Jefferies online assessment 2026: the SHL tests, interviews and how to prepare

After you apply to a Jefferies student or graduate programme, the next step is an online assessment. Candidates and prep sites consistently report it runs on SHL, in two parts. First a situational judgement test, then SHL's general ability test (Verify G+), which mixes numerical, deductive and inductive reasoning, mostly in a drag-and-drop format. Interviews follow. Jefferies doesn't publish its test providers, so treat this as the most likely format and confirm it from your invitation. For SHL formats in general, see the SHL tests guide.

• Jefferies runs 10-week summer analyst and associate programmes, with entry-level roles too.
• It says it hires from many disciplines: finance, economics, computer science, engineering, maths and liberal arts.
• The online assessment tests judgement and general reasoning, not finance knowledge.
• The interactive G+ format feels very different from multiple choice, so practise it specifically.

The Jefferies application process

1. Online application through the Jefferies job portal, with your CV and motivation for the division.
2. Online assessment (reported): SHL situational judgement test + SHL Verify G+.
3. Video or phone interview (reported): motivation, competency and market-awareness questions.
4. Final round / superday: interviews; a modelling test is reported for summer analyst finalists.

Part 1: the situational judgement test

You read short workplace scenarios and judge the best (and sometimes worst) responses. Prep sites report around 14 questions. There's no trick: Jefferies is looking for judgement that matches how a junior banker should behave. That means owning mistakes, escalating properly, protecting the client, and not taking shortcuts with compliance. Our situational judgement guide covers the method.

Part 2: SHL Verify G+

G+ is SHL's general ability test, mixing three skills in one timed test, commonly 24 questions in 36 minutes (about 90 seconds each). Candidates report Jefferies uses the interactive version, where you build the answer instead of picking an option:

• Numerical: charts and tables; you may drag bars or rank values. Guide
• Deductive: scheduling and ranking under rules. Guide
• Inductive: shape and node sequences. Guide

Try it: three free warm-up questions

The interviews

Candidates describe a video or phone interview after the online assessment, covering why Jefferies, why the division, competency examples and markets. Jefferies is smaller than the bulge-bracket banks, so "why Jefferies rather than a larger bank?" needs a real answer: think about deal exposure, team size and the sectors you care about. See the most common video interview questions for the question types banks use most.

Related guides

• Which SHL test am I taking?
• SHL TalentCentral
• Deductive reasoning test
• Assessment guides by employer

Source notes

Programme length, disciplines and the selective interview process come from Jefferies' students and graduates page. The SHL provider, test parts, question counts and timings come from candidate reports and prep sites (for example Intervyo and JobTestPrep), which Jefferies hasn't confirmed.

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 — Jefferies 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 Jefferies or any test publisher, and it should not be relied on as a definitive statement of Jefferies’s current process. Always confirm the exact test and provider from your official invitation email before you prepare.