Assessment Day

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Assessment Day How to Hire in a Hurry!
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Todays Objectives

• Describe what Assessment Day is
• Understand the planning needs for an Assessment
  Day
• Experience an Assessment Day exercise
• Explain the various parts of Assessment Day
• Explain the benefits of using an Assessment Day
  in your hiring practices

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What is Assessment Day?

• Full day, in person, on site
• Introductions
• Group exercises
• Telephone test
• Personal interview

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Who else does it?

• Pacific National Exhibition in Canada

• Six Continents in United Kingdom (winners of 2001
  Help Desk Institute UK Help Desk Excellence Award)

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Why did we do it?

• Immediate need to add staff
• Too many applicants using traditional methods
• HDI award winner had done it
• Wanted to involve existing staff
• Wanted to try something different

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Pre-planning

• Human Resources
• Help Desk staff
• Reserve rooms
• Exercises
• Observation guides
• Interview questions
• Lunch

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Screening applicants

• Advertisement placed online
• Over 300 applicants
• Sorted into Yes, No, Maybe by
• Help Desk experience
• Technical qualifications
• Other substantial items/cover letter
• Approximately 40 Yes left

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Pre-interviews

• Done on 40 Yes candidates
• Done by various Help Desk staff
• Ten minute phone interview

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Pre-interviews

• Observations
• Language skills
• Tone
• Pace
• Ability to think quickly
• Ability to answer coherently
• Approximately 30 Yes left
• 24 invited to Assessment Day

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Room Layout
Observer
Group 2
Group 1
Group 3
Intro
Observer
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A-Day agenda

• 800 Room set up and final briefing
• 830 Registration / Coffee
• 900 Company Introduction
• 915 Candidate Introductions
• 945 Refreshment break

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A-Day agenda

• 1000 Three Group Exercises
• 1200 Biology break
• 1210 Telephone Trouble call
• 1320 End of Assessment Activities for most
  applicants

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A-Day agenda

• 1320 Working lunch for Observers
  (Summaries/Conclusions)
• 1420 Individual Interviews for selected
  applicants
• 1635 Observer Summaries/Conclusions

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Observation guides
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Observation Guide Sample
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Sample rating scale

• Confidence 5smiling, open body language, lots of
  eye contact, enjoying themselves
• Confidence 4sure of self, good eye contact,
  participates well
• Confidence 3makes eye contact, nervous but
  willing
• Confidence 2unwilling participant, doesnt speak
  up in group
• Confidence 1no eye contact, defensive posture,
  non-talkative

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Group Exercise Cave Rescue

• Its your turn!

• Some candidates some observers

• Shorter time frame fewer possible answers

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Group Exercise Cave Rescue

• Warm-up/icebreaker
• Candidates work together
• Consensus building
• Timed
• No specific solution
• Observers assess behaviour

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Group Exercise Zin Obelisk

• Logic
• Timed with a specific solution
• Information sharing exercise
• Candidates work together to solve in time
  allotted
• Observers assess leadership, cooperation, and
  conflict issues

Adapted from M. Woodcock, D. Francis, D. Young,
Team Problem Solving The Zin Obelisk in D.
Francis D. Young, Improving Work Groups A
Practical Manual for Team Building, San Diego,
CA University Associates, 1979.
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Group Exercise Who owns the Zebra?

• Mathematical
• Timed with a specific solution
• Information sharing exercise
• Candidates work together to solve in time
  allotted
• Observers assess logical problem-solving skills,
  cooperation and conflict skills

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Telephone Test
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Telephone Test

• Every candidate took one
• 2 candidates done concurrently
• Each given a manual and a phone
• Client and two observers
• Client posed banking-related question

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Telephone Test

• Observers looking for
• Greeting used
• Language skills, tone and pace
• Ability to think quickly
• Ability to answer coherently
• Customer Service skills

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Youre doneor are you?!

• A carefully orchestrated exit strategy used

• Unsuccessful shown to front door and thanked for
  coming

• Successful shown to back door and invited back
  for an interview

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Lunch

• Reviewed results of observations
• Identified candidates to watch
• Identified comments to follow up on

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Group Interview

• Two concurrent interviews
• HR Manager and 2 observers / Help Desk Manager
  and 2 observers
• One hour maximum
• Three interviews per team

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Group Interview

• Telephone test
• Assessment Day
• Previous experience
• IT skills
• Technical questions
• General interview questions
• Preparation

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Observer meetings

• Recap of day
• Ranking of candidates
• Group discussion
• Final ranking of candidates

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Reference checks

• Top 5 candidates
• Conducted by Team Leads
• Two references per candidate
• 10 questions asked

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Hiring

• Security check
• Credit bureau check
• Job offer
• Salary and benefits
• Start date
• Training

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Whats needed to do your own Assessment Day

• A plan
• Human Resources approval
• Help Desk staff assistance
• Training Help Desk staff on the process
• A large meeting room
• At least two offices for interviews/tests

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Any gotchas?

• Physically and mentally tiring
• Candidate pool
• Second time around
• Not fool-proof

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Plan B Management Consulting

• 20 years in IT
• 9 years managing Help Desks and Quality Assurance
• HDBC executive member for 5 years
• HDI Member Advisory Board member
• Spoke at HDI Global conference in 2002
• How I retain my staff
• I have a training plan that works

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Plan B Coaching and Training

• Over 100 hours of training from Coaches Training
  Institute
• Business or Personal coaching available
• Clients include IT people, corporate staff,
  management
• Provincial Instructors Diploma
• 2 years in corporate training centre
• Corporate Training Needs Assessment done

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Todays Objectives

• Describe what Assessment Day is
• Understand the planning needs for an Assessment
  Day
• Experience an Assessment Day exercise
• Explain the various parts of Assessment Day
• Explain the benefits of using an Assessment Day
  in your hiring practices

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Assessment Day How to Hire in a Hurry!

• Plan B Services
• 604-824-1803
• plan.b_at_email.com
• www.planbservices.ca
• Plan Bwhats yours?

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Assessment Day How to Hire in a Hurry!

• Plan B Services
• 604-824-1803
• plan.b_at_email.com
• www.planbservices.ca
• Plan Bwhats yours?

38
Assessment Day How to Hire in a Hurry!

• Plan B Services
• 604-824-1803
• plan.b_at_email.com
• www.planbservices.ca
• Plan Bwhats yours?