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Situational judgement test: how it works and how to prepare

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A situational judgement test (SJT) shows you short scenes from working life and asks how to react. Each scene comes with several possible actions. You pick the best and the worst one, put them in order, or rate each one. Research describes the SJT as a test of "procedural knowledge": it asks what you should do in a situation (Webster et al., Medical Education, 2020, retrieved 31 Oct 2026). You can meet it in online assessments, in graduate and trainee selection, and in the German public sector. This guide explains the formats, what the test measures, how to prepare, and walks you through five example tasks with solutions.

ContentsWhat is a situational judgement test?

Key takeaways

  • An SJT gives you a work situation and several reactions. You choose, rank or rate them (Webster et al.).
  • German public employers use it. The Federal Foreign Office added an SJT of about 30 minutes on conflict-heavy office situations to its 2026 selection (Auswärtiges Amt, 14 Apr 2026).
  • There is no universal answer key. Each employer fixes the right answers in advance, often with experienced staff (Möller, University of Münster, 2010).
  • The best preparation is to know the format and to read the employer’s values and requirements, not to learn answers by heart.

What is a situational judgement test?

In an SJT you read (or watch) a scenario, usually about people at work: a colleague misses a deadline, a customer complains, two tasks land on your desk at once. Then you judge several possible reactions. The usual formats are ranking or rating the reactions by how appropriate or effective they are, or choosing the best and the worst one (Webster et al.).

The test does not check facts you learned. It checks whether you can tell a good reaction from a weak one in a typical work situation. The “right” answers are set before the test runs. The developers decide which reactions are effective and which are not. This set of answers is called the scoring key, and it is often defined by subject matter experts or very good employees (Möller, University of Münster, 2010, retrieved 31 Oct 2026).

Key point: That is why the same reaction can score well at one employer and less well at another.

If you want to practise the timed number, word and logic tasks that often come in the same online round, try our online assessment practice test. It is free.

Where employers in Germany use SJTs

Online assessments

Some employers send an online test after you apply. An SJT can be one part of it, next to tests on numbers, language or logic, as in the Foreign Office example below. The Bundesagentur für Arbeit notes that tests in selection procedures often run on a computer (Bundesagentur für Arbeit, retrieved 31 Oct 2026).

Graduate and trainee programmes

The LSE careers service says SJTs are used by a wide range of employers in graduate recruitment, and that a test typically takes about 30 minutes (LSE Careers, retrieved 31 Oct 2026). That page is about the UK. Employers in Germany may use similar online rounds for their trainee programmes, but we found no official figure on how many do.

Tip: If an invitation mentions “situational” or “scenario” questions, expect an SJT.

The public sector

Public employers in Germany publish their selection steps, so you can check what is coming. The Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) is a clear example:

Career track What the 2026 selection includes Source
Middle grade service (mittlerer Dienst) Online written stage in late April 2026 with aptitude tests, an SJT on conflict-heavy office situations and an English test. You choose your test time within a set 48-hour window Auswärtiges Amt, Auswahlverfahren
Middle grade service, details The SJT is new and takes about 30 minutes. The whole aptitude test takes about three hours Auswärtiges Amt, preparation page, 14 Apr 2026
Higher service (höherer Dienst) A one-hour “Test zum situationsbezogenen Urteilsvermögen” (TsU), a test of situational judgement, inside a supervised online test with an ID check, held on 1 September 2026 from any location Auswärtiges Amt, FAQ

All three pages retrieved 31 Oct 2026. After the written stage, the middle grade service has a one-day assessment centre with an interview, a role play and a group task (Auswärtiges Amt). Our guide to the assessment centre in Germany explains those exercises.

EU institutions also use SJTs. The EU’s selection office (EPSO) publishes a sample test with 20 scenarios, each with 4 statements (EPSO sample test, retrieved 31 Oct 2026).

Six tasks, one timer

Numbers, text and logic, with a timer and solutions.

Start the testRuns in your browser. Answers stay here.

The answer formats

You will meet one of four formats, or a mix (Webster et al.; University of Manchester, retrieved 31 Oct 2026):

Format What you do Tip
Best response Pick the one best reaction Look for the reaction that solves the problem and keeps people informed
Best and worst (most and least effective) Pick the best and the worst reaction Spend real thought on the worst one. It scores too
Ranking Put all reactions in order, best first Fix the top and the bottom first, then sort the middle
Rating scale Rate each reaction, for example from “very effective” to “very ineffective” Rate each one on its own. Several can be good

Some tests show the scenes as video or animation instead of text (LSE Careers).

“Should” or “would”? Read the instruction

The instruction changes the task. Some tests ask which reaction is best or most effective. Others ask which reaction you would most likely or least likely show (Möller). The first type is close to a knowledge test. The second asks about your usual behaviour. The EPSO sample test, for example, says it gives information on your “typical behaviour” at work and does not test speed (EPSO).

