Your career

An 'assessment centre' is an alternative method to older interview structures. In larger groups of applicants between 20-30 people, Barwon Health may conduct an assessment centre where a team of trained assessors observe the candidates in an array of activities.

There are many benefits to being involved in an assessment centre, such as:
• You are judged by numerous assessors making the decision process unbiased
• It gives you a greater range of skills and techniques to be judged on
• You will obtain a better insight into the role you have applied for and what it entails

There are five elements that are significant to Barwon Health’s Assessment Centres, these include:

1. Group activity

Teamwork is paramount specifically in the healthcare sector. Therefore it is extremely important to assess how a candidate works in a team. During this exercise you will be given a task to sort within your allocated team. This exercise displays your communication and problem-solving skills. It’s important that you show the assessor that you work well in a team by being able to share your own ideas, compromise, expand on others ideas, and also listen to your team.

2. Written values based questions

Our values include:

• Respect: We respect the people we connect with
• Compassion: We show compassion for the people we care for and work with
• Commitment: We are committed to quality and excellence in everything we do
• Accountability: We take accountability for what we do
• Innovation: We drive innovation for better care

Watch a video on our values here.

This part of the assessment involves drawing on your past experiences where you drove our values. As a value-driven organisation it is significant that we find like-minded employers who can represent the above values of the organisation.

3. Written motivational questions

In this task you will explain why you are suitable for the role you have applied for, how motivated you are to perform the role, and your past experiences that have given you the capability to do your role well. This will demonstrate to the assessors that you have the experience and understanding for the role that you have applied for.

4. Behavioural interviews

Behavioural interviewing is used by employers to evaluate a candidate based on their past behaviours. (For more information on behavioural interviews read our blog ‘A Guide to Excel in Behavioural Based Interviews’.)

5. Case study

In some assessment centres you may be presented with a case study. A case study depicts a situation you are likely to encounter in your potential new career. This can be an individual or group activity where your analytical thinking, awareness, decisiveness and innovative thinking can be assessed.

How do you perform well in an assessment centre?

• Arrive on time
• Be professional
• Be open-minded and willing to participate
• Speak clearly and confidently
• Find a balance between being domineering and shy
• Stay focused on the objective

Best of luck in any future assessment centres you are involved in.