Beat the Competition: Advanced Strategies for Preparing for Situational Judgement Tests

Sep 28, 2023

Written By Sophie Wilson

Situational judgement tests are now a common part of an interview process for law firms. But, what are they and how can you prepare for them?

What are situational judgement tests?

These are online assessments that test how you respond in certain situations. They assess your reactions, feelings and behaviours when you are placed into a scenario, to see what decisions you make.

There are a variety of questions that you could be asked. Some questions will provide you with multiple ways to respond to circumstances, and you have to order what you would most likely do or least likely do. Or, you may be asked to indicate from 1 to 5 how likely you would be to respond to a situation in a specific way. These are testing certain behaviours and what your instinctive reaction is in certain situations.

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There is no right or wrong answer. Instead, your answers will be compared against the firm's values. So, if one firm is particularly keen on collaborative work and working well in a team, you may want to think about putting an answer that prioritises this high up in your ranking. Researching the firm beforehand can help inform your answers, although you really should also be showing some of your own genuine personality here.

The situations will generally be office-based scenarios if that is the type of job you are going for. They will be about managing your workload or asking for help when you need it; the sort of things that would happen in your day-to-day real life work.

What do situational judgement tests assess?

They are designed to see the candidate in a more natural way. Asking you in an interview: tell me how you have once acted with teamwork in mind, is very stilted. Instead, asking you how you would behave given a set of facts is a better way to assess your personality and how you work, and ultimately if that way of working fits in with the firm that you are applying to.

What is the best way for you to prepare?

Research the firm that you are completing the test for. Look at their values and priorities and match up your answers with these.

There are a lot of online tests that you can do to practise the various types of questions they may ask you. It is encouraged to do a few practice ones before your real one!

And on the day? Read the question multiple times. Keep in mind the employer’s motivations, and trust your gut instincts.

Selection & Assessment