There are four different types of assessor jobs: independent consultancy, working for a business assessment company, crisis assessor, and legal assessment. The role of an assessor remains the same, regardless of the industry. The assessor reviews the options, talks with the affected parties, and makes a decision or evaluation recommendation. This type of work involves a significant amount of independent research, as the details of the value and risks must be verified before a recommendation can be made.
In order to qualify for assessor jobs, you will need a minimum undergraduate degree from an accredited university. Most assessors have additional training in business, law, or psychology. Additional courses or certification in crisis management, human behavioral analysis, and communications can be very helpful with this career. This is especially true for people looking to become crisis assessors.
A growing number of assessors open their own private practice. Working as independent consultants, they provide consulting expertise, when required. There are very few industries that require a full-time assessor on staff. This flexibility also allows the firm to hire assessors with different areas of expertise, as required.
Many assessor jobs are found by working directly for a business consulting company. These firms specialize in business risk assessments. A risk assessment involves an evaluation of the possible options, risk of financial loss or gain, reputation damage, and other intangibles. The types of transactions that require this type of assessment are usually multinational contracts, union negotiations, mergers, or other large business transactions.
Crisis assessors often work in the law enforcement or health services industry. They are called into situations where normal crisis management practices are unsuccessful. This can include hostage situations, armed stand-offs, or situations where the suspect is mentally unstable. The crisis assessor has the skills and training to determine the likelihood of a satisfactory resolution.
Legal assessors work with a wide range of clients, from property sales to large business transactions. Their primary role is to assess the legal risks and take steps to protect the client. These steps can include adding specific wording into the contract, seeking legal remedies, and other methods of minimizing the risk to the client.
People who report the greatest satisfaction in assessor jobs enjoy helping people, problem solving and working independently. Many successful assessors build their practice through reputation. Skill, ability to meet client expectations and maintaining good business relationships are critical to a long career. It is very important to keep your skills up to date, review changing styles, and stay in touch with market valuations.