Mercer was founded in 1945 and is now the largest Human Resources consulting company in the world. It employs 25,000 employees and provides services in over 130 countries. Jobs at Mercer are highly sought after, and its competitive recruitment process consists of several stages, including aptitude tests and interviews.
The Mercer tests are a series of assessments designed to evaluate the aptitude, skills, and potential of candidates applying for positions within Mercer, such as actuarial and HR consulting roles. These may include numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, and job-specific situational judgment tests.
Use the route that matches your vacancy. The guidance below identifies the programme or location it covers.
Recruiter conversation and business interviews
Mercer’s careers page links to an application guide describing an online application, a phone or video conversation with talent acquisition, and meetings with colleagues in the relevant business. It does not set a universal assessment battery. Check your vacancy for any additional exercises.
Process sources checked 11 September 2026 · Your invitation takes priority for role and location details.
Calculate the salary budget after changes in both headcount and average pay. This is independent practice from Practice Aptitude Tests, not an actual Mercer assessment question.
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Mercer recruits new graduates each year to its paid graduate programmes with a competitive salary. The schemes reflect the areas in which Mercer supports its clients’ workforces: Health, Wealth and Career.
Entry-level opportunities at Mercer typically fall into one of four routes:
Internship
Gain experience as an analyst in either Employee Health and Benefits, Talent Consulting, Retirement Consulting, Mercer Marketplace, or Government Human Services Consulting.
Actuarial Analyst
Work closely with senior consultants to deliver health and welfare programmes to client companies. This role allows the opportunity to complete the Mercer Actuarial Study Programme.
Consulting Analyst
Consulting analysts compile client reports and communications such as spreadsheets, presentations and proposals. You can specialise in Employee Health & Benefits, Talent, Investment or Mercer Marketplace (business acquisition).
Associate
Evaluate client companies’ business strategies and HR policies using industry research and analysis. This role is suitable for MBA or Masters graduates, and requires three to five years of prior business experience.
Mercer expects employees to be data-driven and comfortable with numerical material, demonstrating personal qualities such as patience, resilience, diplomacy and empathy.
In return, it offers a flexible employee benefit scheme where you can choose from a selection of benefits such as private medical insurance, child care assistance, a cycle scheme, flexible working, pension bonuses and private dental care. Employees at all levels can also expect to receive an annual cash bonus linked to performance.
Mercer creates a caring and supportive workplace culture across the company, with mentorship programmes, team volunteering days, and development groups available to all employees.
Mercer’s published guide describes applying online, speaking with a talent acquisition consultant and then meeting colleagues in the business. Additional assessments depend on the role.
Initially you are asked to submit a CV and a link to your LinkedIn profile through the Mercer website.
If you progress to the next stage, you’ll receive a telephone call or video call to chat with a talent acquisition consultant.
If the initial conversation goes well, you will meet Mercer colleagues in your chosen business. The recruiter will explain whether your route includes any assessment exercises.
Later interviews give you the opportunity to discuss your experience and the role in more detail.
Step one of the Mercer recruitment process is an online application accessed through the company website, where you will be asked to upload your CV.
You’ll be competing against many other high-calibre applicants, so make sure your resume is as tailored to the Mercer position as possible. Also get your LinkedIn profile as up-to-date and professional as you can, since Mercer will scrutinise it.
Once you’ve submitted your application, you’ll get email confirmation that it was received.
If you are judged to be a good potential candidate, you will progress onto the next round of remote interviews.
After successfully passing the online application, you’ll be contacted by a Mercer talent acquisition consultant for a short, structured conversation that will take place over the telephone or by video call.
This call gives Mercer the chance to assess your communication skills, as well as checking your academic qualifications and work history.
This is a very important part of the recruitment process and you will be judged against many other applicants. Spend some time thinking about how you would answer some standard interview questions, like:
“Tell me about a time you experienced conflict at work and how you dealt with it.”
“How do you identify your weaknesses and what do you do to address them?”
“Describe a past workplace achievement and explain why you are proud of it.”
You will also be asked what you know about Mercer and why you want to work for the company, so read through the company website thoroughly, follow the company social media profiles and stay informed of news relating to Mercer.
Depending upon the field to which you are applying, you might also be asked questions to assess your knowledge and competency in your chosen area.
