Big 4 Online Tests: What to Expect and How to Pass

How Deloitte, KPMG, EY, and PwC Screen Candidates Before the First Interview

Most candidates focus all their prep on interviews. But Deloitte, KPMG, EY, and PwC eliminate the majority of applicants before that stage even arrives — through online assessments that test numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, situational judgement, and increasingly, video responses. Knowing exactly what each firm serves up is the first step to getting through.

⚙️ Around 60–80% of Big 4 applicants are screened out at the online assessment stage — making it the single biggest filter in the entire process.

Each firm has its own format, its own platform, and its own weighting. Here's the full breakdown of what to expect.

What Each Firm Actually Tests Online

The four firms all run multi-stage online assessments, but the format, platform, and emphasis vary significantly.

1. Deloitte — Uses the Cappfinity platform for an "immersive online assessment" (~40 minutes) that blends situational judgement, numerical, and verbal reasoning into a single scenario-based experience. Candidates then face a "Job Simulation" (40–60 minutes) with video responses, written email tasks, and case-linked questions. One of the more scenario-heavy formats in the Big 4.
2. KPMG — Runs approximately 90 minutes of aptitude testing (numerical, verbal, and logical reasoning) plus a situational judgement test scored against an "expert key" — responses pre-agreed by senior KPMG professionals as the most effective. Candidates have a five-day window to complete the tests once invited.
3. EY — The updated "EY One Assessment" (2026 format, ~90 minutes, 28 questions total) covers numerical and verbal reasoning, SJT questions tied to EY's six core values, and a video interview. In the video section, candidates get 2 minutes to prepare each answer and 2 minutes to record it.
4. PwC — Powered by SHL, PwC's online assessment includes personality checks, game-based pattern and calculation tasks, and a "digital interview" (pre-recorded, ~30-second prep per question, then a 2–3 minute recorded response). The full process from application to assessment day typically runs six weeks.

Why This Stage Matters More Than Candidates Realise

Most applicants underestimate online tests, treating them as a warm-up before the "real" interviews. That's a costly assumption — this is where the majority of the field gets cut.

• For Students and Entry-Level Candidates: This is the stage where most applications end — before any human reviews your CV in detail. Firms use these tests as high-volume filters. Keeping track of when each firm opens applications and practising before deadlines hit is critical. Check upcoming Big 4 recruitment events for test prep workshops and application insight sessions.
• For Experienced Professionals: SJT scoring is firm-specific. What reads as strong professional judgement for one firm may not match another's "expert key." Understanding the values framework behind each firm's SJT is as important as raw practice.
• For Current Consultants Switching Firms: The assessment process is equally rigorous for lateral hires at certain service lines. Don't assume internal experience substitutes for structured prep.

The 5 Test Types You'll Actually Face

• Numerical Reasoning: Interpreting data from tables, charts, and graphs under strict time limits — typically 25–35 seconds per question at Big 4 level. No advanced maths required, but speed and accuracy under pressure are essential.
• Verbal Reasoning: Evaluating written passages for true/false/cannot-determine statements. Speed and precision both matter — don't overthink or overanalyse.
• Logical/Abstract Reasoning: Pattern-based questions with sequences of shapes. Tests raw analytical processing, not domain knowledge. Often the section candidates find hardest without dedicated practice.
• Situational Judgement Tests (SJT): Workplace scenario questions asking you to rank or select the most/least effective responses. Answers are calibrated to each firm's own professional standards — not generic "right answers."
• Video Interviews: Pre-recorded responses to scenario or competency questions. You're assessed on communication clarity, structured thinking, and how well you frame answers under time pressure — not on having a perfect background or flawless delivery.

How to Prepare (Actually, Not in Theory)

1. Practice firm-specific formats, not generic tests: Each firm uses a different platform — Cappfinity (Deloitte, EY), SHL (PwC), and TalentQ/Korn Ferry (KPMG) — and each has a recognisable question style. Free practice resources are available on platforms like JobTestPrep and GraduatesFirst. Start with the firm you're applying to first.
2. Read the firm's values before any SJT: SJT responses are scored against what senior professionals at that specific firm agreed was best. For EY, that's six core values. For KPMG, it's their professional behaviours framework. Knowing the framework before you see the questions gives you a meaningful edge.
3. Simulate real test conditions: A distraction-free environment, a timer, no notes. Research consistently shows that candidates who practice timed tests outperform those who don't — up to 84% of candidates who skip assessment practice fail at the first online screen.
4. Prepare 4–5 structured answers before your video interview: You won't know the exact questions, but most video interviews draw from a small pool of themes — teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, adaptability. Two minutes is short. Practised answers flow significantly better than improvised ones.

Finding Prep Events and Firm Insight Sessions

Big 4 firms run their own events that regularly cover the recruitment process — including what assessments test and what evaluators look for. These are worth attending before you submit an application:

• Insight days and virtual open days — firms often walk through the assessment process and the competencies they're evaluating
• Networking events with recruiters — a direct chance to ask what the SJT is calibrated to and what scores look like at each stage
• Application Q&A webinars — typically run in peak recruitment season (September–November and January–March)
• University workshops — often firm-sponsored and timed to run directly before application windows open
• LinkedIn Live sessions — several firms broadcast directly with their recruitment teams in the weeks before deadlines

Track upcoming events at big4events.com/events/.

Get to the Interview Room

The online assessment stage is where most Big 4 applications end — not because candidates aren't qualified, but because they went in underprepared. The firms are testing real, trainable skills: data interpretation, structured thinking, professional judgement. These aren't things you either have or you don't.

Practice the right tests. Understand each firm's values. Prepare your video responses before you're staring at a countdown timer. The candidates who make it through aren't necessarily the most talented — they're the ones who treated this stage as seriously as the interview itself.

📈 60–80% of candidates are eliminated before they ever reach an interview. The ones who get through practise firm-specific formats — not generic aptitude tests — and they start well before the deadline.

Start tracking Big 4 recruitment events now. See what's on and get ahead of the next application window before it opens.