Kearney Online Test (SHL General Ability)

Hi,

First of all, congrats on the invitation! 
The SHL General Ability test is pretty standard expect numerical, logical, and verbal questions under tight time pressure.

Biggest tip: speed matters as much as accuracy. You won’t finish everything, so don’t get stuck; skip and come back.

For prep, just do a few timed SHL-style practice tests (you can find several sources on the web) to get used to the format; the goal isn’t to learn new math it’s to think quickly and stay calm under pressure.

Hope it helps
Franco

Congrats on the test invite!

It's pretty similar to all the other tests, covering numericals, logical reasoning, etc. 

You'll find lots of examples online to practice. You might also want to reach out to the recruiter and ask them if they offer any free resources for practice too. 

And you might also find this guide useful:

• • Cheatsheet: The Must-Know Consulting Terms for Interviews

If you need help, drop me a message.
Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

Luckily, all of these online tests are very similar.

Format? Somewhat different. Content and what's required from you ability-wise? Essentially the same.

The best way is to really find online tests / questions and practice. Regardless as to whether is a new or old test, the principles are mostly the same:

Time management (need to think quick) / Business knowledge/context (incl key formulas) / Critical thinking (answers that are very similar to each other...clues 'hidden' in the text) / Ability to interpret data/charts.

Think of it as a merge of a case and the GMAT/GRE. You need to be clear on some key case-related and account formulas (margin, growth, breakeven, etc) as well as be good at critically understanding the question (including nuance to questions) and parsing through complicated text with a fair amount of distraction. You'll also need to be good at chart/graph reading.

The (old) McKinsey PST, BCG Online Test, Bain SOVA test, etc. are all quite similar so leverage resources across all of them.

Congrats — good step.

Yes, this is a fairly standard screening test. For Kearney, the SHL General Ability test is usually focused on:

• numerical reasoning
• logical reasoning
• verbal / critical reasoning
• heavy time pressure

Honestly, the biggest challenge is often speed, not difficulty.

A few practical tips:

1. Practice SHL-style questions specifically
This helps much more than generic GMAT prep.

2. Train under time pressure
Don’t just solve questions — do them timed.

3. Don’t get stuck
If one question is eating time, move on.

4. Be sharp on basics
Percentages, ratios, quick chart interpretation.

If I well remember SHL should have some practice material on their website — worth doing to get used to the format.

And one point people underestimate: confidence matters here. The more practice you do, the calmer you’ll be.

Overall, don’t overthink it — prepare a bit, get used to the format, and manage the clock well. That’s most of the battle.

SHL General Ability is a standard cognitive test. It checks numerical, verbal, and inductive reasoning under tight time pressure. The challenge is speed, not difficulty.

To prep, take 4 to 5 free SHL practice tests online. Search "SHL General Ability practice" or try JobTestPrep. Drill mental math for percentages, ratios, growth rates. For verbal, if the passage does not say it, the answer is cannot say. For inductive, just do reps.

Tips: If a question takes more than 60 seconds, guess and move on. Sit somewhere quiet with paper and pen. Read every question carefully, most mistakes come from rushing the question. Sleep well the night before.

Good luck.

hey!

The test is pretty standard and tests three areas: numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, and logical/abstract reasoning. The best preparation is simply doing a few SHL‑style practice tests to get used to the timing and question formats. The difficulty is manageable once you get the rhythm, and the biggest challenge is speed rather than complexity. Make sure you stay calm, skip questions that take too long, and come back if time allows. With a bit of practice, you’ll be totally fine. Good luck!

Alessa