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BP Assessment Tests, Application, Hiring Process Online Preparation & Tips – 2024

Pre-Employment Tests

With approximately 65,900 employees, BP is one of the largest companies globally, sitting number six in the oil and gas “supermajors”.  If nothing else, this will make the job selection process highly competitive, which means job seekers need to bring their A-game if they’re considering a position at BP.

 

What Is BP?

BP, previously known as British Petroleum, is an oil and gas company, producing an estimated 3.6 million barrels of oil daily. The company is headquartered in the United Kingdom but is known to operate in 70 countries globally, including The United States, Trinidad & Tobago, Egypt, and Georgia. BP is a vertically integrated company which operates in just about all areas of the oil industry. Their services include exploration, oil refining, power generation, as well as interests in renewable energy with the likes of biofuel.

Benefits employees of BP can expect to enjoy are:

  • A Pension Plan
  • A Savings Plan
  • Paid Vacation
  • Paid Sick Leave
  • BP Wellness Program

 

What Is BP’s Hiring Process?

The recruitment process for most large companies can be very daunting, but it helps to know what to expect. Below are the hurdles candidates can expect to face when applying for a job with BP.

The Application Process

Candidates can find vacancies at the BP careers website. Firstly, candidates are strongly advised to select jobs for which they are suited. The Talent Acquisition System will automatically reject candidates not meeting the minimum requirements of the role.

Submitted applications are screened by the recruiting team and in most cases by the manager of the department to which the candidate has applied.

Online Assessments

Following the initial application, candidates will be invited to complete some online aptitude tests which are administered by Saville Consulting Group. These assessments include:

  • Verbal Reasoning Test – Candidates are presented with a paragraph which they are required to read. The candidate is then required to answer a number of questions related to the paragraph to assess their ability to understand written information. Practice verbal reasoning sample questions.
  • Diagrammatic Reasoning Test – Candidates are presented with a series of diagrams and must decipher the relationship between them in order to complete the series with the correct picture.
  • Numerical Reasoning Test – Candidates are presented with either tables, charts, or graphs. The candidate is expected to use this data to respond to multiple choice questions which follow the presented information. Candidates may use calculators to answer the questions. Practice numerical reasoning example questions.
  • Situational Judgment Test – Read more about SJT tests.

Telephone Interview

In some cases, candidates must complete a telephone interview. This interview is to get a broad idea of whether or not the candidate is suitable for the role.

Technical Interview

This is a face-to-face interview which is approximately an hour to an hour and a half long. The meeting is usually conducted by two employees, which generally includes a manager from the respective area to which the candidate has applied. The interview is competency based and is designed to test the candidate’s knowledge in certain key areas which are relevant to the job.

Assessment Centre

Providing candidates are successful with the telephone interview, they may be invited to attend an assessment centre at the BP office. The assessment centre consists of a number of activities, which include:

  • Group Exercise – Candidates are split into groups of four and are required to complete three group exercises. The exercises are designed to simulate problems which the candidates may face while working at BP. The purpose of the activities is to examine the candidate’s ability to work in a team.
  • Case Study/Presentation – This is an individual exercise in which the candidate is provided with varying business strategies used to tackle a particular problem. The candidate’s responsibility is to analyze the strategies and decide on a way to address the task. Candidates should provide justifications as well as the limitations associated with their decisions. The candidate is to do a 15-minute presentation outlining their findings and should be ready to answer questions after the presentation.
  • Reflective Review – This is a means of the candidate to talk to a manager about the happenings of the assessment centre. It is typically a 15-minute long casual conservation and is the final chance the candidate has to make an impression or ask any questions. The manager will ask questions like:
    • What was the most challenging part of the day?
    • How did you overcome this difficulty?
    • Were there any parts of the day that you enjoyed?

 

What Qualities Are BP Recruiters Looking Out For?

Just as we have our preferences, so too do companies. BP is continuously looking for candidates who they believe embody their core values.  These core values are:

  • Safety – Candidates should be aware of the various safety practices associated with the industry and strive to do their part to ensure the safety of themselves, their co-workers, the general public, and the environment.
  • Respect – Candidate should be open to hearing the opinions of others whether they agree with them or not.
  • Excellence – These candidates are always working to give their best. These candidates are ambitious, continually working towards solutions, and constantly trying to learn new things.
  • Courage – Work at BP will not be easy. Candidates should be willing to remain steadfast in the face of adversity while also being willing to admit their weaknesses and ask for advice or help where needed.
  • One Team – BP is seeking team players. Candidates need to be willing to put the team before themselves, as the team is a collective of individual talents. There is certainly no doubt that the collective is greater than the individual.

 

How to Prepare for the BP Recruitment Process?

Candidates may sometimes become overwhelmed by thinking about the job application process for their dream jobs. This anxiety can be quelled with the right preparation. Below are some tips which were provided by BP to help candidates feel more at ease during their selection process.

  • Update Your CV – Candidates are to ensure their CV contains information that is up to date. This ranges from simple things like your address and contact number to your relevant work experience.
  • Tailor Your Application – When candidates sign up on the online portal, they are to ensure all the relevant data is entered. This ensures that the system recommends jobs for which they’re best suited. This also helps with the recruitment process, as the talent acquisitions team will have as much information as possible.
  • Be Honest – Candidates are to ensure they answer all the relevant questions honestly. The information is almost always fact checked. Should there be any discrepancies, candidates will almost certainly be rejected.
  • Prepare – Do your research! It’s so easy to access information about BP. Their website is frequently updated, and they are very active on social media. Candidates, therefore, find it very easy to gather information about the company, which may help them to make informed decisions as well as formulate questions which they want to be answered before accepting an offer.
  • Don’t Quit! – BP welcomes candidates to re-apply for other vacancies if their original application is rejected. There may be opportunities in the future that the candidate is better suited for, and candidates are encouraged to apply for them. Candidates should sign up to receive job alerts so that every time there is a vacancy for which the candidate is suited they will be alerted by email.

 

Conclusion

Prepare, prepare, prepare- it cannot be emphasized more. Do your research, practice for your interviews, and just be yourself. The job market is tough, but landing that job is not impossible.

All the best!