Posted By Kieran J Duignan A well-designed 'Assessment Centre' uses a variety of methods of assessment, with assessors trained to assess with as much objectivity as possible. In a well-designed AC, all methods of assessment are validated as measuring factors relevant to competent performance; so there's an assumption that competencies of the job have been specified. Typical methods of assessment include: - measures of personality; - measures of particular forms of ability and aptitude, e.g. verbal, numerical, abstract - interview - group discussion - 'in-tray' exercises which simulate decision-making tasks typical of the job - role play Research indicates that together these kinds of methods reveal not just candidates who can perform the job well but also highlight capaabilities of people who might well be overlooked otherwise (known as 'false negatives', i.e. if rejected, it would be a bad decision, as they could have done the work well!). Let's hope you don't turn out to be a 'false positive', i.e. get the job but turn out to have been unsuitable (and the AC didn't predict as accurately as expected!). If you are now thoroughly confused, go ahead!