How scoring can work

Many tests give partial points. EPSO publishes its rules. Each scenario gives 0 to 2 points (EPSO example, retrieved 31 Oct 2026):

Your choice Points
Your “most effective” is the real most effective 1
Your “most effective” is another option, not the worst 0.5
Your “most effective” is the real least effective 0
Your “least effective” is the real least effective 1
Your “least effective” is another option, not the best 0.5
Your “least effective” is the real most effective 0

Key point: Mixing up best and worst costs the most. A “close” answer still earns something.

What an SJT measures

An SJT measures judgement in the situations that matter for the job. The competences come from the employer’s requirements. EPSO, for example, names five competences for its test: resilience, prioritising and organising, analysis and problem solving, working with others, and delivering quality and results (EPSO example). The Manchester careers service adds that the right answers are shaped by the behaviours, values and approaches the organisation finds important (University of Manchester).

How well do SJTs predict job performance? A 2020 meta-analysis pooled 26 studies from medical selection and found an average correlation of 0.32 between SJT scores and later ratings of how people work with others (Webster et al.). That is a real link, but far from perfect. Results also varied a lot between studies.

Key point: One SJT result is one piece of the decision, not the whole decision.

German practice points the same way. The German standard for aptitude assessment, DIN 33430, starts from the requirements of the job. DIN Media writes that no sensible assessment is possible without first defining the right requirements, and that methods must be scientifically founded and tested (DIN Media, Eignungsdiagnostik, retrieved 31 Oct 2026).

How to prepare

1. Read the requirements in the job ad

The job ad tells you what the test is built on. The Manchester careers service says the job description and person specification often show the approaches the employer wants (University of Manchester). Mark every soft skill in the ad: customer focus, teamwork, reliability, independent work. These are your hints.

Paste the job ad and see its requirements and key terms.

Check a job ad

2. Find the values and competence model on the careers page

Many employers publish their values or a competence model (“Kompetenzmodell”, “Leitbild”, “Werte”, “Unsere Kultur”). Read it and note three to five values. LSE Careers says the scenarios often reflect the employer’s values (LSE Careers). Public employers often describe their selection steps in detail, as the Foreign Office does.

3. Learn the format, not the answers

The Foreign Office says targeted learning is not possible for its aptitude test, but being familiar with the type of task has a small positive effect on results (Auswärtiges Amt).

Tip: Do a few sample tasks so the format doesn’t surprise you, then stop.

Free official sample tasks you can use:

Source What you get
SHL A practice situational judgement test, next to reasoning and personality practice tests. SHL says the practice tests only help you get to know the format, and their difficulty may differ from the real test (SHL, Practice Tests, retrieved 1 Nov 2026)
Talogy (formerly Cubiks) Example questions for its situational judgement tests and ability tests. The site is available in German and English, among other languages (Talogy practice tests, linked from Talogy candidate support, retrieved 1 Nov 2026). Cubiks became part of Talogy in 2022 (Talogy, 15 Mar 2022)
EPSO (EU institutions) A sample test with 20 scenarios and 4 statements each (EPSO sample test)

If your invitation names a test provider, start with that provider’s own practice material.

Get used to timed online tasks with worked solutions.

Start the practice test

4. Use a few simple rules

The Manchester careers service gives practical steers (University of Manchester):

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5. Stay consistent

If the employer uses an assessment centre or an interview later, they see how you act in person. Answer the SJT in a way you can stand behind in the interview. Our guide to the job interview in Germany helps with that next step, and the overview on how to find a job in Germany shows where the tests sit in the whole process.

Practise the interview that often follows the test.

Practise in the Mock Interview Trainer

Your SJT preparation checklist

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Five example tasks with solutions

These five tasks are our own examples, written for this guide. They are not taken from any real test. The people and companies are invented. Real tests use the scoring key of the employer, so treat our solutions as a way to think, not as the one right answer.

Example 1 of this guide: an angry customer calls about a delayed delivery. Four reactions, A to D. B (apologise, check with the warehouse, call back by a fixed time) is the most effective, A (say there is nothing you can do) the least effective.The scene Angry customer,delayed delivery,cause unknown A Nothing I can do✗ least effectiveB Apologise, check, call back✓ most effective C Pass to the team leadD Full refund at once
One scene, four reactions: mark the most and the least effective. This is our own example task, not from a real test.

Example 1: Most and least effective

You work in a customer service team. A customer calls for the third time about a delayed delivery and is angry. You can’t see the cause in the system.

  • A. Tell the customer that delays happen and there is nothing you can do.
  • B. Apologise, explain that you will check with the warehouse, and promise to call back by a fixed time.
  • C. Pass the call to your team lead straight away.
  • D. Offer a full refund at once without checking anything.

Solution: Most effective: B. Least effective: A. Why: B takes the customer seriously, takes action and keeps the customer informed. A does nothing and ends the contact. C may be needed later, but you haven’t tried anything yourself yet. D acts without facts and may go beyond what you are allowed to decide.