Verbal reasoning tests are designed to assess your skills in understanding and interpreting a passage of text to form conclusions. You must be able to understand the vocabulary used and critically analyse the information to extract the details you need to answer the questions.
You cannot revise for a verbal reasoning test, but you can try practice verbal questions beforehand to familiarise yourself with the format and time allowance of the test.
Some recruitment routes may include an assessment centre. Use the invitation to check its duration and exercises; Mercer’s general application guide does not prescribe the same day for every candidate.
Preparation is the key to remaining calm and confident to show your true potential. Remember that you will be watched throughout the whole day, including during breaks, so be mindful of how you present yourself at all times.
If your invitation includes a case study, group exercise, written task or presentation, the preparation advice below will help. These are possible exercise formats rather than a confirmed five-part Mercer assessment.
You may be presented with data and information related to the field of work to which you are applying. You are then required to read through and analyse this information before answering a set of questions related to it.
For example, if you are applying for a position focusing on the health of a workforce, you may be presented with reports on sickness and absence levels, the reasons for sickness, the company sickness policies and outcomes of interventions. You may then be asked questions that assess your ability to understand and interpret the data, and use it to make predictions or suggestions.
The group exercise often follows on from the case study. You may be asked to join up with other candidates to discuss your answers and solutions from the case study, to decide what you would advise as a group.
This is a key test of your ability to work as a team, communicate effectively, influence your peers and speak up confidently. The assessors want to see you articulate your ideas while also listening to your peers and being respectful of others’ opinions.
You may be asked to complete a series of written tasks to assess your written communication skills, time management, and ability to understand and action instructions.
Use accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling. Written exercises can involve editing text or drafting a response to an email.
The written task often leads onto the presentation element of the assessment day. You will receive a bulk of written information to use a source for creating your presentation. The information will be related to your chosen field and could be in the form of reports, analyses, recommendations, policies or guidelines.
If the tasks are linked, you may use the work you did in the written task to deliver a short presentation of your findings and recommendations. The presentation will be in front of Mercer HR managers who are assessing your confidence and ability to articulate your ideas.
They may follow up your presentation with questions to test how you perform under pressure. Stay calm and explain your reasoning, but graciously accept any mistakes or misjudgements you might have made.
If you are one of the successful candidates who make it through to the final stage, you may meet senior colleagues from the relevant Mercer team.
If you receive feedback and results from assessment tasks – your interviewers may want to discuss these with you and hear your evaluation of your performance on the day. This will lead to further questioning as your interviewers try to build up a clear picture of whether you are a good fit for Mercer.
You may be asked competency-based questions around your field of expertise and must again demonstrate a good knowledge of current Mercer news and developments within the industry.
You are advised to take extra copies of your CV with you, and to follow up after your interview by contacting each interviewer to thank them and express your enthusiasm for the role.
What candidates ask us most often
The difficulty of Mercer tests can vary depending on the individual’s background and skill set. They are meant to challenge applicants and identify those who are best suited for a career at Mercer. However, with thorough preparation, the tests are entirely manageable.
The best way to prepare for Mercer tests is to practice as much as possible. Practice Aptitude Tests offers a wide range of practice tests that can help you familiarize yourself with the test format and question types. Regular practice can significantly improve your performance on the actual test.
The recruitment process at Mercer can vary depending on the role and department. However, it generally involves multiple stages, including an application, aptitude tests, interviews, and possibly assessment centers. The duration can range from a few weeks to a couple of months.
Mercer’s core values revolve around putting clients first, building strong relationships through respect and collaboration, and being performance-driven to ensure they deliver the best services to their clientele. They uphold integrity, operate globally, and foster diversity and inclusion.
Rated 4.9 out of 5 across 15 reviews. A selection:
I found the test engaging, answering every question properly will definitely push you towards seconds left of your time.
Observe time and don't spend too much time on one question..if time runs out just guess your way through the test..leave no question unanswered
It's awesome. Requires a lot of mental maths. You are under constant pressure as the time is ticking and you want to complete it in time. Requires a lot of patience
Mercer is a trademark of its respective owner. Practice Aptitude Tests is not affiliated with Mercer and our practice tests are not endorsed by them. Visit Mercer careers.
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