When I confirmed my place to study Business with Marketing at Liverpool John Moore’s University, I knew there would be a time when I would have to complete something outside of my comfort zone. That day finally came when I was told I needed to attend an Assessment Centre Experience hosted by TG Consulting as part of my Second Year Employability Skills module. As someone who struggles with confidence, I felt nervous and anxious before the event as I was rarely in the position of having to present in front of others, especially peers I had never met before. As anxious as I was, I knew the benefits of receiving feedback from professionals at the Assessment Centre would outweigh the negatives.
The event consisted of three different tasks: a 5-minute presentation in front of an assessor and a group of peers, a group exercise, and an individual interview. Before the day, we were given the opportunity to choose between two titles for our presentation and a job description for the interview, both related to our chosen degrees. This was crucial in making the most out of the experience and feeling more relaxed as it meant I was able to prepare everything beforehand and was able to confidently showcase the knowledge of my presentation topic and interview role. The task I looked forward to least was the presentation simply because I feared this would be an area of weakness, and I was concerned about negative feedback. I came out of the presentation feeling like it had gone a lot easier than expected, as I presented well and covered all the points I wanted to make. All components of the Assessment Centre Experience went a lot smoother than expected, and overall, I felt the event was not as daunting as I initially feared.
Each assessor who led my tasks was extremely friendly and helped create a welcoming environment, eradicating any fear I had before attending, meaning I felt more at ease. I could perform to the best of my ability because of this and showcase everything I had prepared as I was less stressed and had stopped overthinking everything. The assessors were super helpful in answering any questions I had, whether they were about the event or future prospects.
For anyone who may have the opportunity to attend an Assessment Centre Experience hosted by TG Consulting in the future, I highly recommend it, no matter how nervous you may feel. I advise students to come prepared and make the most of the opportunity, as the feedback I have received has given me insight into areas I can improve upon. The Assessment Centre Experience was an amazing environment to trial the tasks and challenges faced in a real-life assessment centre, where attendance may be required to obtain a graduate job in the future. I have now gained confidence in all aspects of an assessment centre. If the opportunity arose in the future, I would be able to go in thoroughly prepared with a greater advantage knowing what they entail and impress employers having utilised the feedback I have received.
Thanks to Tonia and the entire TG Consulting team for an incredible Assessment Centre Experience!