How to Prepare Yourself for BBC Assessment Tests?

The BBC’s recruitment process is tough to pass. Typically, more than 60% of applicants won’t make it past the BBC tests stage in the recruitment process. But the good thing now is you are reading this article.

The recruitment process for the BBC consists of several different stages. You will need to do your best and outdo your competition if you want to get your dream job at each stage, especially during BBC aptitude tests.

In this article, we’ve provided you with the information you need and our recommendations and tips required to give you the best chance to pass this stage.

About the BBC

The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) is the oldest national broadcasting company globally. The BBC has its headquarters at the Broadcasting House in Westminster, London.

The BBC was first established as a National radio broadcaster in 1927 under the royal charter. Later in 1936, the BBC began broadcasting on television after it was invented. A few decades later, in 1994, the BBC started broadcasting online.

The BBC broadcasts under the agreement with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The national broadcaster has several television channels, including BBC One and Two, BBC Parliament, and BBC News. The broadcaster also has a few channels for children, including the CBBC and CBeebies.

The BBC has more than 35000 people with 16000 staff members working in public broadcasting. The BBC offers plenty of careers, from commercial work to working in broadcast technology and corporate services.

The BBC also provides plenty of trainee apprenticeships in various fields. BBC staff members will also have plenty of benefits to choose from that include the following:

• Pension scheme
• Monthly wine deliveries
• Childcare vouchers
• Discounts on bicycles
• Private medical and dental coverage

BBC Values

The BBC has always provided itself on providing an inclusive and diverse workplace. The broadcaster believes that it’s necessary to reflect and represent the diversity of the United Kingdom. You will need to keep the following BBC’s core values in mind:

• Trust is the foundation of the BBC. We’re independent, impartial and honest.
• We put audiences at the heart of everything we do.
• We respect each other and celebrate our diversity.
• We take pride in delivering quality and value for money.
• Creativity is the lifeblood of our organisation.
• We’re one BBC. Great things happen when we work together.

Types of Jobs at the BBC

The BBC offers employment in every field of digital services and broadcasting. The employment opportunities aren’t just limited to the United Kingdom. The broadcaster provides design, engineering, journalism, and technology work in several industries.

The BBC also has plenty of excellent employment opportunities for school leavers, people looking for a career change, and graduates.

BBC Recruitment Process

There are several steps in the BBC recruitment process that include the following:

Step One: Applying online and sending your CV

Step Two: Completing online aptitude tests or BBC psychometric tests

Step Three: Video interview and phone interview

Step Four: Group exercise/assessment centre

Step Five: Partner Interview

BBC Assessment Tests

The BBC mainly relies on psychometric tests during its recruitment process. SHL designs the assessments. The various tests are handed out because of the BBC’s wide range of job positions.

After sending your CV, you will be asked to complete a situational judgment test. The other assessments will need to be completed later.

Then, you will be given a combination of personality and competency-based tests. The BBC uses personality tests to assess your work ethic. The BBC will consider your personality test scores with your other assessments and application.

Situational Judgement Test (SJT)

The SJT will give you several different scenarios that you will most likely find yourself in if you were to work at the BBC. In this test, you will need to determine the best and the worst action.

To pass the Situational Judgement Test, you will need to use common sense and understand what you need to understand to work in a professional environment.

The Situational Judgement Test is also written in a way to make all the answers look like the correct answers. You will also only have 30 minutes to complete this test.

Numerical Reasoning Test

While working at the BBC, you will need to use your numerical skills, and you will be expected to interpret information from charts and tables. The BBC Numerical Reasoning Test will test your ability to complete fundamental GCSE Maths calculations and knowledge in a passage.

The math equations won’t be too complex. The most challenging part of this test will be the amount of stress and pressure involved in completing the test. You will have just under one minute to read the questions, interpret the information and complete the necessary calculations.

The only way to prepare for the Numerical Reasoning Test is to complete practice tests ahead of time. Using practice tests will get you familiar with the style and types of questions you’ll be asked in the actual test. You’ll also need to learn how to manage your time and stress.

Verbal Reasoning Test

The Verbal Reasoning Test will be used to determine if you can find relevant information and understand if the next statement about it is true or false or impossible. When answering this test, make sure you base your answers on the information you got in the passage.

If you’re not a native English speaker, the Verbal Reasoning Test might be more difficult. If this is the case, you will need to complete a few practice verbal reasoning tests. The practice tests will help you understand how the questions are asked and built.

Abstract or Logical Reasoning Test

This test is sometimes known as the logical reasoning test, diagrammatic or inductive test. In this test, you will get five diagrams with different shapes. You will need to find the pattern and show what is supposed to come next in the pattern.

