Assessment Center as an Effective Selection to the Position of the Trade Representative – Case Study

Abstract

The article presents realization stages of the Assessment Center process for the sales representative in a large manufacturing company, which has an established position and is the leader of its industry on the Polish market. Over two years three selection processes were done using the Assessment Center method in the sales department of surveyed company. Each time the goal was to obtain at least one sales representative who would join the existing nine person team. Both in the case of the first and second recruitment, the candidates selected by the assessors did not meet expectations and after the trial period the contract was not renewed. During third recruitment process, the Assessment Center method was also used, however, the process was carried out in accordance with the standards set out in the Guidelines and Ethical Considerations for Assessment Center Operations. This contributed to increasing the effectiveness of selection, the goal was achieved and two new employees were recruited, who continued their work after the trial period. The aim of the article is to evaluate the conditions of effective use of the Assessment Center method in the selection of candidates for the position of a sales representative, based on literature and empirical studies.