Practice For Your Banking Test
Banking and Investment Banking are among the most coveted and hard-to-get-in fields of employment worldwide.
The industry's most common assessment methods are numerical reasoning, situational judgment (SJT), and personality tests. The two main challenges are 1. to succeed in complicated arithmetic and graph reading questions and 2. to score to the bank's "right type" employee in the SJT and personality tests.
Whether a bulge bracket or a middle-market bank, recruitment processes tend to be long, assessment tests are getting more sophisticated, and getting the investment bank job you always wanted is nearly impossible.
However, thorough study and preparation will help you to shake off the rust, overcome the tied competition and reduce your anxiety.
JobTestPrep provides accurate preparation for more than 40 Banks and Investment Banks worldwide!
This page summarizes everything you need to know for your upcoming Bank interview, assessment test, or assessment centre: sample questions, inside info, experts' tips, and links to our 40+ Banks' assessment preparation packs.
Banking Tests
The Banks' assessment tests were designed to find the best future bankers. In the past, it was customary that candidates would undergo only numerical reasoning skills tests since the main job requirement is to handle numbers with high proficiency. However, this conception has changed. Managers and recruiters now understand that a good worker will not just be good at numbers but will also be able to deal with complicated situations, solve real-life problems and treat their co-workers with respect.
Thus, Banks' recruitment stages may include numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, logical reasoning, situational judgment test, case studies, personality test, or a combination of them.
Next, you will find numerical, logical, and SJT sample questions. If you already know the assessment you are about to take, you are welcome to head to the designated bank's page from the following list;
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Banking and Investment Banking Sample Questions
Banking Numerical Reasoning Sample Questions
Finance sector numerical reasoning tests will usually include basic algebra drills, world problems questions, and graphs and tables questions.
Graph and table problems are among the most popular questions found in bankers' aptitude tests. The unique thing about those questions is that solving them demands good and fast graph or table reading skills and a solid or advanced (depending on the difficulty level of the question) arithmetic ability.
In some tests, like Elements Numerical (UBS), each question has several graphs and tables. For each question, the candidate needs to navigate between each graph to find the graph that contains the relevant data and then analyze and calculate it correctly. Those are the highest-difficulty tests and are likely given to Banking candidates. In some tests, like Aon (Cut-e) (Nomura, Credit Suisse), there are conclusions allegedly drawn from the graphs or tables, and 3 possible answers - true, false or cannot say. In other tests, it's multiple choice.
The following question is in an easy-medium difficulty level. In order to solve it, you will need to draw conclusions from a single table, analyze its data and make the correct algebraic calculation to choose from multiple-choice optional answers.
Give it a try!
Reports Given to 18-Year-Old Drivers:
| Cause of Report | Report Type | April (%) | May (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drunk-driving | A1 | 15 | 7 |
| Speeding | A2 | 9 | 12 |
| Failure to stop at a stop sign | B1 | 13 | 7 |
| Not wearing a seatbelt | B2 | 19 | 20 |
| Driving in a dangerous manner | A3 | 7 | 10 |
| Using a mobile phone | B3 | 13 | 16 |
| Failing to comply with traffic light signals | C1 | 2 | 8 |
| Stopping in a prohibited area | C2 | 22 | 20 |
| Total number of tickets | 25 million | 27.5 million | |
Type A - £300 Type B - £200 Type C - £100
Please answer the following question:
Which offense generated the second-highest revenue for May?
The correct answer is (B) speeding.
In order to save time, since all fine types are percentages of the same total number of tickets (27.5 million), you can eliminate that part of the calculation to more quickly determine which fines generated the most revenue:
Type A:
Drunk-driving: 0.07 x 300 = £21
Speeding: 0.12 x 300 = £36
Driving in a dangerous manner: 0.1 x 300 = £30
Type B:
Failure to stop at a stop sign: 0.07 x 200 = £14
Not wearing a seatbelt: 0.2 x 200 = £40
Using a mobile phone: 0.16 x 200 = £32
Type C:
Failing to comply with traffic light signals: 0.08 x 100 = £8
Stopping in a prohibited area: 0.20 x 100 = £20
The offense that generated the second highest revenue for the month of May is speeding.
This question is considered an intermediate one since you only have one source of information and a simple calculation. In order to be ready for typical banking numerical tests, it is crucial to practice more difficult questions with multiple graphs and tables. You can check our 40+ banking preparation or our all-inclusive spring week pack or summer internship pack for more numerical preparation tests and questions.
Banking Verbal Reasoning Sample Questions
The verbal section of the banker's aptitude test typically contains one or two paragraphs related to a specific subject. In some cases, there are several conclusions someone could have drawn from the text, to whom you will need to decide if they are "true," "false," or "cannot say." In other cases, you will be asked a question and required to find the answer in the text. Let's see a typical verbal reasoning question:
Let's see a typical verbal reasoning question:
Please answer the following question:
São Paulo’s economy has done well in Brazil’s recent boom years and it is still much bigger, but Rio’s is growing faster, boosted by oil discoveries and winning its bid to host the 2016 Olympics. Last year Rio received $7.3 billion in foreign direct investment—seven times more than the year before, and more than twice as much as São Paulo. According to Cushman and Wakefield, a property consultancy, prime office rents in Rio are now higher than anywhere else in the Americas, north or south.
