Application and interview advice
Application process
Our application process involves 3 or 4 main stages, depending on which programme you apply for:
- On-line application form
- On-line verbal reasoning psychometric test * (Management Consulting only)
- Telephone interview
- Half-day assessment centre in a Capgemini office
A typical Assessment Centre involves:
- Meeting an existing graduate
- An interview with a Capgemini manager, which includes:
- A case study review (prepared prior to the assessment centre)
- A short ‘On the Spot’ case study review (Management Consulting only)
- Psychometric testing *
- For Management Consulting - a paper based verbal reasoning psychometric test (to validate the pass at the on-line test)
- For Business Technology Consulting and Outsourcing - a paper based IT verbal reasoning test and a diagrammatic reasoning test
- A group exercise.
(* Sample questions, practice tests and assessment advice can be found here.)
Please note, the Management Consulting programme is now closed for applications for the 2009 intake.
Completing an online application form
Before you start making your application, you should thoroughly research our graduate programmes. Make sure you’re clear about the kind of career we’re offering and the kind of candidate we’re looking for.
The online application process for our graduate programmes has 5 stages:
- Step 1 – Choose a programme and register
- Step 2 – Your education
- Step 3 – Your employment history and work experience
- Step 4 – More about you
- Step 5 – Additional details
When you register with us for the first time, you’ll get an email confirming your user name and password. Keep these details – you’ll need them to log back in as a registered user.
Once you’ve started an online application, you can save it and return to it at any time. There is a "save" button on every page. Make sure you save your form before closing your browser, or your changes might be lost.
You will automatically be logged out after an hour’s inactivity, so save your changes before you take a break.
Tips for completing the form
Please take time to impress us with your application form. This is the first stage in our recruitment process, and what you write on the form will be the only information we have about you. It’s this information on which we base our decision to invite you to interview with us – or not.
Make sure that you spell-check the entire form and that you fully answer all the questions before submitting it.
Save regularly. If your computer is slow or tends to freeze, it may be a good idea to save your long answers in Microsoft Word and paste them into the application form. After an hour of inactivity, you will be logged out of the application form and changes since your last save will be lost.
Don't forget to answer all the open-ended questions (especially those in the "About you" section). It’s these answers in particular that distinguish you from other applicants.
Help with your application
If you have any problems completing this application, call Graduate Recruitment on 020 7434 2171 or contact us.
Interview Tips
Prepare sample answers
You should prepare five or six strong, specific, examples that best demonstrate your skills and abilities. Think of experiences from your past you are proud of. These can be from your work experience, personal or social life, hobbies, etc. Do not use examples that ended negatively, e.g. “despite my best efforts it didn’t work.” It also makes sense to know about the company - so do your research beforehand!
Consider the following the 'STAR' method for each experience that you will be describing to the interviewer:
• Situation - What was the situation? What was the background and context?
• Task - What specific task did you need to accomplish?
• Action- What specifically did you say and do? What were the actions you took? How do you do it? Why you did it?
• Result- What were the results of your actions? What was the impact? What did you learn?
Don’t bluff
If you don’t understand the question then clarify it with the interviewer and if you don’t have an example don’t make one up! And don’t use an example that isn’t from your own experiences. This is often identified when the interviewer asks for more detail.
Ask questions
This is your opportunity to find out more about the organisation you could be working for. Remember it is as much us choosing you as an employee as it is about you choosing us an employer. Think about those things that are important to you in advance, e.g. working hours, training, lifestyle, support, salary, travel, etc.
Remember:
• Be prepared
• Be honest
• Be yourself
Best of luck!
