Prepare for the BBC Assessment Centre, Aptitude Tests and Interview

This PrepPack™ can help you in getting ready for the personality, situational judgement tests that you'll have to take in your application to the BBC. Start practising today so you'll be fully prepared.

The BBC is the leading broadcaster across the UK and has many applicants for just a small number of positions. Getting that prized position is not easy. Learn more about the recruitment process below.

It is unlikely that you will encounter all of these tasks, so pay attention to the information you receive from the BBC careers department before you prepare for your assessments. 

If you are looking to begin an early career at the BBC, there are two entry routes through which you can apply. If you are currently in university and looking for work experience, the BBC apprenticeships are right for you. BBC training schemes are normally for graduates, but pay close attention to the position requirements before you apply.

There are five main divisions at BBC open to apprentices and trainees; most divisions offer both trainee and apprentice positions. The divisions are:

• Technology
• Production
• Partner Scheme
• Journalism
• Business - this division only offers an apprenticeship 

Before you apply, do your research! With so many options, make sure you find a perfect fit for yourself.

The following article outlines anything and everything that could come up when applying to the BBC. 

When you are ready to apply, the first step is to create a profile on the BBC careers website. You are able to upload your CV to the page, which will automatically fill in the relevant information provided in your CV. You can also edit any information automatically added, including a personal statement about yourself. Following these basic details, you are given a questionnaire with 4-5 role-specific questions. These focus on your skills and work experience in the field. They are short answer questions, with a 300 word limit for each.

Some positions may ask you to complete an assessment as part of your application, usually a situational judgment test. Once you have filled out all of the necessary information and attached your cover letter, you can submit the application for review.

These are the very important skills that the BBC is looking for in you.

• Analytical skills
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Flexibility
• Resilience

After you have successfully completed the online application form, you are sent an email inviting you to take the BBC psychometric tests. The required exams include personality and situational judgment tests. Depending on the position you are applying for, you will be asked to take up to four different psychometric tests.

Situational Judgement Tests (SJT) are used to evaluate your behavioural and cognitive abilities when introduced to hypothetical, work-related activities. Each candidate receives a test with situations particular to your position. You will have to assess each of the options and mark down what you think is the most and least appropriate actions to take. Practice tests can be a helpful way to get to know the question style and find the best way to answer the questions.

In this timed test, you are presented with True/ False statements and similar questions. Personality tests can be a helpful way to get to know the question style and find the best way to answer the questions.

Having got through the online BBC psychometric tests you will have an opportunity to shine at the BBC assessment centre. This article outlines all the activities that can take place during the assessment day. However, pay close attention to your BBC recruitment correspondence to know exactly what you can expect. The different tasks that you have to go through in the BBC assessment centre are detailed below:

This interview is given by two senior HR people at the BBC and lasts for about 45 minutes. This is a competency-based interview and you will be expected to not only show that you are right for the job and have the skills to succeed but also good enough by giving examples of how you have succeeded in using this skills in the past. Make sure that you have prepared answers to general questions and try to gear them as much as possible to the core competencies that the BBC is looking for. Structure your answers using the STAR method, so they would be as effective as possible.

Here are some examples of common interview questions you can expect from the BBC:

• Why do you want to work for the BBC?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• What do you consider your greatest achievement and why?
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
• Tell me about a time that you've worked in a high-stress situation.
• Please give me an example of a project that you've on from beginning to end?

As part of the interview, you may be given a problem to which you must find a solution. These are very varied in tasks and are designed to find out if what you have written and said are actually true in practice in this presentation of your skills. You shouldn't view this as a test but rather an opportunity to show how good you are at any particular task. Review your CV and the competencies beforehand to help refresh your ideas and get some tips from our dedicated presentation page.

In this exercise, you are grouped together with about 10 other candidates. You are given a brief which describes an issue and you have about an hour and a half to come up with a solution with your group. The group exercise is targeted towards the department you are applying to. For example, you might get given a task where you are asked to choose locations for a new travel series and you have to work out a budget as well as the target audience and programme structure. In this task, there are 4 assessors looking on and taking notes all the while. It is very important to be forthright with your ideas but not overly so as to ignore everyone else. The BBC is looking for your ability to work together towards a common goal. Make sure that what you do in this exercise doesn't contradict what you said in the interview. Learn to show off your strengths at this stage with our group exercise practice pack.

In order to verify the results you received on your online aptitude tests, you may also be given another test at the assessment centre. This is done on paper and can be more difficult than the online tests. Don’t forget to refresh your memory of these tests ahead of your assessment centre to ensure you get consistent results.