GVA Grimley introduces online tests into their graduate recruitment process

GVA Grimley, one of the UKís firms of property advisors, has introduced online psychometric tests from assessment specialist PSL to enhance its graduate recruitment process.

Each year the company receives between 600 and 800 applications of which they look to recruit between 30 and 70 on to two year graduate schemes.

ìWe were finding that a lot of graduate applicants didnít have the basic skills we assumed they would have when they came out of university,î said Hannah-Jane Bell, HR Business Support Manager at GVA Grimley. ìWe therefore needed to introduce a more objective selection process to help sift through the number of graduates that attend our assessment centres.î

Previously the company had to screen the application forms manually which often led to unsuitable candidates participating in the centres. All applications are now screened online meaning only the best candidates are going forward to the assessment centre stage. ìIdeally we want to invite around 150 people to our assessment centres so itís important those 150 are the very best candidates,î said Hannah-Jane Bell. ìBy introducing PSLís verbal and numerical tests to our online application process, it will make it easier to screen people out at the initial stage rather than inviting them to an assessment centre and finding they are perhaps not as suitable as we had anticipated.î

Candidates who are invited to an assessment centre have to undertake a competency based interview, a report writing exercise, a group discussion exercise and a presentation.

GVA Grimley provides a full range of property-related services including agency, planning and regeneration, rating, building consultancy, investment, management and valuation consultancy. The company has over 640 fee earners, whose fee income was in excess of 100 million last year.

ìWe want to encourage graduates to join our firm and by introducing PSLís tests we have broadened our net in terms of how we approach people,î said Hannah-Jane Bell. ìThis is our first exploration into using psychometric tests, and as a result of this initiative, we are now looking to introduce them into other areas of the business.î

For more information about PSL, please call 020 8585 2345 or email info@psl.com