Natwest Group Assessment Tests

Careers at Natwest Group

Careers at NatWest Group span eight divisions including customer-focused roles, technology, business strategy and delivery, finance, HR, control oversight and assurance, front office markets and counsel.

Each of these various areas has a number of roles e.g. sales, trading, technical specialists, software engineering, strategy, supply chain and so on, so there are numerous graduate and intern jobs on offer.

For graduates, there are a number of specific graduate programmes which include: Asset Management, Change and Business Solutions, Communications and Corporate Affairs, Data and Analytics, Finance, HR, Internal Audit, Marketing, NatWest Markets, Private Banking, RBS International, Relationship Management, Risk, Software Engineering and Structured Finance.

These programmes are across the various NatWest Group subsidiary companies including NatWest, Coutts and RBS, and, depending on the programme, in the London, Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast, Jersey or Edinburgh offices.

Internships are also available in all of these areas, and apprenticeships on offer in Customer Service, Business Administration, Digital, Technology and Data and Relationship Management.

When completing an application for a role at NatWest Group, you should bear in mind that all roles are assessed against the Critical People Capabilities. These are five qualities including Improver Innovator, Change Ready, Critical Thinker, Connected and Trusted Advisor.

At all stages of your application you should have these in mind and ensure you demonstrate skills relevant to all areas.

The NatWest Group application process has five stages, after which successful candidates are offered a place on an internship or graduate programme.

All candidates must complete the application process using the NatWest Group Workday environment, for which you need to create an online account. Use a laptop or desktop computer, as the online test stage does not work on smart devices such as phones or tablets.

Once the initial application form is completed, all candidates are required to complete a situational judgement test. Those that score well on that test will be invited to then complete a numerical and logical reasoning test.

Candidates who successfully complete those three tasks are then invited to complete a video interview. Those that impress the recruiters in the video interview are invited to the virtual assessment centre.

Natwest online application form

The first stage in the process is to complete the application form. The information required varies from programme to programme, but will include contact details and education history.

Check whether you need to upload a CV and covering letter. The majority do not require this but the NatWest Markets applications do, and it needs to be a single document containing both items.

Natwest Aptitude Tests

NatWest situational judgement test

All candidates are automatically invited to complete the NatWest situational judgement test as part of the online application process. This test takes around 20–30 minutes to complete.

The test consists of around 15 questions based on work situations that you might encounter should you be successful with your application. You will be invited to choose the response from a list of options that you feel best answers each question, or applies best to each situation.

From these, the company assesses your judgement and whether you share their values.

You will be expected to use your common sense and have researched NatWest Group’s values.

The catch with situational judgement tests is that all of the options may seem similar and none of them may be perfect. You are looking for the answer which best answers the question, using only the information contained in the example situation.

NatWest numerical and logical reasoning test

The numerical and logical reasoning test measures your numerical aptitude and ability to interpret and draw conclusions from sets of data under time pressure.

The test also allows the recruiter to assess how you think, both conceptually and analytically.

The test is not assessing difficult mathematical concepts but how you analyse and draw conclusions. You will typically have less than a minute per question.

While you cannot know what will be tested precisely, you will do far better on this type of test if you practice in advance, as there is a definite technique to master.

Natwest video interview

The video interview then follows for successful candidates. It is not live: rather you record your answers to a variety of questions, which are then watched by the recruiting team.

You’ll receive a link to the interview and you’ll be asked questions, including motivational, competency and scenario-based questions. You record your answers using the webcam.

Typically you are not able to re-record your answers and you have a set period (often around two minutes) to prepare, then a two-minute slot to record your answer. The test takes around 20–30 minutes in total.

Natwest virtual assessment centre

The final stage in the application process is to attend the virtual assessment centre, which takes a full day.

The activities you are invited to take part in are all assessed and will vary depending on which programme you applied to, though all include competency-based interviews, group exercises, individual tasks and more specific tasks appropriate to the programme. (For example, if you apply for a Quant role you will be asked to complete coding and maths tests.)

Assessment centres are run virtually on a digital platform, such as Zoom, so you will need a quiet space to complete the day. You will need to demonstrate you can work well individually, as a team, that you can make decisions and build relationships with your colleagues.