources at a cost, have a look at JobTestPrep .

For two free sample case study exercises, you might like to visit Bain & Company's website .

Scroll down to the Associate Consultant Case Library. Europa also offers an extensive and detailed sample case study .

Step 3 . Timed Practice

Once you have sourced one or more practice case studies, take the opportunity to practice to a time limit.

The case study may come with a time limit, or the employer may have already told you how long you will have to complete the real case study exercise on the day.

Alternatively, set your reasonable time limit.

Timed practice will improve your response time and explain exactly how much time you should allocate to each stage of the case study process.

Step 4 . Improve Your Reading Comprehension

One skill that is key to handle a case study exercise successfully is your reading comprehension, that is, your ability to understand written information, interpret it and describe it in your own words.

In the context of a case study, this skill will help you to assimilate the information provided to you quickly, analyze it and ultimately reach a decision.

In the run-up to your assessment day, put aside time to improve your reading comprehension by reading a wide variety of material and picking out the key points of each passage.

You might find it especially helpful to read professional journals and news articles related to the job you have applied for and the related industry.

Try to improve the speed at which you can read but still retain information too. This will prove helpful during the real case study exercise.

Step 5 . Practice Mental Math

The case study exercise may include prices, area measurements, staff numbers, salaries and other numeric values.

It is important that you can complete basic mental math calculations, such as multiplication and percentages.

Practice your mental math using puzzle books, online math resources and math problems that you create yourself.

You can find plenty of online business math resources, for example:

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Math and Business Guide
Money Instructor
Open Textbook Library

If you need to prepare for a number of different employment tests and want to outsmart the competition, choose a Premium Membership from JobTestPrep . You will get access to three PrepPacks of your choice, from a database that covers all the major test providers and employers and tailored profession packs.

Get a Premium Package Now

How To Prepare for Case Study Exercises at Assessment Centers

Top Tips for Approaching Case Study Exercises

Now that you have prepared yourself, you can further improve your chances of a successful outcome by following our top tips on approaching case study exercises on the day.

Read the Information Carefully

Read all of the information provided as part of your case study exercise to understand what is being asked of you fully.

Quickly identify the key points in the task and the overall decision you have been asked to make, for example:

Has the exercise provided you with a choice of outcomes you must decide between, or must you create the outcome yourself?
What information do you need to make your decision?
Are there calculations involved in the task?
What character are you playing in the task (for example, HR manager or business consultant) and what are that character's motivations?
Who is your character presenting their response to? Company directors, client or HR department?

Prioritize the Information

Prioritize the information by importance.

Which pieces of information are most pertinent to the task, and what key data do they provide?

Can any of the information be dismissed? Does any of the information contradict or sit in conflict with others?

Divide Up the Tasks and Allocate Time

You will generally be asked to come to a conclusion or advise a course of action regarding your case study exercise; however, you may have to carry out several tasks to arrive at this result.

Once you have read through the information, plan out what tasks the exercise will entail and allocate time for each one.

Do Not Be Distracted by Finding the Only 'Right' Answer

Where you are provided with several outcomes, and you must decide on one, do not assume that anyone's outcome is the only right answer to give.

It may be that any of the outcomes could be correct if you can sufficiently support your decision from the information provided.

Keep the Objective in Focus

What does the task ask you to do?
Must you choose between three business acquisitions?
Are you providing advice on whether or not to invest?
Are you putting together a plan for a staff redundancy situation?

Keep the objective of the case study exercise in mind at all times.

Support Your Decision With Evidence

The conclusion you come to may seem obvious to you, but you must be able to support your decision with evidence.

Why would it be better for the company to invest in property overstock? What is the benefit to the company of entering a new market?

It is not sufficient to know which outcome would be the best. As in the real-life business world, you must be able to support your claims.

If you are assessed as part of a group, you must arrive at a conclusion as a team and bear in mind your strengths.

For example, do you have a good eye for detail and would therefore be suited to the analytical part of the task?

Arrive at a list of tasks together and then assign the tasks to different members of the group.

Please make sure you contribute to the group discussions but do not dominate them.

Group assessments are generally used by employers who place value on leadership, teamwork and communication skills.

If you are asked to present your findings or conclusion as part of a case study exercise, bear in mind to whom the task has asked you to make that presentation.

For example, a business client or a marketing manager.

Make sure that you can fully support the reasons that you came to your conclusion.

If you are presenting as a group, make sure that each group member has their role to play in the presentation and that everyone knows why the group came to that conclusion.

Act professionally to suit the job you have applied for. Be polite, confident and well-spoken.

Case study exercises are just one of the many methods that employers use to assess job applicants, and as with any other aspect of the selection process, they require a degree of consideration and preparation.

The best way to improve your chances of a successful outcome and reduce exam tension is to research the job and the industry, practice case study exercises and improve your skills.

You might also be interested in these other Psychometric Success articles:

Or explore the Aptitude Tests / Test Types sections.

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In-Tray Exercises
E-Tray Exercises
What To Expect
Group Exercises
Presentations
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How To Behave During An Interview
Hope To Cope With Nerves
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EY Assessment Centre
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Logical Reasoning Test
Abstract Reasoning Test
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Literacy Skills Test (QTS)
SHL Numerical Test: 5 Essential Tips for Guaranteed Success
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Personality Tests

8 Tips For Graduate Assessment Centre Success

This graduate assessment centre guide includes practice tests, top tips and insider secrets for success. Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

1 Useful Starting-Point Resources

You can practice graduate assessment centre tests here.

In a moment we’ll share out top tips for success, but let’s quickly cover some basics.

Take Graduate Assessment Centre Practice Test Now

What Is A Graduate Assessment Centre?

A graduate assessment centre is an event held by large companies to determine whether a candidate’s skills and personal attributes are a good fit for the business and role they have applied for.

Download our Ultimate Assessment Day & Interview Guide 2022 here . (It's packed with tips, tricks and insider-secrets to help you succeed.)

How long does a graduate assessment centre last?

Graduate assessment centres usually last for 1 full working day, but sometimes they can by 2 days long. (And in rare cases, a whopping 3 days!)

What’s the format of the day?

Expect your day to start with some kind of welcome talk or presentation. Then the assessment exercises will begin.

What Kind Of Assessment Exercises Will There Be?

The exercises will vary based on the role you have applied for, but below you will see a list of all of the exercises that are commonly carried out at graduate assessment centres. You will definitely do 3 or 4 of these exercises at your graduate assessment centre.

(Note: The links below will take you to the area of our site that teaches you how to succeed in each assessment.)

Aptitude and psychometric tests are a brutal, but increasingly common form of testing. The most frequent types are numerical reasoning , verbal reasoning and logical reasoning . For some roles there will be tests that assess abstract reasoning , inductive reasoning and even spatial reasoning.
Presentations : This exercise will assess your ability to create, display and deliver a presentation. How clearly can you communicate a message?
Group exercises : Here you will be assessed on your ability to interact in a group setting. These exercises are competitive and nerve-wracking. Success in group exercises is a delicate art.
Role-plays : You’ll be expected to play a part in an imaginary scenario that will closely reflect one which could appear in the role you have applied for.
In-tray exercise : This exercise is a business simulation and it will be your task to act as a staff member dealing with a typical workload.
A technical/trade test, dependent on your area of expertise.
Interviews : You will face a series of competency-based/experience-based/skill-based and hypothetical questions to gauge your suitability for the role.

What Are Assessors Looking For At A Graduate Assessment Centre?

The assessors at a graduate assessment centre are assessing candidates’ intelligence and personality.

Specifically, they are assessing candidates’ suitability to the role and company values.

Nearly all companies work to a defined set of values and/or competencies. It is vital, absolutely vital, that you find out what they are.

To find out a company’s competences look on their website or contact their HR department. This information is usually found under the ‘about us’ section and may be referred to as values/beliefs/code/competencies.

Want to know how to onto a graduate scheme? Check out this useful Guardian article: Getting Onto Graduate Schemes: A Guide To Assessment Centres.

