My takeaway from experiencing both sides of an assessment centre.
Assessment centres can be one of the toughest parts of the recruitment process. Having completed my apprenticeship, I've now seen them from both sides. I remember my own assessment centre and genuinely feeling like the least qualified person in the room. During introductions, it seemed everyone could speak 5 languages, play the 3 instruments all while interning at NASA. I remember just thinking I've got absolutely no chance here.
When we moved into the group exercise the constant self-promotion genuinely started to irritate me. People in the group spent more time selling themselves than actually solving the problem we had been given. Don't get me wrong, self-promotion is important, but if you're constantly steering the conversation back to yourself, you're no longer helping the team achieve the objective.
Having since sat in on assessment centres from the employer side, I can tell you this is something assessors notice. Being the loudest person in the room doesn't make you the strongest candidate.
Save the self-promotion for the interview. During group exercises, focus on the task. Listen to others, invite different perspectives, keep the discussion moving, and help the team reach a solution. Ironically, the people trying hardest to stand out often stand out for the wrong reasons. The candidates who collaborate well and help the group succeed are usually remembered most positively.
Happy to give some other tips on the dreaded assessment centres or answer any questions people may have