BlackRock Recruitment Process

The BlackRock recruitment process includes several steps, each aiming to evaluate your abilities to succeed in the financial industry and the behavioural tendencies and characteristics to fit the company’s culture.

However, unlike other organisations, BlackRock’s recruitment process includes a recorded cover letter instead of a written one. In addition, while all candidates take an online assessment, software engineering applicants take a coding assessment, and the rest take a numerical reasoning assessment.

The BlackRock recruitment process for nun-software engineering positions typically includes the following steps:

  1. Online application via the BlackRock site
  2. Recorded cover letter (by HireVue)
  3. Numerical reasoning assessment
  4. Interview (2 or 3 rounds, depending on the position. Can be administrated online or on-location)

 

The BlackRock recruitment process for software engineering positions typically includes the following steps:

  1. Online application via the BlackRock site
  2. Online coding assessment + a recorded cover letter question (by HireVue)
  3. Interview (2 or 3 rounds, depending on the position. Can be administrated online or on-location)

 

BlackRock Virtual Cover Letter

The first BlackRock online assessment is a virtual cover letter, replacing the traditional written one. The BlackRock Virtual Cover Letter is a short HR pre-recorded interview, provided by HireVue.

In this one-way video interview, you won't have any direct interaction with your interviewer. Instead, you'll be on your own, facing the camera, recording your response to the questions you will be given.

You will get 2 questions. For each question, you will have 3 minutes to prepare your answer and 90 seconds to record it. The process takes about 10 minutes to complete, and you must do it in one sitting.

The BlackRock virtual cover letter invitation will be sent immediately after you submit your application. Once you receive the invitation, you have 72 hours to send your response.

Your virtual cover letter will be reviewed by your recruiters, who will decide if you are moving to the next step of the recruitment process.

Begin your practice today with JobTestPrep's BlackRock Online Assessment Preparation pack, which includes an exclusive and comprehensive interactive Video Interview Guide, mimicking the real HireVue questions!

BlackRock Numerical Reasoning Assessment

For some applicants, those who apply for nun-software engineering positions, the next BlackRock online assessment is a Numerical Reasoning test.

This assessment measures your ability to analyse, interpret and use numerical data. It can be presented in charts, graphs, tables, word problems, and number series questions.

You will need to demonstrate basic mathematical principles such as percentages, ratios, and fractions.

The test usually consists of 20 multiple-choice questions, with a time limit of about 1 minute for each question.

Let’s see how it looks –

BlackRock Online Assessment – Numerical Reasoning Sample Question #1

The following is a comparison of four companies (in millions of $).

What is the Corporate Tax rate?

A. 1.5%
B. 3%
C. 5%
D. 12%
E. 15%
Correct Answer
Incorrect Answer

The correct answer is E.

The tax a company pays is equal to their operating profit multiplied by the tax rate; the tax rate can therefore be calculated by dividing the tax paid by the operating profit.

Tax Paid = Operating Profit × Tax Rate
Tax Rate = Tax Paid/Operating Profit

This question can be solved using any company, as the corporate tax rate will be uniform across all companies. If we take the operating profit and tax of Axel, for example, we will see that 1.2/8 = 0.15 = 15%

To be certain that this is the correct answer, we can examine the operating profits and taxes of all companies and find that 1.2/8 = 1.65/11 = 1.5/10 = 1.35/9 = 0.15 = 15%

BlackRock Online Assessment – Numerical Reasoning Sample Question #2 

“Transcriptions Now!” is a company that hires people to transcribe audio files. The fastest transcriber can transcribe 75 words per minute (WPM) while the slowest transcriber can only transcribe 70 WPM. How many less hours would it take the fastest transcriber to transcribe an audio file with 7,500 words in comparison to the slowest transcriber?

What is the Corporate Tax rate?

A. 1/84
B. 5/42
C. 7
D. 50/7
E. 21
Correct Answer
Incorrect Answer

The correct answer is (B) 5⁄42.


