Put through the wringer

Squeezed like a lemon. That's how I feel after yesterday's experience: the assessment centre. All year long I have been hearing the buzz about these things but I haven't actually talked to anyone who has been through one so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.

The day was in Cambridge and since registration started at 9AM and it takes me 2 hours to get there, I decided to go the night before and stay with friends. I must have been more nervous than I realised because I didn't sleep very well. In the morning I joined a group of 7 others who all turned out to be very highly qualified people. With 4 PhD's and 2 MBA's between us I suppose it is fair to say it was stiff competition.

The whole assessment consisted of 4 parts, not counting the usual sales pitch of "our company is the greatest". First up was a 30 minute interview with one of their analysts. It was actually a very agreeable chat with a girl about my age who did a PhD in protein NMR! Next up was a more hardcore interview with two of the senior consultants. This is also were I had to give my 10 minute pitch on me. Things got a bit hairy when they asked me about my "socio-ethical" perspective on the job but I think I managed to bluff my way through that one! At least I didn't use the words "Satan" or "money grabbing".

My biggest disaster was the case study. To test our analytical and numeracy skills we were given an hour to complete two tasks. It was a weird case on a travel agency for which we had to identify the cause of their declining profits and suggest solutions based on a bunch of tables. I didn't realise when we were supposed to start on the second one so when it was announced we had "10 minutes" left, I still had to start on it! I wrote some utter nonsense. I'm sure I look like a real fool on that task.

The pièce de resistance was an "observed group task": four of us had an hour to come up with an innovative business idea, a logo and a slogan for a railway company and then to present this. During the whole task three people sat there in the room with us, not saying anything but just taking notes. I've never felt more like a lab rat in my life!

Now I'll just have to wait and see. If chosen there is in fact one more step: a one-on-one conversation with the company boss. This is as far as I am taking it though. Even if they do pick me now, I won't continue any further. I got what I came for; the experience, but I can't justify wasting anymore of their time.