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Declining an assessment day because of the process

I am currently a full-time student, on top of which I am working part-time in an unskilled but very well paid position. I applied for a graduate job and was invited to their assessment day. I have now been given a schedule for the day - the morning involves an interview and group exercise and everyone will take part of this. The afternoon involves a second interview and delivering a 10 minute presentation which I am expected to prepare beforehand, however only the top 5 candidates will be invited to stay for the afternoon and they will be announced at lunchtime.

I know that a lot of people would say that it is crazy to turn down this opportunity, however the fact that the company expects every candidate to prepare for the presentation and second interview which they might not be asked to do demonstrates that the company does not value its candidates' time and for this reason on principle, I am considering withdrawing my application (other than the loss of income due to taking the day off work).

Has anyone else ever known a company to ask candidates to prepare a presentation which they may never be asked to deliver?

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Original post by maths42
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Congratulations on sticking to your principles. Enjoy working in unskilled but very well paid positions for the rest of your life!
Original post by maths42
I am currently a full-time student, on top of which I am working part-time in an unskilled but very well paid position. I applied for a graduate job and was invited to their assessment day. I have now been given a schedule for the day - the morning involves an interview and group exercise and everyone will take part of this. The afternoon involves a second interview and delivering a 10 minute presentation which I am expected to prepare beforehand, however only the top 5 candidates will be invited to stay for the afternoon and they will be announced at lunchtime.

I know that a lot of people would say that it is crazy to turn down this opportunity, however the fact that the company expects every candidate to prepare for the presentation and second interview which they might not be asked to do demonstrates that the company does not value its candidates' time and for this reason on principle, I am considering withdrawing my application (other than the loss of income due to taking the day off work).

Has anyone else ever known a company to ask candidates to prepare a presentation which they may never be asked to deliver?


It just means they get to weed out people like you who can't be bothered to put in the effort for it even though there's the chance you may not do it. Seriously, what's the big deal. You get good skills out of prepping for it, you may well be picked and may get the job. If not, oh well, but at least you have experience. Personally based on what you've said if I were you I would withdraw to let someone else who is willing and enthusiastic have more of a chance of getting the job.
Reply 3
Original post by maths42
Has anyone else ever known a company to ask candidates to prepare a presentation which they may never be asked to deliver?


Yes. Very common for Assessment Centre based interviews.
Original post by maths42
I am currently a full-time student, on top of which I am working part-time in an unskilled but very well paid position. I applied for a graduate job and was invited to their assessment day. I have now been given a schedule for the day - the morning involves an interview and group exercise and everyone will take part of this. The afternoon involves a second interview and delivering a 10 minute presentation which I am expected to prepare beforehand, however only the top 5 candidates will be invited to stay for the afternoon and they will be announced at lunchtime.

I know that a lot of people would say that it is crazy to turn down this opportunity, however the fact that the company expects every candidate to prepare for the presentation and second interview which they might not be asked to do demonstrates that the company does not value its candidates' time and for this reason on principle, I am considering withdrawing my application (other than the loss of income due to taking the day off work).

Has anyone else ever known a company to ask candidates to prepare a presentation which they may never be asked to deliver?


What threeport said. If you arent prepared to jump through the hoops then you dont want the job and dont back yourself enough.

Just wait till your next interview and see if their assessment methods meets with your approval. I agree partially that it seems wasteful, but it would depend how much I wanted the job.
If you perform poorly in the morning then surely sending you home shows that they DO appreciate your time (and theirs) instead of having you do a presentation and interview when you're already out the running.
Reply 6
I understand your argument but you should take this opportunity. Also, a lot of businesses will say that there is a cap on how many will progress to the next round, but they may very well allow more than 5 candidates to make their presentation if you impress them enough in the morning.
So you would be willing to prepare for the first interview but not for a second one? Sound logic.

I have sympathy for your position (I've never met an unpaid trial shift that I didn't tell to f*** off) but your reasoning is faulty here - they're inviting you to interview, its no different than them cutting a 30 minute discussion down to 15 if they got the impression you weren't what they're looking for.
Original post by Student-95
If you perform poorly in the morning then surely sending you home shows that they DO appreciate your time (and theirs) instead of having you do a presentation and interview when you're already out the running.


This.

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Original post by Student-95
If you perform poorly in the morning then surely sending you home shows that they DO appreciate your time (and theirs) instead of having you do a presentation and interview when you're already out the running.




Arguably they could have the next round on a different day so that you only have to prepare for a presentation if they want to see it. That would be wasting less of someone's time.
Original post by AspiringUnderdog
Arguably they could have the next round on a different day so that you only have to prepare for a presentation if they want to see it. That would be wasting less of someone's time.

Then they'd have to organise two assessment centres instead of one and the successful candidates (and maybe the assessors) would have to travel to it an extra time. It would most likely result in more wasted time as well as wasted money.
I happens often in higher-skilled jobs that when you do something, or are asked to, it gets discarded later. It's especially true for creative jobs.