Here’s are 8 tips which will help you succeed at your graduate assessment centre.

1) You Are Always Being Assessed

Whether you are taking part in an exercise or eating lunch with fellow candidates, you are being assessed and observed.

You must remember to remain polite and enthusiastic at all times, not just during the exercises.

Don’t ‘let your guard slip’ during breaks periods. Don’t complain about traffic or the weather. Or anything. You are Mr/Mrs Positivity to everyone, all day.

Don’t ‘let your guard slip’ during breaks periods. Be your best professional self all day.

2) When Participation Is Required, Participate

Graduate assessment centres can be intimidating. Sometimes it is all too easy to fade into the background and let others take the lead.

Do not allow this to happen. You are there to be assessed and that is much easier to do if you are active within the sessions.

It is important to be vocal during question and answer sessions and during group work.

Offer ideas. Be creative. Make suggestions. Make sure that you have questions for your interviewer. Do not be a passive object. Project the image of a thriving, intelligent and dynamic employee-of-the-future!

3) Treat Your Graduate Assessment Centre Like An Exam

We’ll be blunt: You must put the effort in to prepare for your graduate assessment centre or you will probably fail. It’s simple as that.

Practice graduate assessment centre exercises.

Read our success guides.

Nothing will improve your confidence and competence more effectively than repeated practice.

4) Dress To Impress

Dress professionally. Groom yourself. Walk tall. Smile. Make a pleasant first impression.

Stop worrying! Download a 12-step assessment day cheatsheet & be perfectly prepared.

Click here to download your copy.

5) Research The Company

Research the company and understand their ethos and what drives them. You must know their history and their plans for the future.

Action point: Stop reading this guide and go and Google the company’s annual report. This will be a treasure trove for you.

Find out what they look for in an employee. Speak to people within the company and make sure you know the role’s job description like the back of your hand.

6) Take Good Care Of Yourself

Your well-being matters. It is important to get enough sleep, food and exercise if you want your brain and body to function at full capacity.

No booze or late nights in the build-up to the event. Get an early night beforehand. Exercise before the event to burn off nervous energy.

7) Practice Psychometric And Aptitude Tests

These tests are timed. You are being benchmarked against the other candidates down to tenths of a second. Not being familiar with these tests will slow you down by around 20%.

There is always a tight time frame to answer the questions set, so it is vital that you are prepared.

8) Confidence Is Key

Show your assessors that you are confident by being pro-active and asking questions. Smile. Use lots of eye contact.

Aim to project an image that says: ‘I am comfortable here because I have belief in my abilities’.

Assessment centres are tough and demanding events. Your preparation will determine your success.

Also Read: Everything You Need to Know About The SCAT Exam

The all-conquering importance of practice

If you’re serious about succeeding at your graduate assessment centre you must take the time to practice each of the assessment exercises you will face at the event.

We can give you great tips and advice, sure, but it’s down to you to put the preparation hours in.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from long experience it’s that preparation is the difference between success and failure. Successful candidates are consistently better-prepared than unsuccessful ones.

Useful Practice Resources

Turbocharge your employability now.

Get your copy of our Ultimate Assessment Day & Interview Guide here. It's packed with tips, tricks and insider-secrets to help you succeed.

Sarah is an accomplished educator, researcher and author in the field of testing and assessment. She has worked with various educational institutions and organisations to develop innovative evaluation methods and enhance student learning. Sarah has published numerous articles and books on assessment and learning. Her passion for promoting equity and fairness in the education system fuels her commitment to sharing insights and best practices with educators and policymakers around the world.

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Top Tips to Succeed in Graduate Assessment Centres

As you head towards the end of your degree and begin applying for graduate programs, you might start seeing the words “assessment centre” pop up more frequently. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, look no further: here’s a guide on what assessment centres are, and how you can succeed in them, with expert advice from the recruitment agency Chandler Macleod!

What are assessment centres?

Assessment centres are typically the final stage in the application process for graduate programs, and are used to help determine whether grads are a good fit for the role. They involve a series of tasks which vary between programs, depending on the key skills each grad program is looking for. You can expect to see a combination of interviews, group discussion activities, written exercises, case studies or presentations in assessment centres.

What do employers look for in assessment centres?

Tim Twynham, the Lead Principal Consultant at the Chandler Macleod Group, says that most employers will be looking at your ability to work in a group during assessment centres. Specifically, assessors are likely to look out for relationship building skills, collaboration, and how you engage with others.

“There aren’t many graduate programs when you are just placed into a role and you work in isolation,” he says.

Your ability to communicate is another skill you’re likely to be assessed on, as well as your motivation for the program itself.

“There’s a big element around drive and motivation,” Tim says.

“I think it’s fair to say that a lot of client organisations sort of want you to hit the ground running and impress people, and a bit of that is what is inherent to the individual. So, you know, are they naturally driven, or task oriented, or achievement oriented? That kind of thing.”

He adds that employers may want to find out whether you really want to work for the organisation, and if you’re going to stay with the company for a while.

“So motivational alignment is a pretty consistent one, too.”

How can you prepare for the day?

Tim says that doing your research is one way you prepare for an assessment centre and put yourself at ease. Familiarise yourself with the program and its expectations, the organisation's values, and any technical skills that might be needed for the program.

He adds that being able to talk about what the organisation does, and potentially knowing a bit about their teams, customers or stakeholders is another great way to prepare.

“That kind of evidence is a good part of actually showing that you really want to be there,” Tim says.

Getting comfortable with using technology is another element of preparation that might come in handy, particularly for virtual assessment centres. Tim says he’s seen people frazzled on the day because their microphone isn’t working, so it’s a good idea to double check the little thingsthings before the assessment centre begins.

And of course, making sure you’re well rested and not distracted on the day is one of the best things you can do to help yourself in the assessment centre.

What are some common mistakes grads make?

One of the more common mistakes Tim mentioned was that grads can often struggle to think of examples of situations where they’ve excelled, or other common scenarios employers might want to hear about.

“There’s many instances of sort of feeling like there’s maybe more to it, that there’s maybe more to what the person has done, or that they’ve actually handled something quite well, but they simply didn’t say it,” he says.

While it shouldn’t sound scripted, Tim added that grads should come with a few examples up their sleeves that they can talk about in detail.

“Just thinking about what are some achievements and situations that you can maybe use as suitable examples, and actually talking to those examples in enough detail around what you’ve done,” he says.

However, while interviews require a fair level of detail from grads, group interviews aren’t the same in this regard, which is another spot where grads often go wrong. Tim says that group activities are where grads should showcase how they work and communicate with others, rather than try to be the “shining star”.

“It’s not about being the superstar that outshines everybody else… In group activities it’s probably one of the red flags or stumbling blocks are people who kind of shut down other people,” he says.

But like with anything, there has to be a balance: if you don’t talk at all, it’s hard for recruiters to assess you accurately.

“So there is a bit of a balance with a group activity of saying enough but not too much, whereas in the interview, I'd say it's probably just about providing more of that detail around what you've actually done.”

For some tips on how to master the group assessment task, head over to our article on here.

How can you stand out?

In terms of how to stand out, it all comes down to being yourself and putting your best foot forward. Be sure to draw from your experiences at university and any other professional experience you might have, and highlight your skills relevant to the role.

As Tim mentioned, ensuring your motivation and enthusiasm for the role shines through is another great way to make a good impression.

Looking for more advice? Check out our complete guide on assessment centres.

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Assessment Centre Exercises 2024. Practice Exercises. Full Preparation Guide.

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Are you a recruiter or hiring manager looking for candidate pre-employment assessment tests and tools including aptitude tests? We invite you to visit our Assess Candidates website.

What are assessment centre exercises? How to prepare for an assessment centre? How to pass an assessment centre? If these are questions on your mind, then this is the guide for you.

In this text, we give the lowdown on assessment centres, what types of exercises you can expect and provide top tips to help prepare and succeed in your upcoming assessment day.

Our website provides a complete package of assessment centre practice tests that could be used to prepare for assessment centre exercises in the recruitment process. Start your practice to prepare for assessment centre preparation today.

