PwC is one of the largest global accounting and consulting firms in the world. The company receives thousands of job applications each year and has leaned into online assessment tests to determine which candidates are most likely to be successful at the firm.
Want to learn more about the PwC assessment test? Dive into the details below!
My Consulting Offer’s coaches have helped dozens of candidates pass consulting firms’ online tests and make it to the interview stage. We’d like to help you too!
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- An overview of the PwC online assessment
- Skills the PwC online assessment tests
- The types of questions on the PwC assessment test
- Next steps after the assessment
- 6 Tips on how to pass the PwC assessment test
Let’s get started
Contents
An Overview of the PwC Online Assessment Test
PWC conducts 6 types of assessments including:
- Logical Reasoning
- Numerical Reasoning
- Verbal Reasoning
- Situation Judgment (for non-campus experienced hire interviews only)
- Game-based Tests
- Occupational Personality Questionnaire
The PwC assessment test scores applicants on a wide range of core competencies including:
- Business acumen: Demonstrate you are familiar with key business concepts and are passionate about learning more
- Technical capabilities: PwC’s work demands technical expertise and attention to detail.
- Relationships: Client service work requires solid communication and relationship-building skills
- Global acumen: Most of PwC’s clients operate globally, and consultants need to be able to see the whole picture.
- Whole leadership: Consultants need to be self-driven and to lead others
- Motivation: Candidates who demonstrate drive really stand out
In the final stages of the recruiting process, PwC also hosts candidates at an assessment center. Those evaluations include tests similar to the online assessments, in addition individual and group case sessions, and written exercises.
Why Does PwC Use an Assessment Test?
Many consulting firms are turning to online assessments as part of their recruiting process. The largest consulting firms get hundreds of thousands of applications each year and they need an effective way to screen candidates before face-to-face interviews.
Assessment tests allow recruiting teams to start identifying candidates that match the traits they are looking for in successful candidates without using a lot of manpower.
These assessments also provide another set of data for recruiting teams should they need to choose between candidates in later stages of the process.
Finally, consulting firms are getting wise to the benefits that diversifying their candidate pool can offer. Online assessments help minimize the unconscious bias that can be a challenge in more traditional recruiting practices.
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What Types Of Questions Are On the PwC Assessment Test?
Logical Reasoning
This test may be referred to as inductive reasoning, and you will have 24 minutes to answer 18 questions. Logical reasoning requires you to identify patterns and trends across a series of images with different shapes and spatial arrangement.
For example, you might be shown various squares with shapes arranged inside them. You’ll need to choose the squares that have matching shapes and arrangements. At the start, this is simple but becomes more complicated as the squares begin to rotate in later questions.
You might also be given a series of diagrams showing different shapes and have to identify the pattern and therefore what comes next in the sequence.
You’ll need to recognize that:
- The order of the central shape is diamond then circle repeated
- The color of the shape is pink, blue, green, then repeated
- The arrow rotates around the square in a clockwise direction
- And that would give you a correct answer of D!
Pro tip! If you’re stuck on a question in this section, try process of elimination and determine which answer absolutely do not fit the pattern.
Numerical Reasoning
The numerical reasoning portion of the PwC online assessment typically takes about 25 minutes and includes 18 questions. You will be provided data, graphs or charts and asked two questions that pertain to the information provided. You can use a calculator! Be sure to read the information slowly and pay close attention to the titles and labels provided. If you move too quickly you may make a mistake.
Verbal Reasoning
In the verbal reasoning section, you will be provided a series of passages to read. You’ll be asked questions about these passages. The answers include True, False, and Cannot Say. You must only refer to information in the passage to inform your answer. Exclude personal knowledge or opinions and simply focus on the paragraph you just read.
Keep in mind that “True” statements must be fully-supported by the text. Statements can be “False” if they are not fully-supported by the text. If the text is inconclusive, you should select “Cannot Say”.
You will have about 19 minutes to complete 30 questions.
Situational Judgment Test
This test is only offered to experienced off-campus recruits, so you may not need to prepare for it. Firms are often changing their requirements so it’s perfectly fine to ask your recruiter about this test.
The situational jusdgment test evaluates how you would respond in specific workplace scenarios. For PwC, you’ll be shown a video of a scenario a consultant faces and be asked to choose the best or worst course of action.
Pro tip! Be sure to check out PwC’s firm values and leverage those to make your decisions.
Games Assessments
PwC sometimes asks candidates to complete a series of games called PwC Career Unlock. This may feel a bit intimidating for non-gamers so it’s important to read about the kinds of games firms use to evaluate candidates and what skills they are looking to evaluate. If you know what’s important about each game, you can demonstrate the right characteristics.
Some of the skills firm’s evaluate using games include attention, memory, ability to multitask, risk-taking, and emotion recognition.
Here’s a few examples of the games you may be asked to play:
- Inflate a balloon: You can inflate the balloon as much as you want. The larger the balloon is, the more prize money you get. But if the balloon pops, you get nothing. The test evaluates your risk tolerance.
- Emotion ID: You will be shown an image of a face and asked to select the appropriate emotion.
- Memory and pattern tests: These can vary. They will challenge you to identify the best answer at faster speeds and in more complicated ways.
- Prisoners’ Dilemma: These games represent a business scenario and ask you to make decisions without knowing what other team members may do. You need to think through their decisions and make the best selection for yourself.