According to the passage, in the past Sao Paulo's economy used to grow:
The correct answer is (D).
The passage does not mention what the growth rate of both cities was in the past. It only mentions that recently Rio's economy has been growing faster. Therefore, (D) is the correct answer choice.
How was it? Did you manage to answer this question correctly, or did you find it a bit confusing?
Either way, this is considered to be an intermediate-level question. Banking tests tend to have more extended text questions with more answering options. For the best preparation, start with solving intermediate questions, but invest more time in the advanced questions since they are much more common in Banking aptitude tests.
Advanced Verbal Reasoning Question
The introduction and rapid spread of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), such as the World Wide Web, e-mail, telephones, optical fibres and satellites is revolutionising the way in which societies interact, conduct their businesses, compete in international markets and set their economic and human development agendas. ICT enables societies to produce, access, adapt and apply information in greater amounts, more rapidly and at reduced cost and offers enormous opportunities for enhancing business and economic viability. It is widely recognised that there is a straightforward connection between ICT development and economic growth as ICT can provide access to information which can in turn create earning opportunities, improve access to basic services, increase the impact of education and health interventions, and give the poor a voice to demand government support and reforms. Right now, the ICT sector represents 4.8% of the European economy, generates 25% of total business expenditure in Research and Development, and investments in ICT account for 50% of all European productivity growth.
Despite these potential links between ICT and poverty reduction and its unique response to society's challenges such as the growing needs for sustainable healthcare and ageing, direct access by the poor to ICT is extremely limited. Citizens of poor countries, especially women, have significantly less access to ICT than those living in rich countries. Factors such as excessive domestic workload, illiteracy, lack of childcare and lack of formal education prevent these groups from accessing information. It has become apparent that with the rapid introduction of these technologies in the western world, the gap between rich and poor nations is widening.
Which two of the following does the passage state are implications of the development of ICTs?
The question asks us to identify the implications of ICT that can be drawn from the passage. Let us go over each distracter and examine whether it is implied in the passage in the context of ICT implications:
- A. Although the passage talks about the rapid spread of ICTs we have no information as to whether land lines have been neglected in favour of cell phones.
- B. This is mentioned in the passage: ’It has become apparent that with the rapid introduction of these technologies in the western world, the gap between rich and poor nations is widening’.
- C. This is mentioned in the passage: ’ICTs enable societies to produce, access, adapt and apply information in greater amounts, more rapidly and at reduced costs’.
- D. Although the passage notes that ICTs can ‘increase the impact of education and health interventions’, there is nothing to suggest that the education system has become more efficient.
- E. Although the passage states that there is a ’potential link between ICTs and poverty reduction’, it then goes on to negate this statement by saying that in reality the opposite has happened.
- F. Although the passage states that ICTs: ’offer enormous opportunities for enhancing business and economic viability,’ there is no information regarding the employment situation. Therefore this cannot be implied from the passage
The only 2 implications that can be drawn from the passage are: statements B & C.
Banking Logical Reasoning Sample Questions
Logical reasoning tests for banking roles are one of the following:
- "Traditional" logic test of "next in the series" drills presents an incomplete series of symbols. The task is to identify the missing symbol from several alternatives. The symbols have no meaning, but the series always follows a logical sequence.
- "Modern" inductive or deductive logic test, in the shape of a sudoku game or "find the shape that doesn't belong."
Let's see an example of a traditional-style question:
What is the missing shape?
The correct answer is alternative #6.
Rows: In each row, the symbol in the middle cell is a combination of the symbols from the left and right (i.e. outer) cells so that:
- The overlapping lines of the outer symbols (marked in black in the illustration below) are omitted in the middle symbol.
- All the non-overlapping lines (marked in red and green in the illustration below) are preserved in the middle symbol.
Columns: In the same way, the middle symbol in each column is a combination of the symbols from the top and bottom cells.
Since the missing symbol is the middle symbol in its row as well as in its column, it should be the combination of the outer cells in its row and of the top and bottom cells in its column. Thus, the correct answer is alternative #6.
Now, let's see an example of a deductive thinking modern drill in an Aon (cut-e)-style:
The question consists of a 4x4 or 5x5 square filled with shapes. The rules that apply to the shapes are similar to a basic Sudoku game: each shape must appear only once in each row and column.
Select the one shape that belongs where the ? is.
The correct answer is 
.
The shape missing from the third column is the triangle.
Therefore, the correct answer is .
Banking Situational Judgment Sample Questions
As mentioned at the begging of this page, situational judgment assessment has become one of banking companies' most popular screening tools. Usually, they will be accompanied by a numerical or personality test, but some companies even use SJT solely for screening.
Why does SJT has become so important?
In recent years, with the technology development and the boost it got from covid-19, many companies changed their work and now prefer to save money and time that used to be spent on face-to-face interviews, at least for the initial screening stages. Therefore, many banks create their SJT according to their core values and competencies expected from candidates.
