Prepare for the L’Oréal Numerical and Assessment Centre Tests

L’Oréal is one of the biggest names in the beauty industry and got that position by hiring great candidates. L’Oréal uses a number of aptitude tests, a telephone interview, case studies, group exercises and face-to-face interviews in their recruitment process. These assessments can be challenging, but with the right practice and preparation, you can boost your chances of getting hired and beginning your L’Oréal career!

Please note that the recruitment processes for L’Oréal UK and L’Oréal Australia differ slightly. We have detailed both below.

The application for L’Oréal graduate schemes and internships takes approximately half an hour to complete and is very straightforward. You need to provide your basic details, education and work history along with attaching a CV and any supporting documents. Remember to include all relevant details such as extracurricular activities and relevant work experience.

If you are applying to L’Oréal, you will most probably be asked to take tests from the Talent Q Elements series. There are three tests in total: numerical, verbal and logical reasoning. These tests give L’Oréall an indication of your skills level and potential fit for the job.

Verbal reasoning is a highly valued skill by L’Oréal and, as such, a good performance on the verbal aptitude test is essential. The test presents you with a series of short texts for you to read and analyse. Following each text are 2-3 statements about what you have read and you must decide if the statement is true, false, or cannot say. There are 12 questions on the test with a time limit for each question (rather than for the test as a whole). Our Talent Q-style verbal practice tests can help you overcome this challenging stage.

Numerical skills are important in a range of roles at L’Oréal and the company evaluates your skills using a numerical reasoning test. The test is made up of 12 questions and each set of questions presents you with numerical data in the form of a table or graph. Use the information along with basic math functions to answer the questions. Brush up on these skills using our Talent Q-style numerical reasoning tests.

Logical reasoning tests give L’Oréal an indication of how you think. The logical reasoning test uses matrices which contain patterns of symbols and ask you to draw logical conclusions based on that information. This means determining the missing symbols from the matrices or what comes next in the pattern. This test can be tricky as you are given a large amount of answers to choose from and the test is adaptive, meaning it changes according to your level. Don’t let this test bring you down. Our Talent Q-style logical reasoning tests can help you to fully prepare yourself.

If the results of your aptitude tests look promising, L’Oréal will contact you to set up a pre-selection interview. This interview is conducted either by telephone or by video call. This interview is meant to help L’Oréal learn more about you and ultimately decide whether to invite you to the next stage at the assessment centre. The interview lasts for 30 minutes and the questions are based on your CV so remember to have a copy nearby.

The L’Oréal assessment day is the final stage in the recruitment process and is your first chance to meet with L’Oréal recruiters face to face. The assessment centre can include a group exercise, case study and presentation, a second numerical test and attention to detail test and, finally, an interview. We have outlined all of these stages below.

Group exercises are a great way for assessors to see how well you work with others. At the L’Oréal assessment day, during the group exercise candidates are often asked to simulate business negotiations based on information packets you are given. During the exercise, it’s important to make your voice heard, while keeping a balance, allowing others to speak and staying positive. For tips on how best to work through this stage, see our dedicated group exercise page.

Case studies are used for a variety of roles to assess your skills when reviewing new numerical and written data and using it to draw conclusions. The L’Oréal case study usually relates to a fictitious client or project and you are provided with all of the necessary information. In order to give you ample time to prepare, candidates are sent the case study beforehand to review and make notes. At the assessment centre, you are given another hour to make any last minute alterations and preparations for your research and presentation. Our case study practice pack has been designed to help you navigate the real thing and give you some useful practice and pointers.

During the assessment day, you may be asked to take or retake a numerical test (UK and AU applicants). For candidates who took the numerical reasoning test in the first stage, this test is used to verify your previous score.

Another test you may be asked to take is an attention to detail or error checking test. This test is used to assess your ability to comprehend a line of numbers or figures and compare it to other data. This test can be a challenge if you are not familiar with it and our practice tests can give you the preparation you need to succeed.

Following these assessments, there is a lunch break followed by one-on-one interviews. Only candidates who were successful in the assessments are invited on to the interviews.