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SHL Situational Judgement Test: Format, Requirements & Preparation Tips

Your guide to maximising your performance on SHL situational judgement tests.

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Note: AssessmentDay and its products are not affiliated with SHL. Our practice tests are intended only for candidate preparation, not for employee selection.

SHL situational judgement tests

SHL is a leading global talent measurement company that offers a range of assessment tools and solutions to help organisations identify and develop top talent. One of the assessments used is their SHL situational judgement test. Situational judgement tests (SJTs) are becoming increasingly popular in recruitment and selection processes. The purpose of these tests is to assess a candidate’s ability to make sound judgements and decisions in real-life work situations.

The test assesses a range of competencies, including problem-solving, decision-making, communication, and teamwork. It is important to note that the SHL SJT is not designed to test technical knowledge or expertise in a particular field. Instead, it focuses on the candidate’s ability to apply their knowledge and skills to real-life work situations.

Format of the SHL situational judgement test

The SHL situational judgement test is a multiple-choice test that consists of a series of work-related scenarios. Each scenario describes a situation that you might encounter in the workplace and presents a number of possible actions that you could take in response. You must choose the most appropriate action for the situation.

There is no time-limit for this test, but it may take anywhere from 20-60 minutes to complete. The questions and scenarios may be in the form of text or video.

To give you an idea of what a question might look like, here is a screenshot from one of our SJTs:

SJT product preview 3

How to prepare for SHL situational judgement tests

Preparing for the SHL situational judgement test can be a challenging task, but there are a number of steps that candidates can take to increase their chances of success. Here are some tips on how to prepare and pass the test:

  • Familiarise yourself with the format of the test: Before taking the SHL SJT, it is important to familiarise yourself with the format of the test. Understand what they look like and the experience of completing a situational judgement test.
  • Identify the employer's core competencies: Once you know exactly what the company stands for, how it conducts its business, and the values they desire in their staff, you can then answer your questions accordingly.
  • Practice with sample tests: You will become familiar with the types of scenarios that are presented in the test and the types of responses that are expected as well as what makes a good and a bad response.

We have further in-depth situational judgement test tips that you can read to sharpen your skills.

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Key takeaways

To prepare for the SHL situational judgement test, you should familiarise yourself with the format of the test, practice with sample tests, review the employer's core competencies. By following these steps, you can increase your chances of success in the SHL SJT and demonstrate your ability to make sound judgements and decisions in real-life work situations.

Are SHL situational judgement tests hard?

The difficulty of SHL SJTs can vary depending on the individual's experience and familiarity with the competencies being assessed. For some individuals, the scenarios presented in the test may be straightforward, while others may find them challenging.

Understanding fully what is expected of you and what the employer is looking for will drastically improve your chances of success.

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Did You Know

Practising mock tests can increase your test performance by over 50%

Free practice situational judgement tests

Free Situaitonal Judgement Test
Free

This free situational judgement test contains 16 questions and has a time limit of 60 minutes.

Situational Judgement Test 1
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  • 16 questions
  • 45 mins
Situational Judgement Test 2
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Situational Judgement Test 3
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Situational Judgement Test 4
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