Game-based assessments: what employers say, what candidates report, and why not to grind

Santander UK says its first stage has three short assessment games that test cognitive abilities and conscientiousness. BDO describes interactive, puzzle-like tasks that measure behaviours and cognitive traits, based on quantitative and inductive reasoning. BAE Systems says its apprentice online assessment includes gamified challenges. Schroders names a gamified situational judgement test among its UK Aon assessments.

Candidates report others. A university blog describes a risk-taking balloon game in the PwC process, and candidates report four short games in Capgemini's aptitude test. Those are labelled reported on the employer pages because the employers do not describe them.

BDO says its puzzle-style tasks do not require prior preparation and links a demo with a practice question. Grant Thornton advises against preparing for its short assessment in the usual way. Forvis Mazars says no preparation is needed for its five-minute test. If a game measures how you naturally behave, rehearsing can only distort it.

That does not mean you should arrive unprepared. It means preparation is about conditions: a quiet room, a device that works, a rested mind, and a quick look at any demo the employer offers.

Cognitive games usually test things like memory, speed of matching, pattern recognition and decision-making under uncertainty. Behavioural games tend to look at how you handle risk, how quickly you adapt and how you respond to feedback. Employers rarely say which is which.

Santander says its games look at cognitive abilities and conscientiousness. Conscientiousness measures usually look at carefulness and reliability, which suggests that rushing may cost you. But that is an inference, and Santander does not say how the games are scored.

Use the device the employer recommends, usually a laptop, and close other tabs. Check the connection. Read every instruction before you start the clock, because many game tasks have a practice round that does not count. BDO says some elements are timed and that it is clear at the start of each section which.

If a demo exists, use it once. If you have a condition that affects how you play, ask for adjustments. BDO says adjustments for disability or neurodivergence need to be requested when you apply, and other employers offer the same.

We cannot tell you which games you will face, and nobody outside the employer and its provider can. Be careful about sites that sell game practice for a specific employer. Employers such as A&O Shearman warn that third-party sites claim to offer free samples of their assessments.

If you want a general warm-up, take the free CCAT practice test to practise quick, accurate responses under a short clock. Then stop.