Wondering whether you should be practising to prepare for your assessment centre practice test? A recent study found that around one-third of employers use assessment centres in their application processes. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD, 2020)

Check out what we’ll cover in this guide below:

What is an Assessment Centre?

How to prepare for an assessment centre, types of assessment centres, virtual assessment centres, assessment centre exercises, what industries use assessment centres in recruitment.

Top Tips to Pass your Assessment Centre

Assessment Centre Exercises FAQs

Let’s dive in to find out more!

An assessment day is a process used by employers to evaluate the suitability of job applicants for a particular role. It usually involves a series of exercises and tests designed to assess a range of skills, competencies and personal attributes relevant to the job in question.

What do assessment centres assess?

The assessment centre is an easy method used by employers to assess candidates for employment or to evaluate current employees for promotion or development opportunities.

Why are assessment used by employers?

Assessment centres can be used for various purposes, including:

Recruitment and selection
Talent management
Training and development
Succession planning

What do assessment centres involve?

Assessment centers involve various tasks and interviews that simulate job challenges. Examiners observe and assess performance based on set criteria or competencies. The outcome of the assessment informs hiring, promotion, training, and development decisions.

Did you know ? Assessment centre practice tests are also used for leadership development and training as they identify areas for improvement and can be used to develop tailored development plans for current employees.

Your assessors will take notes on what they see and hear during the exercises, but not on what they think. Therefore their own judgement is often excluded from the session.

Research the company and its objectives. Understand the company’s key values and work culture. You can use this to get a good picture of the ‘ideal’ employee.
Check the job description to uncover what important skills and strengths the company is seeking. Consider how you can demonstrate these during the exercises.
Keep up with industry-related news around the employer. Think about how the company handled a situation to gain insight into culture/values. You could also use these as examples for interviews.
Practice your key abilities ahead of the assessment day using practice spoken communication exercises with a family member or friend. Use the feedback given to help enhance your performance.
Develop your time management skills through practice. Prioritise your practice and practice timed simulation tests to prepare for in-tray or e-tray exercises.

Keep reading below to find out more tips that you can use during the assessment centre to stand out and impress!

First, let’s discover more about what we can expect at an assessment day.

What are the types of assessment centre exercises?

Assessment centres can vary depending on the employer and the various job roles you have applied for. Here are the main types of assessment day that you might be invited to take in your application process:

In-person assessment centre : traditionally you may take part in various in-person activities, including: group exercises, role-plays, presentations, and psychometric tests. There are also likely to be Interviews with recruiters or managers at this stage.
Psychometric assessment centre : This type of assessment centre is designed to evaluate your personality traits, cognitive abilities, and emotional intelligence. The assessment could include tests such as aptitude tests, personality tests, and situational judgement tests.
Hybrid assessment centre : This type of assessment centre combines elements of both job simulation and psychometric assessments. Candidates may be required to complete a variety of tasks and tests, including simulations of job-related activities and psychometric tests.
Developmental assessment centre : In these assessment and development centres , employees are assessed with various methods such as psychometric tests, simulations, and interviews. The results are used to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses and develop a personalised development plan to improve performance and career growth.
Online group assessment : In this assessment centre, the entire process is conducted online, with individuals being assigned individual tasks or group activities. The assessment may include virtual interviews, psychometric tests and other online activities designed to assess participants’ skills, knowledge and abilities.
Virtual assessment centre : This type of assessment centre is conducted using video conferencing software and other virtual tools online. These assessment centre tests and many tests may be similar to those used in traditional assessment centres, adapted to the virtual format.

In today’s world of remote working, virtual assessment centres have become a popular tool for employers to assess the skills and abilities of job applicants. Read on to learn more about virtual assessment centres!

What is a virtual assessment centre?

A virtual assessment centre is an online platform that allows employers to conduct recruitment assessments and evaluations for job candidates in a virtual setting. The purpose of an online assessment centre is to simulate real-life job situations online and evaluate your skills, competencies, and behaviour on the job.

Discover the key reasons why many employers are now often using virtual assessment centres in this short video:

Wait, so how are virtual assessment centres different from more traditional in-person assessment centres? To find out more keep reading below!

Virtual assessment centres became more prevalent during the pandemic, with some employers still opting for more virtual screening methods. Here’s how they differ from traditional assessment centres conducted in-person.

What is the difference between Virtual Assessment Centre and In-Person Assessment Centres?

Discover what to expect for your upcoming assessment centre with these key differences and importance between virtual and in-person assessment centres:

Did you know? Digital assessment centres are becoming increasingly popular in many industries and fields, including education, recruitment, and employee training & development.

Maximize your chances of success in a virtual assessment center using the following simple tips!

Top 5 Tips to Pass your Virtual Assessment Centre

Here are 5 quick tips that you can use to ace any virtual assessment centre:

Find a Quiet Place – Before you begin, choose a quiet and distraction-free environment. These tasks can require a lot of focus!
Test Your Tech – Make sure that you familiarise yourself with the available technology by testing your microphone, camera, and internet connection in advance of the day.
Be Prepared – As with many assessments, it’s important to be prepared. Get in the zone by getting a good night’s sleep the day before, doing light exercise and having breakfast!
Stay Engaged – Actively participate and engage with other candidates in discussions. Show your ability to work well in a team during your breakout sessions.
Pay attention to your body language – It’s still important to show your enthusiasm online. Keep relaxed eye contact with the camera, nod along to show listening and sit up straight.

What types of exercises can we expect in these assessment centres? Let’s find out the key activities you may take below!

We will now cover exercises or tasks you may be faced with during an assessment day .

Psychometric Tests – Ability Tests and Personality Questionnaires which are often also administered online or in paper format during the centre. This may be used to verify your previous scores.
Group Exercises – Each candidate in the group plays a designated role in a simulated work event, such as a team meeting. The group is observed together by several assessors.
Presentation Exercises – Depending on the role and employer, you may present individually or as part of a group on a provided topic to an assessor.
In-Tray Exercises – A paper exercise in which you will deal with typical items related to the role, simulating the potential work environment of the position. This can include scheduling meetings and making calculations based on given data.
Interviews – These may be competency-based (past experiences showing skills), behavioural, technical and/or strength-based, depending on the requirements of the role and company culture.
E-Tray Exercises – These tests measure your ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks. A virtual assessment center uses e-tray exercises through an online platform that simulates a work email inbox.
Written Exercises – These evaluate your ability to formulate logical and well-constructed responses, articulate thoughts, and express ideas clearly. This task will simulate a common task in the role and can include writing emails, reports or letters.

What do employers look for in assessment centres?

Each assessment centre test measures your abilities against specific competencies or skills the company is looking for and that is essential for the position you are applying for. These competencies are often commonly associated with high performance in the job.

Boost your confidence through preparation with full assessment center example marking guides and top professional guidance with real assessment experience with our GF Assessment Centre Pack today.

Assessment Centre Exercise Example

The assessment exercises you will take are likely to depend on the role you’ve applied for, and often involve scenarios you will face. Therefore these exercises are likely tailored to the requirements of the role and will focus on different competencies depending on the company values.

Below, we have developed one of our assessment center examples . This is a role play exercise where you play the part of an HR Manager, which is often used during assessment centres.

Top 5 Tips to Ace your Assessment Centre Exercise

Listen actively to the employee, acknowledging any concerns or problems they may have.
Empathise with the employee and demonstrate that you want to support them to improve performance.
Use positive body language and maintain a calm and professional tone of voice.
Manage your time. The assessment may be timed, so ensure to keep an eye on the time to ensure you progress with the discussion at a good pace.
Aim to resolve the issue in a way that works for both you, the team and the employee. Find the best compromise that matches the company values.

Good to know : The SHL Assessment Centre is a popular selection method used by many companies to assess the suitability of applicants for various positions.To prepare, research the company and the competencies that are likely to be assessed.

So which companies and industries use assessment centres such as these to measure your skills for the job? Continue reading as we find out below!

