RSM UK puts numerical reasoning and an AI literacy check inside its strengths test

RSM UK says its online assessment is a scenario-based strengths test that includes a numerical reasoning section. Our reasoning test drills that numerical part on tables and charts, which is the piece of the assessment that a week of practice can measurably improve.

The strengths questions and the AI literacy check are not reasoning items, and our test does not reproduce them. RSM UK does not publish the number of numerical questions, the time for that section or a pass mark on the pages we read, so practise the skill rather than a supposed paper.

RSM UK's first assessment is not a pure aptitude test. It is built around workplace scenarios that look at your strengths, and inside it sits a numerical reasoning section. That mix means you cannot treat the whole thing as a maths paper, but you also cannot ignore the numbers.

The numerical part is where practice pays. Audit and tax trainees work with figures every day, and a section on percentages, ratios and reading tables is a fair test of that. Our free reasoning test has 25 table and chart questions on a clock.

RSM UK is one of the few employers to say its online assessment includes a check on AI literacy. It has not published what the check asks, so the honest preparation is to understand, in plain terms, what generative AI tools are good and bad at in professional work.

The firm is also clear about using AI yourself. You may use it to prepare, but not during any online or in-person assessment, and RSM UK says doing so during a live assessment may hurt your outcome. Prepare with whatever helps; sit the assessment on your own.

The job simulation is tailored to the role you applied for and mixes recorded video questions with written ranking exercises. Ranking exercises present several reasonable responses and ask you to order them, so they reward judgement about priorities rather than a single correct fact.

Read RSM UK's description of the role before you start. If you know what an audit or tax trainee actually spends a week doing, ranking the responses becomes much easier. Our situational judgement guide explains how ranking formats are usually scored.

Both the online assessment and the job simulation come with a seven-day window. Pass the first and the second arrives, so in a busy term you may face two deadlines within a fortnight. Plan for both before you apply.

A simple rule helps: complete each stage within three days of the invitation. That leaves room for technical problems and avoids sitting a scored assessment at midnight on the last day.

The virtual assessment centre is a half-day session. Applicants to the Digital programme may find an extra stage there: an interactive case study with a presentation. The process ends with an in-person final stage interview.

Adjustments can be requested on the application form. RSM UK allows one application per recruitment cycle, so choose your service line and office with care before submitting. Our numerical reasoning guide compares how other accountancy firms test numbers.