PwC · Online Assessment
PwC screens candidates through SHL (Verify G+ plus Behavioral / SJT modules) before any interview. Below: the exact format, what each section tests, and how to practise it in identical conditions until you walk in confident.
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The format
An automated hard-filtering gateway immediately after the online application; your resume often is not human-reviewed until you clear it.
Most online assessments split into 3-5 sections, each with its own clock. Speed and accuracy both count.
Modern formats get harder if you answer correctly, easier if you struggle. Your final score reflects what you can actually do under time pressure.
PwC sets a pass mark per test type. Below it, you don't progress regardless of how strong the rest of your application is.
Completion window. Invite within 24-48 hours of applying; 48-72 hours to complete.
By division. The same core SHL engine across lines of service, but difficulty scaling and section weights vary (e.g., Strategy& and M&A Advisory weigh heaviest).
Recent changes. PwC US briefly experimented with gamified modules but returned to the SHL Verify G+ framework for core campus recruiting for its predictive validity and legal defensibility. Some tracks still use Pymetrics games.
The provider
PwC configures its own selection of SHL (Verify G+ plus Behavioral / SJT modules) modules. Below: the exact products in the suite, why they were chosen, and what the provider's reputation is across the candidate pool.
History at PwC. A stable 2-3 cycle relationship; PwC chose SHL for high predictive validity for standardized corporate performance and legal defensibility under US equal-employment guidelines.
Candidate reputation. Known for strict, unyielding time limits and adaptive difficulty: questions get progressively harder as you answer correctly, compounding time pressure.
Section breakdown
Each section has its own format, timer and trap pattern. Worked examples below show exactly what you will see and where candidates drop points.
12-18 questions · 17-25 minutes
What it tests. Quantitative data synthesis, mental arithmetic agility, and filtering out irrelevant noise in financial layouts (~75 seconds per question).
Worked example. If APAC operating expenses rise 8.5% while revenue drops 2%, what is the new net profit margin?
Common traps. Misreading axis units (000s vs Ms) and selecting an answer off by a factor of 10 or 100; distractor options built from common mistakes.
How to handle it. Use a clean gridded scratchpad and a physical calculator; instantly recall percentage-change and margin formulas.
~30 questions · 19 minutes (under 40 seconds each)
What it tests. Formal deductive logic and comprehension under extreme time pressure; separating verified text facts from outside knowledge.
Worked example. A passage on PwC piloting generative AI for tax audits, with a statement to judge True/False/Cannot Say.
Common traps. Bringing in outside knowledge; over-interpreting absolute words ("all", "never") versus probabilistic qualifiers.
How to handle it. Read the statements first to scan for keywords; keep a strict literal mindset and mark Cannot Say when unsupported.
~18 questions · ~18 minutes
What it tests. Fluid intelligence, spatial orientation and simultaneous rule management under pressure.
Worked example. A 3x3 grid where shapes change color, rotate and gain sides; choose the missing figure.
Common traps. Fixating on one variable and missing a second rule; getting stuck on one pattern and burning three minutes.
How to handle it. Use the M.O.V.E.S. framework (Movement, Orientation, Value/number, Exterior/Interior, Shading); guess and flag after 45 seconds.
Untimed (~20-30 minutes by design)
What it tests. Practical workplace intelligence aligned with the five PwC Professional dimensions.
Worked example. A senior associate tells you to copy forward last year's testing without fresh verification on a minor line item.
Common traps. The extreme confrontational option (reporting straight to the partner) or the passive do-nothing option.
How to handle it. Filter every answer through the PwC Professional framework: quality, accuracy and integrity override timeline pressure; prefer structured, constructive problem-solving with your immediate supervisor.
Untimed
What it tests. Workplace behavioral preferences across 32 traits, mapped for fit with PwC culture.
Worked example. From "I enjoy taking charge", "I look for errors in detailed reports", "I keep the team harmonious", pick most and least like you.
Common traps. Trying to answer as a perfect consultant (consistency checks flag social-desirability bias); shifting preferences across blocks.
How to handle it. Answer as your professional self; balance attention to detail, organization and teamwork with leadership initiative.
Pass mark
SHL generates an integrated, holistic profile for recruiters based on accuracy and speed, benchmarked against a global business/finance norm group.
Methodology. Correct answers add points; omitted or incorrect answers score zero (no negative marking). Cognitive profiles aggregate across categories.
