Oracle Assessment Centre

Ya it's two full days of assessments. The first day consists of a group discussion on a topic (ours was on importing and exporting goods and what is your opinion on it). Speak first. Make sure you engage in that conversation. Say whatever- they are looking for someone who speaks up. Try and lead the conversation as much as possible. Ask someone who hasn't spoken yet what their opinion is.

Then they launched into a presentation about Oracle and it's products. Make sure you ASK as many questions as possible. Ask about competitors. Then comes the sales exercise. They ask you to go to a box full of random objects and sell it to a panel of managers. You have about a minute to sell this thing to them. Research selling exercises around selling a random object. Make sure you discover their needs by asking them what they're looking for in this product, etc. Try and go first. Remember, no one has a friggin clue what they're doing so you might as well go first. You get to sit there and watch everyone as well so it kind of eases the nerves.

Next are more crap presentations; but don't expect them to say anything negative about Oracle! Interact with the managers as much as possible on breaks. At dinner is another ad hoc presentation about some random topic and you have to say your opinion on this topic. Some of the topics are funny, some are serious. Doesn't matter. Pick a side and go for it. Make sure you sit next to the managers. If Kevin is there, sit next to him and engage as much as possible (he is the hiring manager!).

The next day are two back to back interviews. One is with two managers and the other is with a panel of four managers. It's pretty intense, but they are standard interview questions all the same. I was asked, tell me about Oracle, why do you want to work here, why should we hire you, etc....Then you have to take an open-ended question test about the products on Oracle. Know competitors, and make sure you research the information they sent you in the email.

Just a word of caution: this is a strictly sales position. They do this whole smoke and mirrors thing to try and cover it up, but at the end of the day it is cold calling. Strictly cold calling. If you listen carefully to the current BDC's they bring in to speak to you about how much they love their jobs. No one loves cold calling. Oracle has one of the highest turnover rates, and for that very reason. A lot of song and dance for a crap position.

On the plus side they'll be able to tell straightaway if you'd be able withstand the cold calling environment, but if you don't make it, they won't let you know. I had to call three different recruiters to find out what my feedback was. They will gobble you up, spit you out and move on.

Good luck!

Hi Ymck1980, Nah I didn't end up getting it . Worked out for the best though- I'm working at a company way better suited for me! Are you going to the assessment centre?