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9
Other selection methods
9.1 Group selection methods (assessment centres) 
Group selection methods
might be used by an organisation as the final stage of a selection process, as a 
more 'natural' and in-depth appraisal of candidates. 
Group assessments (sometimes called 
assessment centres
) tend to be used for posts requiring 
leadership, communication or teamworking skills: advertising agencies often use the method for 
selecting account executives, for example. 
9.1.1 Methods used in group selection 
Assessment centres are attended by a group of candidates and consist of a series of tests, interviews and 
group situations. In a typical assessment centre, following an introductory session to ensure candidates 
feel at ease, candidates face tests, interviews and group scenarios designed to establish their suitability 
for the role(s) on offer. 
A variety of tools and techniques are used in group selection, including: 
(a) 
Group role-play exercises
, in which candidates can explore (and hopefully display) interpersonal 
skills and/or work through simulated managerial tasks. 
(b) 
Case studies
, where candidates' analytical and problem-solving abilities are tested in working 
through described situations/problems, as well as their interpersonal skills in taking part in (or 
leading) group discussion of the case study. 
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PART D: LEADING AND MANAGING INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS 
 
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9.1.2 Advantages of group selection 
These group sessions might be useful for the following reasons. 
(a) 
They give the organisation's selectors a longer opportunity to study the candidates. 
(b) 
They reveal more than application forms, interviews and tests alone about the ability of 
candidates to persuade others, negotiate with others, explain ideas to others, investigate 
problems efficiently, and so on. These are typically management skills. 
(c) 
They reveal more about how the candidate's personality and skills will affect the work team and 
their own performance in the job. 
9.2 Reference checking
References 
provide further information about the prospective employee. 
This may be of varying value, as the subjectivity and reliability of all but the most factual information 
provided by chosen reference sources must be questioned. A reference should contain two types of 
information. 
(a) Straightforward