Kenexa: What It Is and How UK Students Use It for Job Applications

When you apply for a graduate job or internship in the UK, you might run into Kenexa, a digital assessment platform used by employers to test candidates’ skills before interviews. Also known as IBM Kenexa, it’s not software you install—it’s a series of online tests employers send you after you submit your application. If you’ve ever clicked a link from a company like Barclays, PwC, or Unilever asking you to complete a logic quiz or personality survey, you’ve used Kenexa.

Kenexa assessments come in a few forms: numerical reasoning, tests that measure how well you interpret charts, tables, and financial data; verbal reasoning, where you read passages and decide if statements are true, false, or impossible to tell; and personality questionnaires, which ask how you’d react in workplace situations to spot cultural fit. These aren’t exams you study for like uni finals—they’re designed to catch your natural responses. But that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare. Many UK students waste time guessing what answers are "right," when the truth is, employers want consistency, not perfection.

What makes Kenexa tricky for students is that it’s often timed. You’ve got 15 to 20 seconds per question. If you’re used to writing essays with weeks to think, this pressure can throw you off. But here’s the thing: the best prep isn’t cramming. It’s practicing under time limits. Free Kenexa-style tests are out there—try them on sites like JobTestPrep or PracticeAptitudeTests. Do one a day for a week. Get used to scanning data fast, ignoring distractions, and trusting your first instinct.

Some students panic because they think Kenexa is a pass-or-fail gate. It’s not. It’s a filter. If you score in the top 20-30% of applicants, you move on. The rest get auto-rejected. That’s why so many UK students who aced their degrees still miss out—they didn’t treat Kenexa like part of the job hunt. It’s not a trick. It’s a skill. And like any skill, it gets better with practice.

You’ll see Kenexa pop up in applications for finance, consulting, engineering, and even marketing roles. It’s used by big firms, but also mid-sized companies trying to sort through hundreds of applications quickly. If you’re applying to more than five jobs, you’ll likely face it at least once. Don’t ignore it. Don’t treat it like a quiz. Treat it like a job interview you haven’t walked into yet.

The posts below show real student experiences with Kenexa—what the tests actually look like, how to find free practice materials, how to handle the stress, and what happens after you finish. Some students passed on their first try. Others failed twice before figuring out the pattern. No magic tricks. Just clear, no-fluff advice from people who’ve been there.