Fonterra Assessment Centre, Psychometric Tests, Recruitment Process & Interviews Online Preparation – 2025

What Is Fonterra?

Responsible for over 30% of the world’s dairy exports, Fonterra is a multi-national Dairy co-op based in New Zealand. Fonterra was created in 2001 in a merger between New Zealand Dairy Group, and Kiwi Cooperative Dairies. It is owned and operated by over 10,000 New Zealand Farmers. Fonterra employs 20,000 people globally, with positions in sales, supply chains, contracting, global information services, and in the lab. The Fonterra graduate program has been active for 40 years and has been voted the top graduate employer in New Zealand. There are graduate opportunities in the business, technical, and agri-business program, as well as business internships. Benefits offered by Fonterra include:

• Paid sick leave
• Paid Holidays
• Education reimbursement
• Flextime

What Is Fonterra’s Hiring Process?

Application

Fonterra lists all its job vacancies on its careers page, you simply scroll through the page until you find the job that interests you, then click “apply” you will need to create a profile and a password. There will be some basic questions on the form to determine how well your skills match the job description. Your CV should be uploaded at the same time you submit your application.

Fonterra’s Psychometric Tests

Depending on the job you have applied for, there may be some online assessment tests required before you can move to the interview process. If your application and CV catch the eye of the recruiting team, you will receive either a phone call or email detailing the next steps you need to take. The assessment test required of most applicants are provided by Talent Q and Hogan Assessments and they include the following topics:

• Personality Test – This is a psychometric test designed to determine your main personality traits. It is based on the 5-factor personality model. This test is given to measure how well a job-seeker will fit into the corporate culture. It is multiple-choice and takes about 20 minutes to finish.
• Logical Reasoning Test – This test is used to measure a job-seekers non-verbal reasoning skills. The test will present complex patterns in a sequence which you must determine, so you can select the next shape in the sequence. There are 12 questions in this section, and you will have about 15 minutes to complete it.
• Numerical Reasoning Test – This test is used to test your skill with information presented in graphs. You will be presented with several graphs, and numerical information and must use the data to answer the questions. This test is multiple-choice, and you will have 16 minutes to take it.
• Verbal Reasoning Test – To measure your language skills and vocabulary, you will be required to read several long passages. You will then have to answer multiple-choice questions about the passages you have read. There are 15 questions, and you will have 16 minutes to finish the test.

Video Interview

Some candidates will be asked to complete a video interview, to help expand on the information in their application. The video interview is a tool used to get to know the candidate better and get a glimpse of their personality. The questions will be sent ahead of the interview, so you will have an opportunity to prepare. You will not have a second chance to answer the interview questions, they must all be completed in one take.

Phone Interview

The phone interview will go more in-depth into behavioural and motivational questions. This interview will last about 30 minutes and will help the recruiting team decide if you should be invited for further assessment and a face-to-face interview. Be prepared to answer questions using the STAR method (situation, task, action, response). Answering questions this way gives context to your answers and helps the hiring team develop a better picture of your strengths and working style.

Fonterra’s Assessment Centre

For some applicants, such as those for graduate programs, you will be asked to come in and take part in an assessment centre. The assessment centre will last all day, and you will have a chance to meet the hiring managers as well as other applicants.

• Face To Face Interview –The Fonterra assessment day starts with a behavioural interview with a Human Resources representative and a manager. The questions in this interview will focus on the Fonterra core competencies. The interview will be conducted using the STAR method. This is interviewing style is common and based on the belief that past behaviour is an indicator of future performance.
• Presentation Exercise – You will be given some information to read, and must attempt to solve the issue, and decide on appropriate actions to take. You will have an hour to read and prepare and must give a 10-minute presentation to two members of the management team.
• Group Exercise – The job candidates will be separated into groups. You will be given a job-related problem to discuss. You will be given 10 minutes to read over the information, and 40 minutes to discuss it as a group. The management team will be observing to determine who participates, and who demonstrates leadership traits such as listening to others’ ideas and encouraging other people to participate.

How to Prepare for Fonterra’s Assessments?

Online assessment tests are becoming more common when searching for employment. Proper preparation will ensure that you are ready to tackle the tests and move to the next stage of the hiring process. Take the tests in a quiet area, free of distractions, you want to be able to focus all your attention on the test questions. Research the company and its values, as well as the job you applied for. This will help give you foresight into the personality traits they are looking for.  Practisng your reading comprehension, and arithmetic skills if you feel they may be weak will help you feel more confident about the skills-based portions of the assessment tests. Always take the time to carefully read the instructions before beginning the assessment tests. Most importantly, stay calm. Approaching the online tests as just one more step in the hiring process will help you pass them with flying colors.