Baker Tilly assessment centre and online test: SHL, Watson Glaser and interview prep

Baker Tilly candidates commonly prepare for SHL-style numerical and verbal reasoning before an assessment centre, with Watson Glaser-style critical thinking appearing on some routes. This page is narrower than the main Baker Tilly assessments guide: it focuses on the exact test format candidates search for when they receive an assessment invite. For broader stages, compare the employer assessment hub.

Source note: forge checks these company-test pages against official provider guidance from SHL, Aon, and HireVue, then treats employer-provider links as provisional. Use the guide to choose the right transferable drill, but let your invitation email override any public report on provider, timing or section order. If the invite is vague, prepare the named skill first, then add one adjacent format so you are not surprised by a mixed battery.

Baker Tilly online test and assessment centre: quick summary

• Main signal: SHL numerical/verbal and Watson Glaser-style critical thinking for some routes.
• Likely timing: varies by scheme; online tests are usually separately timed before the assessment centre.
• Numerical questions usually focus on tables, percentages and business figures.
• Verbal or critical-thinking tasks test precision with written evidence.
• The assessment centre may include interview, group and role-specific exercises.

Baker Tilly assessment route map

Use the table below to turn the wording in your invitation into a practice route. The employer name is useful context, but the test label is what should decide your first drill.

Question types to practise first

Do not practise every psychometric topic equally. For this page, start with the question types below because they are closest to the reported Baker Tilly format.

• Percentage change and ratios
• Table lookup under time pressure
• Assumption and inference questions
• Competency interview examples

Do not stop at reading the format. Build speed with a timed drill. Practise SHL numerical free on forge

If your invite includes a second format, practise that separately. Practise verbal reasoning

Representative sample question

The exact test may use a different scenario, but the underlying arithmetic and reading traps are usually familiar: percentages, ratios, base selection, inference from a passage, or judgement under constraints.

How to use this guide with your invite

Before you start practising, compare the words in your invitation with the provider signal above. If it names SHL, AON, HireVue, Cappfinity, Pymetrics or another platform, follow that provider route first. If it only names the skill, such as numerical reasoning or situational judgement, practise the closest transferable format and keep one session for the adjacent skill most likely to appear next. That keeps your prep specific without betting everything on a provider claim that may be outdated.

What forge sees candidates confuse

The common mistake is treating the company page as proof of one fixed test stack. In practice, candidates often remember the employer name and forget the assessment label in the portal. That leads to broad prep when the invite has already narrowed the work. ForBaker Tilly, start from the phrase closest to SHL numerical/verbal and Watson Glaser-style critical thinking for some routes, then check whether the task is asking for speeded reasoning, workplace judgement, game-style behaviour or recorded answers.

A useful review rule is to tag every practice miss by cause: wrong data, wrong base, over-reading, pattern guess, judgement mismatch or slow correct answer. That turns a generic online test and assessment centre session into a short list of fixes before the real assessment.

How to prepare

• Practise numerical questions using accounting, audit and business-service scenarios.
• Prepare concise examples for teamwork, client service, integrity and resilience.
• For critical thinking, separate what is stated from what merely sounds plausible.
• Read the invitation email. Confirm whether Baker Tilly names SHL numerical/verbal and Watson Glaser-style critical thinking for some routes or another provider for your exact role.
• Baseline the main format. Take one timed drill for online test and assessment centre, then review every miss by trap type.
• Practise weak question types. Prioritise Percentage change and ratios, Table lookup under time pressure, Assumption and inference questions before doing full mocks.
• Prepare the next stage. Build concise interview stories and rehearse any video interview answers on camera.

Related guides

• Baker Tilly assessments guide
• All employer assessment guides
• SHL Tests
• Situational Judgement Tests

Frequently asked questions

Note on accuracy: the test providers named in this guide reflect candidate reports and publicly available information as of 2026, and are provided for preparation guidance only. Employers do not usually publish which assessment provider they use, and these relationships change over time — Baker Tilly may switch providers, run different tests for different roles, regions or intakes, or use a provider not listed here. Nothing on this page is confirmed or endorsed by Baker Tilly or any test publisher, and it should not be relied on as a definitive statement of Baker Tilly’s current process. Always confirm the exact test and provider from your official invitation email before you prepare.