When an employer says you cannot prepare, what should you do with the time?
Several employers state plainly that their first assessment needs no preparation, or that you cannot prepare for it. Believing them frees time. This guide lists who says it, in their words, and where the saved hours are better used.
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By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated · How we check facts
Who says no preparation is needed
Each row comes from that employer's own page on this site. 7 employers, checked October 2026. Stated means the employer says it. Candidates report means we found it only in candidate accounts.
| Employer | What it says |
|---|---|
| Grant Thornton UK | Advises against preparing in the usual way and suggests trusting your instincts. The Neurosight assessment typically takes under five minutes. |
| BDO UK | Says no prior preparation is required, while linking a demo site with a practice question on its hints page. |
| Forvis Mazars UK | Says none is needed: find a quiet space, read the instructions and answer honestly and instinctively. About five minutes, untimed. |
| Teach First | Says it is not possible to prepare for the situational judgement test and that you should answer honestly from the information given. |
| Amazon | Says most roles other than software engineering need no advance preparation for the work style and simulation assessments. |
| Linklaters | Its Hong Kong page says no preparation is required for the Capp Online assessment, while also pointing to a preparation hub. |
| Standard Chartered | Says there are no right or wrong answers in the behavioural section, so there is nothing to study for it. |
Believe them, then look at why
When an employer says an assessment cannot be prepared for, the reason is usually that it measures style or judgement, not knowledge. Grant Thornton and Forvis Mazars describe short, adaptive assessments of potential. Teach First describes a situational judgement test where honesty is the instruction.
The sensible response is not to hunt for a trick. It is to protect the conditions: a quiet room, a working device, a clear head and no rush before you start.
The two-handed advice: a demo is not preparation
BDO and Linklaters show the nuance. Both say preparation is not required, and both point to a demo or hub. Reading these together, nothing needs studying, but seeing the interface once removes surprise. Spend ten or fifteen minutes on it and stop.
Amazon's position is similar: most roles need no advance preparation, but knowing its Leadership Principles helps you answer consistently, and the work sample simulations are strict about deadlines.
Where the saved time goes
The stages that follow are where you can improve. Grant Thornton adds a 20-minute written case study. Forvis Mazars and BDO follow with live or recorded video interviews. Teach First follows with a task-based assessment and a full-day centre. Standard Chartered's next stages are interview-led.
Our video interview guide and case study and written tasks guide cover the stages that benefit from practice. Write four short stories and say them aloud.
Be wary of anyone selling a preparation course for these
If an employer says an assessment cannot be prepared for, a site selling a course that claims to unlock it is promising something it cannot know. We cannot see live items either, and no site can. The honest tools are the employer's own demo, rest and a calm start.
Where a test does have a practisable part, such as numerical tables or passages, drill that part. The numerical reasoning guide lists which employers name one.
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Start the free Reasoning testFrequently asked questions
Which employers say their first test needs no preparation?
Should I still look at a demo?
Can I do anything that helps?
Does no preparation mean no pass mark?
What should I practise instead?
Employer pages in this guide
- Grant Thornton UK assessmentA five-minute Neurosight test it says not to prepare for, then a 20-minute written data case study.
- BDO UK assessmentInteractive puzzle-like tasks based on quantitative and inductive reasoning, with a demo and an AI ban.
- Forvis Mazars UK assessmentA five-minute, untimed, adaptive assessment with a feedback report, then a live video interview.
- Teach First assessmentA judgement test it says you cannot prepare for, then a five-day task and a Development Centre.
- Amazon assessmentWork style and work sample simulations, not a test you can cram. Most roles need no advance preparation.
- Linklaters assessmentNo time limit, but the critical reasoning element is time-recorded and scored on speed and accuracy.
- Standard Chartered assessmentA Skills Insight Assessment with a 36-minute timed section, a pre-set pass level and a personal report.
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LifeScore is not affiliated with any employer or test publisher named on this page. Names belong to their owners and appear only to describe published hiring processes. Pass marks and questions are not published by employers, and we do not claim to know them. Reviewed October 2026 by the LifeScore Editorial Team.