Frequently asked questions

What is an assessment centre?
An assessment centre is an evaluation process in which an individual or a group of people are assessed by multiple assessors, who make use of an integrated set of tools such as simulation exercises, personality questionnaires, cognitive analytical tests, and competence-oriented interviews, etc. The results of the assessment centre provide additional information when making selection, promotion, or career orientation decisions, etc. 
 
Can I get the results of the assessment centre?
As far as ITZU Talent Solutions is concerned every candidate has the right to see the results of their assessment centre. The candidate may do this after the principal has communicated his/her decision to the candidate. The ITZU Talent Solutions consultant will then provide you with verbal feedback in a 1:1 discussion. 
 
What happens in an assessment centre?
The assessment centre consists of several parts.
A first, important component is the simulation exercises. This means that you are given a file with information about the simulated company context and your role within this. After some time to prepare, you will be invited, depending on the specific exercise, to have a meeting with a colleague, give a presentation, present an analysis, carry out a commercial discussion, etc. This will always be done in a setting that gives you a chance, as the candidate, to demonstrate the competences that we will evaluate as assessors. These will be familiar situations, which could differ from your current professional context. After all, the intention is to measure competences, not knowledge. You will be assessed by several assessors who will be using standardised checklists for these exercises. There will either be a discussion or you will be given an evaluation form to note down your findings after every exercise. The second component is the competence-oriented interview. The third component consists of a battery of psychotechnical tests (reasoning tests, skills tests, personality questionnaires). The ITZU Talent Solutions consultant will analyse and summarise all of the information obtained from the various components into a report. An assessment programme usually takes an entire day. No direct feedback will be given upon completion of the exercises. After all, assessors must be given the time to bundle their various observations, and then analyse and integrate these into a report. A ‘cool down’ period keeps everyone from jumping to conclusions. 
 
Who are the assessors?
During the simulation exercises, trained consultants will be observing what you do and how you respond in the situations. They will record their observations, and then evaluate the selected competences later using professional checklists. 
At the end of the day, once you have completed all the exercises, the various assessors will discuss their observations and decide upon a final score for the selected competences. The results of the assessment centre will be summarised in a report, which will be provided to the principal. The report includes a description of the competences evaluated and clear advice. 

As a candidate, can I prepare for the assessment centre?
The best preparation is a good night’s sleep!
There really isn’t anything else you can do to prepare yourself since the assessment centre does not measure knowledge. However, it would not hurt for you to look through this information, so that you won’t be caught off guard by anything. This way, you can come to the assessment centre in a calmer frame of mind and full of self-confidence.
If you aren’t feeling well that day, then we recommend contacting the relevant consultant and scheduling another appointment at a later date. After all, it is the intention that you participate in an assessment centre under the best possible conditions.

What is a development centre?
A learning context is created for the participant in a development centre, with the goal of mapping their own strengths and points for development when it comes to their own style of working. In this regard, an integrated set of tools is used, including simulation exercises, personality questionnaires, reflection tasks, a competence-oriented interview, etc. This concerns a learning process that is built up step by step, with intensive coaching from an experienced consultant. Tools will be used to give participants the chance to receive feedback about the way they work, to reflect on their strengths and points for development, and draw up a Personal Development Plan (PDP). The focus of a development centre therefore lies primarily on detecting the potential to be developed and development activities, rather than merely pointing out strengths and weaknesses. 
 
What happens in a development centre?
The development centre consists of several parts.
A first, important component is the simulation exercises. This means that you are given a file with information about the simulated company context and your role within this. After some time to prepare, you will be invited, depending on the specific exercise, to have a meeting with a colleague, give a presentation, present an analysis, carry out a commercial discussion, etc. This will always be done in a setting that gives you a chance, as the participant, to demonstrate the competences that we will evaluate as assessors. These will be familiar situations, which could differ from your current professional context. After all, the intention is to measure competences, not knowledge. You will be assessed by several assessors who will be using standardised checklists for these exercises. After every simulation exercise, you will be encouraged to reflect on your behaviour during the exercise both in an evaluation form and in a personal feedback discussion with your consultant, who will assist you in gaining better insight into your own strengths and points for development. A second component includes surveys and cognitive analytical tests, with the results being discussed in an interview. This interview is the third component. It is a competence-oriented interview, during which the ITZU Talent Solutions consultant integrates the various observations together with you. At that point, you will also be encouraged to find connections to how you work in your current job. Together with the ITZU Talent Solutions consultant, you will assess exactly where the priority development needs are located. You will both discuss your motivation, ambitions, and learning style. Based on this, the impetus for creating a personal development plan is stimulated. 
 
Who are the assessors?
During the simulation exercises, trained consultants will be observing what you do and how you respond in the situations. They will record their observations, and then evaluate the selected competences later using professional checklists. They encourage self-reflection and will give you feedback after every exercise. This lets them create the maximum amount of learning opportunities for you. During the interview, they will help you find the connections between the different results from the development centre so that you can gain more self-insight. They will provide handles for you to give your learning career specific form after the development centre in a personal development plan (PDP). At the end of the day, you will have gained a great deal of useful information to correctly estimate your own strengths and points for development on the one hand, and outlining learning actions on the other. The results of the development centre will be summarised in a report, which will be provided to the principal in accordance with the agreements made with you beforehand. 
 
Can I get the results of the development centre?
As mentioned above, you will receive a great deal of feedback from the development centre throughout the day. Nevertheless, you are of course entitled to a discussion of the report. The feedback procedure is always determined beforehand with the principal. You can either return to ITZU Talent Solutions to go through the results together with the consultant, or a feedback discussion can be scheduled together with your direct supervisor; in many cases your company’s Talent Management manager will also attend this feedback discussion. You will be given ample time to ask questions, delve deeper into certain issues, or nuance things that may need this during this discussion. Translating this information into the current or future job context is crucial in this regard. The feedback discussion raises your awareness of your competences, allows you to better detect your own pitfalls and challenges for your personal development plan. During the feedback discussion, you will all consider the roles that you, your supervisors, and HR can play in the context of implementing and following up on your personal development plan. 
 
What is a personal development plan (PDP)?
A personal development plan (PDP) is a customised developmental or learning plan benefiting personal development. A number of goals and the relevant learning activities are set out in this plan, together with the input from your direct or future supervisor. Naturally, the goals and activities align with you and your ambitions, as well as the company’s strategy and its options. Various formal and informal learning opportunities are used in a PDP, such as training, on-the-job coaching, and external coaching. We will also look at which experience-oriented learning actions you can create at your workplace yourself. The ITZU Talent Solutions consultant can eventually assist in both the creation and the follow-up of the PDP. 
 
As a participant, can I prepare for the development centre?
The best preparation is a good night’s sleep!
There really isn’t anything else you can do to prepare yourself since the development centre does not measure knowledge. However, it would not hurt for you to look through this information, so that you won’t be caught off guard by anything. This way, you can come to the development centre in a calmer frame of mind and full of self-confidence.
If you aren’t feeling well that day, then we recommend contacting the relevant consultant and scheduling another appointment at a later date. After all, it is the intention that you participate in a development centre under the best possible conditions.