About Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank, part of Lloyds Banking Group, is a British retail and commercial bank dating back to 1765. With headquarters in London, Lloyds is one of the leading retail and commercial banks, providing a range of financial products and services to millions of customers every day.
Lloyds Bank describes itself as guided by values of putting customers first, keeping it simple, and making a difference. It claims an inclusive and diverse work culture, which is central to its success.
Currently, Lloyds Bank has over 45,000 employees and recruits in a wide range of areas, including customer-focused, tech and transformation, and specialist functions. Positions are also available for apprentices, undergraduates and graduates through Lloyds' 'Early Careers' opportunities.
Lloyds Bank application process
Lloyds is regarded as one of the ‘Big Four’ banks in the UK, making it highly competitive among job-seekers. Therefore, you should ensure you have a good understanding of each stage of the application process, and prepare adequately to give you the best possible chance.
The Lloyds graduate scheme is particularly sought after among graduates in finance, economics and software engineering. To apply for the graduate scheme, you must have, or be predicted to achieve, a 2:2 or above.
Graduate and intern opportunities usually open in late September for the following year, and although Lloyds sets closing dates for its schemes, they may close early. So apply as early as possible to ensure you don't miss out.
Throughout the application process, keep in mind the qualities that Lloyds Bank looks for in its prospective employees. These are known as Lloyds 'Brand Behaviours', and include:
- Dedicated
- Empathetic
- Knowledgeable
Online application form
The first stage of the Lloyds Bank application process, which is required for all roles, is to complete the online application form. Your CV is not required, but you will need to provide some personal information, academic achievements and previous work experience.
You will also be asked some basic screening questions, such as why you are interested in working for Lloyds Bank. This is so Lloyds gets a better idea of your strengths and motivations.
Take some time to review the job description and Lloyds' key values, to ensure that your answers are aligned with the skills and key traits that Lloyds Bank is seeking in prospective employees.
It is important to craft a thorough and honest response, highlighting what makes you a right fit for Lloyds and the position itself.
Online assessment
After submitting your application, you will have five days to complete and submit your online assessment. Please note, your application will not be considered until the online tests are submitted.
The Lloyds Bank online assessment is based on SHL-style assessments and includes the following tests:
- Numerical reasoning test
- Verbal reasoning test
- Inductive reasoning test
- Situational judgement test
These tests are designed to measure your cognitive ability, as well as your judgement and work behaviour.
To give yourself the best experience, complete the online assessment using a common browser such as Chrome or Firefox on a computer/laptop, and ensure you have a strong wi-fi connection.
Find yourself a quiet room, away from distractions, and have a pen, paper and calculator handy.
Numerical reasoning test
Strong numerical skills are essential when working in the finance industry. Many companies therefore use numerical reasoning tests as part of the application process to help predict who will perform well in the role.
A numerical reasoning test measures your ability to read, understand and analyse numerical data presented in the form of graphs, tables, percentages and ratios, by asking you multiple-choice questions about the data.
The numerical reasoning questions do not involve complex mathematical calculations, and are set at around the same level as GCSE maths in terms of difficulty. This is not a maths test, and instead aims to measure your ability to deal with mathematical problems in a business context, such as calculating the profit margin.
These tests are under timed conditions, and so the challenge often comes with working quickly, but also accurately.
The best way to prepare for numerical reasoning tests is to sharpen your ability to interpret numerical information by practicing tests under timed conditions. Check out our guide to numerical reasoning tests here.
Verbal Reasoning Test
In the finance sector, verbal reasoning is just as important as numerical reasoning, as it shows you are able to digest written information quickly and accurately, and have strong communication skills.
A verbal reasoning test is used to measure your ability to quickly read, understand and analyse information presented in passages of text. The test will require you to filter through the text and pull out key pieces of information to answer multiple-choice questions.
Make sure you read the passage carefully to ensure no details are missed. You do not need to have any prior knowledge for the test as all the information you need is in the paragraph. That said, it's important to get accustomed to the format and the questions by practising verbal reasoning tests.
Check out why preparing for a verbal reasoning test is so important.
Inductive reasoning test
The inductive reasoning test measures your ability to find solutions based on unfamiliar and limited information. You will need to look for rules and patterns between the shapes or diagrams to determine the relationship between them, and use this to solve the question.
The question will typically ask you to select the next item in the sequence, or spot the missing item from the sequence.
Employers use inductive reasoning tests to test your capacity to understand and apply new and abstract information, which can help predict how well you approach new rules and situations.
Although the information you face in the real test will be new, practicing inductive reasoning tests will help you become familiar with the format, and develop techniques and strategies to tackle them.
Situational judgement test
A situational judgement test presents you with hypothetical scenarios that reflect common situations you may encounter when working for Lloyds Bank. You will then need to select the most effective course of action to take out of a set of predetermined responses. These tests are used to measure how you would behave in the workplace.
Situational judgement tests can be challenging as there is often no clear choice. However, you can prepare for the test by familiarising yourself with the Lloyds ‘Brand Behaviours’ and core values, to ensure your responses are in line with what they are looking for.
Job Insight Assessment
If you successfully pass the online assessment, you will receive an invitation to the Lloyds Bank Job Insight Assessment.
The test assesses how you approach challenges in a range of realistic workplace situations, and will give you a greater understanding of the types of projects and tasks you may get involved with at Lloyds.
Lloyds Bank estimates the time it will take to complete the assessment is approximately 60 minutes, and up to 90 minutes for Finance or Commercial Banking applicants.
Assessment day
If you are successful at the Job Insight Assessment, you will move onto the final stage of the application process, the assessment day.
The assessment day is conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams. It will be similar to an in-person assessment centre, with other candidates and assessors present. The assessment day will consist of:
Case study and presentation
You will review a pack of information relating to a case study, after which you will present your ideas to the group. The assessors are looking for your ability to think analytically, and communicate these ideas effectively.
Group activities
In the group exercise, you will typically be given information about a problem, and will have to formulate a solution as a group. It is not so much about what you come up with, but how you work collaboratively in a team. The assessors will be looking at your contributions to group discussions and your ability to listen to others.
One-to-one interview
The assessment day will also involve a one-to-one competency-based interview. This will include questions like 'describe a situation in which you led a team'. You will need to give specific examples to support your response, and so coming up with some ahead of time is a good idea.
Be sure to revisit the Lloyds Bank 'Brand Behaviours' and values, and keep these in mind throughout the interview.
