How to prepare for an assessment centre

This guide walks through each assessment centre activity and gives you a practical way to prepare for it.

Last reviewed 22 October 2026 · Written by the Acing team

What an assessment centre is

An assessment centre is a series of tasks that lets an employer see how you behave in situations linked to the job. According to Prospects, it can last from an afternoon to two days and is often the last stage for big graduate employers. Candidates usually attend in groups of around six to eight. Assessors, often HR staff and line managers, score you against the competencies for the role and compare notes afterwards.

The key point is that one weak task rarely sinks you. Sheffield Hallam's careers team notes that employers look for people who perform well overall, so a good later task can offset an earlier slip.

What might be on the day

Activity	What it tests	Main tip
Group exercise	Teamwork, communication, influence	Draw others in and build on good ideas.
In-tray or e-tray	Prioritising, judgement, written tone	Read everything first, then sort tasks.
Presentation	Structure, clarity, research	Know your audience and rehearse.
Psychometric tests	Reasoning and judgement	Practise with free tests beforehand.
Interview	Evidence of past behaviour	Prepare STAR examples.
Social events	How you come across informally	Be polite and engaged throughout.

Employers should tell you in advance what will happen. If anything is unclear, contact the recruitment team and ask.

Group exercises

Group tasks can be practical challenges, case studies or discussions. The University of Glasgow's careers service says to understand the brief fully, be assertive but diplomatic, and back good ideas from others. It also points out that you are not competing with the rest of the group, so there is no need to talk over anyone.

Spend the first minute checking the brief and the time limit.
Suggest a simple plan: roles, order of topics, who watches the clock.
Invite quieter members to give a view. Prospects says assessors watch how you interact.
Summarise agreement so the group reaches a decision.

In-tray and e-tray exercises

These are individual exercises where you work through emails, messages and documents, often as if you had just taken over a role. TARGETjobs describes the e-tray as the digital version, using emails, meeting requests and chat messages, and says exercises commonly run for 30 to 80 minutes. You might choose options, rank responses, prioritise with written reasons, or write an email.

A simple way to handle each item

Read the instructions and all the material before acting.
For each item, decide to do it now, delegate it, delay it or drop it.
Check dates and deadlines, and separate urgent from important.
Look for dependencies, where one task must be finished before another.
Keep decisions consistent, so one answer does not contradict another.
Match your tone to the reader, keep emails short and check them before you finish.

Use what you know about the employer's values to guide judgement calls, because you will often have incomplete information. TARGETjobs also notes that the Civil Service Fast Stream publishes an example exercise, so check the employer's website for one.

Presentations

You may be given a topic in advance or on the day. Glasgow's advice is to find out about the audience and equipment, use a clear introduction, main section and conclusion, leave time for questions, and rehearse with someone who can give feedback. Use prompt cards rather than a script. Prospects adds that researching the organisation, sector and competitors lets you offer informed views.

Psychometric tests

Prospects says these are usually held early in the day and recommends practising with free resources first. Sheffield Hallam's page lists situational judgement tests and games-based assessments among the formats some employers use. Check which types your employer uses and practise those under timed conditions. Our education section has more on building study habits that help with timed practice.

Virtual assessment centres

Many employers run these online, and TARGETjobs says e-tray exercises are common in them. Prospects advises doing a dry run for online events and checking equipment and software beforehand. The National Careers Service gives matching advice for online interviews: test your computer and connection, log in early and know how to contact the employer if something fails.

Choose a quiet space with a plain background.
Charge your device and have a backup way to contact the employer.
Keep notes and a glass of water within reach.
Look at the camera when speaking and mute when you are not.

Preparing in the week before

Re-read the job description and any materials the employer sent.
Review your CV or application and the feedback from your earlier interview. Our UK CV guide can help if your CV needs a refresh.
Prepare STAR examples for the skills listed. See the STAR interview technique guide.
Practise exercises with a friend or family member.
Plan your route and aim to arrive at least ten minutes early.
Choose your outfit the night before. Business dress is the safest choice, especially for corporate, law, finance and government roles.

If you have a disability, you can ask for reasonable adjustments, such as extra time. The National Careers Service points to Scope's guidance on asking, and TARGETjobs notes that extra time can often be arranged if you raise it in advance.

On the day

Show your working. Prospects advises making your method visible to assessors.
Treat every moment as part of the assessment, including breaks and meals.
Do not dwell on a mistake. Move on to the next task.
Be yourself. Assessors respond to individuality.

After the day

You may hear on the day or within a few days. If you are unsuccessful, ask for feedback. The National Careers Service says it is common to attend several interviews before getting an offer, and recommends reflecting on the harder parts. For help finding and following up roles, see the careers page, and browse the guides hub for more. If you are running your own venture and recruit staff, our business section may be useful too.

Free tools for this

CV checker — Score, missing keywords and fixes for your CV against a UK job advert.
Cover letter generator — A one-page UK cover letter from the role and three of your achievements.
STAR answer builder — Rough notes in, a clear Situation-Task-Action-Result answer out.
Interview question generator — Likely questions for your job, what each one tests and how to answer.

Sources

General information only. Check details with your school, exam board, employer or adviser.