Qu'est-ce que Assessment Centre ?

Definition

An assessment centre (AC) is a rigorous selection or development methodology that evaluates candidates or employees across multiple exercises observed by trained assessors. Unlike a single interview, it provides a multi-method, multi-assessor view of a person's competencies under conditions that simulate real job demands.

In practice

A typical assessment centre for a managerial role might include: an in-tray or inbox exercise (prioritisation under pressure), a one-to-one role play (managing a difficult conversation), a group discussion or leaderless group exercise, a presentation, and psychometric tests. Each exercise is observed by multiple trained assessors who score specific behavioural indicators. Assessors then calibrate their ratings in a consensus meeting. Assessment centres have the highest predictive validity of all selection methods when well-designed — research shows validity coefficients of 0.36–0.45 for predicting job performance. The main drawbacks are high cost and time investment for both employer and candidates.

Key takeaway

Assessment centres are the gold standard of selection for senior and complex roles — the investment in design and facilitation pays back through significantly better hiring decisions.