Assessment centres are used in a variety of industries to evaluate candidates for employment, promotion or training programmes. Some of the industries that frequently use assessment centres include:

Business and Management
Customer Service
Public Sector services
Consultancy
Manufacturing

Overall, assessment centers can be useful in any industry that requires a thorough evaluation of candidates’ skills, abilities, and potential for success in specific roles.

Which companies use assessment centres?

Here are just some of the companies that use assessment centres as part of their hiring processes:

The use of virtual assessment is very common nowadays in companies such as KPMG. This is because you will need to demonstrate key skills in a remote setting , such as: communication skills, the ability to work under pressure, problem solving skills and knowledge of the industry and company.

Good to know: It’s key to understand the industry and hone your skills ahead of time. You should also practice using the platform to get more familiar with the technology used.

Check out even more tips that you can use to succeed in your assessment centre.

Top Tips to Pass your Assessment Centres

Here are our 7 easy to follow tips when preparing for an assessment centre that you can use in order to get the best possible results during the assessment day and stand out:

Research the Company: Before going to the assessment day, always do your homework on the business. Learn about their goals, core principles, and offerings. Research any current company news or developments.
Prepare for the Exercises: Assessment centres frequently include a variety of activities, such as group projects, oral presentations, case studies, and interviews. Practice to become familiar with the structure of an assessment centre and these activities.
Dress Smartly: A professional appearance will help you make a positive first impression at the examination centre. This applies for virtual assessment centres too!
Be Punctual: Have time to settle down and take a seat by arriving at the assessment day on time or even a little early. If virtual, join the call 5 minutes before it begins.
Actively Engage : During group activities, be sure to participate fully and add to the conversation. Pay close attention to what other candidates have to say and build off of it.
Stay Positive : Try to remain upbeat and attentive throughout the evaluation centre, even if you feel anxious or overwhelmed. Take deep breaths and focus on the tasks at hand.
Follow up : Contact the assessors or interviewers afterwards to express gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the assessment day. This indicates professionalism and demonstrates your continuous interest in the job.

Our Assessment Exercises are written by ex-SHL consultants . Our Assessment Centre practice bundle is packed with assessment centre examples including Case Study, In-tray, Presentation and Group Discussion and Role Play Exercises along with Full Assessor Marking Guides to help you gain insights into what your assessors are looking for.

Good to know : This is a great opportunity for you to ask recruiters at the assessment centre some questions too, such as about their career and the background of the company they work for, what they best like about the job or work area, and what the next steps in your application are.

Discover more about assessment centers with our FAQs to gain quick answers to even more questions people have about assessment centers.

What to expect at an assessment centre?

You may see the following things when setting up an Assessment Centre:

Learn about the assessors at an introduction and information session.
Communication, problem-solving, leadership and teamwork skills are demonstrated through group activities.
Role plays and presentations may be included in individual assessments.
In-tray assessment: an individual written task or exercise set on the day.
You may also answer questions about your suitability for the job during a final interview round.

What are assessment centres and the level of roles they are used for?

Assessment centres are designed to assess candidates skills for middle to senior management positions. These positions require specific skill sets, such as sales or technical roles. They can measure technical expertise, leadership qualities using simulated scenarios and

Where are assessment centres held?

Assessment centres can be held in various locations such as company premises, conference centres, universities, or online. The location depends on the organisation and purpose of the assessment. Some employers hold assessments at their own facilities, while others may use external venues or online platforms.

What do I need to know before an assessment centre?

To get ready for your assessment centre, ensure to do the following to succeed:

Understand the purpose
Research the company
Practice assessment exercises
Practice good body language
Dress appropriately
Arrive on time

Practice for your upcoming assessment centre with our 10+ practice assessment centre tests and go further today!

Practice and Register with GF to ace your assessment centre exercises first time

Do you want to pass your assessment centre exercises, first time? Sign up for tools offered by GF, the only assessment practice test experts that provide tests to over 100 UK universities and their students, and also across Asia and continental Europe.

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Assessment Centre Group Exercises: Examples and Tips for Success

Group exercises are an important part of assessment centre events for a wide variety of roles and companies.

Many people find it difficult to perform well in a group, but with the right practice and preparation, you can stand out from the rest and make a strong impression on recruiters.

In this free assessment centre group exercises guide we will show you:

3 common types of group exercises you could face at an assessment centre
2 real-world assessment centre group exercise examples
5 expert tips to help you stand out on the day

You can find our recommended assessment centre group practice exercises here .

What is an assessment centre group exercise?

The group exercise is one of several assessment centre exercises you may have to take part in on your assessment day.

You’ll be placed in a random group of 8-10 candidates and must work together to complete an activity in front of assessors.

The exercise measures your ability to work in a team, contribute, delegate and solve problems.

Each candidate is assessed individually on skills required for the role they are applying for, such as leadership, communication, influence, creativity, problem solving and commercial awareness.

Compared to other assessment centre activities like aptitude tests and interviews , the group exercise tends to be one of the most challenging because of its competitive nature.

You’ll be working with a mixture of personality types, and everyone wants to make a great impression.

Luckily, we’ve got plenty of tips, info and advice to help you approach the group exercise with the right attitude. Keep reading to prep yourself for success!

What to expect at assessment centre group exercises

There are three common types of group exercises you could face at an assessment centre:

Case study or role play

Where you play out an imaginary scenario to try to overcome its particular challenges and get to an outcome that the majority of the group is happy with.

Where you must discuss and come to a conclusion about a work-related issue. You may also have to present your solution back to the assessors as a group.

A more informal exercise where you discuss a general topic, usually related to news or current affairs.

No matter which type of group activity you take part in, the format will be largely the same.

Before you start the exercise, you’ll get a short amount of time to read the brief.

Everyone in the group will be working with the same general information and scenario, but you’ll usually also be assigned a specific position to take or given some unique extra information to guide your interactions.

Then, you’ll join the other candidates to complete the activity in front of your assessors.

The exercise itself will normally go for about 10-20 minutes.

Assessment centre group exercise examples

Now let’s take a look at some examples of real assessment centre group exercises. Try these at home with some friends – it’s a great way to practise!

Here’s a general case study group exercise from JobTestPrep :

Group Exercise 1

And here’s a more in-depth, business-related group exercise from AssessmentDay :

Group Exercise 2

Get even more examples and the best assessment centre group practice exercises here !

Group exercises top tips video

Have a watch of this video from Career & Skills, these are some top tips from their graduate recruitment team…

5 pro tips to stand out at assessment centre group exercises

#1: contribute but don’t dominate.

It’s very important that you speak up and make your voice heard during the group activity.

Recruiters are assessing your contribution to the group, so if you stay in the background and let others lead the discussion, you won’t get the marks.

But at the same time, no employer is looking for someone who’s loud, overbearing and dominates the conversation.

Make sure everyone is included equally and gets a chance to speak, and if you notice someone sitting quietly and not saying anything, encourage them to contribute.

Be aware of your personality and be mindful of others in the group. If you’re naturally quite shy, or tend to be more aggressive, then you need to adjust your communication style to find a balance between the two.

#2: Follow instructions carefully

Read the brief thoroughly before you start and make sure you’re clear on the instructions. Ask for clarification if you’re unsure about anything.

During the exercise, try not to let the discussion get carried away or off topic.

You’ll want to stay totally on track with the brief you were given, so prioritise what topics or discussion points need to be worked through, and stick to them. Keep the time limit in mind!

#3: Do your research beforehand

Get more marks for your commercial awareness by finding out about the employer and role you’re applying for.

Show that you understand the company, what they do and what they value by using that information during the exercise and relating it to the task at hand.

Assessors are looking for people who not only understand the business and industry, but who also act appropriately for the role.

Make sure you offer suggestions and recommendations that make sense for the company and for its specific business environment.

#4: Don’t be afraid to take the lead

While it’s essential to not dominate the group or boss people around, you should still try to show your leadership skills in natural and positive ways.

For example, offer to keep track of the time at the beginning of the exercise, or proactively include other group members in the conversation by asking them what they think.

