IBM Kenexa tests are numerical, verbal and logical reasoning tests, Prove It skills tests and work-style questionnaires that some employers still send, though IBM no longer delivers them itself. Under a January 2020 agreement, SHL provides the Kenexa test content through its Talent Central platform, so a Kenexa test today may arrive in an SHL-branded invitation. This page covers what the IBM Kenexa assessment is, its format and timings, how it is scored, the rules to know before you start, how to prepare and a practice plan.
What the IBM Kenexa assessment is
IBM bought Kenexa in 2012. SHL announced in January 2020 that it would provide IBM Kenexa assessment content alongside its own tests on Talent Central, as a transition path for Kenexa clients, and a commercial testing site reports that IBM retired its own Kenexa assessment platform at the end of 2021. IBM sold its BrassRing applicant tracking system, also from Kenexa, to Infinite Computer Solutions in 2021. Prep sites name Accenture, Bank of America, Caterpillar, Deloitte, GE, J.P. Morgan, Amazon, PwC and Microsoft as Kenexa users, but employers change publishers often.
Do not confuse Kenexa with the tests IBM uses for its own hiring, covered in our IBM online assessment guide.
Format and timings
| Part | What it involves | Time and questions |
|---|---|---|
| Numerical reasoning | Tables, charts and graphs: percentages, ratios, fractions and basic algebra | Commonly reported: 20 to 30 questions in 20 to 30 minutes; about 32 in 35 minutes for graduate roles |
| Verbal reasoning | A passage, then true, false or cannot say | Commonly reported: 20 to 30 questions in 20 to 25 minutes |
| Logical reasoning | Abstract, non-verbal pattern problems | Commonly reported: 26 questions in 25 minutes |
| Prove It skills tests | Job-specific tests such as typing, Microsoft Office, clerical, accounting and technical knowledge | Varies by test |
| Personality and fit questionnaires | Career Fit, Culture Fit and the Behaviours and Motivations Questionnaire for managers | Commonly reported: 20 minutes to an hour |
| Situational judgment | Pick the most and least effective response to workplace scenarios | Commonly reported: 15 to 20 questions |
Total: set by the employer; prep sites report about 20 to 35 minutes per reasoning test.
How it is scored
- Reasoning scores are compared with a norm group, usually as percentiles, and the employer sets the cut-off.
- Skills tests are scored on accuracy and, for typing and data entry, also on speed, as commonly reported.
- Questionnaires have no right answers and are compared with the profile for the job.
- If the test runs on SHL's Talent Central, the reporting follows SHL's system; ask the employer whether you will see results.
Rules to know before you start
- Check which platform your invitation uses: an SHL link means SHL's candidate rules and technical checks apply.
- Calculator rules are not stated in the material checked; follow the on-screen instructions for numerical tests.
- Software skills tests simulate the application, so use the on-screen menus and tools rather than shortcuts you assume will work.
- Retakes are up to the employer.
How to prepare
- Practice reading charts quickly and calculating percentage changes for the numerical test.
- On verbal items, judge only on the passage: 'cannot say' is the answer when the text does not settle it.
- For logical items, look for one rule at a time: rotation, count, position or shading.
- For Prove It tests, practice in the real software, such as Excel and Word, and warm up on typing if it is included.
- Answer the fit questionnaires honestly and consistently.
A practice plan
- Day 1: read the employer's invitation for which tests you will take, then do the publisher's official practice questions untimed.
- Days 2 and 3: timed practice on your weakest test type, reviewing every mistake.
- Days 4 and 5: full timed runs in the same browser and device you will use.
- Day 6: rest, check your setup, and plan a quiet time slot.
- Day 7: take the test in one sitting, early in the deadline window.
Related guides: what an online assessment is, the SHL assessment, the CCAT.
On the day, and the mistakes to avoid
- Open the invitation early and note the deadline, the tests included and the time each takes.
- Use a laptop or desktop with a current browser, on a stable connection, with notifications silenced.
- Have paper, a pen and, if the instructions allow it, a calculator ready before you start.
- Read every instruction and example screen; formats differ more than people expect.
- Take the tests in a quiet room in one sitting, at a time of day when you are sharp.
- If something breaks, take a screenshot, note the time and contact the employer straight away.
Mistakes that cost candidates:
- Treating untimed or 'as many as you can' tests casually: speed and accuracy are usually both recorded.
- Bringing outside knowledge into reasoning items that must be judged only on the information given.
- Answering personality questions as the 'ideal' candidate instead of honestly, which shows up as inconsistency.
- Starting on a phone when the publisher recommends a computer.
- Leaving the test until the deadline, when any technical problem becomes fatal.
What happens after the IBM Kenexa assessment
Results usually go to the employer, who compares them with the profile for the role. Shortlisted candidates move on to a video interview, an assessment centre or a first interview, so start preparing for those while you wait. For the next stage, see our guide to online assessments.
Where CoPilot Interview fits
Online assessments are tests you take on your own: outside help is not allowed, and proctoring settings can flag other apps, tab switches or a second voice. Practice beforehand instead. CoPilot Interview is an AI interview assistant; its free AI mock interview prepares you for the interviews that follow the assessment, with questions built from your résumé and the job description and each spoken answer scored out of ten. The free plan gives 15 minutes a day of live help in sessions of up to 15 minutes, with AI mock interviews included. Read the invitation carefully and follow your employer's rules.
Disclosure: CoPilot Interview is our product, so weigh what we say about it accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
Is IBM Kenexa still used?
Yes, by some employers, but the content is now delivered by SHL on its Talent Central platform under a 2020 agreement with IBM.
Is Kenexa part of SHL?
SHL provides the Kenexa test content; it was announced as a partnership with IBM in January 2020. A commercial testing site reports that SHL took over the test rights.
What is Kenexa Prove It?
A library of job-specific skills tests, such as typing, Microsoft Office, clerical and accounting tests, used alongside the reasoning tests.
Is the IBM Kenexa test the same as IBM's own online assessment?
No. IBM's own hiring assessments for its jobs are separate; see our IBM online assessment guide.
Can I use AI tools during the IBM Kenexa assessment?
No, unless the instructions explicitly allow it. Assessments are meant to be taken on your own, and proctoring settings can flag other apps, tab switches or pasted code. Use AI tools to practice beforehand, and follow your employer's rules.
Practice this interview before the real one
The AI mock interview builds questions from your resume and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of 10. Included on the free plan.
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