Response time. Automated clearing typically within 48 hours, triggering the HireVue link.
Score visibility. No transparency: scores, percentages and thresholds are withheld from candidates.
How to practise
Same provider, same section structure, same time pressure. With a scored report after every test so you can fix the weakest section before the real one.
Free practice section, scored. Full report unlocks with the Pack.
Why candidates fail
Specific failure patterns documented across past applicants. Most are avoidable with structured preparation.
Poor pacing on cognitive sections
Spending over two minutes on a hard numerical or matrix question forces blind guessing on the final five questions.
Treating verbal as subjective
Using real-world business knowledge instead of strictly the literal text; the answer must be Cannot Say when unsupported.
Misaligning the SJT
Prioritizing individual speed or conflict avoidance over quality, compliance and transparent communication.
Inconsistent OPQ32 profile
Conflicting answers across blocks to project an ideal persona flag the profile for low consistency.
Relying on the on-screen calculator
The basic built-in tool slows multi-step math; a physical financial calculator is faster.
What works
Concrete habits drilled by candidates who clear the cut-off, drawn from applicant accounts and practice patterns.
Maintain a strict per-question time budget
Roughly 75 seconds numerical, 35 seconds verbal; move on the moment you pass the limit.
Memorize core formulas
Markup, margin, currency conversion and percentage change recalled instantly without lookup.
Apply the literal interpretation strategy
Treat the verbal passage as the entire universe of truth; mark Cannot Say without explicit confirmation.
Know the five PwC Professional dimensions
Filter every SJT choice through Whole Leadership, Business Acumen, Technical and Digital, Global and Inclusive, and Relationships.
Complete early in the window
Submit within ~24 hours of the link to sit early in the rolling cycle, with a distraction-free desk and scratch paper.
From past applicants
Anonymised candidate accounts of how recent applicants approached the PwC assessment. Each covers the prep, the experience, and the outcome.
Advisory Associate (New York office)
Prep. Practiced numerical and verbal on general sites, but found the real test far faster, with charts that looked like corporate annual reports.
Experience. Ran out of time on the final two numerical questions and guessed. On verbal, read the statement first to find key terms, then scanned the dense governance/ESG passages for them.
Outcome. Received the HireVue invite exactly 48 hours later.
Assurance Intern (Chicago office)
Prep. Drilled logical matrices, writing the shape rules down one at a time to avoid tracking everything at once.
Experience. The SJT scenarios felt like real audit-team problems (a client delaying balance sheets before a weekend deadline); chose options favoring open communication and quality over rushing.
Outcome. Cleared the assessment and advanced.
Practice strategy
Match the specific SHL Verify G+ patterns, not generic test prep, which will not prepare you for the adaptive time pressure.
SHL Direct official diagnostic
The best way to get comfortable with the visual layout and adaptive question style; identify your lowest cognitive section first.
Intervyo timed aptitude practice
Numerical, verbal and abstract sets under realistic time pressure with a per-section debrief so you can see which type drags your pace.
Full-length timed simulations
Run three full Verify G+ style simulations under strict time constraints to make pacing automatic.
Time investment. Roughly 15 hours over diagnostic, section drilling and full simulations; practice until simulated scores land above the 80th percentile for a safety margin.
Time management
FAQ
PwC US contracts with SHL, using the Verify G+ adaptive cognitive battery (numerical, verbal and logical/deductive reasoning) alongside behavioral and situational judgment modules and the OPQ32 personality questionnaire. Some tracks also use Pymetrics game-based assessment. Unlike some international territories that use highly gamified apps, US core campus recruiting runs the standardized SHL suite across nearly all entry-level and intern tracks, with difficulty scaling and section weights varying by line of service.
The other rounds
Online Assessment is one of four rounds. The Pack covers all four end to end.
PwC Pack
Practise the exact SHL (Verify G+ plus Behavioral / SJT modules) format ahead of time, scored against the PwC pass mark. One Pack covers HireVue, online assessments, live interviews and the superday.
Get the PwC Pack · $89Intervyo is not affiliated with or endorsed by PwC, SHL, Pymetrics, Cubiks, AON or any other assessment provider. Test details are sourced from past applicants and published guidance; verify on the firm's careers site before applying. Sector: Big 4 / Professional Services.
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