Example 2: Ranking

You and your colleague Sam Weber prepare a report for Friday. On Wednesday you see that Sam’s part has not started. Sam has not said anything.

  • A. Write Sam’s part yourself without telling anyone.
  • B. Ask Sam directly how the part is going and whether help is needed.
  • C. Tell your manager that Sam is behind.
  • D. Wait until Thursday evening and see.

Solution (best to worst): B, C, A, D. Why: B solves the problem early and treats Sam with respect. C is fine if B doesn’t help, but going to the manager first skips a step. A saves the deadline but hides the problem and may double the work. D is waiting and hoping, which risks the deadline.

Example 3: Rating scale

You start a new job. On day three, your manager Ms Klein gives you a task, but you don’t understand one step. She is in meetings all day. Rate each reaction from 1 (very ineffective) to 4 (very effective).

  • A. Send Ms Klein a short email with your question, and start with the parts you understand.
  • B. Ask an experienced colleague in your team.
  • C. Guess the step and hope it is right.
  • D. Stop working on the task until Ms Klein has time.

Solution: A: 4. B: 4. C: 1. D: 2. Why: In a rating format more than one answer can be good. A and B both get the information and keep the work moving. D is safe but loses a day. C risks a mistake you could easily have avoided.

Example 4: Most and least effective, public office

You work at the front desk of a public office. A visitor wants to hand in a form, but one signature is missing. The visitor says they took a day off for this and can’t come back.

  • A. Refuse the form and tell the visitor to come back another time.
  • B. Accept the form anyway and say nothing.
  • C. Explain politely what is missing and check whether the visitor can sign now or send the missing part by post or online.
  • D. Ask the visitor to wait while you discuss the case at length with three colleagues.

Solution: Most effective: C. Least effective: B. Why: C follows the rules and still looks for a way to help. B breaks the rules, and the form may fail later, which is worse for the visitor too. A is correct on the rules but doesn’t help. D wastes the visitor’s time without a clear plan.

Example 5: Priorities

It is 9:00. Your manager asks for a sales figure for a meeting at 11:00. At the same time, a long-standing client writes that an invoice is wrong. Which do you do first?

  • A. Correct the invoice fully, then do the sales figure.
  • B. Reply to the client at once that you are checking the invoice and will answer today, then prepare the sales figure, then correct the invoice.
  • C. Prepare the sales figure and answer the client tomorrow.
  • D. Ask your manager to move the meeting.

Solution: Most effective: B. Least effective: C. Why: B meets the fixed deadline and keeps the client informed. It costs two minutes and prevents frustration. C leaves the client waiting without a word. A may put the 11:00 deadline at risk. D asks others to change their plans when you could manage both tasks.

Patterns in the solutions

Across the five examples, the strong answers share a few traits: act early, talk to the people involved, follow the rules, keep others informed, and escalate only when your own step didn’t work. The weak answers do nothing, hide the problem or break a rule. These patterns match the general advice above, but each employer can weigh them differently.

Practise more test tasks with a timer.

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Put this guide to work

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FAQ

Can I fail a situational judgement test?

Yes, if your score is below what the employer needs at that stage. Often the SJT is combined with other tests, so the overall picture counts. The Foreign Office, for example, runs its SJT together with aptitude and English tests (Auswärtiges Amt).

How long does an SJT take?

Around 30 minutes is common. That is the time the Foreign Office gives for its middle grade SJT (Auswärtiges Amt) and the typical length LSE Careers names (LSE Careers). The Foreign Office test for the higher service takes one hour (Auswärtiges Amt, FAQ).

Is an SJT timed?

It depends on the test. EPSO states that its SJT does not aim to measure speed (EPSO). Check the instructions before you start.

Should I answer what the employer wants to hear?

Read the instruction. If it asks what is most effective, think about the role and the employer’s values. If it asks what you would do, answer honestly, because later stages show how you really act.

Will the test be in German or English?

That depends on the employer and the job. If the job ad is in English, ask the recruiter in which language the online test runs. If it is in German, practise reading short work scenarios in German first.

An SJT in German is a reading test as well. Small words decide the answer: “sofort” (at once), “zunächst” (first), “ohne Rücksprache” (without checking with anyone). As a rough check, the Council of Europe describes B2 as understanding the main ideas of complex texts, including technical discussions in your field (Council of Europe, CEFR global scale, retrieved 1 Nov 2026). If your German is below that, ask whether the test is also available in English. To build workplace German, the free vhs-Lernportal has online courses at A2 to B1 and B2 level with scenes from everyday working life (vhs-Lernportal info sheet, retrieved 1 Nov 2026). The Talogy practice site above is also available in German.

Template: Asking about the test language
Dear [Name],

thank you for the invitation to the online test for the position of [Job title]. Could you tell me in which language the test runs?

Kind regards,
[Your name]

Is there an answer key I can learn?

No universal one. Each test has its own scoring key, set by the people who built it (Möller). Learn the format and the employer’s values instead.

Sources