What is the "right type" of bank employee?
That's the million-dollar question. Unlike numerical or verbal questions that have absolute answers and as you practice more, you are most likely to raise your chances of success, situational judgment questions don't have only one absolute answer since the "correct" answer is directly connected to the recruiting company's DNA.
The following question is taken from our HSBC preparation. First, a work-related scenario is presented, followed by five different reactions to it, which you will need to rate.
Look at the following scenario:
The app features are being progressively enhanced during the development phase. You've discovered a new attribute that you think should be added, and you're giving a presentation to the rest of your team. While you're doing this, some of the team's more experienced members continue to interrupt you with questions and queries, while others opt out of the conversation during the meeting.
What do you do?
Please RANK the following responses from 1-5, with 1 being what you would most likely do and 5 being what you would least likely do:
A. To avoid confusing the others, you leave inquiries and queries irrelevant to what you're presenting until you've finished. You assume people who are silent are doing it for a purpose, so you wait for them to speak up.
B. You acknowledge the arguments made by people who are disrupting and seek out the views of your other co-workers as well. If the quiet members continue to be silent in the group, you will individually seek out their input.
C. You keep asking the quiet members questions to urge them to speak out and ignore what others have said while interrupting. You want everyone to be able to express themselves in the same way.
D. You inspire participants to express their suggestions by asking them to jot down their first thoughts on paper so that everyone may join in. You respond to the concerns already expressed as well as any others that may be posed.
E. You respond to live inquiries as they are posed, as you want everyone to feel at ease with the content. After the workshop, you plan to offer a chance for participants to provide comments or ask questions.
Explanation:
(A) avoids engaging the interruptions in a fashion that still allows the primary messages to remain clear. Clear communication is the focus (No 1).
(B) demonstrates a pragmatic and calm approach to the interruptions and to ensuring everyone gets to share their opinion (No 2).
(E) involves moving efficiently though all the questions in a fashion likely to engage participants but may not be the clearest possible communication of the material (No 3).
(D) involves recording questions in writing as an alternative to expressing them verbally and involves thinking outside of the box to engage team members (No 4).
(C) involves ignoring the interrupters who are senior colleagues, which is likely to deteriorate the group dynamic even further and perhaps cause further reputation problems down the track (No 5).
What Job Opportunities Does the Banking Sector Have?
The Banking Sector is a cornerstone of our economy: banks transfer risk, provide liquidity, facilitate transactions, and provide financial information for businesses and individuals. The industry, therefore, never lacks job opportunities. If you are considering joining the Banking Industry, you have a wide range of roles you can play there. Some of them are listed below:
Tellers
Tellers communicate with customers more than other bank employees. Their duties include providing customers services, accepting deposits, cashing checks, and solving minor monetary problems. The advantage of the teller's role is that, when you receive enough experience, you can move up to the head teller or supervisor position. If you become a supervisor, you will ensure that other tellers follow Banking Industry rules and operating procedures. To be a good teller, you need to be concentrated and attentive to minor details because you contribute to the bank's overall risk management. It is up to the teller to place a hold on significant dollar transactions or checks. Most banks require tellers to hold a bachelor's degree, but sometimes a previous working experience is enough to work in the banking industry.
Loan Officers
This role is vital for banks since it is precisely by issuing loans that they earn money. Loan officers are allowed to give clients different types of loans. They take responsibility for authorizing credit cards and automobile loans. Another commitment that loan officers shoulder is opening transactional checking and saving accounts. Or they work with organizations, issuing business loans. Because the most popular loan in our times is a mortgage, many banks hire specialists to give mortgages to people, paying them in the form of commissions. Loan officers are required to have at least a bachelor's degree, although tellers are also often promoted to the position of loan officers.
Financial Analysts
Banks also require financial analysts whose responsibility is to help clients to make investment decisions. They collect and then analyze financial information, basing their recommendations on the clients' analysis. Other duties of financial analysts include working on spreadsheets, making reports, and giving presentations. Yet the responsibilities of financial analysts largely depend on what type of analyses they do. They can analyze securities, investments, and ratings. Financial analysts usually have a bachelor's degree in business administration, accounting, statistics, or finance.
Collectors
This position requires employees to keep track of past due accounts, such as mortgages, car loans, or credit cards, and collect payments for them. Therefore, collectors are crucial for the bank's profitability. To collect overdue payments, collectors need to go through a list of clients owing money to the bank and then contact them on the phone to find out why a payment is overdue. Good computer skills are essential for this role, and so is an ability to communicate with clients who can be in dire financial straits. In addition, collectors need to know how to give good customer service in their conversations with the clients, show empathy for their problems, and remain firm in their decision to collect what is owed to the bank.
JobTestPrep does everything in its power to help job applicants to understand the advantages of working in the Banking and Investment Banking Industries. We also make job-seekers ambitions to enter this sector realizable by offering them our high-quality PrepPack™ containing accurate simulations of the tests they may be asked to take as a part of their pre-hire process. So study with our tests and interview materials, track your progress while studying with our answer keys and study guides, and land your job in the Banking Sector.