BBC Psychometric Tests, Assessment Centre, Recruitment Process & Interviews Online Preparation – 2024

What Is the BBC?

The world’s oldest national broadcaster, BBC, British Broadcasting company, is headquartered at the Broadcasting House in Westminster, London. Established under a royal charter in 1927 as a National radio broadcaster, with the invention of television, BBC began television broadcasts in 1936, and in May of 1994, they extended to an online presence as well. They operate under an agreement with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport. They operate several television channels, BBC One, and BBC Two, BBC Parliament, BBC News, as well as the children’s channels, Cbeebies, and CBBC. They are the largest news broadcaster in the world, operating through radio as well as television and online. BBC employees over 35,000, with 16,000 members of its staff are in public broadcasting. There are numerous careers on offer with the BBC. From broadcast technology and corporate services, to commercial opportunities in post-production. There are trainee apprenticeships available in several different areas as well. Employees of BBC have a large selection of benefits to choose from including:

• Childcare vouchers
• Private medical and dental coverage
• Discounts on bicycles
• Pension scheme
• Monthly wine deliveries

What Is BBC’s Hiring Process?

Application

To get the ball rolling in your search for a career with BBC, you will want to make a profile on its’ Careers Hub. You will be able to upload your CV and resume and information from any social media sites you may utilize. The application is extensive, as they want you to clearly describe your skills and abilities. You will be asked several role-based questions. Be very detailed when filling out the competencies section of the application. Using the STAR method (situation, task action, result) to describe your abilities will give them the detail they are looking for. After submitting the application you will receive a message informing you that your application has been received. If you do not receive this message double-check your profile to ensure you remembered to hit the submit button. Your application will be reviewed by the hiring team and compared to the job requirements. If it seems like a good match, you will be short-listed for the next stage.

Interview

The interview will be conducted by 2 or 3 members of the BBC team. Like the application screening questions, the interview will be competency-based. This is your chance to prove you are ahead of the competition by showcasing your accomplishments and skills. This is best done by answering questions using the STAR method. This method provides detail and structure, making it easier for the interviewer to follow along. BBC is looking for employees that exemplify their core competencies of analytical skills, attention to detail, good communication skills, and resilience. Focus on highlighting these attributes in your answers. This is also a chance for you to ask any questions you have about the position, or about working for BBC. Some questions you may be asked during the interview for BBC are:

• Have you ever found yourself in a high-pressure situation? How did you handle it?
• How do you think you can make a positive impact on the BBC?
• Where do you see your career going in 5 years?

BBC’s Assessment Tests

 BBC relies heavily on psychometric tests as part of it is hiring process. There is some variety in the tests that are given because of the wide array of positions that are available. You will be invited to take a situational judgment test after submitting your application, the other assessment test will be given at a later date. You will be given a mix of competency-based and personality tests. The personality tests are used to give some insight into your working style, and the results will be viewed in relation to your application and other assessments. BBC generally utilizes assessment tests designed by SHL. The tests most commonly encountered by job-seekers are:

• Situational Judgment Test (SJT) –This is a personality test used to determine your working style and personality traits. You will be presented with various work-related scenarios and will have to rate the actions from most likely to least likely.
• Numerical Reasoning Test – This is a competency-based test that will test your ability to analyze information presented in graphs. You will be presented with tables or graphs to read and will use this data to determine things such as ratios and percentages to answer the multiple-choice questions. This test is timed.
• Verbal Reasoning Test – The ability to understand written and spoken language is an important part of working for BBC. To measure your skill at verbal analysis you will be given several passages to read. The questions are all “true” or “false”, or “can not tell”. This test is timed and will stop after the time allotted is up.
• Logical Reasoning Test – Logical reasoning tests focus on non-verbal and non-numerical reasoning. You will be tested on your ability to determine patterns and sequences from various shapes and matrices. This test is timed, and you must answer as many questions as possible in the time given.

Assessment Centre Exercises

As a final way of seeing how their job candidates measure up, BBC will have you complete a few assessment exercises, to get a feeling for how well you function in a real-world situation. You will want to make sure you contribute to the group projects, so the assessors can get a sense of your personality and how you work. They may also have you repeat some of the online assessment tests to ensure that the results stay consistent. The exercises you will be participating in are:

• Group Exercise – To highlight how well you can function as part of a team, you will be placed in a group and given either a problem to solve, or must determine a group objective and negotiate it. The assessors will be observing how well candidates listen to the input of others, if they give their own input, and if they allow others a chance to speak or try to force their own ideas on the entire group. drawing quiet group members out and encouraging them to contribute will also be noted by the assessors
• Role-Playing – An actor or an assessor will role-play with you to see how well you interact with people in a one on one setting. They will be judging how well you can communicate, how well you present your position and give your opinion, if you are capable of listening to another person’s opinion and asking them questions to clarify their position, and your ability to compromise. The assessor will also note if you take a condescending tone, or attempt to talk over them during the role-play.
• Presentation – The presentation allows you to demonstrate how well you can hold the attention of a group of people, if you are capable of speaking persuasively, and how well you can analyze and present information. They will also be making note of how well your presentation is structured, if it is easy to follow, and if you present as though you are familiar with the information, or if you rely on reading. Creativity, and how well you anticipate any questions your audience may have are also aspects that will be noted. You may be given a chance to put together your presentation ahead of the assessment, or you may need to put it together that day. You will be allowed to use slides and other tools to help illustrate your points and keep your presentation engaging.

How to Prepare BBC’s Psychometric Tests?

How you perform on the online assessment test will determine how far you are able to go in the hiring process for BBC. Make sure you have thoroughly researched the company, and are familiar with the culture they have built in the past 97 years. Familiarize yourself with their core competencies, and thoroughly study the qualifications for your position of interest. All of this will help prepare you for the psychometric testing they utilize. A thorough understanding of the company can help you anticipate the types of questions you may be given, and the answers they are looking for. Refreshing your memory on any skills you may feel have weakened over time, or that you have not had to use will help with the competency-based questions. Studying graphs and their functions, and practising your reading comprehension, will help you feel more comfortable when taking the tests. When testing, read the instructions carefully to avoid mistakes. If you prepare yourself carefully and face the tests confidently you will pass the assessments and become part of the proud tradition of the BBC.