This shows you have initiative and don’t mind taking on responsibility, which can make you more memorable to assessors and give you a valuable leg-up over the competition.

#5: Practice, practice, practice!

And of course, the best thing you can do to prepare yourself for your assessment centre group exercise and stand out from the crowd is to practice.

Gather some friends together and work through the group exercise examples above, and then find even more practice exercises here .

You’ll get more confident, calm and comfortable with the exercise, which in turn will help you perform better on the day.

Some more guides to help you succeed…

Numerical Reasoning: Numerical Reasoning Test Guide: 5 Proven Tips to Succeed
Verbal Reasoning: Verbal Reasoning Test: What You Need to Know to Pass
UKCAT: UKCAT Test Guide: 4 Secrets to UKCAT Success 2020
Watson-Glaser: Watson-Glaser Test: Everything You Need to Know to Pass
Mechanical Comprehension: Mechanical Comprehension Test Guide 2020

Assessment centre activities and examples

Are you an assessor looking for assessment centre activities to run? If so, we can help .

Our experiential learning materials are used in assessment centres all over the world , by heavyweight names like KPMG, Gatwick Airport, and EasyJet.

As an assessor, this post will guide you through the whole process and prepare you to lead a selection of effective activities.

Or if you’ll be attending an assessment centre, this post will give you an idea of the logic underpinning the activities you’re about to encounter.

Here’s what we’ll cover. Click the links to skip ahead to any section:

Key assessment centre concepts

Benefits of an assessment centre, the role of the assessor, activities for recruitment assessment centres , group assessment centre activities with examples, role-play assessment centre activities with examples, virtual assessment centre activities with examples, in-tray assessment centre activities with examples.

We’ll start by introducing some key concepts in case you’re not familiar. To skip this and go straight to the activities, click here.

Assessment centre

A methodology used to identify the candidate(s) best suited to a role or position.

Despite the name, an assessment centre isn’t a specific physical place. It’s a set of exercises to assist with personnel selection, designed to simulate the job and give participants an opportunity to demonstrate the skills required to succeed.

A person tasked with carrying out assessment centre activities, often with formal training to ensure objectivity.

Candidate / participant

A person being assessed for their suitability for a role via completion of the assessment centre.

A type of assessment centre activity in which candidates are given question-based prompts to determine the suitability of their experience and attitude.

Group exercises

A type of assessment centre activity which multiple candidates work together to complete, possibly while playing assigned roles.

Presentation exercises

A type of assessment centre activity in which individuals give a presentation on areas requested by the assessor.

In-tray exercises

A type of assessment centre activity which simulates a workflow that a successful candidate will encounter on the job, to assess their ability to perform tasks, manage time, and delegate responsibility.

Our kit for assessment centres , containing eight activities designed especially to let candidates showcase their qualities while assessors observe a whole range of skills, attitudes, approaches and behaviours that might be missed in interviews.

Assessment centres are popular for a handful of reasons:

They save time and allow more effective use of resource by letting you assess multiple applicants at once
They reveal applicant traits that may not be obvious in a traditional interview context, for example leadership and interpersonal skills
They offer a more robust demonstration of participants’ soft skills than might be available through other methods
They are versatile and flexible, giving assessors the opportunity to assess a wide range of competencies
They leave an audit trail which can be used to demonstrate that fair hiring processes were followed

An assessor’s role is to observe participant behaviour, assess their performance, and carry out objective judgements based on predetermined criteria.

Assessors will understand that objectivity is hard to achieve. We are all prone to bias, and special frameworks or models of evaluation are often employed to ensure that assessment on a good-bad scale is consistent for different participants and by different assessors.

The ORCE Model is a popular assessment framework. By taking care to o bserve and r ecord behaviour during the assessment, assessors have a more solid baseline to work from when c lassifying and e valuating it afterwards.

There is plenty written about such frameworks – in academic contexts and beyond – so beyond mentioning their relevance, this blog post won’t go into any more detail.

(Note that effective assessment centre activities will be designed in such a way that the opportunity for such bias is reduced , but it is not possible to remove it completely.)

Assessors are also tasked with documenting the assessment process to create a record that can be referred back to at a future date, and which can demonstrate in a legal context that the recruitment process was carried out fairly and in accordance with relevant legislation.

What makes a good assessor?

Broadly speaking, an effective assessor will possess the following traits:

An ability to make accurate observations both of behaviours and their impact
An ability to remain objective while observing
An ability to accurately document your observations
An ability to assess observations with regard to the relevant criteria

These traits are relevant in all assessment centre contexts. Depending on the type of assessment centre you work in, you may need to develop one or more context-specific skills.

If you’ve been tasked with designing or running an assessment centre, you may be on the lookout for suitable activities. This section includes a few recommendations to get you started, along with information about their strengths and relevance.

The activities in this section flow nicely into each other and would work well for an assessment centre, if you’re in a hurry.

Icebreakers are best unobserved and unassessed, as it reduces the pressure on participants and lets them acclimatise to the day.

One popular example of an icebreaker is to split into pairs or threes, give each participant a few secret things to find out about their teammates, and then invite them to share with the group at the end.

Skills assessed : the ability to listen, communication skills, presentation skills

Marshmallow challenge

To warm people up after the icebreaker, go for something fun and lowkey. One popular example is the marshmallow challenge, in which participants must build a tower as tall as possible using only marshmallows and dried spaghetti.

If you do run this activity, check out our blog post outlining how to do it properly : i.e., in a way that will actually give you something to assess. The marshmallow challenge is one of many activities which, done incorrectly, can yield little to no useful results.

Skills assessed : listening skills, valuing others’ ideas, leadership, influencing others, innovation, trial and error

Role-based scenario

Lots of assessment centres used role-based scenarios. The logic is that giving participants the opportunity to react to a scenario relevant to the role they’re applying for will prompt them to think about how they’d deal with it, and that discussing performance afterwards will allow other participants to input their ideas.

In practice though, be aware that role-play can be a hindrance to proper assessment. Participants are being asked to imagine how someone else might respond to a situation, rather than showing how they would actually respond: as a result, you may be seeing a performance rather than real behaviour.

Skills assessed : role-specific qualities, communication skills (if discussed), presentation skills

This simple activity can be useful in assessing how well participants perform under pressure. Prepare a selection of topics, then ask participants to give a 2-minute talk about their topic. Make sure to give all participants the same amount of time to prepare ahead of their talk, to ensure they’re held to similar standards.

To increase the predictive validity of this activity – that is, how well it indicates performance in the role – choose a topic that prompts thought and reflection relevant to the role.

Skills assessed : ability to perform under pressure, communication skills, presentation skills

A traditional interview where candidates answer questions about their past experience and suitability for the role can be employed as part of an assessment centre.

Constructing an effective interview is an art in itself, and one we won’t delve into here. We will say this, though: make sure questions are relevant to the role, and that they give participants the opportunity to demonstrate their suitability.

Skills assessed : ability to perform under pressure, communication skills, role-specific skills

MTa Select for recruitment assessment centres

Our MTa Select kit is designed especially for use in assessment centres.

These assessment activities can be used to evaluate over one hundred defined qualities – including leadership, influencing, customer focus, conflict management and more – making them a popular choice for assessment centres worldwide.

“MTa Select now forms an integral part of our Recruitment Assessment Centre – and has been well received by our own staff and candidates themselves”.

Constable John Ritchie, Grampian Police

If you’re looking for an assessment centre activity and would like a personalised recommendation, click here .

An integral part of an assessment centre is to see how participants interact with others, and group-based activities are a reliable way to assess this. Here are a few ideas for group assessment centre activities.

Group discussion

Split participants out into groups and give each group a topic. Ask them to discuss the topic, possibly with a prompt for different people to advocate for different stances within the discussion, then observe the ongoing discussion and interpersonal dynamics.

Skills assessed : communication skills, ability to listen, valuing the opinions of others, ability to respond to new information

Group presentation

This group activity expands on the above by requiring a presentation at the end of the discussion, to which each participant must contribute. This addition allows assessors to see more interpersonal dynamics at play.

