TfL (Transport For London) graduate scheme - 2012 intake

Transport For London (TFL) Recruitment Processes
This page is extensive and contains lots of general information about TFL's whole recruitment process. If you wish to skip straight to the section where aptitude tests are covered in detail, please click here.

Like most other large companies, the beginning of the process of applying to work for TFL is to complete their online application form. In addition to personal information, the online form may contain some competency based questions, for example why the applicant wants to work for TFL and what they feel they can offer to Transport For London as an individual.

Those candidates who have their initial online applications accepted will be invited to take TFL's online aptitude tests (which may also be referred to as ability tests). TFL use a wide range of aptitude tests to assess their candidates, so what tests the candidate faces will depend on the job or program that they are applying for. Candidates have approximately one week to complete this part of the application process, though TFL do state extensions are possible in some circumstances (anyone unsure or in need of an extension should contact TFL directly). Those who manage to navigate their way through the aptitude test minefield will be invited to the next step of the process, which is the telephone interview.

It has been remarked that it is very important to be aware of what TFL's current projects are, for example anything to do with getting ready for the 2012 Olympic Games or any new technological advances they are looking to bring in. Candidates who are successful with the telephone interview(s) will be invited to the final stage, which is an assessment centre to be held in London.

The Transport For London assessment centre is a two part assessment centre, split into morning and afternoon sessions. Reportedly, the numbers who get cut between the two sessions can be quite considerable, depending on the number of applicants attending the morning session. Other applicants have stated that all the applicants in their group took part in the whole days activities, so this may vary from program to program. PracticeSHLTests.com would appreciate any recent applicants to TFL letting us know what the most up-to-date format is (or if it is indeed both).

For the two-part assessment centre, the morning consists of a group task and a custom game / SHL test known as a fast track test. Those prospective employees who make it through to the afternoon part of the assessment centre can face one or more competency based interviews (either one on one interviews or panel interviews), technical questions and answer sections for programmes such as engineering and finance or give a presentation. In the event applicants are asked to give a presentation they will be asked to prepare it in advance of the assessment centre. Further ability or aptitude tests are also mentioned as a possibility but recent accounts have not suggested that they take place regularly at this stage.

Those who make it through the whole process should be notified shortly by TFL of their success or failure. TFL aims to get written offers to all successful candidates within 2 weeks of the assessment centre.

How Transport For London Use Aptitude Testing
As touched upon several times in the section above, TFL are an organisationn that make heavy use of aptitude tests throughout their recruitment procedures. In particularly, Transport For London use a variety of SHL aptitude tests. TFL have a successful relationship with SHL and have used their tests for a number of years now.

In regards to the types of testing used to access candidates, there are a range of possibilities. Most candidates will have to take the traditional SHL test combination of a numerical reasoning test and a verbal reasoning assessment. In addition, some candidates may also have to sit an inductive reasoning test (also known as an abstract reasoning test). It is not established which departments also require the inductive reasoning test at this time.

In additional to the standard SHL tests, some roles at transport for london require candidates to take a Situational Judgement Test (SJT), either as an addition to the SHL assessments, or occasionally instead of. For more information about situational judgement tests PracticeSHLTests.com will have a dedicated section on them coming very soon.

The other type of testing that may crop up is the Fast Track test. This is a custom test devised for TFL by SHL and is based around using a deck of approximately 20 cards that provide information to the participants. Participants then have to use their reasoning abilities to determine the links between the cards.

I applied for Surface Transport/Proj. Management also, and have not been rejected or asked to do tests. They are probably just progressing through them. Got rejected from Network Rail for similar though, and I have so little faith in graduate schemes now, so I'm expecting a rejection.

Grad schemes are just so competitive, probably even more so now there are so few decent jobs out there. I'm expecting a rejection too (well, preparing myself for the worst) but reading this thread and the comments from people that were rejected shortly after applying gives me some hope that i've at least made a few cuts.

where there's life there's hope

Yeah, I was so naive after graduating thinking I stood a chance really. Even with quite a bit of work exp and student society stuff, apparently everyone else is better. I'm starting to think you need to have done a year of something worthwhile/linked to the job before getting a grad scheme. But it kind of defeats the purpose of 'grad schemes' IMO.. cause they're supposed to train you up to do it with little experience. So fed up with the whole process now :|

pedro pony,

I got the email about the online test on the 10th, still havent done it yet. Have you tried doing the SHL tests? I wonder does tfl online tests consist of all numerical, vebal, inductive , deductive...etc ....

I got through to the tests but didn't get the first e-mail telling me so, I just got an e-mail yesterday saying "We notice you haven't done your tests yet and only have 5 days to complete them". Checked through my junk and inbox and nothing. Anyway, I did the online test yesterday. I've applied for General Management, Customer service. It was only the maths test (which was quite a lot harder than other ones I've tried) and I passed it. Got a telephone interview next week.

Congrats on the telephone interview!! Was the numerical test the standard 20 qu's in 20 mins?

Hey Guys

I have got through to the online test (bit of a miracle as its the 3rd consecutive year I have applied) and just did the practice one on SHL.

Very hard!

I got 29%, 15 correct out of 22 I answered. 36 questions in total.

Has anyone else done the practice test?

Does anyone know what the required pass mark is for the actual tfl one?