Hints & tips

Your application for the Standard Chartered Internship Programme includes an online form, two online assessments and a series of interviews.

To give yourself the best chance of success, take a look at the hints and tips we've put together on each stage of the application process.

Application form
How to avoid basic mistakes when you're completing the online application form.
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Online assessments
Do yourself justice in the talent assessment and numerical reasoning test.
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Interview process
What to expect if you're selected for interview.
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The application form

Here are some tips for when you're completing the online application form:

• Print out the application instructions - and refer to them while you're completing the form to make sure you understand the questions.
• Prepare your answers offline - draft them in a Word document, then paste them into your online application once you've made sure you have answered each question properly.
• Do your research - use our website and other published materials to tailor your answers to Standard Chartered and the position you're applying for.
• Give us all the information we need - don't leave out any important details about yourself. List all your qualifications and set out your skills and achievements clearly.
• Read each question carefully - and consider why we are asking it. List when you have demonstrated the skills that apply to each question, and explain what you learnt from the experience, such as communication or teamwork. Vary the examples you use to respond to the different questions.
• Answer every question with equal thought and care - don't focus on some and ignore others.
• Be honest and truthful in your answers - don't make assumptions about how you should respond. There is no right or wrong answer.
• Check your answers - take a break and return to what you have written later with a fresh pair of eyes.
• Check your spelling and grammar - avoid basic mistakes. Don't use bullet points or abbreviations.
• Use capital letters correctly - don't use them throughout but remember to use them at the start of names, weekdays and months.
• Print out a hard copy of your completed application - and review it before your interview.

The online assessments

What is an online assessment?
Online assessments are a way of assessing a person's ability or talent in an objective, measured and structured way. At Standard Chartered we use online assessments in our intern recruitment process to help us recruit the right people with the right mix of abilities, talents and skills to set them up for success.

These online assessments are not general knowledge tests. They are designed to evaluate your talent or your ability to reason in a logical manner. All the assessments we use have been validated statistically, and continuous revalidation exercises are undertaken.

Why do we use online assessments?
Three principles underpin Standard Chartered's approach to people management

1. Focus on managing talent by identifying, rewarding and retaining talented individuals
2. Build a strengths-based approach by providing the skills to develop individuals and teams, focusing on people's personal strengths
3. Drive employee engagement through the development of exceptional managers with the skills to identify and build talent

These principles are reflected in our recruitment process - and the online assessments help us to select interns based on their talent. Once they are on board we set them up for success and provide them with opportunities to excel.

What kind of assessments does Standard Chartered use?
We use two different assessments as part of the intern recruitment process - the Gallup talent assessment and the SHL numerical reasoning test.

The talent assessment
The talent assessment was developed specifically for Standard Chartered by Gallup Organisation in 2005. As with other strengths-based selection tools, the talent assessment is designed to assess an applicant's innate behaviours, and help us understand their potential to succeed.

Before you take the talent assessment:

• Read the instructions carefully - don't skim read them as it's important you know how to answer the questions.
• Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed. Remember, you only get one attempt so make sure you choose a time and place that lets you perform at your best.
• Be honest - when asked about yourself, choose the option that best describes you.

The SHL numerical reasoning test
Excellent analytical skills are required for all intern positions at Standard Chartered, so we use an online assessment to measure these. The SHL numerical reasoning test is used to assess an applicant's analytical ability in relation to numerical data. The test measures numerical reasoning skills in a business context, based around the tables and charts you typically find in business reports and the financial press.

You don't need to know how to do mathematical processes such as algebra or trigonometry, but you will have to use basic arithmetic - addition, subtraction, division, ratios and percentages.

Before you take the numerical reasoning test:

• Read the instructions carefully - don't skim read them as it is important to be clear about how to answer the questions.
• Always complete the practice questions at the start of any assessment. You can find more practice questions on the SHL website. You can also do your own research into ability tests and, if you're interested in trying out more, the SHL website has other exercises such as brain teasers and mathematical puzzles.
• Practise your mental arithmetic - long division, multiplication, etc.
• If you're planning to use a calculator, make sure you know how it works out percentages etc.
• Plan your time to answer as many questions as possible.
• Don't spend too long on a single question.
• When you're faced with a difficult multiple-choice question, start by ruling out the options that are least likely to be correct.
• If in doubt, give your best estimate.
• Be honest.

The interview process

Phone interview
If you meet all our criteria and you are successful in the online assessments, we will invite you to take part in a phone interview. Remember, we must be able to contact you so make sure the details you provide are correct.

When you take part in a phone interview, make sure you have your application form in front of you, and that you're in a place where you won't be disturbed. Also, if you're using a mobile, check you're in an area with good reception.

Face-to-face interviews
We carry out face-to-face interviews in a number of different formats - sometimes they may be in front of a panel.

Before the interview

• Make sure you have all the details, including the location, date, time and who you are going to meet.
• Review your application form and refresh your knowledge of Standard Chartered and the business division you are applying to join.
• Prepare some questions of your own - this is your chance to ask whatever you want and find out whether our Internship Programme is the right option for you.

During the interview

• We follow a structured capability-based interview - we'll ask you to give us proven examples of when you have applied specific skills.
• We will also ask you a number of technical questions related to the business division you are applying to join.
• Take your time, listen carefully and answer to the best of your ability - don't worry if you don't understand a question, just ask your interviewer to rephrase it.

What next?
We will try to contact you within 7 days of your interview to tell you about the next step. We may invite you to a panel interview or an assessment centre as the final stage in the process.