Skills assessed : how roles emerge, leadership, how people advocate their ideas, negotiation, presentation skills

Case studies

This type of activity is a good twist on role-based activities, as they address some of the aforementioned shortcomings of role-play.

Assessors give each group a printout with details about a situation, then ask them to decide the most appropriate response from the company’s perspective. At the end, answers can be compared with company policy to determine the accuracy of their response.

This type of activity can also be done individually.

Skills assessed : knowledge of the role, group decision making, communication skills.

The NASA Challenge

This group activity puts participants in a simulated lunar mission gone awry. Together, group members must decide which items they’ll take when traversing the treacherous lunar surface between their crashed lunar module and the mission control centre.

When running this activity, be careful that you’re doing it right .

We also offer the NASA Challenge as a virtual assessment centre activity over on MTa Immersion .

Skills assessed : listening skills, valuing others’ ideas, influencing others

Perspectives

This experiential learning activity is designed to get participants thinking about the best way to fulfil a deliberately ambiguous brief. Through the simple act of arranging pictures, participants are given an opportunity to advocate their ideas, attempt to build consensus and perform under pressure.

Observing who is able to do these things, and how well, should yield useful insights.

Perspectives is available as a virtual assessment centre activity on MTa Immersion and can be customised based on your requirements.

Skills assessed: advocating ideas, building consensus, working under pressure

By asking participants to play specific roles, you can see how they behave in a wider variety of situations and within different power dynamics.

However, as we mentioned previously, you may actually be assessing how good people are at acting. Participants are not responding to social stimuli as themselves, they’re responding how they think someone playing the role should respond.

Be aware of this if you decide to include role-play activities in your assessment centre. And remember: MTa Select avoids this issue by giving you the opportunity to see how people really behave: in real situations, and under real pressure.

Here are a few examples of role-play assessment centre activities.

Bad feedback

One participant plays the role of a superior, another plays a subordinate. The latter receives negative feedback and must deal with it gracefully and constructively.

Skills assessed : ability to receive bad feedback, ability to act on feedback, identify areas of improvement

Angry customer

One participant plays the role of a dissatisfied customer, another plays an employee dealing with them. They must follow company procedure as best as possible and potentially decide how to act when the procedure stops being relevant.

Skills assessed : ability to work under pressure, knowledge of procedures, customer interfacing skills

Role-specific situations

If you’re running an assessment centre for the police, it would make sense to simulate an arrest or the search of a suspect. This increases the predictive validity of the task by giving participants the chance to show how they’d approach a situation they are likely to encounter in the role.

Skills assessed: desired role-specific skills

Given the advent of technology and remote working, some assessment centres will have online components (or be completely virtual). Here are some ideas for activities to use in this setting.

Virtual ice breaker

By using breakout rooms, you’re able to split participants into groups and give them a private environment to discuss things. Task the participants in each breakout room with finding facts about each other, then close the breakout rooms and invite all groups back to the main space to share.

Observe which participants are keen to share, how well they communicate, the type of information they share, and so on.

Virtual group discussion

Use breakout rooms to split participants into groups and give them the opportunity to discuss things in a private environment. By moving between breakout rooms, you are also able to observe and assess groups individually.

Consider not letting groups know when they will be observed: this will encourage them to discuss things naturally, rather than waiting until you arrive to begin.

Virtual group presentation

Expanding the group discussion into a group presentation, with the requirement to create digital presentation materials, gives you the opportunity to assess how well participants can use technology, collaborate on online documents, and so on.

Psychometric assessments

Many psychometric assessments are available, each offering insight into a different combination of traits. The most suitable one will depend on the situation and the nature of the role being assessed for.

These assessments can be done in person, but lend themselves particularly well to virtual.

In-tray activities place participants in simulated work environments to give assessors a chance to see how they would behave in the role. There are a couple of ways to run these activities, with examples below.

Participants are given a simulated mailbox with a number of emails of varying urgency and are asked to prioritise these tasks and delegate (where relevant) to create an example workflow.

The expectation here isn’t for the participant to complete the work; rather to show that they are able to manage their time and respond to the pressures of the role, rather than just tackling tasks one at a time as they appear in their inbox (which is rarely the most efficient way off working).

Skills assessed : ability to delegate, time management skills, ability to manage a workload, performance under pressure

A paper-based version of the above

Not all roles and workplaces lend themselves best to digital. If you’re assessing for a role where there’ll be lots of interpersonal or paper-based tasks arriving, make sure this is reflected in the assessment centre.

You could give participants a tray full of documents and memos, then have people come to their desk to add other tasks to their workflow. The objective is the same: to create an indicative workflow and showcase how they would prioritise the incoming tasks.

Just 35 Minutes

This activity from MTa Select is an in-tray exercise that utilises computer, fax and paper to simulate a busy work environment. Participants must identify the big issues and avoid getting caught up in the detail.

Skills assessed: evaluating and judging, decision making, focusing on critical issues, prioritisation

If you’ve still got questions about running an assessment centre, the following section should have you covered. And if not, drop us a message on the chat box below and we’ll do our best to help.

How should I structure an assessment centre?

Allow a full day to run the assessment centre, with time for introductions, explanations, and reviews. Remember that people’s ability to concentrate is limited, so a few hours in the middle of the day may yield better results than a whole day 9-5.

Aim for a large enough group to give participants the chance to interact with each other. Low double digits is a good size.

Leave time for lunch and other informal breaks, so that participants can interact in a natural setting: this can be just as revealing as the formal activities.

If you need a pre-made recruitment assessment centre, just run the five activities in this section .

What should an assessment centre include?

An assessment centre should include activities designed to test the competencies relevant for the role you are recruiting for.

You should also include time for review, where relevant. This gives you a mechanism to give feedback to participants and let them know next steps.

Factor in time for breaks and food, too! Participants will be at their best when they’re not under pressure for the whole day.

Some informal time at the beginning is a good shout as well, as it gives participants time to get acquainted with each other and the environment they’ll be spending time in.

What makes an effective assessment centre?

The best assessment centres utilise multiple exercises to assess each competency: i.e., a structured interview may assess communication, and a group exercise will give assessors another opportunity to observe participants communicating.

Similarly, intelligence could be assessed by a psychometric test and a work sample exercise.

How many assessors should there be in an assessment centre?

This depends on the role and the organisation: we would recommend at least 2.

How long should an assessment centre last?

Again, this depends. We’d recommend not making an assessment centre longer than a workday. Ideally, a little shorter so that people can maintain concentration throughout.

Can you recommend any useful resources?

This chapter from a textbook dealing with the role of an assessor includes some useful information about common pitfalls and how to avoid them.

You can read about how MTa materials have helped a variety of organisations to run assessment centres:

Gatwick Airport
UK emergency services

Assessment centres are powerful tools for personnel selection, across a range of roles and industries.

Depending on the nature of the role you are recruiting for, the components of your assessment centre will vary. This blog post was written to connect you with some activities that might be suitable for your assessment centre.

For assessors looking for out-of-the-box activities, we have created MTa Select specifically to help you get more value from your assessment centres.

If you need help finding activities for your assessment centre, get in touch via our contact form or the live chat below and we’ll be happy to help.

Empower your assessment centres with MTa Select

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FAQ’s

Tips for tackling Arup’s interview questions and assessment centre exercises

Abigail Lewis &

Alan Palazon

Last updated: 21 Jun 2023, 15:40

Aman Gill – Arup’s early careers lead – and targetjobs team up to provide you with advice for taking on Arup’s interview questions and assessment centre tasks.

Young female using a laptop and headset to participate in an Arup virtual assessment centre.

The final stage of Arup’s graduate recruitment process is a virtual assessment centre that includes an interview. To help you prepare, we teamed up with Aman Gill, the firm’s early careers lead, to provide insider and expert tips for answering previous Arup graduate interview questions and for tackling the assessment centre exercises.

