IT services hiring tests: the aptitude gate you can drill, and the coding stage that follows

TCS states a 190-minute NQT: a 75-minute Foundation part with numerical, verbal and reasoning ability at 25 minutes each, and a 115-minute Advanced part with 25 minutes of quantitative and reasoning questions and 90 minutes of coding. Infosys hosts a sample fresher paper of 100 minutes with reasoning, verbal and a 10-minute pseudocode section. HCLTech describes a 90-minute cognitive test, a coding or technical test of 60 to 90 minutes and a Versant English test.

These are the pages to build a practice schedule from, with the caveat that HCLTech's page was about two years old.

Accenture states a coding-environment technical assessment within 72 hours and a no-external-AI rule, while candidates describe a 90-minute fresher test. Cognizant states assessments of communication, aptitude and/or technical skills, while GenC patterns reported by candidates conflict. Capgemini states an India aptitude test of logical, verbal and quantitative skills, and candidates report games and an English test. Revature states an online technical assessment of knowledge and aptitude.

For these four, the honest answer to what is on the test is: the employer says this much, and candidates report the rest.

HCLTech says only candidates who clear the cognitive and coding tests take Versant. TCS says the Advanced part is needed for the Digital and Prime outcomes. At Infosys the aptitude paper comes before the coding contest. In each case, an early gate stops later strengths being read.

That is the argument for drilling the aptitude part first. It is the stage most candidates under-prepare, and it is the one our free tests cover.

HCLTech states that neither it nor its recruitment partners ever ask for fees. Accenture warns about payment requests. Revature advises candidates to ask about terms in writing before signing. Candidate reports on Cognizant's GenC test conflict between a 25-question and an 80-question pattern.

Treat any site that sells a job placement with suspicion, and never pay for a job.

Week one: a full reasoning test untimed, then the weakest area. Week two: two timed sittings, one of the reasoning test and one of the CCAT test for logic and series. If you want structure, the Reasoning Pass Pack adds timed mocks and drills for £29 (US$39), or £49 (US$59) for all five exams, as a single payment.

See also our coding and technical tests guide.