Compass Group Assessment Tests

Careers at Compass Group

Providing support for every aspect of hospitality and catering, Compass Group requires staff in serving and management, operations, finance and procurement. It also seeks short-term contract, seasonal and part-time workers.

Compass Group was founded in 1941 to assist with the task of feeding factory workers helping with the war efforts, and social responsibility remains a key aspect of its ethos and practices. It aims to be a big company that feels small, supporting career development through its graduate schemes, industrial placements and apprenticeships.

The application process for Compass Group is structured in a very standard way. The stages are:

• Online application
• Phone interview
• Psychometric assessments
• Face-to-face interview

However, these can differ depending on which role you are applying for, eg culinary staff may be offered a position after a phone interview if they meet the requirements, while some other departments may ask for additional interviews before making an offer.

Online application

Compass Group has its own vacancies site, which displays all available positions. To apply, you’ll have to create an online account, where you can upload your CV and manage your applications.

Your CV is the first chance you have to sell yourself and show you tick all of the boxes. Compass Group recommends that you keep it short, clear, and relevant.

The basic information to include is:

• Personal profile and contact. Try to sum yourself up in two lines or fewer.
• Education and qualifications.
• Work experience. Bullet points are acceptable here, but remember to include all relevant responsibilities and duties.
• Relevant skills. This is where you can really tailor your application to the job. Make sure to read the job specification carefully and show that you understand the role and what is expected of you.
• Hobbies and interests. Here is where you have the opportunity to show off your individuality and how you stand out from the crowd.
• References. Your reference should be someone who has employed you and has a good understanding of your skills. If you have never been employed, a teacher or tutor will do.

Phone interview

If Compass likes your online application, you will be invited for a phone interview. This will be a short interview, up to 30 minutes long, and will go over more general questions about your availability and expectations of the position.

At this stage Compass is trying to get to know you a bit better and see if you might be a good fit for the team, so make sure to be as prepared for this interview as you would for a face-to-face one.

Compass Aptitude Tests

Compass situational judgement test

Situational judgement tests are a method used by employers to assess whether your values and behaviours align with those of the company. You will be presented with hypothetical workplace scenarios and then asked to choose an answer that best fits with how you would react to that situation.

These can be tricky as the ‘correct’ answers are tailored by the company, so having a good knowledge of the company culture will help you answer. The best way to prepare is to practice situational judgement tests to get an idea for the structure and the type of questions asked.

Check out our tips on how to prepare for situational judgement tests to get more advice on how to improve your score.

Compass verbal reasoning test

Verbal reasoning tests are one of the most common aptitude tests given by employers. They assess your level of reading comprehension and complex language skills.

Typically you will be presented with a passage of text and then asked to filter out key information to answer if the statement is true, false, or if you cannot say. As well as showing that you have the appropriate level of English, these tests show employers your verbal logic skills and your ability to sort through written information.

The best way to prepare for a verbal reasoning test is to do practice tests, especially as there is not a set pass mark – your score will be compared directly to that of other candidates, so you want to achieve higher than the rest.

We have lots of free practice verbal reasoning tests you can do to build your confidence and get comfortable with the types of questions that you will be asked. You can also practice SHL verbal reasoning tests, as SHL is the test publisher that Compass Group most often uses – making these particularly useful to understand the structure of the test.

Compass final interview

After the assessments, there is a final interview that will be more in-depth than the initial phone interview. It will likely be taken with a manager in the department you are applying for, or a panel made up of managerial and HR staff.

You will be asked in more detail about your previous work experience and qualifications, any gaps in your employment, and questions to determine if you fit the culture of the company.

Remember to brush up on your knowledge of Compass Group and the role that you’re applying for, so you can demonstrate your relevant experience and what you’ll bring to the company.

Take a look at our top ten tips for interviews to ensure that you present yourself in the best way possible on the day.