Mastering the TFL Assessment Centre: A Comprehensive Preparation Guide for 2024
This TFL assessment centre guide includes practice tests, top tips and insider secrets for success. Let’s get started.
Download our Ultimate Assessment Day & Interview Guide 2022 here. (It's packed with tips, tricks and insider-secrets to help you succeed.)
Table of Contents
A Useful Starting-Point Resource
What is TFL?
Transport for London (TFL) is a government body that holds responsibility for nearly all transport systems in London. TFL have a rigorous application process including a notorious assessment centre, which is what we’re going to focus on in this guide.
We’ll cover everything you need to perform strongly at your at TFL assessment centre.
TFL Assessment Centre: An Overview
The TFL assessment centre takes place in London and you’ll be invited to spend the day with around a dozen other applicants.
Your day will be made up of the following exercises:
- Group Exercise
- Written Exercise
- Presentation Exercise
- Competency/Strength based Interview
- Psychometric Ability Test
Before we dive in let’s take a look at TFL’s competencies.
These are vital to know if you want to be a successful candidate. You will not succeed at the TFL assessment centre unless you have an understanding of these competencies.
TFL Assessment Centre – Competencies
All TFL employees are expected to work within and exhibit the following key competencies:
- Building Capability
Building your capabilities, furthering yourself and growing through both feedback and development opportunities.
- Change And Innovation
Being able to accept, encourage and respond to change, as well as be responsible for it.
- Communication And Influence
The ability to communicate to the highest standard in order to influence, inform and engage people.
- Customer Service Orientation
Always striving to provide excellent customer service.
- Planning & Organising
Having excellent time management skills. The ability to prioritise your workload and plan ahead.
- Problem Solving & Decision Making
Being able to come to conclusions and make effective decisions or recommendations.
- Results Focus
Delivering the best results possible as well as showing an interest in business improvement.
Click here to read TFL’s competencies in more detail.
We cannot stress enough how important it is that you get to grips with each competency. If you don’t show a clear understanding of these criteria you are not going to succeed.
TFL have published a list of what they are looking for from employees (the competencies above), so USE this list as a framework for your preparation and performance.
Useful Resource
Action point
Here’s something that will transform your chances of success at your TFL assessment centre:
- Make a list of examples of when you have demonstrated each of the competencies.
- Memorize this list of examples. You will use it again and again at the TFL assessment centre and your interview will be based around this.
We guarantee that this will come up at the TFL assessment centre, so it’s vital you spend plenty of time preparing for this exercise.
TFL Assessment Centre – Group Exercise
In the group exercise you will become part of a team which will have to solve a problem.
Expect to be given a brief to read through alone before discussing it with the group. You will need to try and come to a conclusion as a group.
You will only have 40 minutes to participate in this group exercise, so use your time wisely.
Remember, you are being assessed on the following things:
- How clearly you communicate
- How you treat the other members of the group
- How confident you are in a group setting
- How you cope when required to think quickly
Make sure you contribute to the group but don’t monopolise the conversation either. Allow everyone to contribute.
To learn how to succeed in group exercises, read our group exercise success guide. It will give you specific strategies you can use on the big day.
TFL Assessment Centre – Written Exercise
This will follow on directly from the group exercise. You will have to write up a report on what you concluded during your time in the group.
The written exercise could also be based on the position that you have applied for. Either way, you will have 30 minutes to complete it.
Here are our top tips for sailing through this exercise:
- Make sure your spelling, punctuation and grammar are in good shape. (GCSE-level grade A-C.)
- Use lists and bullet points to keep your writing concise.
- Always explain your decisions and give reasons for your opinions.
TFL Assessment Centre – Presentation Exercise
Presentations can send even the most confident of people into panic.
Want to know how to deliver the perfect presentation? Read our guide: How To Deliver A Killer Presentation At Your Assessment Centre
You’ll have a week to prepare your TFL assessment centre presentation. This information and brief will be sent to you prior to your visit to the TFL assessment centre itself.
The presentation will be based on the position you have applied for, so it’s vital that you understand the role you are applying for; your knowledge of this must be demonstrated in your presentation.
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Stop worrying! Download a 12-step assessment day cheatsheet & be perfectly prepared.
Click here to download your copy
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TFL Assessment Centre – Competency/Strength Based Interview
This interview is based on TFL’s competencies. This is where your knowledge of them will carry you through.
You will be questioned on the competencies and will be required to show your understanding of them. They will ask for a mixture of real life examples and for explanations of how you would demonstrate them in hypothetical situations.
This is a panel interview and can be nerve-wracking for most people. To learn how to master interviews you should spend some time in our interview section.
Useful Resources
TFL Assessment Centre – Psychometric Ability Test
At the TFL assessment centre you will perform a psychometric ability test. These are similar to the tests that you took online during the application process.
This is purely to confirm that the previous ones were your own work and you’re capable of carrying them out unaided.
To learn how to succeed in aptitude tests like this we have dedicated guides you can use:
- Numerical Reasoning – Practice Tests & Knowledge Hub
- Verbal Reasoning – The Ultimate Guide for success
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Sarah is an accomplished educator, researcher and author in the field of testing and assessment. She has worked with various educational institutions and organisations to develop innovative evaluation methods and enhance student learning. Sarah has published numerous articles and books on assessment and learning. Her passion for promoting equity and fairness in the education system fuels her commitment to sharing insights and best practices with educators and policymakers around the world.