In order to find the time it would take each transcriber to transcribe 7,500 words, we can formulate the following equation based on the Work-Rate formula (work=rate*time):
t = 7,500/rate

Fastest transcriber: t = 7,500/75 = 100 minutes.
Slowest transcriber: t = 7,500/70 = 107 1⁄7 minutes.
Therefore, the fastest transcriber can complete the task in 107 1⁄7 – 100 = 7 1⁄7 = 50⁄7 minutes less than the slowest transcriber.
However, the question is asking for the number of HOURS. Thus, we need to divide the result by 60:  

 

BlackRock Online Assessment – Numerical Reasoning Sample Question #3

Approximately what proportion of US and Australia IT unemployed in 2006 were US residents?

A. 25%
B. 40%
C. 45%
D. 50%
E. 55%
F. Cannot Say
Correct Answer
Incorrect Answer

The proportion of IT unemployed in 2006 that were US residents = ((IT Unemployed in US / (IT Unemployed in US+ IT unemployed in Australia)) x 100
((82,000 / (82,000 + 119,000)) x 100 = 40.8%

Another way to calculate: 82,000 + 119,000 = 201,000
(82,000/201,000)*100 = 40.8%

BlackRock Online Assessment – Numerical Reasoning Sample Question #4

0.35 | 1 | 3.6 | ? | 55.6

A. 10.8
B. 35.6
C. 16.4
D. 14
Correct Answer
Incorrect Answer

The series in this question advances according to the following pattern:
(a- 0.1)*4, a= the previous term.

Thus:
1st term = 0.35
2nd term = (0.35- 0.1)*4 = 1
3rd term = (1- 0.1)*4 = 3.6
4th term = (3.6- 0.1)*4 = 14
5th term = (14- 0.1)*4 = 55.6



 

With JobTestPrep’s BlackRock Online Assessment PrePack™, you will receive all the tools needed to sharpen your numerical skills and master the BlackRock test, with study guides & video tutorials, numerical drills, detailed explanations, and score reports to track your performance. 

BlackRock Coding Assessment

For candidates who apply for software engineering positions, the next BlackRock online assessment is the CodeVue assessment (by HireVue).

The BlackRock Coding Assessment evaluates if you have the skills needed in positions that involve coding and development, such as data science, database programming, and software programming.

The test consists of 6 coding questions and a pre-recorded interview question. The process takes about 90 minutes to complete.

Once you receive the invitation, you have 4 days to submit your assessment.

Ace the BlackRock Online Assessment with JobTestPrep’s Complete Preparation:

  • HireVue Pre-Recorded Interview Preparation, boosting your interview performance with an Interactive Video Interview Guide, HireVue practice questions, and expert tips for effectively addressing each interview question coming your way.
  • Numerical Reasoning Test Practice, refining and honing your numerical skills with over 60 drills covering four types of numerical questions at all difficulty levels. 

 

BlackRock Summer Internship

Like most major financial firms, BlackRock offers a Summer Internship, exposing students to the real world of working in finance.

The BlackRock Summer Internship is an eight-week programme that not only gives you experience and essential insights and tools as an Analyst, but also amps up your resume and launches your career in finance.

The programme is for students in their penultimate year of study and obtaining their bachelor’s or master’s degree.

During the BlackRock Summer Internship, you will receive on-the-job training and responsibilities while participating in the mentoring programme, networking meetups, and speaker series.

BlackRock Spring Week

Similar to the summer internship, BlackRock offers a Spring insight programme for students graduating from an undergraduate or master’s degree.

The BlackRock Spring Week provides a glimpse into the financial world with work shadowing, networking, and group projects.

FAQs

What Is the Blackrock Assessment?

The BlackRock online assessment is an evaluation of the skills and abilities required for working in BlackRock. The BlackRock assessment can include a Virtual Cover Letter, a Numerical Reasoning test, and a Coding test.
What Is Blackrock Virtual Cover Letter?

The BlackRock Virtual Cover Letter is a pre-recorded interview, provided by HireVue, replacing the traditional written cover letter you submit with your application.

It usually includes 2 HR questions, and you will have 3 minutes to prepare your answer and 90 seconds to record it.
What Is Blackrock Coding Assessment?

The Blackrock Coding Assessment evaluates the abilities and skills of candidates who apply for software engineering positions. Provided by HireVue, it includes 6 coding assignments and one HR pre-recorded interview question.
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