Toyota Assessment Centre, Aptitude Tests, Personality Tests, SJT & Recruitment Process Preparation – 2024
About Toyota
Toyota Motor Corporation is a Japanese motor manufacturing company. It became the largest company of its kind for the first time in 2008, surpassing General Motors, which held the title for
much of the 20th and early 21st century. Toyota’s brand promise is based on two principles: peace of mind and heart-pumping excitement ‘Waku Doki’ in Japanese. Toyota has about a hundred subsidiaries and affiliates that specialise in the production of vehicles, including industrial and commercial automobiles and vehicle parts. The headquarters of the parent company is in Toyota City, Nagoya, Japan.
Toyota is a global corporation, with leading markets in Australia, South Africa, Argentina and the Middle East. The brand is extremely popular in Asia, specifically in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It’s also the most popular vehicle brand in Japan, its home country. Other markets include the United States, with the headquarters in Texas, Canada and Mexico. The European market includes countries such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, Czechia, Portugal and Russia, where there are manufacturing plants.
Employment Specifics
As of 2022, Toyota has about 370,000 employees worldwide, 136,000 of them in North America and 25,000 in Europe. The recruitment process is standard throughout the world, especially when using an efficient online process.
Employee benefits include:
Insurance
Health and wellness
Financial and retirement
Vacation and time off policies
Family and parenting concessions
Perks and discounts
Professional support.
Toyota’s Hiring Process for Job-Seekers
The main steps in the hiring process online and in person are:
Online Application
Interviews
Assessment tests
Assessment day
Final Interview
This screening process can take up to 6 months, as there may be many applicants applying for the same position. Toyota uses in-house assessors for their tests.
Online Application
Many graduates from Toyota’s Educational programs move on to a two-year on-the-job training before being employed in positions in their specialised field of choice. Applications for senior positions can be done online. A recruiter may call applicants after they apply to clarify information about their backgrounds.
Toyota’s Interviews
If you are shortlisted, you may be invited to an initial telephone interview, where the recruiter will ask you questions about your interest in the position, qualifications, hobbies and interests. They may also ask what you can contribute to the team and company and what you think your role will be if you are employed.
If the recruiter would like more time with you, they may ask you to come in for an interview in person. There you will talk about what you can contribute to the company and how well you work in a team and within the company. You may be asked to complete a Microsoft Office competency test depending on the position you are applying for. Background checks may be conducted such as contacting referrals on your application.
Toyota’s Assessment Tests
Once an application has been approved through the recruitment process, an applicant will be asked to complete a series of tests to assess their competency. These tests may include a Situational Judgement and Personality Test, and for specific positions, a Mechanical Reasoning Test and a Select Assessment for Manufacturing Test.
Situational Judgment Test (SJT) – This test examines how your common sense and previous experiences help you handle hypothetical situations in the workplace. It is important to learn Toyota’s values to be able to align your responses with theirs. However, one does not need to think too hard, and you should be honest in your answers.
Personality Test – This test is used to assess your personality, including what motivates you and what your weaknesses are. There are no correct or incorrect answers, but it is useful to know which personality traits are a priority for Toyota, and if you will fit into the general culture of the company, which fosters developing talent through the key values of improvement and respect for all employees and customers.
Toyota Maintenance Test (Mechanical Reasoning) – For those applicants to positions in engineering and maintenance technology, this test may be required. The questions regard usual mechanical laws, including gears, levers, pressure, gravity, pulleys, springs and electrical power. It is normally a 3-hour test.
Select Assessment for Manufacturing Test (SAM) – This test is the entrance exam for positions in manufacturing. It is a multiple-choice test, with interactive questions relating to multitasking and solving problems effectively. Some of the questions do not have correct or incorrect answers but are designed to check that the applicant has the right skills for the job.
New Car Assembly Simulation Test – For positions specifically in car manufacturing, an applicant will be requested to take a portion of the SAM test on vehicle assembly. It is an online assessment of the car assembly process. You will be asked to build a car using the specifics shown. This test should only take you about 15 minutes, and while it is not timed, recruiters will check to see how long it took you to complete the task.
Toyota’s Assessment Day
Once your aptitude and psychometric tests have been finalised, you will be asked to come for an assessment day on-site. This part of the recruitment process takes place at the Toyota Assessment Centre. You will be asked to undergo individual and group exercises, to assess your leadership skills, and how you share your ideas and work with others. A written test may be requested in the form of a report on the provided material. You will need to produce a presentation on a topic given to you with time to prepare and present it to a panel of assessors.
Final Interview and Pre-Employment
In the final interview, assessors will determine your standard competency and whether you are qualified for the position. There will be questions on your skills and experiences and how they relate to Toyota’s goals and values. These values include development, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, initiative and leadership. This interview is about an hour long.
Advice & Tips
When applying for a position at Toyota, you must do your homework on the company. Learn what makes Toyota so successful. Focus on the values of the company and see how they align with your own. Be able to provide the information requested of you eloquently and concisely. Practise answering the most frequently asked interview questions such as:
Question:
“Why do you think that you are the best candidate for this position?”
Answer suggestions:
Highlight your experience and skills relating to the position and show enthusiasm.
Question:
“What customer service style do you employ most frequently?”
Answer suggestions:
Describe specific steps that you take when dealing with customers and how they can improve customer satisfaction.
Question:
“Why did you choose to apply for this position?”
Answer suggestions:
Describe what attracted you to the company and the position you are applying for, such as your passion for motor vehicles and what you hope you will learn if employed.
Several websites will assist you in preparing for your interview, including those that give you practice questions to answer within a time limit.
Last Thoughts
Toyota seeks to use challenges, innovation and commitment to thrive in a continually changing environment and remain leaders in the motor industry. With these goals in mind, the recruitment process is extensive, from the online application through telephone and in-person interviews, various assessment tests and a day spent on site. If you are invited to a final interview, the information you have given and your scores on the assessment tests will be verified. If your application is successful, you will receive a formal job offer and a written agreement. Finally, you will need to attend an induction course, before being welcomed into your new position.
