Barclays Hiring Process & Assessment Test Preparation – 2024

The job market has always been competitive, but it can get downright ridiculous when job seekers start looking for employment at large multinational companies. Overwhelming doesn’t quite describe it, to be honest. This can be easily remedied, however, if job seekers are prepared for the process. Below we’ll outline some tips to help make everything a little easier.

What Is Barclays?

Barclays PLC is a financial service company and investment bank which spans three centuries, having been founded in 1690 in London, England by John Fraeme and Thomas Gould. The name Barclays only became associated with the multinational company in 1736.  The bank currently employs 83,500 persons in their 4,750 branches across 55 countries. Services offered by Barclays include personal banking, corporate banking, wealth management, investment management, and retail and business banking. Benefits which employees of Barclays can expect to enjoy are:

• Pension/Retirement Fund
• Annual Bonus
• Share Plans
• Paid Vacation
• Sick Leave
• Health Insurance
• Employee Discounts

What Is Barclays’s Hiring Process?

Every year Barclays recruits through graduate schemes for their three key areas. Barclays in the UK, for example, recruits just about 300 new employees each year. Below is an outline of Barclays’ recruitment process.

Online Application

To get things started, candidates first need to decide what kind of jobs they’re interested in and proceed to the online application. The online application will have questions pertaining to the candidate’s academic and employment history as well as any other activities of relevance. There are also competency-based questions which candidates will be required to answer.

Online Assessments

Once candidates submit their online application, they are usually invited to sit for online assessments, namely the Situational Judgement Test, Logical/Inductive Reasoning Test, Numerical Test, and Personality test. These assessments are outlined below.

• Situational Judgement Test – The SJT test uses workplace scenarios to assess the candidate’s ability to make sound decisions which would be of benefit to the company as well as represent Barclays’s core values.
• Logical Reasoning Test – This is a 25-minute long test in which candidates are to answer 24 questions. The logical reasoning test is an assessment of the candidate’s ability to reason and detect patterns.
• Numerical Test – This is a 35-minute test in which the candidate is required to answer 35 questions. The numerical aptitude test assesses the candidate’s ability to read and interpret numerical data from graphs, charts, and tables. Candidate should also be able to use this data to perform calculations relevant to the job for which they are applying.
• Personality Test – This test, administered by SHL, is otherwise known as the OPQ32. This personality test is a measure of whether the candidate’s personality suits the work environment at Barclays.

Another known test provider Barclay uses is Cappfinity assessments.

Telephone Interview

Providing a candidate successfully completes the online assessments, they will move on to do a telephone interview. The interview, administered by a member of the human resources team, is usually a means of gauging if candidates are a good fit for the company. Questions asked are generally about the candidate’s skill set, and in some instances, the candidate may have to answer a few competency-based questions.

Assessment Day

The assessment day is the last phase of the recruitment process, and candidates only make it this far if they impressed recruiters during the online assessments and telephone interview. The assessment day is hosted at Barclays. The full day of activities is used to assess your values, skills, and behaviors

The exercises that candidates can expect to undertake during the assessment day include:

• Numerical Assessment Test – Much like the online test, the numerical aptitude test is a 35-minute test which is developed by SHL. The test is used as a means of verifying the scores of the previously taken online assessment.
• Group Exercise & Presentation – Applicants are assigned a group which is tasked with tackling a project which can come up in the workplace. As time progresses, the groups will be given additional information which will affect the outcome of the scenario. Candidates will present their proposal at the end of 90 minutes. After the general presentation, there is a 15-minute question and answer session. All candidates in the group are asked to participate, to ensure that everyone can be assessed for their role in the exercise.
• Interview – During the assessment day, there are two interviews which take place. The first interview is quite similar in nature to the online interview, while the second interview is more technical. The interviewer will ask the candidate questions about their CV to get a more detailed insight into the candidate. The candidate may also be asked a few math-based questions.

What Qualities Are Barclays Recruiters Looking Out For?

Barclays has five core value, which they expect all employees to uphold. They are outlined below:

• Stewardship – Barclays expects employees to help in the development of the company. Essentially, the company should be better tomorrow than it is today, and all employees should help advance this objective.
• Respect – Employees are valued at Barclays, and these employees should value the contribution of everyone else on the team.
• Service – Employees should strive to put the company’s clients first.
• Excellence – Employees are expected to give their absolute best to ensure they deliver the most they can at any given time.
• Integrity – Employees should strive to be honest in all their activities. This is especially important in the financial industry as clients need to trust employees to manage their finances.

How to Prepare for the Barclays Recruitment Process?

When you’re applying for jobs, preparation is key to ensure you have the best chance of receiving an offer. Hoping to make the process as easy as possible, the recruitment team at Barclays has published a few tips on how best to prepare for the selection process.

Below are a few key tips:

• Do your research – Never apply for a job if you don’t know anything about the company. Spend time researching office culture to ensure it’s an environment in which you would like to spend your time. Additionally, it will make answering questions much easier.
• Be Meticulous – Don’t hesitate to check and re-check your application. Remember, the application process is very competitive, and it does not hurt to re-check your application to avoid simple mistakes.
• Ask Questions – In a job interview information flows both ways and should serve as a way for candidates to gather information. Asking questions helps to allay any fears you may have and give you a chance to show off that you have been doing your research about the company.
• Career Services – Make use of career outreach initiatives organized by Barclays. These events include mock interviews, college visits, and job fairs. This presents an opportunity to speak to a member of the recruitment team in a relatively relaxed environment.
• Tell Your Story – When you’re filling out your application, spend the time to tell your story. Candidates aren’t only chosen based on academic merit. Be sure to open up about your co-curricular activities, and any other experiences which may have helped with your personal and professional growth.

Conclusion

Candidates should spend as much time as possible preparing for Barclays’ assessment tests. Once candidates practice, the tests won’t seem as daunting, and they will be able to perform to the best of their abilities.

Give it your best. All the best with the job hunt!