Graduate assessment for a leading steel stockholder

ASD Metal Services in Leeds is the UK's largest independent multi-metal stockholding and distribution operation with over 100,000 tonnes in stock. The company is strongly committed to growing its management talent base from within the business and, as part of this commitment, invests considerable time and effort in its graduate recruitment programme.

Informed Assessment supported both its 2006 and 2007 graduate assessment programmes and in 2007 supported the Assessment Centre process for the final shortlist of candidates.

Candidates received comprehensive briefing packs before the event and undertook ability testing and personality assessment and were observed undertaking a practical group exercise at the event itself. Client staff also observed the practical group exercise and assessed the presentations and interviews using scoring guidelines designed by Informed Assessment to make the process as objective, accurate and ‘assessor friendly’ as possible.

The practical group exercise - using large plastic components to solve a problem under time pressure - gave all of the candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their different competencies in a ‘hands-on’ way, but without feeling advantaged or disadvantaged by their particular degree studies.

Individual reports were produced for ASD’s benefit containing development guidelines for each appointed candidate to help them get off to the best possible start with the company. Every candidate was also offered personal feedback.

The candidates found the event stimulating and particularly appreciated the ‘goody bag’ which each received from ASD at the end of the assessment event, containing, amongst other items, coffee mugs, pens, calculators and alarm clocks - the latter designed to be particularly useful as each student began their working life!

Pauline Garnett, Group HR Manager, said: ‘As always, we are immensely pleased with the work that Informed Assessment has done.

‘The graduates told us that this was the most efficient yet enjoyable assessment that they had attended. They were particularly impressed by the way it was so well-organised and delivered and the quality of feedback that they received. This in turn was a key part of the impression that they formed of ASD and contributed in great part to their individual decisions to join us instead of other competitors in the market. We are delighted that we were able to recruit eight strong graduates into real jobs and to increase our talent bank considerably.

 

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Pauline Garnett, Group HR Manager, said:

‘This is a perfect example of working in partnership with preferred suppliers to achieve excellent results.’