What Arup interviewers look for
Arup interview overview
Answering Arup’s values, competency and CV interview questions
Answering Arup’s motivational interview questions
Arup assessment centre
What you should do during the group exercise
Answering Arup’s technical problem and exam-style questions
More help from targetjobs

What do Arup’s interviewers look for in candidates?

Aman kicks things off with insight into what, in her eyes, makes a standout applicant. One of her key themes is the importance of communicating your passion for the construction industry. ‘We hope to find students that are articulate, passionate about their degree subject and have an idea of how they want their career to develop,’ she says.

She continues: ‘A lot of students can’t really explain why they chose their degree or what they hope to do with it, which is disappointing. We want people who are genuinely interested in the construction industry; our managers are passionate about what they do and want to work alongside people who feel the same.’

Make sure you complete detailed, appropriate research for the interview stages. ‘Motivated individuals who have researched our company, projects and clients always leave a good impression,’ she adds. And remember some of the key competencies Arup seeks: 'We are looking for people who have excellent communication and teamworking skills and who are creative in their approach to problem solving,’ Aman summarises.

Use our skills articles to further your knowledge of teamwork and communication . Or find out more about how to research employers for your interview .

What should you expect from Arup’s interview questions?

Arup’s recruiters will be assessing you against the skills, knowledge and values requested in the job description. The firm states that the assessment centre interview is competency based.

Along with competency-based questions, you should also prepare for questions about your and the firm’s values and your CV. During the virtual interview, you might be asked:

competency and situational questions (‘Give me an example of a time when…’ and ‘This has happened. What would you do next’)
questions arising from your CV and application form – including why you are interested in Arup, the role and the business division
questions aiming to gauge your understanding of the industry, as well as your knowledge of general industry trends and how they could affect Arup
about the results of your technical exercise – or, as an alternative to this, you might be asked technical ‘exam-style’ questions.

Keep in mind that none of the following Arup interview questions are guaranteed to be asked at your interview. However, they make worthwhile practice material as they will allow you to go through the kind of thought processes, which on the day of your interview, you will have to employ.

How do you answer the Arup interview questions about its values, your competencies and your CV?

The values questions are most likely to be phrased as hypothetical or situational questions, where you’ll be given a scenario and asked what you would do. They’ll be used to gauge whether you would act in accordance with Arup’s values, as set out in Sir Ove’s key speech – so it’s worth reminding yourself what they are. Don’t be afraid to ask your interviewers for more details on the scenario if that would help you to answer – and don’t be afraid to ask for some time to think. Head to our dedicated guide on answering values-based interview questions if you’d like more guidance on honing your approach to responding to them.

The competency questions will ask you for examples of times when you used a particular skill – and will be based on the skills and qualities Arup seeks (see above). ‘Among other questions, we tend to ask about leadership skills and building client relationships, in order to gauge teamworking abilities,’ says Aman. Previous candidates report being asked the following questions:

Give an example of when you were a leader in a group project.
Describe a time when you worked in a group and things did not go the way you wanted. What did you do?
Tell us about a time where you had trouble with a teammate on a project and how you resolved it.
Describe a situation when you encountered something new and how you approached it.
Describe how you would go about explaining a technical process to a non-technical person.

Practise delivering your examples using the STAR approach – so that your answers include details about the s ituation, the t ask that was at hand, the a ctions that you took and the r esults of your actions. We explain more about the STAR method in this article on competency-based interview questions . During interview itself, if you are unsure what the interviewer means, ask for clarification.

The question ‘Give an example of when you were a leader in a group project’ automatically calls to mind the projects you’ve done on your course. You don’t have to choose one of these as your answer. Your example could come from any area of your life – perhaps if you supervised a team in a part-time retail job or helped to organise a fundraising project.

Other Arup interview questions may call on your skills and technical knowledge. For example, one candidate was reportedly asked ‘Think of a building on your campus that could be more sustainable. What would you do to improve it?'. Here you could bring in your technical knowledge and non-technical skills, for example you could explain how you would outline your plans to the chancellor and consult with the student body.

Know your CV back-to-front in preparation for the interview, including rough dates and length of your experiences, the tasks you completed and what you learned. A past candidate was surprised to be asked about his first placement when he was 17 rather than his more recent placements. Another was asked about any problems they experienced on their work experience.

How do you answer Arup’s interview questions about why you’ve applied to the firm?

You can expect to be asked about your reasons for applying to Arup, the business area and the individual vacancy. Previous questions are said to have included:

Why did you choose to apply to Arup and why should we hire you?
Why would you be a good fit for Arup?
What do you know about Arup?
What's your favourite building and why?
What’s your favourite Arup project and why?

This is one of the best places to show off your research. ‘Our directors want to see that a student has thoroughly researched our company and the role or area that they are applying for,’ Aman tells us. She added that, when the team make decisions about job offers, they consider the whole process but put more weight on the final interview. Don’t miss your chance of a job offer because of lack of preparation.

Our article on answering the question ‘ Why are you interested in this position? ’ will give you further insight into how you should approach tackling ‘ why? ’ questions that graduate employers such as Arup ask to test your motivations for applying.

MORE HELP FOR BUILT ENVIRONMENT APPLICANTS

We’ve got more advice for applicants seeking careers at Arup and job descriptions for popular built environment jobs.

What else should you expect from Arup’s assessment centre?

Along with an interview, the Arup virtual assessment centre includes an individual technical exercise and a group exercise. Aman says that you will also have the opportunity to virtually meet current graduates and more senior professionals. You may be given a virtual tour of the office by the graduate employees.

One of the reasons that you will have the opportunity to chat with existing employees is to give you a better feel of the office culture. Bear in mind that they’ll probably be asked to give feedback on what they thought of you. Ask questions, but frame them in a positive way. A question such as ‘What do you like best about working here?’ will come across more positively than ‘Do you like it here?’, for example.

What should you do during an Arup assessment centre group exercise?

The group exercise’s exact nature is kept under wraps. However, reports suggest that it’s likely to be a case study based on a construction-related scenario and is followed by a brief discussion to talk about the decisions taken by the group.

Typical construction-themed group activities include deciding whether the company should bid for a project or deciding on which contractor should get work from a consultant – but there’s no guarantee that these will be your group exercise.

A graduate transport planner, for example, reported that their group task involved deciding how many projects, out of five potential projects, should receive funding from a set budget. Once decided, the group then had to decide on how much money to allocate each project. The final part of the task was to explain why the project that received the most funding was made paramount.

When tackling the group exercise, keep in mind the value Sir Ove Arup (the firm’s founder) placed on teamwork and organisation in his key speech (essential reading before any interview) and try to demonstrate those skills. Try to help the group come across as organised by offering to take notes, keep time or summarise progress at key points.

Do speak up in the group exercise and make your points, but do so inclusively. Build on others’ points (eg ‘Yes, I agree, [NAME], and we could achieve this by…’) or by politely disagreeing instead of shouting them down (eg ‘I think you have a good point, but I think we may be overlooking or forgetting [Y POINT].’).

If you want some more guidance on assessment centre case studies, check out our article on how to cope with case studies for graduate jobs .

How do you tackle Arup’s technical problem and exam-style questions?

These can change each year and will vary according to the role you are applying for. However, the following will give you an idea of what to expect.

A building engineering candidate’s technical problem involved preparing a design proposal for one of a choice of two given structures. The candidate stated that the task involved ‘no numbers at all’ and that assessors were looking to see how he approached the problem and how well he identified the context surrounding it; for example, if designing a roof for a theatre, recognising that it would have to support heavy lights.

He was asked to pitch his design proposal as if to a client or project manager. He said that the follow-up questions were all ‘basic’: ‘They asked specifically about how the structure would carry a load (basic things like tension and compression, not at all complicated), and they were also looking at how I approached the problem and took in the context around it.’

Another engineer was asked to estimate the average pressure on the foundation of a 12-storey building. Other engineering candidates recall being asked ‘What's the difference between laminar and turbulent flow?’

