Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs)
Values alignment — the employer's values, not common sense.
What it is
Situational Judgement Tests present realistic workplace scenarios and ask you to rank responses from most to least effective, or identify the best and worst actions. They test values alignment — how you would behave in practice — not abstract reasoning. The NHS Foundation Programme uses SJTs as the primary selection mechanism; scores directly determine FY1 placement ranking.
Who uses it
- NHS Foundation Programme (mandatory for all UK medical graduates — score determines FY1 allocation)
- Civil Service Fast Stream and many government departments
- Major FMCG companies (Unilever, P&G, Nestlé)
- Some investment banks and financial services firms
- Armed Forces and police graduate schemes
What it tests
- How your instinctive responses align with the employer's stated values (integrity, inclusion, patient safety, teamwork)
- Prioritisation under competing demands — what you do first, second, and last
- Professionalism: how you handle conflict, difficult colleagues, or unclear instructions
- Judgement about when to escalate, act independently, or defer to others
Common mistakes
Choosing the most efficient action
SJTs don't test efficiency — they test values. The 'most effective' answer is the one that best reflects the employer's stated values, even if a faster option exists.
Not reading the employer's values first
Every scenario in an SJT maps to a specific competency or value. Read the employer's values page and competency framework before sitting the test — it tells you how they want you to think.
Treating all SJTs the same
An NHS SJT scores very differently from a Civil Service SJT. The NHS version prioritises patient safety above all else; the Civil Service version emphasises integrity and inclusion. Treat each employer separately.
Overthinking 'most/least effective' rankings
If you're torn between two options, ask which one better reflects the employer's top stated value. That is usually the higher-ranked option.
How to prepare
- 1Before sitting the SJT, read the employer's values page, competency framework, and any published scoring guidance — these documents reveal the answer logic.
- 2For the NHS SJT: download the UKFPO official practice scenarios (free) and mark them to understand why each ranking is correct.
- 3For Civil Service SJTs: practice with published example scenarios from the Cabinet Office website.
- 4Do not try to 'second-guess' what sounds impressive — assessors are trained to spot answers that are too polished or unrealistic.
- 5After each practice scenario, articulate which employer value the correct answer reflects — this builds the instinct needed for the real test.
