Careers at Commonwealth Bank
In 2020, Commonwealth Bank was recognised as the top graduate employer in Australia and the second-best place to work in the financial sector across Australia and New Zealand. Even if you are not looking for a career in banking, there are opportunities in sectors such as retail, HR, digital, technology and engineering.
Each year the graduate programme takes 150–250 graduates and the summer intern programme takes on 120–150 interns, so joining is highly competitive. While the bank operates internationally, these programmes are only available in Australia, the majority of which are based at the Sydney headquarters.
Commonwealth Bank Application Process
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1
Online Application
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2
Online Assessments
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3
Digital Interview
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4
Virtual Assessment Centre
The application process varies slightly for each role, but there are standard steps that apply to all graduate and internship roles. Currently, all interviews and assessments are conducted remotely.
Online application
Your online application is where you show Commonwealth why you want to join the programme and what makes you a strong candidate. It looks for well rounded people who have a balance of strong academics, work experience and other interests, so show what makes you unique and where your passions lie.
You are only allowed to apply for one business area per application cycle. Therefore it is important to thoroughly research the different streams to identify the one that you are best suited for. There are eleven streams, including:
- Analytics
- Legal
- Cyber
- Corporate affairs
- Global markets
It is important to be as prepared as possible to show your interest in Commonwealth and forging a career in your chosen area of business. Research the company and demonstrate how your experience and skills are relevant.
Commonwealth Bank Aptitude Tests
If Commonwealth likes your application, then you will be invited to take online assessments to further determine your suitability. The assessment includes both a personality questionnaire and ability tests to gauge technical skills, working style, and preferences. The test provider is SHL and it takes 1–2 hours to complete the full assessment, since each test has a 30-minute limit.
Commonwealth Bank numerical reasoning
Competency when working with numbers and numerical information is an important skill for financial careers, but it is also key for a range of other roles such as retail, HR, and managerial. Numerical reasoning tests assess your ability to analyse and draw conclusions from numerical data, particularly in work-related tasks such as interpreting graphs and charts, which shows how you will perform on the job.
Generally, you are allowed to use a calculator, but you should check the given instructions carefully.
Commonwealth Bank logical reasoning
Logical reasoning is also known as abstract reasoning or non-verbal reasoning. It assesses your problem-solving and creative thinking skills by asking you to identify rules in a pattern and follow them.
The most common question structure will present you with a sequence of shapes or images, and will then ask you to identify the continuation or mistake in the pattern.
Commonwealth Bank verbal reasoning
A verbal reasoning test assesses your level of written communication and how well you process text-based information.
Depending on the test and role you are applying for, it may include questions on basic comprehension, spelling, grammar, long written answers, and more complex analysis.
Commonwealth Bank Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ)
The Occupational Personality Questionnaire is one of SHL’s hiring personality assessments, designed to give hiring staff an accurate understanding of your workplace behaviours and motivations.
It measures 32 characteristics that can be mapped against the required competencies for a specific role or workplace culture. These are separated into three main categories:
- Relationships
- Thinking Style
- Feelings and Emotions
