You spent weeks sweating over your Kearney online application.
Congrats! You got an email from a recruiter. Bad news . . . you need to take the Kearney recruitment test.
Online assessments are an unhappy reality of today’s recruiting landscape. Every consulting firm uses them to sort through the thousands of job applications they receive.
But you’ve come to the right place!
In this article, we’ll tell you:
- What the Kearney recruitment test looks like
- Key skills it’s testing for
- How to prepare for the Kearney recruitment test
- Tips on passing
- Next steps in the Kearney recruitment process
Let’s get started!
Contents
What Does the Kearney Recruitment Test Look Like?
The Kearney recruitment test includes 40 questions and should take about 60 minutes. That gives you about 1.5 minutes per question! So be prepared to move quickly.
The Kearney online assessment includes 6 sections:
For each section, we’ll share a few examples of questions from the Kearney sample test. You can review the entire Kearney sample test and answer key. We’ll highlight a few examples of questions from the Kearney sample test, but we won’t answer all of them so you can take that test as practice.
Quantitative: Logical Counting
This section includes mathematical questions that you will need to solve quickly. The questions could be straightforward math problems or word problems in the context of a business situation. To show you the range of questions you might get in this section, here are a few examples from the Kearney online assessment sample test.
Sample Q1: If a, b, and c are positive integers so that a<b<c and a+b+c=6, then what is the value of c?
Sample Q2: Ana sells cookies prepared by her mother at school. She buys the cookies from her mother at the standard cost of preparing them. However, her mother has an extra discount, which brings her real cost down by 15%. Ana’s profit margin is 30% of the price she sells them for to her colleagues. What share of Ana’s profits is her mother’s extra discount?
Quantitative: Statements
Pay attention to the instructions for this section. You will not be asked to solve a math problem.
You will be asked a question or provided a statement or an equation. Below that, you will be given 2 statements. You need to determine if you can answer the question or prove the equation using either Statement 1, Statement 2, both statements, or not at all.
Sample Q1: On some of the menus, you will find smoothies and cookies.
- There are some menus that have cookies.
- All menus have two types of products.
Sample Q2: What is x?
- |x|= 7
- x < 0
The answers in this section look like this:
- A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement(2) ALONE is not sufficient
- B.Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement(1) ALONE is not sufficient
- C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient
- D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient
- E. Statements(1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient
It can be tough to switch mental gears and focus on the logic of questions rather than doing calculations. Be sure to review some practice problems so it will feel natural during the test.
Verbal: Logical Test Understanding
In this section, you will need to read a series of quick passages and answer a single question about each one.
Sample Q: In certain congested urban areas, commuters who use public transportation options, such as trains and subways, spend approximately 25 percent less time in transit, on average, to reach their destinations than commuters who travel by car. Even individuals who drive their entire commute in carpool lanes, which are typically the least congested sections of roadways, still spend more time, on average, than commuters who use trains and subways. The information above most strongly supports which of the following inferences?
A. Waiting in traffic accounts for approximately 25 percent of the commuting time for individuals who drive to their destinations.
B. Walking between a subway or train station and one’s final destination does not, on average, take longer than walking between one’s car and one’s final destination.
C. Walking between a subway or train station and one’s final destination does not, on average, take longer than walking between one’s car and one’s final destination.
D. Using carpool lanes does not, on average, reduce driving time by more than 25 percent.
E. Individuals who commute via public buses spend approximately 25 percent more time in transit than those who commute using public trains or subways.
This question is tricky because you cannot draw perfectly clear conclusions that line up with any of the answers. And the question only asks for the strongest supported inference, not a conclusion that you are 100% certain about.
You need to focus on the major topics addressed in the paragraph and the questions. The paragraph compares overall commute times for drivers versus overall commute times for people who take public transportation.
You can eliminate A because the data does not discuss traffic times.
You can eliminate B and C because the paragraph does not break down elements of the trip time like walking to public transport.
You can eliminate E because the paragraph does not differentiate between different types of public transportation.
By process of elimination, the answer is D. But you can also assign a “strong inference” to the conclusion.
It is clear that in this study, taking public transportation is faster than driving. The text states that using the carpool lane for the entire trip does not reduce the travel time of carpoolers to less than the travel time of those taking public transport. So therefore, Using carpool lanes does not, on average, reduce driving time by more than 25 percent.
Tricky! Just go slow and think logically. Break down the question and understand the logic of each answer.
Nail the case & fit interview with strategies from former MBB Interviewers that have helped 89.6% of our clients pass the case interview.
Verbal: Reading Passage & Logic
In this section, you will need to read a long passage and answer multiple questions or address statements about that passage.
Here are some sample statements and questions you will need to evaluate in this section:
- The passage confirms all of the items below EXCEPT . . .
- Why is the author critical of X?
- Why does the author refer to other research?
- The passage suggests the following point of view:
Pro tip 1: If you can’t answer a question from memory, read the question one more time to be sure you are clear on the framing of the question. Then, go back to the portion of the passage that discusses that topic.
Pro tip 2: It’s a fair guess that at least one question on the passage will be about the thesis or the theme, so it’s a good idea to note the thesis in the back of your mind as you read the passage.
Case Studies: Reading Table of Numbers
You will be shown a table of numbers and asked a few questions about that table. You will need to perform some fairly simple calculations.
Sample table:
Sample Q1: On average, how much market value in Asia would a Uranium employee create per week in company ABC (52 weeks a year)?
