Shell hires Graduate Programme and Internship (trading-related track reported). Candidates report 3 interview stages. Below: what each round tests and how to prepare, the timeline, roles and a 4-week prep plan, drawn from candidate reports.
Shell interview: quick answer
- Stages3
- Online assessment4 parts · 84 items · no timer shown, Finish Later allowed (candidate-reported, 2027 cycle)
- Final roundAssessment Day: Case study, presentation and interviews (per earlier public reports; varies by country)
- RolesGraduate Programme, Internship (trading-related track reported)
Preparing for Shell? Work the rounds in order in the free Shell interview funnel.
The Shell interview process at a glance
| # | Round | Format and length | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Online Test | 4 parts · 84 items · no timer shown, Finish Later allowed (candidate-reported, 2027 cycle) | OA guidePractice |
| 2 | One-Way Video Interview | 3 recorded questions · 3 min each · unlimited retakes (candidate-reported, 2027 cycle) | GuidePractice |
| 3 | Assessment Day | Case study, presentation and interviews (per earlier public reports; varies by country) | GuidePractice |
Stages are listed in the order candidates report them. Formats come from candidate reports and change between cycles, offices and teams; not every candidate sees every stage.
Every Shell round: what it tests and how to prepare
1Online Test
Candidates report a Shell-branded online test with no maths. Part 1, judgment scenarios (8): Pick the response you are most and least likely to give from four options, on situations such as a heavy workload, a disengaged teammate, a tight deadline as a new hire and an outside report of an error. Part 2, work simulation (8): An information-security scenario with a Resources tab (organization chart, sharing policy, directory): who must approve sharing a document, spotting phishing emails and handling requests to use personal email. Part 3, self-assessment (13): Rate your learning habits, performance against others, computer skills and expected tenure. Part 4, forced-choice pairs (55): Choose which of two statements is more like you. There is a Finish Later button and no visible timer. See also the Bank of America battery, which uses the same scenario style.
How to prepare
- Open the Resources tab every time. The simulation answers depend on the approver for each team and the exact email formats listed there.
- Be consistent in the scenarios. Prioritizing by impact, investigating before reacting and raising problems early with your supervisor is the pattern the scenarios reward.
- Answer the pairs about work. Similar statements recur; contradicting yourself is the real risk.
2One-Way Video Interview
In order (2027): seeking feedback or advice (help received, your response, what you learned about yourself); working with someone who disagreed (managing the conversation, the outcome); why Shell, framed by its Powering Progress strategy. Prep: behavioral questions for trading firms.
How to prepare
- One polished STAR story per prompt. Unlimited retakes mean the bar is a clean, complete answer; use the full structure and land the lesson.
- Know Powering Progress. Link your motivation to Shell's strategy and to the part of the business you are applying to.
- Three minutes is long. Aim for about two minutes so the answer stays tight.
3Assessment Day
We do not yet hold a verified 2027 report of this stage. Earlier public reports describe a final assessment day with a business case study and presentation, a group exercise, an in-tray style exercise and competency-based interviews, with assessors looking for problem solving, communication, teamwork and commercial awareness. Practise structured case answers with Fermi estimation questions.
How to prepare
- Structure the case. Objective, options, numbers, risks, recommendation, in that order.
- Know the energy transition story. Commercial awareness questions often go to how Shell balances oil and gas with lower-carbon businesses.
Practice the Shell rounds in order
Each round in the Shell funnel has its own practice set, with worked solutions and progress tracking. A free account saves your progress across rounds.
A 4-week Shell prep plan
Built from the order of Shell's rounds and the topics in each round's practice set. Compress it if your first interview is sooner.
| When | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Foundations | Review probability and expected value, the topics that dominate Shell's practice sets. Work the easy and medium questions in the Shell question set. |
| Week 2 | Early rounds: Online Test and One-Way Video Interview | Practice the screening topics under time pressure, and read the OA guide. Talk every answer through out loud; interviewers score the reasoning. |
| Week 3 | Later rounds: Assessment Day | Move to the harder final-round topics. Read how quant superdays work. |
| Week 4 | Rehearse the full loop | Run each practice round in order, redo the questions you missed, and prepare two project stories plus a specific answer to "why Shell?" (see behavioral questions at trading firms). |
Shell teams and what their interviews test
The 2027 capture does not name the role; it was filed under trading. Shell's early-careers process is broadly shared across graduate and internship tracks, and details differ by country.
| Tracks | What it does | What its interviews test |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate / intern (trading-related track) Recruiting + business assessors | Early-careers roles across Shell's business, including trading. | Online work-style battery, then a 3-question one-way video interview, then an assessment day (reported). |
About Shell
| Firm type | Integrated energy company with a large trading arm |
|---|---|
| Trading style | Competency-based early-careers hiring · Physical and financial energy trading (oil, gas, power, LNG) |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Headquarters | London |
| Other offices | Houston, Rotterdam, Singapore, The Hague |
| Assets under management | Public company |
Culture
Shell hires graduates and interns across business, technical and trading roles through a common early-careers process. Its strategy is branded Powering Progress, and candidates are expected to know it.
What the interviews feel like
Competency and fit throughout: a work-style battery that checks judgment and consistency, a recorded interview built on Shell's values, then (per public reports) an assessment day with a case and interviews. There is no maths screen in the 2027 capture.
Practice for Shell on QuantVault
Practice
Courses
Further reading
- How quant superdays work
- Behavioral questions at trading firms
- Fermi estimation questions
- Market-making game interview guide
- The quant interview process, explained
Similar firms to compare
Firms with a similar business and interview style. Many candidates interview at several of them in the same cycle.
Sources and how this guide is built
- Updated October 20, 2026; firm data last reviewed October 9, 2026.
- Round detail draws on candidate interview reports collected by QuantVault.
- Public candidate reports and outside interview guides are cross-checked against each other. Where they disagree the page says "reports differ"; details from a single source are marked as candidate reports.
- No actual interview questions are reproduced on this page. The questions, with worked solutions, are in the practice rounds.
Shell interview FAQ
How many rounds are in the Shell interview?
Candidates report 3 stages: Online Test, One-Way Video Interview, Assessment Day. The exact number varies by cycle and team.
Is there an online assessment at Shell?
Candidates report one: 4 parts · 84 items · no timer shown, Finish Later allowed (candidate-reported, 2027 cycle). Candidates report a Shell-branded online test with no maths. Part 1, judgment scenarios (8): Pick the response you are most and least likely to give from four options, on situations such as a heavy workload, a disengaged teammate, a tight deadline as a new hire and an outside report of an error.
What happens in the Shell final round?
Assessment Day (Case study, presentation and interviews (per earlier public reports; varies by country)). We do not yet hold a verified 2027 report of this stage. Earlier public reports describe a final assessment day with a business case study and presentation, a group exercise, an in-tray style exercise and competency-based interviews, with assessors looking for problem solving, communication, teamwork and commercial awareness.
How should I prepare for the Shell interview?
Prepare round by round over about four weeks: foundations first, then the early rounds (Online Test, One-Way Video Interview, Assessment Day), then the later rounds, then a full rehearsal. Each round has its own practice set on QuantVault, and the online assessment has a dedicated guide.
What does Shell do?
Shell is an integrated energy company with a large trading arm firm headquartered in London.
Start preparing for Shell
Open the interactive Shell interview funnel: every stage with its practice set, from the first screen to the final round. Create a free account to save your progress.