This test is difficult because the test could use many abstract patterns and trends here. These patterns will be usually related to the size, movements, and colours of two and three-dimensional shapes and arrangements.

There might be some questions about changing patterns from one of the categories mentioned above.

You can prepare for the Abstract or Logical Reasoning Tests but use some practice tests and sample questions. Using practice tests and sample questions will help you become familiar with the test and comfortable thinking under pressure.

Important Skills That BBC Is Looking For

There are several critical skills that the BBC is looking for in an applicant. The BBC core competencies include:

• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Excellent communication skills; both verbal and written communication skills
• Flexibility and resilience

BBC Assessment Centre Exercises

The next stage in the recruitment process will involve a few assessment centre exercises that need to be completed. The BBC will use these assessment centre exercises to determine how well you’ll work in a real-world situation.

In this, you’ll need to make sure that you contribute to the group projects so that the BBC assessors can evaluate your work ethic and personality. In some situations, you might have to complete a repeat of online assessments.

The BBC Assessment Centre Exercises will include four different exercises, including a group exercise, Role Playing and a Presentation.

Group Exercise

In this exercise, you will be tested on how much of a team player you are in a work environment. During this exercise, the assessors will put you in a group to either find a solution to a problem or find a way to reach a group goal.

While you work with the group, the BBC assessors will be watching to see how well you listen to the others in the group. They will also be watching to see if you provide any input of your own.

Another thing they will be watching out for is if you allow members of your group to speak and share their ideas or if you will force your own ideas on others. The assessors also want to know if you will be able to draw out the quiet members and allow them to contribute to the group.

Role-playing

In the role-playing exercise, the assessors will pair you with an assessor or an actor to evaluate how well you work with other people one-on-one. During this exercise, you will be assessed on how well you interact with others and how well you listen to others and their opinions and ask questions.

During the role-playing exercise, they will be checking your ability to compromise and listening for any cheeky or condescending tone. They will also be checking to see if you try to speak over them or interrupt them during the exercise.

Presentation

During the presentation, the assessors want to see how well you can keep the attention of a group of people. They want to see how persuasive you can be in front of a group of people. They’re also assessing your ability to interpret and present information.

During the presentation exercise, you might be given time to put together a presentation, or you might have to put together a presentation on the same day. You will be able to use slides and other tools to illustrate your point better and captivate your audience.

The assessors will also be looking at how well your presentation is structured and how well they can follow your presentation. They will also be checking to see if you know and understand the material or if you’re reading what’s in front of you.

The BBC Final Interview

The final interview will happen after you’ve passed the previous steps in the recruitment process. In this step of the application process, you’ll go through several one-on-one interviews with the senior managers and directors in the field to which you’re applying.

All these interviews will be competency-based, and you’ll be asked some technical questions about why you want to work at the BBC. The interviews can last for up to 30 minutes.

However, the interview might feel longer. But, you should never forget to follow the STAR method. You should also describe a particular situation, the task you faced, and what you did to resolve the issue. It will help if you end your description with the results of your actions.

It’s always a good idea to incorporate the BBC core values when answering the questions in the interviews. It would be best to have some examples of your ideas prepared for your interview. Also, do some research on the most common interview questions so you can prepare.

At the end of your final interview, you have a chance to ask any questions. So it would be best if you prepared to have some exciting and in-depth questions. For example, you can ask the interviewer about their career.

BBC Interview Example Questions

Below, we’ve listed a few examples of common questions that are used in a BBC interview. These questions include the following:

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Why do you want to work for the BBC?
• What is your most outstanding achievement, and why?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• Tell us about a time you worked in a highly stressful situation.
• Please give us an example of a project you’ve worked on from beginning to end.

How to Prepare BBC’s Psychometric Tests

Your performance during the online assessments, presentation, and role-playing exercise will affect how far you go in the hiring process for BBC. To prepare for these assessments and exercises, you’ll need to do some research on the BBC.

The broadcasting company has been around for more than 90 years. It has developed a diverse and inclusive working environment. So, you should study BBC’s values and the skills and qualifications needed for the job.

Doing these things will help you prepare for the required psychometric and careers tests. Understanding the company will help you prepare for the questions you will be asked and could ask in the interviews and the assessments.

You should also practice the skills where you might need improving or if you struggle with answering competency-based questions. It would be best if you made time to study graphs and practice reading comprehension exercises.

Final Thoughts

The BBC is one of the best-known and oldest broadcasters globally. In more than 90 years, the BBC has gone from broadcasting on the radio to television and then finally online.

Because of this, the competition for working at the BBC is fierce, and applicants will need to do everything they can to pass the BBC Careers Test. There are several assessments that you have to complete.

These tests will assess how well you will handle real-life situations, basic math skills, and reasoning skills.