One previous transport planning candidate was asked to write an assessment on a transport planning topic and then discuss this during the interview, but other transport planning candidates reported being asked the following ‘exam-style’ questions in their interview instead:

How would you justify the economic need for building a new railway line between a residential area and a business district?
What are the justifications for allowing more trains operators on a franchised line and what are the problems?
What technical issues will affect transport planning in the future?

Design problems and technical questions are intended to test your problem-solving skills and ability to think laterally. Explain your thinking in your answers: describe how and why you came to each decision.

Take ‘how would you justify the economic need..?’ as an example. Transport planners need to consider social, environmental and economic issues, so tell the interviewers what information you would need in order to make a proper decision.

Don’t worry too much if you are stumped by the exercise: ‘It obviously helps if a candidate gives a correct result in the technical exercise,’ says Aman. ‘However, we are more interested in how they tackle the problem. Even if the candidate doesn’t complete the exercise, the discussion around their responses can give us a good insight into their problem-solving skills.’

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49 Free Case Study Templates ( + Case Study Format Examples + )
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Assessment Center Case Study : A Detailed Guide

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COMMENTS

Coping with case studies for graduate jobs
Example assessment centre case study exercise 2. This is a similar example of a case study used for commercial and marketing graduate programmes. In this case, the groups are given a pack with details of the product range, sales figures, marketing campaigns and news clippings. The basic problem in this type of scenario is that a product range ...
Assessment Centre Guide: Case Study Exercise
Case study exercises are a popular tool used by employers to evaluate candidates' problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and decision-making abilities. These exercises can be in the form of a written report, a presentation, or a group discussion, and typically involve a hypothetical business problem that requires a solution.
Assessment Centre Case Studies Practice & Tips
The key competencies that case study exercises usually assess are: Analytical thinking and assimilation of information. Commercial awareness and Innovation. Organization. Decisiveness and Judgment. The goal of the exercise is to review and analyze the given information to come up with solid business decisions.
How To Succeed At The Assessment Centre Case Study (2024)
Tips for performing well in case study exercises. 1. Process all the information. Take time to fully understand the scenario and the objectives of the exercise, identify relevant information and highlight key points for analysis, or discussion if working as part of a team. This will help structure your approach in a logical manner.
Assessment Center Case Study : A Detailed Guide
A case study assessment is a popular tool used in assessment centres for evaluating candidates by presenting them with complex and previously unknown scenarios.After analyzing the information and identifying the most relevant parts, candidates answer questions that provide the employer with insights regarding important aspects of the candidate's knowledge, cognitive abilities, and personal ...
Assessment Center Case Studies Practice & Tips
The key competencies that case study exercises usually assess are: Analytical thinking and assimilation of information. Commercial awareness and Innovation. Organization. Decisiveness and Judgment. The goal of the exercise is to review and analyze the given information to come up with solid business decisions.
Your Guide to Assessment Centre Case Studies
Writer, gradmalaysia. Case studies are a vital activity at assessment centres. Graduate recruiters use them to assess a candidate's capability after being shortlisted; to see the candidate "in action" and obtain valuable insights on how they would perform on the job. Just like how job interviews and assessment centre presentations are all ...
Assessment centres what to expect and how to prepare
Assessment centres can last from half a day to three days. A typical one-day assessment centre would start with a welcome to the company followed by introductions and an ice-breaker. This might be followed by individual and group exercises. During lunch you might be able to mingle with current graduate employees, with interviews taking place in ...
Assessment centres
Assessment centres are typically the final stage of the recruitment process for large graduate recruiters. They may take place in-person or online and range in duration from half a day to two days (one day being typical). Assessment centres are considered to be the most reliable predictor of performance in a job role and are used to assess ...
PDF Case Studies
This is often used in the recruitment processes for graduate roles and placements and would typically be part of an Assessment Centre. Assessment Centres happen at the latter stages of ... interviews, group exercises, networking sessions, in tray/e-tray exercises. Example case study You can access an example case study exercise on the ...
Assessment centres and case questions
Management consulting firms, research industries, marketing companies, consumer product management and investment banking. Case questions are often used at assessment centres as part of a group exercise. These are examples of companies that use case studies in their recruitment processes: McKinsey & Company - Interviews.
How to Prepare for Case Study Exercises at Assessment Centers
Step 1. Do the Research. There is a whole range of research you can look into to prepare yourself for the case study exercise: Any of the above should provide you with a better understanding of the job you have applied for, the industry you will work within, and the culture and values of the employer.
Guide to 10 different assessment centre group exercises
Examples of assessment group exercises. Here's a list of ten assessment group exercises and how they're used: 1. Problem-solving exercises. Employers use problem-solving exercises in interviews to help candidates demonstrate their ability to work with others, their ability to work under pressure and how they approach solving problems.
8 Tips For Graduate Assessment Centre Success
It is important to get enough sleep, food and exercise if you want your brain and body to function at full capacity. No booze or late nights in the build-up to the event. Get an early night beforehand. Exercise before the event to burn off nervous energy. Take Graduate Assessment Centre Practice Test Now.
ARUP Online Assessment 2024 Practice Guide
3. Prepare for the Arup Assessment Centre exercises. Arup makes use of a variety of competitive exercises during the assessment centre to find the right candidates. Ensure that you practice a variety of exercises including: Group Exercises. Written Case Study. Final Interview.
Top Tips to Succeed in Graduate Assessment Centres
Tim says that doing your research is one way you prepare for an assessment centre and put yourself at ease. Familiarise yourself with the program and its expectations, the organisation's values, and any technical skills that might be needed for the program. He adds that being able to talk about what the organisation does, and potentially ...
Practice Assessment Centre Exercises 2024
Practice your key abilities ahead of the assessment day using practice spoken communication exercises with a family member or friend. Use the feedback given to help enhance your performance. Develop your time management skills through practice. Prioritise your practice and practice timed simulation tests to prepare for in-tray or e-tray exercises.
Assessment Centre Group Exercises: Examples and Tips for Success
Assessment centre group exercise examples. Now let's take a look at some examples of real assessment centre group exercises. Try these at home with some friends - it's a great way to practise! Here's a general case study group exercise from JobTestPrep: Group Exercise 1. And here's a more in-depth, business-related group exercise from ...
Assessment centre activities and examples
Group assessment centre activities with examples. An integral part of an assessment centre is to see how participants interact with others, and group-based activities are a reliable way to assess this. Here are a few ideas for group assessment centre activities. Group discussion. Split participants out into groups and give each group a topic.
How to answer Arup interview questions
The final stage of Arup's graduate recruitment process is a virtual assessment centre that includes an interview. To help you prepare, we teamed up with Aman Gill, the firm's early careers lead, to provide insider and expert tips for answering previous Arup graduate interview questions and for tackling the assessment centre exercises.

Chapter 6: Case Study Exercises

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Assessment Centre Case Studies Practice & Tips – 2024

What Is a Case Study Exercise?

Key Features of Case Studies

Competencies Required for Case Studies

How to Prepare for Case Study Exercises?

Case Studies: Tips for Success

Assessment Centre

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Case Study Exercise At Assessment Centres

What is a case study exercise?

What competencies does a case study exercise assess?

Problem solving

Communication

Commercial awareness and business acumen

Decision making

What are the different types of case study exercise?

Tips for performing well in case study exercises

2. Work collaboratively

3. Manage your time

Make an assertive decision

5. Present your findings clearly

How to prepare for a case study exercise

Choose a plan and start practising

Case Study Assessment - Learn How to Pass

What is a Case Study Assessment

Which Types of Companies Use Assessment Centre Case Studies

Popular Assessment Center Case Study Topics

Tips for Approaching Your Case Study Assessment

Common Questions in the Assessment Center Case Study

Assessment Center Case Studies Practice & Tips – 2024

What Is a Case Study Exercise?

Key Features of Case Studies

Competencies Required for Case Studies

How to Prepare for Case Study Exercises?

Case Studies: Tips for Success

Assessment Center

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What Is a Case Study Exercise?

How You’ll Be Assessed

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Example Case Studies

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