It can damage peoples' egos, and fracture team dynamics in such environments. I imagine that is why employers might adopt assessment procedures that replicate this... though I could think of better ways to do it than this. It makes sense that they'd want to 'weed out' those who throw their toys out of the pram every time time something doesn't go their way.

Either way, my main point is that this is not uncommon. Get used to it.
Sure but OP is complaining about the unsuccessful people being sent home early. If they had everyone give the presentation even if they're already out of the running, OP would be fine with it despite that wasting more time for the unsuccessful people.
But they wouldn't know the presentation is pointless unless the assessors told them which is very unlikely.
Not so much that it's fine but you wouldn't be upset about wasted time if you don't know it's being wasted. I think the most realistic alternative is to have the weaker applicants waste even more of their time (albeit unknowingly).
Original post by maths42
I am currently a full-time student, on top of which I am working part-time in an unskilled but very well paid position. I applied for a graduate job and was invited to their assessment day. I have now been given a schedule for the day - the morning involves an interview and group exercise and everyone will take part of this. The afternoon involves a second interview and delivering a 10 minute presentation which I am expected to prepare beforehand, however only the top 5 candidates will be invited to stay for the afternoon and they will be announced at lunchtime.

I know that a lot of people would say that it is crazy to turn down this opportunity, however the fact that the company expects every candidate to prepare for the presentation and second interview which they might not be asked to do demonstrates that the company does not value its candidates' time and for this reason on principle, I am considering withdrawing my application (other than the loss of income due to taking the day off work).

Has anyone else ever known a company to ask candidates to prepare a presentation which they may never be asked to deliver?


Well the reality is - most non-graduate and all graduate jobs involve this process and there is a reason for this.
It is a test to see how interested and serious you are about the job.
If you don't want to put that much effort and enthusiasm into something, imagine what you will be like in the job; that is where they will start to notice things; hence why they have another process called a probationary period which can take up to 6 months, to see how long you can stick it out.

I work in HR and it really annoys me when no one (bothers) to turns up at the interview because I have made all of the effort to give candidates like yourself believing that they want a job, when in actual fact they don't. Also I have a lot of important things to do other than interviewing, therefore it is actually the other way around - you'll be wasting their time because have taken the effort to look for candidates unlike yourself so they can train you up to do the job well and progress with the company.
Reply 16
Original post by NonIndigenous
I happens often in higher-skilled jobs that when you do something, or are asked to, it gets discarded later. It's especially true for creative jobs.

It can damage peoples' egos, and fracture team dynamics in such environments. I imagine that is why employers might adopt assessment procedures that replicate this... though I could think of better ways to do it than this. It makes sense that they'd want to 'weed out' those who throw their toys out of the pram every time time something doesn't go their way.

Either way, my main point is that this is not uncommon. Get used to it.


The difference is that if you're getting paid to do a job, it doesn't really matter whether or not your results get used, whereas preparing this presentation is unpaid time which could be unnecessary.

Original post by BritishGirl
Well the reality is - most non-graduate and all graduate jobs involve this process and there is a reason for this.
It is a test to see how interested and serious you are about the job.
If you don't want to put that much effort and enthusiasm into something, imagine what you will be like in the job; that is where they will start to notice things; hence why they have another process called a probationary period which can take up to 6 months, to see how long you can stick it out.

I work in HR and it really annoys me when no one (bothers) to turns up at the interview because I have made all of the effort to give candidates like yourself believing that they want a job, when in actual fact they don't. Also I have a lot of important things to do other than interviewing, therefore it is actually the other way around - you'll be wasting their time because have taken the effort to look for candidates unlike yourself so they can train you up to do the job well and progress with the company.


The difference is that I would be getting paid for my time on the job, although to be honest I feel that graduate jobs are underpaid and as such I probably wouldn't make as much effort as if I felt that the salary was reasonable to be honest.
Original post by maths42
The difference is that if you're getting paid to do a job, it doesn't really matter whether or not your results get used, whereas preparing this presentation is unpaid time which could be unnecessary.


You could argue on the same grounds that interviews could be unnecessary because you might not get the job.
Reply 18
Original post by NonIndigenous
You could argue on the same grounds that interviews could be unnecessary because you might not get the job.


It is frustrating, however normally if one prepares for an interview it would be on the basis that they would definitely be doing it.
Original post by maths42
The difference is that I would be getting paid for my time on the job, although to be honest I feel that graduate jobs are underpaid and as such I probably wouldn't make as much effort as if I felt that the salary was reasonable to be honest.


The reason why graduate jobs are underpaid is because it's essentially a training contract - graduates lack experience in the working world hence the low salary starting salary.
It's not just graduate jobs that are underpaid - even non-graduate jobs are too.
Nonetheless that doesn't mean you shouldn't want to put too much effort into the job because, well because it is disrespectful to employers who has given you a chance to do something and develop your transferable skills, to gain experience - also they are paying you for it.
Remember some people are in a worse situation than you such as being in unpaid internships and voluntary work.

Please don't be offended by my post because I am trying to make a valid point here. :p:
(edited 5 years ago)

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