In this exercise, you will focus on creating a performancesimulation test for selecting a new head of character design at a digital animation studio. The position is completely virtual. Candidates are being assessed from Detroit to Dubai. To assess candidates from so many varied geographical areas, the hiring manager wants to use an assessment center to select the new employee. As you learned in the chapter, assessment center exercises are meant to simulate problems that employees may encounter on the job. Because assessment centers are conducted offsite, employers can create virtual assessment centers that candidates can take part in on their computers. For example, candidates for a management position may be asked to sign into a website to access a virtual e-mail inbox. Responses sent through this virtual inbox can then be used to assess how a candidate responds to e-mails or memos over a set time period.

Step 1:

Form groups of two or three people each. To start the exercise, consider the common tasks someone in this position would encounter. What would managing other artists entail? To assist in this step, it may be helpful to look up job descriptions for creative directors, head animators, and character designers at large firms like Pixar and Dreamworks. List 5 to 10 essential tasks for someone in this position.

Step 2:

Next, pick a task that can be simulated in a virtual assessment center. As a group, write a brief description of the task. Make sure to consider the following: the objective of the task, what instructions the candidates would receive, and how much time the candidates would have to complete the task.

Step 3:

When you have created your assessment center exercise, consider how to score applicants’ work. To create a good rubric for scoring, first decide what results would reflect good or poor performance. Next, decide what traits would be needed to be successful during this exercise. Each trait should be measured by something that can be seen while the person is completing the task or by accessing the results of the task. Create a rating scale to assess candidates on your assessment center exercise.

As a class, after all the groups have designed the assessment center exercise and rating scale, discuss what each group did.

Questions 

1. What were some of the challenges of creating an assessment center exercise for this type of position? 

2. How did you determine the core tasks that would be needed for this type of position? 

3. Could you use the assessment center model to determine if a candidate had all the traits needed to complete the job? 

4. Was it easy to create a task that could be used in a virtual rather than in-person assessment center? Would using another means of selecting candidates (structured interview, work sample) be easier?