The Complete Guide
30 questions. 36 minutes. And a score that follows you for 18 months.
Take the Free DiagnosticThe SHL Verify G+ is the dominant cognitive test at Fortune 500 companies and graduate programmes worldwide. 30 questions. 36 minutes. Adaptive scoring that gets harder as you answer correctly. It doesn't just measure what you know — it measures how you perform when the stakes are real and the clock is running.
72 seconds
Average time per question — but the questions are significantly harder than they look
30 questions
Split equally: 10 numerical, 10 deductive, 10 inductive. Every domain counts
50th percentile
Typical minimum to stay in consideration for most graduate roles
12–18 months
How long SHL stores your score. A poor performance today may follow you to your next application
Data interpretation from charts, graphs and tables. A calculator is allowed. The trap: the questions aren't testing arithmetic — they're testing whether you can extract the right data quickly from complex visual information. Being 'good at maths' is not enough.
"A table showing quarterly revenue across five departments. By what percentage did Department C's Q3 revenue exceed the average across all departments?"
Logical conclusions from given statements. The trap: the premises are deliberately ambiguous and the correct answer is often the one that feels counterintuitive. The key skill: distinguishing between what MUST be true, what COULD be true, and what CANNOT be true.
"All managers attend the Monday meeting. Sarah is not a manager. Which conclusion follows?" (Trap: you cannot conclude Sarah doesn't attend — non-managers may also be present.)
Pattern recognition in sequences of shapes, figures or symbols. No maths, no language — pure abstract pattern-finding. The trap: this section feels like the easiest but is the most time-sensitive. Most candidates haven't practised abstract sequences and stall completely.
A 3×3 grid of shapes where each row and column follows two simultaneous rules. Identify the missing shape.
When you answer correctly and the test increases difficulty, those harder questions carry more weight in your percentile. Getting easy questions wrong is more damaging than it looks — it signals the test to give you easier questions, reducing your ceiling.
SHL maintains separate norm groups for different job families. A 70th percentile score among graduate financial services applicants is completely different to a 70th percentile score among customer service candidates. Research your norm group before setting a target.
Many companies now use Verify Interactive G+, where instead of multiple choice you drag values onto charts and adjust sliders. If you've only practised the traditional format, the interface alone can cost significant time on the day. Check which version you're taking.
If you apply to the same company again within that window, they may use your existing score rather than re-testing you. A poor performance isn't just a one-time setback — it's recorded.
The score report goes to your employer. You receive a grade (A through D) but no question-level feedback. This makes post-test learning impossible without proper preparation beforehand.
The free diagnostic takes 10 minutes and tells you exactly which area is holding your score back — before you spend another hour on the wrong thing.
Start Free Diagnostic →No account needed · Takes 10 minutes · Instant AI report
Numerical reasoning is familiar so people gravitate to it. Inductive reasoning — abstract pattern recognition — is where the most points are left on the table, and it's actually the most trainable with practice.
Candidates used to exam-style scoring think '22 out of 30 — that's 73%, I probably passed.' But if 73% of other candidates also scored 22 or higher, that's a 27th percentile score and you've failed.
The SHL feels manageable untimed. 72 seconds per question sounds like plenty. Under real conditions, with the clock visible and your job on the line, it evaporates. Only train under time pressure.
| Percentile | Grade | What it typically means |
|---|---|---|
| Below 30th | D | Screened out at most employers |
| 30th–50th | C | May progress for non-competitive roles |
| 50th–70th | B | Competitive for most graduate roles |
| 70th–80th | A– | Strong — competitive at demanding employers |
| 80th–90th | A | Excellent — shortlisted at most employers |
| 90th+ | A+ | Exceptional — top-tier programmes |
These grades are role-specific. A B for a junior analyst role is not the same as a B for a management consulting programme. Always research your employer's specific benchmark.
48 hours
Identify weakest domain immediately. Spend 6 hours on targeted practice for that domain — untimed first, then timed. Do one full 30-question simulation the day before. On test day, review your hardest question type only. No new material.
1 week
Days 1–2: Diagnostic and weak-area practice. Days 3–5: Mixed practice across all three domains. Days 6–7: Full timed simulations. Track where you're losing seconds unnecessarily.
2+ weeks
Build domain skills first — especially inductive reasoning, which improves dramatically with practice. Then mixed timed practice. In the final week, simulate real conditions: seated, timed, no interruptions.
You've read the guide. Now take action.
Most candidates who read this guide and don't take the diagnostic walk into their test with the same gaps they had before. The ones who do take it walk in with a plan.
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