Avia, Finance Sector Specialist at JobTestPrep.
Have a question? Contact me at: ask_the_team@jobtestprep.co.ukWhat Is the Citi Online Test?
The Citi Online Test is a cognitive test (namely, aims to assess your problem-solving and reasoning skills), usually taking around 15 minutes to complete.
Although the name Citi Online Test is used for all positions, different assessments will be used for different positions. Below you can find your Citi assessment based on your desired position.
Citi candidates may go through one of the following Korn Ferry tests (or sometimes both):
If you pass the online test, you’ll be scheduled to take an interview, followed by an assessment centre.
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The Citi Online Test Invitation
After passing the resume stage, you will receive an email test invitation from Citi, requesting you to take the assessment within 5 days. The invitation will reveal no details about your assessment.
Is it enough time to study? Definitely. We’ll get to that later.
Here’s how your test invitation looks like:
What Positions Require the Citi Test?
As I mentioned, different positions in Citi require different assessments, here are several examples:
Citibank Online Assessment Tests + Sample Questions
Citi does not reveal which tests you are about to take until the moment you are required to take them. That hinders candidates' ability to prepare, and also increases stress and uncertainty. Let's try to alleviate some of that stress with some focused, accurate description of the test.
The Citi Online Test can include one or two of the following assessments:
Citi Online Test #1 – Citi Numerical Test (Elements Numerical)
The Citi Numerical test is provided by Talent-Q, and is officially called Elements Numerical. assesses your ability to calculate and draw conclusions from numerical data, namely graphs and tables.
How many BA overseas (OS) students study in the UK?
* OS = Overseas
** Percent out of full tuition fee
Learn more about the Talent-Q Elements Numerical Test
Citi Online Test #2 – Citi Logical Test (Elements Logical)
The Elements Logical test assesses your ability to recognize rules and patterns in abstract shapes.
Identify the missing symbol:
Learn more about the Talent-Q Elements Logical Test
What Is the Citi Online Test Pass Mark?
By definition, Talent-Q, the Citi Online Test provider, does not set pass/fail standards for their tests. However, Citi itself has set a standard score for each position, so the passing score varies between positions.
As a general rule, the estimated pass mark of cognitive assessments is usually the 80th percentile (a score higher than 80% of all test-takers). Based on data collected from over 4,500 test simulations, these are the estimated pass marks of the Talent-Q Elements tests used by Citi:
How to Practise and Pass the Citi Online Assessment?
Here are three tips to ace your upcoming Citi Online Test:
Tip #1 - Don't Fret
This one kind of sounds obvious, but it is actually very important. Citi will require you to take the assessment within 5 days or less - a very short time indeed.
However, even 5 days are quite a lot of time to prepare, if you remain focused. Both the Citi Numerical Test and the Citi Logical Test are short, well-defined tests with a very specific structure. Focusing on these particular tests is going to have a major effect on your score, even if you have little time to prepare.
Tip #2 - Practise with the Actual Assessment
As I mentioned, the short preparation time necessitates a very focused preparation, simulating the actual test as closely as possible. You simply do not have the time to strengthen your basics or have an overview of basic math.
Practise using mock tests of the real Citi Online Tests - timed, online tests with the exact same formatting and structure. It will not only improve your skill and solving speed but will also reduce test anxiety, which is one of the main contributors to lack of success in pre-employment tests.
Tip #3 - Practise Calculating Quickly
The Citi Numerical Test is characterized by a large number of possible answer choices, which can sometimes reach over 20(!). That means that, unlike other numerical tests, estimation is not an option - you will have to calculate the exact result in each question.
And THAT means that you will have to get used to calculate quickly and efficiently. With a time limit of about 75 seconds per question, you just can't afford to spend too much time typing on your calculator.
Learn your calculator inside out, including time-saving tricks like using memory slots, brackets, etc., so you can spend the majority of time on the more challenging aspect of actually understanding and solving the question.
Prepare for Your Citi Online Assessment in 5 Days or Less!
Next Stage #1 - Citi Interview
If you successfully pass the Citi online test, you are next invited to up to 2 Citibank interviews. These are either face-to-face or phone competency-based interviews, each lasting around 40 minutes.
The aim of these interviews is to measure how well your skills match up to what Citi is looking for. They are looking for evidence of your interest and motivation in working with Citi. Be prepared with examples that demonstrate your skills and organise them using the STAR method. You should also read up on the area you are applying to, about Citi and the industry in general. Once you have pulled together all your answers, the final step in your preparation is to rehearse delivering your answers.
At this point in the recruitment process, you may have to sit some psychometric verification tests, which means that you will take samples of the psychometric tests from the previous stage under invigilation so that they know you did not cheat.
Some of the questions asked in Citi interviews in the past are listed below. These questions are a guide designed to give you a feel for the type of questions to expect in your interviews.
Read up on some more common questions and approaches to answering them on our free guide to interviews (PDF).
Next Stage #2 - Citi Assessment Centre
The final stage of your recruitment process is the Citi assessment centre. The structure of Citi's assessment centre varies across division being applied to. In general, you will be asked to participate in some/ all of the following activities: