Career Advice
SJTs are a different kind of test entirely. Most students approach them wrong. Here is how to approach them right.
A Situational Judgement Test (SJT) presents you with a realistic workplace scenario and asks you how you would respond. Unlike numerical or verbal reasoning tests, there is no calculation involved. The test is measuring your values, your judgement, and how well they align with what the employer is looking for.
SJTs are used by most major apprenticeship employers — EY, Deloitte, KPMG, Lloyds, Barclays, HMRC and many others — as part of the early screening stage.
You are given a scenario. For example: "You are working on a team project and a colleague consistently misses their deadlines, putting the project at risk. Your manager is not aware of the problem. What do you do?"
You then choose from a list of possible responses — usually four to six options — or you are asked to rank them from most effective to least effective.
The scenarios cover: managing conflict with a colleague, dealing with an ethical dilemma, prioritising competing tasks, responding to feedback, and handling situations where the rules are unclear.
Each SJT is mapped to a set of competencies the employer cares about. Common ones include integrity, professional judgement, client focus, teamwork and communication. The right answer is the one that best reflects those competencies.
This is important: SJTs are not measuring your personality in the abstract. They are measuring whether your instincts about workplace behaviour match the employer's expectations. Knowing what the employer values helps you calibrate your responses correctly.
Read the scenario carefully. Most incorrect answers come from misreading the scenario. Note who is involved, what the stakes are, and whether there is a time pressure or ethical dimension.
Think from the employer's perspective. Ask yourself: what would a junior professional at this firm be expected to do here? Not what a perfect person would do in theory — what someone in the role would actually do.
Avoid extremes unless clearly justified. Responses that escalate immediately to senior management or that ignore a problem entirely almost always score poorly. Most strong answers involve addressing the issue directly at the appropriate level first.
Watch out for technically correct but professionally inappropriate answers. For example, "tell your manager immediately about the mistake" is technically transparent, but in many contexts it would score poorly because it skips the step of understanding and fixing the issue first.
Yes, to a degree. The most useful preparation is:
What you cannot do is memorise right answers. The scenarios change. What you can do is develop sound professional judgement by understanding what the employer is looking for.
Most employers do not give feedback on SJT scores. If you fail the SJT screen, you will typically receive a rejection without a breakdown. If this happens, reflect on whether you genuinely understood what the employer values, then practise more scenarios before your next application.
About
Read Yusuf's story, why Apprentice Wizard exists, and what's being built next.
About the founderOct 2026
Two open MBDA Level 6 routes in Stevenage share a £23,000 salary but lead to different degrees, work and deadlines. Compare the entry rules before applying.
Oct 2026
UBS's London asset management apprenticeship is accepting applications for 2027. The vacancy starts at Level 4 and says a BSc is possible, so check the exact degree route before you apply.
Oct 2026
GE Aerospace's Gloucester finance degree apprenticeship is open, with a 1 November deadline that may move earlier. Check the A-level subjects, degree and application steps before you apply.
© 2026 Apprentice Wizard. All rights reserved.
Logos provided by Logo.devFind an apprenticeship, turn it into a managed application, and know what to do next.
