Updated April 2026 · 13 min read · Used by EY, Deloitte, HSBC, Accenture, Unilever and 200+ employers
| Company | Cappfinity Ltd |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Approach | Strengths-based assessment — measures what you're good at and enjoy, not just what you can do |
| Core products | Immersive Online Assessment · Situational Strengths Test (SST) · Cognitive Ability Tests · Video Assessment |
| Major clients | EY, Deloitte, HSBC, Accenture, Unilever, AstraZeneca, Rolls-Royce, NHS |
| Key feature | Untimed assessments — no countdown clock — but completion is tracked |
Cappfinity is a UK-based assessment company that pioneered "strengths-based" selection — the philosophy that predicting job performance requires understanding both capability (what you can do) and motivation (what you enjoy doing). It is distinct from traditional psychometric providers like SHL and Kenexa in three ways: assessments are immersive (simulating actual work), they are untimed, and they prioritise strengths over competencies. Cappfinity's major clients — EY, Deloitte, HSBC, Accenture — have collectively moved away from timed numerical and verbal reasoning tests in favour of Cappfinity's immersive format, specifically because traditional tests disadvantage candidates from under-resourced educational backgrounds.
Cappfinity assessments are built around a "day in the life" simulation. Rather than sitting at a desk answering abstract questions, you are placed in a fictional organisation (usually "Technology is Changing Our World" for EY, or a similar narrative for HSBC and others) and complete tasks that simulate real work. These tasks include:
Situational Judgment Tasks (SJTs): You read or watch a scenario and rate or rank 4–5 responses from most to least effective. Unlike traditional SJTs, Cappfinity's scenarios are embedded in a realistic narrative — the scenario builds over multiple episodes rather than presenting isolated situations. This makes the context richer but requires you to track narrative details across the session.
Numerical reasoning embedded in scenarios: Rather than a separate numerical test, data interpretation questions appear as natural tasks within the simulation. "Your colleague has shared this quarterly performance data. Which division should be prioritised for resource allocation?" The mathematics is no harder than traditional numerical reasoning tests — the difference is framing, not difficulty.
Verbal analysis tasks: Reading comprehension questions presented as part of a work task — "Your manager has sent you this briefing document. Based on it, which of the following is the most accurate summary?" True/false/cannot say format, with the passage embedded in a realistic email or document.
Personality and strengths questionnaires: Forced-choice statements (pick which of two descriptions is more like you), Likert scale ratings of how much you enjoy certain activities, and ranking exercises where you order tasks by your preferred approach. These are scored against a strengths profile developed from analysis of high performers in the target role.
Video and written response tasks: Some Cappfinity assessments include short video recording tasks or written responses to scenario prompts. These are assessed on both content and communication quality.
| Employer | Assessment name | Key features |
|---|---|---|
| EY | EY One Assessment | Consumer, Business, Societal perspectives. 45–90 min. SJT + numerical + video. |
| Deloitte | Immersive Online Assessment (IOA) | Situational Strengths Test (SST) + job simulation. 45–60 min. No standalone numerical test. |
| HSBC | Online Immersive Assessment | 38 questions (16 cognitive, 22 SJT/personality). 5 sections. ~50 min. |
| Accenture | Cappfinity Immersive | Technology-focused scenarios. 60–90 min. Pymetrics games also in process. |
| AstraZeneca | Strengths-based online assessment | Science-relevant scenarios. Untimed. Personality and SJT focused. |
Understand the strengths-based philosophy: Cappfinity is not looking for you to pretend to be someone else. Respond authentically to "what you enjoy" questions — the system is designed to detect inconsistent profiles. However, you should also be aware of which strengths the employer values. For EY, relevant strengths include: analytical thinking, client focus, attention to detail, and collaborative working. Align your authentic strengths with role-relevant examples.
Know the employer's values thoroughly: The SJT components are scored against each employer's specific values framework. Before any Cappfinity assessment, read the employer's values page in full. Identify 2–3 behaviours per value that you can demonstrate in scenario responses.
Track the narrative: Cappfinity assessments build a story. Characters, context, and data from earlier in the assessment reappear in later scenarios. Pay attention throughout — scenario 5 may reference a colleague introduced in scenario 2.
Cappfinity is a situational judgement test (SJT) platform. Candidates read a short workplace scenario and rate several response options by effectiveness — usually on a 5-point scale. Scoring is not 'right vs wrong' but alignment with the employer's competency model.
Example scenario:
"A teammate consistently misses internal deadlines but delivers excellent client work. A sprint review is tomorrow and two of your deliverables depend on their work."
You must rate four responses: (a) escalate to manager, (b) stay late to do the teammate's work, (c) talk directly with the teammate, (d) raise it in the sprint review.
Strong Cappfinity answers prioritise direct communication (c) and transparency without unnecessary escalation. Rating (a) as 'highly effective' usually costs points — most employers favour resolving peer issues peer-to-peer first.
Cappfinity SJTs are typically untimed or generously timed — about 2 minutes per scenario with 4–6 response ratings. The pacing challenge is not speed but internal consistency: 30+ scenarios in a row and your 'employer persona' needs to stay coherent.
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These companies commonly include Cappfinity assessments in their hiring process.