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

What Is National Grid?

National Grid is a multinational energy company that delivers electricity and gas to customers in the UK and the US. The company employs over 22,000 people consists of multiple business areas, including Western Power Distribution (WPD), Electricity Transmission (ET), and Electricity System Operator (ESO).

National Grid is committed to bringing safe, reliable, and efficient energy to their customers and the communities that they serve. To do that, the company has four strategic priorities that govern how they run the business and make their purpose and vision of affordable energy possible:

• Enable the energy transition for all: National Grid recognizes that climate change is the defining challenge of this generation, so the company supports decarbonization and is working to reduce emissions.
• Deliver for our customers efficiently: The company drives operational excellence and practices financial discipline to ensure the business is working efficiently.
• Grow our organizational capability: National Grid is ever evolving to meet the needs of a rapidly changing energy sector.
• Empower our people for great performance: Employees at National Grid are diverse, inclusive, and empowered to succeed.

 

Working at National Grid

National Grid attracts the best talent and prioritizes learning and development so that every colleague can perform at their best. To deliver excellent service to their customers, National Grid has adopted the following values that align with the expectations of their customers and communities:

• Act safely, inclusively, and with integrity
• Support and care for each other
• Speak up, challenge, and act
• Work as one team to find solutions
• Embrace learning and new ideas
• Simplify to what really matters
• Be bold and act with passion and purpose
• Take ownership to deliver for customers
• Focus on progress over perfection

 

What Is National Grid’s Hiring Process?

Online Application

The first step in the recruitment process is the online application. You will provide personal contact details, an updated CV, and answer some initial pre-employment questions during this stage. This application will serve as a screening tool to ensure that you meet the minimum requirements for the position. Be sure that all the information you provide is complete and accurate.

 

National Grid’s Psychometric Tests

The next stage of the hiring process is the aptitude tests. These exams will assess your basic ability to do the job and your fit within the company. National Grid’s assessments are timed and provided by SHL.

• Numerical Reasoning Test: The numerical reasoning test is a psychometric exam that will assess your ability to analyze basic numerical information. The test will present graphs, charts, tables, and data and ask you to answer multiple-choice questions based on the given information.
• Verbal Reasoning Test: The verbal reasoning test is another psychometric test that will examine your ability to comprehend text passages and deduce a response based on the information.
• Abstract Reasoning Test: The abstract reasoning test will assess your lateral thinking, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills. The test will present you with shapes or figures, and you will need to identify the pattern and determine which figure comes next in the series.
• Situational Judgement Test (SJT): The situational judgement test will examine your values and how you will likely respond in typical workplace situations. The exam will present a simulated situation, and you will choose how to react.
• Game-Based Assessments: Some roles will also encounter a game-based assessment. This test will be structured like a game and test your cognitive ability, situational strengths, and personality traits.

Doing well on the various assessments is the only way to graduate to the next stage. Be sure that you adequately prepare for these tests before taking them.

 

Interview

After completing the online assessments, National Grid will invite you to an interview. This interview will likely be either a phone interview or a pre-recorded video interview and will last roughly 20 to 30 minutes.

• Phone Interview: A telephone interview will take place with a member of human resources or another hiring team member. They will ask you questions about your work history, educational background, and other information you provided during your application. They will also ask questions based on your competencies in problem-solving, decision making, and communication and will likely touch on your industry knowledge.
• Video Interview: The questions in the video interview will be similar to the phone interview, but the format will be different. In the video interview, you will record responses to a pre-determined set of questions.

It is good to use the STAR technique when answering questions in either of these formats. This technique allows you to state the problem, explain the task, describe your action, and discuss the result. Framing your responses in this way enables the interviewer to get a complete picture of the experience you are describing.

 

National Grid’s Assessment Centre

The last stage of the National Grid recruitment process is the assessment centre. The company will bring together a handful of candidates to complete group and individual exercises. Some activities that you may need to participate in include:

• Group Exercise: All candidates who participate in assessment centre day should expect to complete a group exercise. You will work in a small group to complete a problem-solving assignment and present your findings to the assessors.
• Competency-Based Interview: This interview will last 45 to 60 minutes and be more in-depth than your initial interview. You will answer questions that show your technical competencies and will need to provide evidence-based examples in your responses.
• Presentation: You may also need to give an individual presentation. This activity will be a ten-minute presentation based on a case study that your assessor gives you ahead of time. This exercise is your opportunity to demonstrate your communication skills and how well you present yourself.
• Ability Tests: Some candidates may retake the previous online assessments.
• Technical Tests: You may also take a technical test depending on the role. These may include a height-based competency test to see how comfortable you are working at a height and a manual dexterity test to assess your ability to disassemble and rebuild equipment.

 

How to Prepare for the National Grid Assessment?

Doing well on the National Grid assessment is crucial to your success as a candidate. In order to do well, it is essential to do as much preparation as possible.

One of the best ways to prepare for the assessments is to take online practice tests and take advantage of other online resources. Exposure to sample questions will help you feel more confident for the actual test and lead to a better score on the assessment.