IBM works with a few stages you have to pass in order to be offered a position at the company:
1) Online application with IBM's specific form you have to fill in with some specific 'interview style' questions you have to fill in (e.g. Describe a time you displayed excellent client focus in less than 80 words)
2) You may then be invited to take the IPAT test. There were two parts to this with the first being number sequence problems and the second part was a numerical competancy type of assessment. This test was quite challenging, less because of the level of the questions but more due to the time constraints - you are given 1 min 45 sec to answer each question (if I recall correctly) so you only have one chance to get the answer right, especially with the numerical section, and then you may be forced to simply guess.
3) If you pass the IPAT test you will then be invited to one of IBM's assessment centres (IBM will cover all reasonable travel expenses of up to 150 pounds). The assessment centre day is broken up into two parts: the first consists of two group activities (4-5 people) aimed at assessing you drive, teamwork, leadership, problem sovling, client focus, etc. The one was attempting to solve a problem with limited information and the other involved the development of a business idea and a short presentation of this idea. If you are successful with the first half of the day, you will then be invited to partake in personal and competancy interviews.
4) There will then be a final interview. Once you are at this stage you are almost guaranteed a position as this interview is mainly aimed at finding where you might specifically fit within the company based on your competancies, interests, goals etc.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Standard personal and competancy interview style questions.
Be sure to prep some examples to draw on before-hand and remember the general rule when answering any comptancy type questions, which is CAR (Context; Action; Result). It is also a good idea to prep examples that demonstrate compentancies that IBM looks for (Drive and leadership;Team work; Problem solving; Adaptability/Flexibility; Client focus; Communication skills)
In my IBM interview, I was given a simple market entry case. I clarified the objective, structured my approach, analyzed market size and competition, then summarized a concise recommendation overall.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
In my IBM interview, I was given a simple market entry case. I clarified the objective, structured my approach, analyzed market size and competition, then summarized a concise recommendation overall.
Process really depends team to team and there is no one standard process for the role. some will give you cases, others can be more situational or focus on your resume specific bullet points
I interviewed for a position at the Taipei office, and unfortunately, the online interview raised several red flags. First, the HR representative contacted me to ask for my availability and instructed me to prepare a PowerPoint slide about myself. I responded with my available time and asked whether the slide should be in Chinese or English.
Red flag #1: She replied only to confirm the meeting time and completely ignored my question.
After a week with no response, I followed up with both HR and the interviewer.
Red flag #2: Neither of them replied.
On the day of the interview,
Red flag #3: The interviewer’s webcam was off, which made the interaction feel unprofessional.
Red flag #4: After the interview, I sent a thank-you email. I did receive a reply, but it contained several grammatical errors.
During the interview, I answered most of the questions in English and used Chinese for more casual conversation. However, I got the impression that they didn’t fully understand what I was saying, possibly due to their limited English proficiency.
Overall, it felt like no one was handling their responsibilities professionally. It’s disappointing that a company as large and well-known as IBM came across as disorganized and unprepared—more like a startup that doesn’t know what it’s doing.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
tell me about yourself and how you handle uncertainties