PwC Aptitude Tests: PwC Career Unlocked and Game-based Assessments
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is an Anglo-American professional services network of firms. This multinational company operates as a partnership under the umbrella of PwC. The company is one of the Big Four accounting firms. It is the second-largest professional services network.
Every year, more than 100,00 job applicants apply to PwC in the UK. To identify the top candidates, PwC has created a 5-step recruitment process:
- PwC Online Application
- PwC Career Valuation Test: Situational Judgement Test
- PwC Career Unlocked Assessment and Game-based Assessments
- PwC Video and Telephone Interviews
- PwC Career Focus: Virtual Assessment Day (PwC Assessment Centre)
You will need to prepare thoroughly to minimize your chances of rejection, and to maximize your success.
How to Get a Job at PwC?
Stage 1: PwC Online Job Application
Once you have completed your research on PwC and chosen the program you wish to apply to, you will need to do the following:
Complete PwC’s online form, and include:
- Your A-Level results
- The universities and/or schools you went to
- Your work experience
- You may also need to answer questions about your motivation
Make sure that you provide accurate information before you submit your application. Also, apply as early as you can. As the sooner you apply the better your chances that your application will be considered. Make sure you look at your emails regularly, as PwC may ask you for more details.
Stage 2: PwC Career Valuation Test: Situational Judgement Test
Every person who applies to a job at PwC needs to complete the PwC Situational Judgement Test (SJT). The SJT is an aptitude exam that measures how you handle workplace scenarios. And, it assesses the effectiveness of your approach. You will be shown a video scenario and you will need to say how you would address a given issue. Your job is to choose the “best” and “worst” response, according to how you believe a PwC employee should act.
It is important to practice for this test beforehand, to get a feel for the style and format of such tests. Practice is a proven way to better your results.
PwC Situational Judgement Tests are specific to the business area and job you apply for. Read all the information in your exam invitation email carefully.
Stage 3: PwC Career Unlocked Assessment and Game-based Assessments
If you are successful in your PwC Situational Judgement Test, you will be asked to complete the PwC Game-Based Assessment. This is made up of 11 games, which you can complete on Android, iOS, Mac or Windows.
Let’s take a look at 2 central PwC psychometric exams included in the games
- The PwC Numerical Reasoning Test
- The PwC Logical Reasoning Test
PwC Numerical Reasoning Test
This is like a typical aptitude assessment test. You will receive 18 questions and will have less than one minute to complete each question.
Before you take this test you will need to revise basic GCSE-level problems. Such as percentages, ratios, and interpreting data from chats. It is also important to practice taking these tests with time pressure. Thus, it is best to take mock numerical reasoning tests.
PwC Logical Reasoning Test
The PwC Logical Reasoning Test doesn’t assess any specific area. You will receive:
- 18 questions
- 45 seconds per question
- A series of 5 diagrams with different shapes and spatial arrangements. Your job is to identify the pattern and see what comes next in the series.
A top way to prepare for this test is by practicing on a similar PwC practice test. You will need to become familiar with the format. The arrangement, size, and movement of the 2 and 3-dimensional shapes will vary, so you must be prepared for all variations. In this test you will need to work quickly. By completing practice exams you can better your speed and accuracy.
Now, let’s take a look at each of the remaining 9 games:
1. Balloons
Your aim is to inflate various sized balloons and ‘bank’ them before they can pop. The more you inflate a balloon, the greater your points. If you pop a balloon, you get no points. Each balloon equals one round.
2. Power Generators
This game includes using 4 different generators to achieve a desired level of power. Some of the generators begin to deduct power if too much is used. You need to discover how to gain as much power as you can.
3. Leaflets
This is a memory game. You need to remember the order of a grid of leaflets is stamped. In the second level, there is a secondary stamp that you need to ignore. The secondary stamp is not part of the sequence.
4. Bulbs and Spanners
In this game, your reaction time is tested. An image of a spanner or bulb is shown at the top of your screen and you will need to click on the button that corresponds to the image. The button is at the bottom of the screen.
5. Arrows
This game measures your ability to understand multiple sources of information. You need to pay attention to an arrow in the center of the creen. If there are other dashes or arrows around it you will need to press a button that corresponds to the direction of the central arrow.
6. Moving Numbers
This game measures your ability to understand multiple sources of information. Shapes with numbers appear on a screen that is split. If the shape appears on the top half of the screen you will need to focus on the number. You will need to click the left button when even numbers appear and the right button when odd numbers appear. When the shape appears in the button half, you will need to pay attention to the shape and not the number. If there are rounded corners, click the left button. For pointed edges you will need to click the right button. As the game progresses it gets faster. It also switches between the two sides of the screen to make it more difficult.
7. Team Selling
This game assesses how well you can balance risk-taking and teamwork. You are one of two teams. You will need to sell electronic devices to earn money for PwC. You need to choose whether to sell them for $300 or $50. The goal is to make as much money as you can. You are not able to see the decisions of the other team. If both the teams wish to sell a table for $50, they each get that amount and $100 is given to the PwC pot. If one team chooses to sell for $300 and the other team for $50, then the second team gets $300. If both the teams decide to sell for $300, neither team receives any money.
8. Emotions
This game sees how well you recognize emotions when you look at facial expressions. You will be shown an animated picture of a face and will need to say which emotion it shows. You will be presented with a series of around 50 faces. You will need to select from a range of 7-8 various emotions.
9. Open the Safe
This game measures your reaction times. You will be presented with a coded safe. The safe will appear in the center of the screen. The safe will have numbers around it much like a clock face. To discover the code, you need to press a certain button when the right digit is highlighted. If you are incorrect you will need to begin again from the start. Each round becomes increasingly fast.
Stage 4: PwC Video and Telephone Interviews
If you pass the online exams and gamified-assessment stage, you will be asked to take a Video Interview. This gives you a chance to demonstrate your skills and interest and to show that you are a good fit for the job.
You should set up early and position your camera well. Make sure your microphone is working. Also, ensure that you are in a quiet place. It is also a good idea to prepare answers to common interview questions.
Stage 5: PwC Career Focus: Virtual Assessment Day (PwC Assessment Centre)
If you get to this stage, congratulations. You are almost there. You’ll be invited to a PwC office to undertake a number of tasks and to meet with PwC employees.
There are five stages that will take place during the PwC Assessment day:
- Written communication exercise
- Aptitude tests
- Individual or group PwC In-tray Exercise
- Presentation Exercise
- Final PwC Interview
The main purpose of the interview is to see that you will fit in with the company culture and the culture of the team you will be working with.
