We are often asked for a flavour of how a Consultant assessment day may run. In this short article, Annabel Goodwin describes one example.
The aims and benefits
• A comprehensive assessment day prior to a final interview.
• Providing verified in-depth information and guidance for the final interview panel, relating to candidates’ leadership style & behaviours and values cross-referenced to the job specification.
• A day of intense investigations that is insightful for the stakeholders and candidates, with minimum interference with their busy working lives, producing the most valuable pre AAC interview information.
I have to say I was very impressed with the process and report. I came to it from a slightly cynical viewpoint with regard to psychometric testing but you have won me over completely! Assoc Med Director and CD Diagnostics and therapies. NHS Acute Trust
What Happens
The assessment day would usually include three or four exercises to draw out the key elements needed for the role such as candidates’ leadership styles, skills and aptitudes, their understanding & ability to interpret, and their emotional intelligence. Stakeholders are invited to join with some exercises, working with us to analyse candidates’ qualities. For the personality assessment candidates receive an email a week in advance asking them to complete an on-line personality questionnaire which they can choose to complete whenever convenient. We discuss the resulting report with them during the assessment day to gather examples to substantiate and verify their results and assess how their styles and behaviours manifest in their everyday work.
After the assessment day we produce a comprehensive report triangulating the results of all the exercises with a careful analysis of each candidate, written against the person specification.
The report has a one-page summary of the findings with proposals for areas to investigate further, followed by the detail of how the candidate performed.
It offers verified, in-depth information and guidance for the final interview panel to explore. We always offer feedback to candidates on their report, which is a most valuable element of the exercise for them to learn from.
Going the extra mile is important to us so we attend in person at the start of the final interview day to provide the panel with a brief summary and proposed areas on which to focus for each candidate before they begin the interviews. We are available to remain as a bystander during the interviews, to offer comments at the end to support their final decision if needed.
An alternative option is to use just the personality assessment, without the addition of the assessment day exercises, which also provides verified in-depth information on candidates’ leadership style, behaviours and emotional intelligence. This is quick and interesting for candidates with very little interference with their busy working day.
What our clients say
The final report has the greatest value. The key to the success of the process is the feedback given in person by the Dearden assessor at the start of the AAC. HR Adviser – NHS Acute Hospital Trust.
We have found the assessment process very useful in recruiting against our Trust Values. The assessments have provided us with a way of looking at candidates areas of strength and potential weakness, so that these can be better explored at interview. This allows not only the appointment of the ‘right’ candidate but also better ‘team fit’. Medical Director. NHS Acute Foundation Trust London
The interview process alone is, in my opinion, a very limited guide to the suitability of the candidate for the post. There are precious few other mechanisms for the detailed assessment of emotional intelligence available to us when we try to appoint. I find that many of my panel colleagues are not able to discern these concepts without prompting. Associate Medical Director Consultant ICM & Anaesthesia.
Dearden Search and Selection specialises in supporting NHS organisations select the most talented leaders. To discuss how we can provide a tailored assessment for your senior appointments, call Sarah Banton on 01404 814 248 or email sarah.banton@deardensearchselection.co.uk.