HSBC Online Immersive Assessment

HSBC, a prominent banking and financial services institution, employs a comprehensive assessment process that includes the HSBC online immersive assessment. This assessment is designed to evaluate candidates' skills, competencies, and suitability for specific roles within HSBC.

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Josh Hancock Updated:

About HSBC Online Immersive Assessment

The purpose of the HSBC online immersive assessment is to provide a realistic and interactive experience that allows candidates to showcase their abilities and demonstrate their fit with HSBC's requirements. The HSBC online immersive assessment involves navigating through a series of virtual work scenarios that simulate real-life situations encountered by professionals at HSBC. These scenarios test candidates' problem-solving, decision-making, communication, collaboration, and adaptability skills. Candidates are expected to analyse each scenario and make informed decisions based on the information provided.

Format of the test

The HSBC Online Immersive Assessment is centered around a fictional project, such as leading a research team for a new company product. It consists of five distinct subtests that evaluate different skills required of HSBC employees working on similar projects. These subtests include Creating a New Team, Working with Others, Communicating Globally, Competing Commitments, and Completing the Project Delivery.

The assessment is presented through an interactive homepage, where the five tests are displayed as tiles. Candidates must complete each test in order, as the next test unlocks only after the previous one is finished. Let's explore a brief overview of the tests, along with sample questions.

Test 1 - Creating a New Team

Creating a New Team focuses on the candidate's ability to manage employees, establish working standards, and make informed decisions. It involves situational judgment questions, where candidates are presented with a scenario and five optional responses to rank.

Test 2 - Working with Others

Working with Others assesses the candidate's communication skills, conflict resolution abilities, and the capability to balance different requests within the company. Similar to the previous test, it presents situational judgment questions requiring ranking of responses based on the provided scenario.

Test 3 - Communicating Globally

Communicating Globally involves working with a remote team to complete the project. This test combines cognitive and situational judgment questions, requiring candidates to integrate and interpret numerical and verbal data. It includes multiple-choice or free text questions presented through information tabs.

Test 4 - Competing Commitments

Competing Commitments explores the candidate's aptitude for managing multiple small side-projects alongside the main project. Like the previous test, it combines cognitive and situational judgment questions, assessing integration and interpretation skills through numerical and verbal data.

Test 5 - Completing the Project Delivery

Completing the Project Delivery focuses on personal responsibility, time management, prioritization skills, and ownership of projects. It includes situational judgment questions along with elements of personality assessment. Candidates rank the responses based on a scenario presented.

Each test within the HSBC Online Immersive Assessment assesses specific skills and abilities necessary for success in HSBC roles. The number of questions varies for each test, ranging from 4 to 11. The assessment aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of a candidate's capabilities in managing teams, working collaboratively, communicating globally, handling competing commitments, and successfully delivering projects.

By understanding the themes, question types, and formats of each test, candidates can better prepare and showcase their skills during the HSBC Online Immersive Assessment. It is essential to practice similar situational judgment and cognitive assessments, develop effective decision-making strategies, and familiarise oneself with HSBC's values and expectations.

HSBC Values

HSBC place their values at the core of a lot of their decision making, including their recruitment.

  • Valuing Difference: HSBC embraces diversity and recognises the strength that comes from different experiences and perspectives. They prioritise inclusivity, actively listening to diverse voices, and breaking down barriers to better serve their customers and communities.
  • Succeeding Together: HSBC emphasises collaboration across boundaries, connecting with customers, partners, and colleagues to deliver a wide range of opportunities. They trust and support each other, working as a team to achieve what's impossible alone.
  • Taking Responsibility: HSBC understands the impact of their actions on people's lives, communities, and the planet. They hold themselves accountable to high standards, using good judgment, and speaking up if something doesn't feel right. They focus on sustainable interests for customers, investors, and the environment.
  • Getting It Done: HSBC is driven to create value for their customers and investors. They are entrepreneurial, embracing new ideas and learning from them. They move at pace, make clear choices, take bold actions, and always keep their promises.

HSBC values empathy, diversity, collaboration, responsibility, and decisive action. As a candidate, it's crucial to showcase your ability to work in diverse teams, communicate effectively, and take responsibility for your actions. Demonstrate your entrepreneurial mindset, ability to make sound decisions, and commitment to delivering results while upholding HSBC's values.

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HSBC reasoning tests are provided by Cappfinity. HSBC assess candidates based on their key values and seek candidates who are Open, Connected and Dependable.

HSBC Application Process Stages

Here is the typical process for your application to HSBC.

Stage 1

Application

Applications are made online and require candidates to provide their contact details, education and work experience. This is to ensure that the candidate meets the entry requirements for their selected role. The HSBC application does include uploading a copy of a CV, although it it requested that this does not include the candidates date of birth, as a means of remaining “age neutral”. There can be additional role specific questions depending on the position applied for, these will be multiple choice.

Stage 2

HSBC Online Immersive Assessment

Upon successful completion of the application form, candidates will be sent a link to the required online psychometric tests; the HSBC online immersive assessment is the first one followed usually by job simulation.

Stage 3

HSBC Job Simulation

This simulation, facilitated by Hirevue, is a video-based assessment tailored to the specific business area you have applied for. It presents fictitious information relevant to the role, requiring you to analyze numerical data, rank responses to hypothetical work situations, and provide video responses demonstrating your approach to tasks. Additionally, there will be multiple-choice numerical reasoning questions and a practice video response. The entire test typically lasts approximately 50 minutes, and you can complete both the online immersive assessment and the job simulation within a specified timeframe mentioned in the email invitation.

Stage 4

Assessment Day / Super Day

If you progress in the application process, you may be invited to a half-day assessment centre known as a Super Day, tailored to the programme you have applied for. During this assessment, senior members of the relevant business area will evaluate you through a combination of individual and group exercises, as well as strengths-based interviews. The exercises include a case study where you analyse a bank's information and provide recommendations. Additionally, you will prepare a five-minute presentation presenting your recommendations. The group exercise assesses your response to a workplace scenario, observing your collaboration skills. It is important to showcase your strengths while allowing others to contribute. The Super Day also includes an interview focusing on your motivation, alignment with HSBC's core values, and relevant achievements. Prior to the Super Day, conducting thorough research on HSBC and the specific business area is crucial, along with thoughtful reflection on your career motivations and examples of achievements.

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Answered questions

Are these tests suitable for HSBC?

Our tests are semi-suitable for HSBC. We do not have a test in the format of their online immersive assessment, however we have Cappfinity style assessments and other types of tests which will help sharpen your numerical, verbal and other aptitude skills.

How difficult are your tests?

The same difficulty as real tests. Generally real employer selection tests don't differ that much in terms of difficulty which is why they compare your score against norm groups. Our practice tests are pitched roughly at graduate level, but this means they are actually suitable for preparing for all levels of job: entry; apprentice; graduate; senior; director.

Are they compatible with my Mac / Tablet / Phone?

Yes, and PC, and Linux and smartphone and Android and...everything. Our practice tests will run on all systems and they are responsive so they will work well on tablets and smartphones too!

How many times can I take the tests?

Unlimited. You can take our practice tests as many times as you like; there is no limit. But to be honest, after taking the same test a few times you start to remember the answers, so that’s why we have lots of tests.