Numerical reasoning
Untimed, but aim for under 2 minutes per numerical screen
What it tests. Data interpretation, percentage changes, ratios, currency conversions and business arithmetic; extracting relevant points from a noisy chart.
Worked example. If E-commerce cloud expenditure grows 12% in Q4 from a Q3 baseline of £145,000 while Logistics decreases 5% from £98,000, what is the net monetary difference between the two Q4 budgets?
Common traps. Misreading units when axes are in thousands or millions, and over-calculating exact figures when estimation or elimination would remove three of five options immediately.
How to handle it. Keep a calculator and scratch pad ready. Prioritise accuracy over speed, but do not spend more than 2 minutes on a single numerical screen.
Verbal reasoning
Untimed, but cap each question at roughly 90 seconds
What it tests. Critical text analysis, inference identification and separating explicit fact from assumption or external knowledge.
Worked example. A passage says public-sector data migrations are mandatory under UK law but timelines can be flexed by up to 30 days if local trust networks report compatibility issues. Statement: 'All public-sector data migrations must be completed within a fixed timeframe, regardless of local issues.' The answer is False.
Common traps. Bringing in outside knowledge from the news, and nuance blindness, missing qualifying words like always, typically, may, exclusively or sometimes.
How to handle it. Read the statement before the text block so you can scan the passage with a specific objective, looking for keywords that confirm or deny it.
Logical / inductive / deductive reasoning
Untimed
What it tests. Non-verbal abstract reasoning, pattern recognition, systematic problem-solving and spatial logic.
Worked example. Four interlocking digital architecture components each rotate or change colour by an underlying rule; select the 5th component to complete the deployment pipeline.
Common traps. Fixating on a single variable (the changing shape) while ignoring simultaneous colour or positional shifts, and overthinking a simple clockwise rotation into a complex mathematical pattern.
How to handle it. Isolate elements systematically: shapes first, then colours, then positions. Verify your deduced rule forward and backward before submitting.
Situational Judgement Test (SJT)
Untimed
What it tests. Professionalism, interpersonal communication, alignment with corporate values, risk mitigation and commercial awareness.
Worked example. A senior client asks you to add an out-of-scope dashboard feature in an informal chat that will delay your deliverables 48 hours and miss an internal milestone. The optimal action is to acknowledge the request, explain you need to validate the timeline impact with your Project Lead and schedule a formal scope review (rank 1); ignoring it and hoping the client forgets is the worst (rank 5).
Common traps. The 'hero' fallacy of ranking 'work through the night alone' as a 1, and passive escapism that avoids direct communication or delays action.
How to handle it. Align answers with the six core values; the best option always balances client value with team transparency and operational integrity.
Personality questionnaire
Untimed
What it tests. Behavioural tendencies and strengths, matched against top-performing Accenture analysts.
Worked example. Indicate how closely 'I prefer working in structured environments' versus 'I thrive in ambiguous situations' describes you.
Common traps. Inconsistency, since similar traits are presented differently to flag contradictions, and neutral fencing in the exact middle of the scale, which yields an indistinct profile.
How to handle it. Be honest but lean slightly toward consultant-essential traits (adaptability, tech-fluency, structured thinking, collaboration); answer on your initial professional instinct.
Custom digital job-simulation modules
Untimed
What it tests. Synthesis of complex information, written communication, prioritisation under shifting conditions and business acumen.
Worked example. Review an analytical brief and write a concise professional update framed under clear headings: Issue, Impact and Proposed Next Steps.
Common traps. Treating all tasks as urgent and failing to distinguish a minor admin request from a critical client outage, and writing long walls of text instead of concise bulleted updates.
How to handle it. Use structural formatting with clear headings; keep communications professional, action-oriented and client-centric.