You will be scored for your answers on the following dimensions:
- Cognition: how you process information
- Drive: what motivates you, how you handle challenges, etc.
- Thinking style: how you solve problems and make decisions
- Personal style: how you interpret emotion
- Interpersonal style: how you respond in social situations
The games can be played on a mobile device or a computer. Each game can last from 2 – 15 minutes and you will be asked to play a series of games. If the recruiter has not told you how long the game should take, be sure to ask how much time you should set aside to play the games. You will not get a practice session, so be prepared when you log in to the games.
Occupational Personality Questionairre
PwC may ask you to take a personality questionnaire. This test will not have a significant impact on your candidacy, but is helpful for the firm to learn more about who you are.
The Personality Questionnaire will seem like a breeze compared to the other online assessments, but it’s important to stay focused and put your best foot forward.
Personality tests are based on A LOT of science. Your score for each answer is compared against your other answers and the answers of thousands of other respondents to develop a profile of who you are and what it would be like to work with you.
DON’T get overwhelmed trying to understand how these tests work. At the end of the day, firms want to understand these five aspects of your personality:
- Extraversion: how you handle yourself in social interactions and how enthusiastic you are about them
- Agreeableness: how well you show compassion, cooperate, and think of others
- Conscientiousness: how diligent, responsible, and organized you are about your work
- Openness: how you handle new experiences and your overall level of curiosity and creativity
- Neuroticism: how you handle stressful situations and deal with heavy emotions
These personality tests are long and include a few hundred questions. There is no wrong answer. PwC may share a report with you that outlines your personality traits and what it would be like to work with you.
The best thing you can do on the personality questionnaire is be yourself and be consistent throughout the test. And breathe! You’re almost done with the online assessments!
What’s the Next Stage After the Aptitude Test?
After the PwC assessment test, there is a video interview. Depending on which country you are recruiting for, there might also be a mini consulting case simulation.
Video Interview + Mini Consulting Case Simulation
This is an opportunity for you to record your responses to several pre-recorded questions. You will have a set time limit for providing your answers. These questions are part behavioral interview, part situational judgment test, and part mini-case.
The behavioral questions cover your motivation for applying to PwC. You can prepare your answers to common questions in advance by reading our article on behavioral interview questions.
The situational judgment questions are scenario-based and ask you to decide how you would respond to certain hypothetical work situations.
There’s no “wrong” answer, but it’s worth reading-up on PwC’s values and using that information when making your decision to ensure your answers are aligned with their organizational culture. For more information on preparing for situational judgment tests, see our article on online consulting tests.
As part of the video interview, you may be asked to solve a mini-case.
You’ll be given background information on the situation, the client, the client’s goal, and any risks involved in the business problem. You’ll be asked to craft a recommendation.
These questions are used to assess your ability to quickly absorb information and make judgment calls. You may need to assess what information is useful, where there are gaps in the information, and what the client should do next.
Pro tip! Practice recording your responses on camera before you start the PwC Assessment Test. This can be an awkward experience, and it’s best to get your nerves out of the way ahead of time
PwC Final Assessment
If you’re successful through this stage, you’ll be invited to the PwC final assessment. What that looks like depends on which country you’re applying to.
This will either be a final round of case and fit interviews or a more in-depth assessment day. The assessment day will contain individual and group activities as well as interviews.
6 Tips on How to Pass the PwC Assessment Test
We’ve helped a lot of people get through aptitude tests. Here are our best tips:
Tip 1: Check Your Technology
Taking an online assessment can be daunting enough without your laptop dying halfway through!
Make sure your internet connection is strong and that whatever technology you’re using is fully charged or plugged in.
Tip 2: Clear the Clutter.
You’re going to need to concentrate during the PwC assessment test. Make sure that wherever you’re taking the test is clear and free from distractions.
Make sure you have whatever equipment you need with you including paper and pencil for rough notes and a calculator.
Tip 3: Take the Test When You Perform Best
Perhaps you know you concentrate better in the mornings. Or maybe you’re a night owl who finds it easier to focus in the afternoons or evening.
If you have the choice, schedule your test for the time of day when you know you can give it your best attention.
Tip 4: Practice
There are a lot of free online numerical reasoning tests you can use to practice logical and quantitative reasoning skills. For example, free brain training apps such as Elevate help you brush up on your numerical reasoning through interactive games.
Tip 5: Read Each Question Carefully
A simple but important tip. The questions and calculations on the PwC assessment test aren’t that complicated but make sure you’re clear on what you have to do before you tackle them.
There’s nothing more frustrating than rushing the question and making silly mistakes.
Tip 6: Take a Moment to Breathe
Before you start the test take a big breath in and out. We know that tests can make you feel anxious and a few deep breaths help calm the nervous system and move you out of “fight or flight” mode so your brain can concentrate on the task at hand.
Make sure you also take a small pause between sections to let go of the previous questions and re-focus on the next part.
In this article, we’ve covered:
- What’s included in the PwC online assessment
- What skills the PwC assessment test scores
- What questions you can expect during the PwC Online Assessment
- What’s next after the assessment test
- Our 6 top tips for assessment success
Still have questions?
If you have more questions about the PwC assessment test, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s case coaches will answer them.
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