National Australia Bank (NAB) Assessment Tests, Hiring Process & Interviews Preparation – 2024

What Is the National Australia Bank?

National Australia Bank is one of the four largest banks in Australia, and 49th largest bank in the world based on assets. Headquartered in Melbourne Australia, they serve 12.7 million customers across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, with 1,590 branches. They offer personal banking in their domestic market and business, corporate, and wealth management services overseas. National Australia Bank offers positions for seasoned employees as well as several graduate program streams. Recent graduates can look for placement in data analytics, technology and digital, business and private banking, corporate and industrial banking, and project delivery and planning. To remain competitive when searching for employees, National Australia Bank offers a number of benefits:

• Health and well being, including a mental health program, employee assistance, an influenza vaccination program, and a number of other mental and physical health tools.
• Leave options, including disaster leave, defence leave, parental and pre-natal leave, volunteer leave, and leave of absence.
• Child care options.
• Environmentally sustainable benefits through access to special discounts and services for environmentally sustainable products.

Australia National Bank offers career opportunities in a number of areas including, business and private banking, technology and operations, corporate banking, and more.

What Is NAB Hiring Process?

The hiring process may vary slightly, based on the position you have applied for. However, job seekers can all expect the process to follow these general steps.

National Australia Bank Application

The National Australia Bank hiring process starts with an online application. As with most online applications, you will be required to make an account to apply. You can also sign up to be alerted if any jobs in your area of interest become available. For your application to be considered, you will have to answer a series of questions directly related to the role you are applying for.

Phone Interview

If your application passes muster, you will be contacted by a recruiter for a phone interview. The phone interview is simple, usually lasting around 20 minutes, and will expand on the information presented in your application. You may be asked some questions about why you want to work for National Australia bank, your motivations, and why you are interested in the position for which you applied, and what your relevant experience is.

Formal Interview

This is your chance to meet the hiring manager and recruiter face to face and make an impression. National Australia Bank utilizes the BEI interviewing method (behavioural event interviewing). This is very similar to the STAR interviewing style. They will ask about your experiences at previous jobs, any challenges you faced, and how you overcame them. These interviewing methods are based on the idea that past behaviour is indicative of future job performance. This is also a great time for you to ask questions, and get more information about the position, to determine if it really is right for you.

NAB Online Assessment Tests

Like many employers, the National Australia Bank uses a number of psychometric and competency-based tests as part of its recruiting process. The National Australia Bank online tests are all provided by Testgrid. Both graduate stream applicants and traditional applicants can expect to see tests such as:

• Numerical Reasoning Test: The numerical test will measure your competency with numbers. You may be presented with graphs, and have to come to logical conclusions based on the numbers. The test may also present you with number series questions or word problems. This test is timed and multiple-choice.  Australia National Bank uses SHL and  cut-e tests.
• Verbal Reasoning Test: The verbal exam is given to determine your ability to understand verbal or written language. You will be given a paragraph to read and must answer a series of multiple-choice questions based on the information you were given. There may also be some vocabulary questions to test your fluency.
• Diagrammatic Reasoning Test: This test measures your non-verbal logic skills. You will be presented with non-numeric diagrams and sequences and a list of operators. You must use the information presented to you to determine the next shape in the sequence.
• Behavioural Work Styles Questionnaire: This is a personality test that uses multiple-choice questions to determine your work style. This helps the recruitment team determine how well your personality fits their company values, and predict how you will perform in your job of choice. These tests are tailored for the company that uses them, and there are no right or wrong answers, but questions are weighted based on what the recruitment team desires in an employee.

Video Interview

Graduate stream applicants, as well as some other positions, will require a video interview. You will be sent an email which contains the questions they wish you to answer. You have 1 ½ minutes to answer each question, and will only be allowed one take. This interview will take about 10 minutes to complete.

National Australia Bank Assessment Centre/Engagement Centre

The assessment centre, also known as an engagement centre will be the final step for some applicants. It consists of a group exercise during which the recruitment team will be observing the team working and leadership skills of the participants. You will want to demonstrate that you can lead but also listen to feedback when appropriate, and allow each member of the team to utilize their strengths. The group exercise gives the hiring team a chance to see you in action, so you will want to put your best foot forward. The last part of the assessment centre will be a final face to face interview. This interview will delve into your past experiences and will be in the BEI style. Common BEI style questions are:

• Have you ever made an unpopular decision that had to be executed by your team? What was the outcome?
• Have you ever had a difficult encounter with a colleague? How could you have handled it differently?
• Have you ever failed to meet a client’s expectations? What did you do to rectify the situation?

How to Prepare for the NAB Assessments?

You will want to prepare yourself before taking the online assessment tests. Taking the time to review and refresh your skills will give you an edge when taking the tests. Practising your mental maths skills, and reviewing word problems or other things you may be tested on, will keep that information fresh in your mind, so you feel more comfortable testing. The timed nature of these tests can increase the pressure, remembering to focus on accuracy instead of completion can help take the pressure off. If you find yourself stuck on a question, simply move onto the next one. Psychometric tests can often feel more difficult than competency-based tests since the selection of answers can all seem very similar. Reviewing the companies core values and the job description can help you determine the best answer. With every test, carefully read the directions before answering the questions to avoid mistakes due to misunderstanding. Properly preparing before testing will pay off, as you will be able to approach the tests with confidence, and certainty that you will continue to the end of the hiring process.