A. EUR 5.3
B. EUR 5.5
C. EUR 5.7
D. EUR 5.9
E. Cannot say
The answer is A. The “tricky” part adjusting the market share and number of employees decimals properly.
Start with calculating the Market Value/Employee:
ABC Market value EUR427,000,000/1,542,000 employees = EUR276.9 Market value/employee.
Then calculate the rate per week: EUR276.9/52 weeks =EUR5.3 employee per week.
If you don’t read the table clearly, you may select the wrong answer.
Case studies: Reading Graph
In this section, you will need to select data from a graph and perform some calculations.
Sample Q: What was the country with the highest relative increase between 2007 and 2008?
A. Poland
B. Czech Rep.
C. Hungary
D. Bulgaria
E. Cannot Answer
The answer is B. Czech Republic. You could probably just eyeball the answer in this example because the slope of the Czech Republic line from 2007 – 2008 is far steeper than any of the other lines. The real test probably won’t be so easy. You will likely need to quickly calculate the growth rates in all four countries from 2007 – 2008. If you don’t have time to calculate the growth rates of all 4 answers, choose the obvious top two and compare those answers.
Those are some examples of the Kearney online assessment!
Some Kearney offices may use the Kearney recruitment tests as a screener before you interview, and some offices may include a Kearney recruitment test as part of the first round of interviews.
Additionally, some offices may use an Excel-based screening test instead of the online assessment.
You can check with your recruiter to find out what stage of the process you are in and which evaluations you need to complete.
Key Skills the Kearney Online Assessment Tests For
The Kearney recruitment test looks a lot like other online assessments because it evaluates your mathematical, verbal, and problem-solving capabilities.
The Kearney online assessment has a slightly different DNA than other online assessments. The test’s rules and the logic change depending on which section you’re in. Sometimes, you need to answer a question, and sometimes, you need to think critically about whether or how you can answer it.
The rules of each section will be clear, just be sure to take a moment to read them at the top of each section. Then, you’ll need to mentally shift gears to answer questions exactly as instructed within each section.
For example, in the Quantitative Statements section, most people’s brains will start performing math calculations while they review the information and answers. You need to treat those math problems more like verbal problems. Identify the elements of the information provided and the answer and assess how they relate to each other.
How to Prepare for the Kearney Recruitment Test
If you’re applying to a number of consulting companies, the work you do to prepare for other online consulting assessments will help you prepare for the Kearney Online Assessment as well. Practicing verbal assessments will be especially helpful. We suggest that after you complete each practice test, you go back and analyze the verbal questions to break down the elements of those questions. This will help you do a little diagnostic on the question to determine which elements of the passages are important to answering the questions.
The more often you do this “‘diagnostic’’ work, the more natural it will be in your online assessments.
The mock test includes some algebra, so it’s not a bad idea to revisit freshman year of high school!
Once you’ve studied the different kinds of logical, numerical, and reasoning tests, you should take Kearney’s mock test. The answers are at the back.
6 Tips for Passing
1. Practice! Practice! Practice!
The Kearney online assessment favors the prepared, so take advantage of all the online resources and tools that are out there.
2. Be Prepared For A Similar But Different Kind Of Online Assessment
If you’re applying for consulting jobs, you’re probably taking a lot of online assessments. Make sure when it’s time for the Kearney test, you remember to shift gears and focus on how this test is different.
3. Take The Test When You Feel Best
Make sure you have energy and the ability to focus. You will need it. Don’t pack your schedule with too many other priorities.
4. Set Up Your Computer Properly
You will need a fully-charged computer and excellent wifi access! If there’s an online tutorial, be sure to run through it completely so you don’t have any issues once the test is launched.
5. Find A Space Where You Can Concentrate
You will need to focus during every moment of the Kearney online assessment. Find a quiet place with no distractions and tell those pesky roommates to turn down their PS5.
6. Take Your Time Reading Each Question
As we mentioned above, the tricky parts of this test are making sure you interpret the questions and information properly. If you practice enough, you will become a natural at performing a diagnostic of relevant information while you read questions and absorb charts and tables.
7. Breathe And Clear Your Mind
These tests can be stressful, so if you’re mentally spinning, take a moment to reset. It will be worth the precious seconds if you can get back into a regular rhythm.
Try some free brain training apps like Elevate, Peak, and Mensa Brain Training.
Next Steps in the Kearney Recruitment Process
Once you’ve aced the Kearney recruitment test, you’ll be asked to do a screening interview with HR before your formal interviews.
Kearney typically has 2 rounds of interviews before they make final offer decisions. Each round has 3 interviews, including Behavioral Interviews and Case Interviews. You can learn more about prepping for those interviews with our Ultimate Guide to Case Prep!
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In this article, we’ve covered:
- An overview of the Kearney recruitment test
- The skills you need to ace the Kearney online assessment
- What you need to do to prep for the Kearney online assessment
- 6 tips to ace the test
- What’s comes next in the Kearney recruitment process
Still have questions?
If you have more questions about the Kearney recruitment test, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s case coaches will answer them.
Other people prepping for the Kearney recruitment test found the following pages helpful:
Help with Case Study Interview Prep
Thanks for turning to My Consulting Offer for advice on the Kearney recruitment test. My Consulting Offer has helped 89.6% of the people we’ve worked with to get a job in management consulting. We want you to be successful in your consulting interviews too. For example, here is how Wayne was able to get his offer from Kearney.
Nail the case & fit interview with strategies from former MBB Interviewers that have helped 89.6% of our clients pass the case interview.