PNC Assessment Tests & Interview Process Preparation – 2024

According to their website, PNC approaches hiring with a relationship-building mindset.  This means you should be prepared for behavioral interview questions, with lots of examples of how you have handled positive and negative workplace relationships in the past.  PNC conducts these sorts of interviews because it is looking to build a strong and talented workforce, while also helping you to advance your career.

What Is PNC?

PNC Financial Services Group is a bank holding company and financial services corporation that was formed when Pittsburgh National Corporation merged with Provident National Corporation in 1983.  It is based in Pittsburgh, PA.  PNC Bank is located in 19 states and the District of Columbia.  In addition to consumer banking, PNC provides financial services such as wealth management, asset management, estate planning, information processing, and loan servicing.

What Is PNC’s Hiring Process?

PNC’s Application Process

If you are applying through a job site like Indeed, Glassdoor, or any others, your resume is most likely available through the website.  If the job posting asks for a cover letter, be sure to include one.  A cover letter gives you the opportunity to personally introduce yourself.  It gives the employer a taste of your personality, and allows you to paint a self-portrait.  Your cover letter can include your career objectives, ideology, and hobbies. Your hobbies give the hiring manager a feel for who you are as a person, and how you will fit into the company culture.

Phone Interview

Depending on how you come across the job opportunity, it can take up to two weeks to hear back from the company.  You will often start with a phone interview.  The phone interview is a way to quickly screen possible candidates.  The interviewer will want to know your availability, salary expectations, and to hear about your prior work experience.  This is also an opportunity for you to decide if the salary range being offered meets your needs.  To make a good impression, schedule your phone interview for a time when you can be in a quiet place, free from interruptions.

PNC’s Online Assessments

Depending on the position you desire, you may be asked to take various online aptitdue tests.  Anyone working with numbers should prepare for the numerical assessment.

Panel Interview

The next step in the hiring process is the panel interview.  You can expect there to be up to seven people included in this interview.  Among them will be managers and team leaders who will be asking questions for the purpose of evaluating your understanding of the technical and interpersonal aspects of the position, and how you will fit into the company culture and the specific office environment.  The panel interview gives you an opportunity to ask questions about the company and specific job requirements.  It also affords you the chance to stand out as a candidate and to begin a panel discussion on an issue related to the position.

During the panel interview, there will be questions about how you would react to a variety of workplace scenarios.  You will be expected to share examples from your past work experiences about how you have worked with colleagues to resolve conflict, and/or how you have taken steps to prevent conflicts from occurring.  You may also be asked to share about your hobbies and personal interests outside of the workplace.  Keep in mind that PNC is interested in creating a positive company culture so they want to build teams who work well together.  This includes sharing common interests.

Example Interview Questions

The questions found below are just some of the many that may come up at your interview. They can be relevant for many positions, so it is best to have some prepared answers before you go in.

Company Related:

• Tell me what you know about the company.
• What attracted you to apply to PNC?

Work Related:

• How do you set priorities to complete a task?
• Explain your system of organization.

Career Path Related:

• Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Interpersonal:

• Have you had a conflict in a previous workplace? What did you do to resolve it?
• Given a scenario describing a disagreement between employees and you were the manager, explain how you would handle the situation.

Personal:

• Tell me about a time you had to overcome a challenge.
• What is something you have done that your regret, and why do you have regret?

PNC Interview Tips

• Keep your CV up to date. Keeping your CV up to date will make it easier when you are ready to apply. It will also refresh your memory so when the interviewer mentions something on your CV, you will know what he or she is referring to.
• Know the job description. This will allow you to reference the specifics PNC is looking for.
• Recognize your strengths. Demonstrate confidence in yourself and be prepared to show examples of how you will contribute to PNC.
• Demonstrate your skills. Give examples of skills you have and how you utilize those skills to your benefit.
• Do your research. Read up on PNC and be familiar with the company.  Know their history, services, and values. If they have been in the news recently make sure you are aware.
• Ask questions. Ask any questions you may have remaining, however do not ask questions that could be found easily on the PNC website. This shows you did not do your research. Ask about the workplace environment, advancement opportunities, vacation time, health insurance and retirement plans. Do not forget that you are interviewing them as well to see if they are a good fit for you.

How to Prepare for PNC Assessment?

Depending on the position you are applying for, you may need to prepare for the Numerical Test or other reasoning tests, or have taken other certifications to qualify for the job.  As with any standardized test, the more practice you have ahead of time, the easier the day of testing will go.  Being familiar with the test format eases anxiety and lets you know what to expect.  It also allows you to answer questions and solve problems within the mindset of the test.

• Numerical Test
  If you are asked to take a numerical test as part of the hiring process, you should expect a calculation test.  In addition to adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing whole numbers, you will also be asked to work with fractions, decimals, and percentages.  The test questions will give you a set of equations with the missing number represented by a question mark.  You will also be assessed on working with facts and figures in statistical tables.  The test is a multiple- choice format.
• Verbal Test
  This is a standardized test which measures your ability to read with comprehension.  You will be asked to make inferences and to draw conclusions from the text you read.  You should also be prepared to analyze and compare different texts.
• Logical Reasoning
  The logical tests measure your ability to see patterns and relationships from information that is presented as shapes or pictures.  Taking multiple practice tests will familiarize yourself with the structure of the assessment and the way the information is presented.

About one in three people who apply for a job with PNC are offered a position.  You can strengthen your chances with advance preparation and being ready to let your strengths shine through during the interview process.