Applied to L.E.K. Consulting for summer 2028? An online assessment comes before the case interviews. Try the tests below in the real format, Your working style and Your thinking style on SHL's screens, then read what each asks, how long it takes, how to answer and what comes next.
Key facts
- Required: L.E.K. added a digital assessment to its application in 2020, and its US MBA Summer Consultant posting requires an online assessment as part of selection. It comes before the first-round interviews.11,2,8,9
- Assessment: Two assessments on SHL, opened from an L.E.K. page: Your working style, a behavioral questionnaire, then Your thinking style, a cognitive test.3,4,5
- Your working style: A questionnaire on your working styles and preferences. It has no time limit; the instructions advise no more than 20 minutes, and 20 to 25 is typical.5,3,4
- Your thinking style: An interactive reasoning test of 24 questions in 36 minutes, about 90 seconds each, answered by dragging, tapping and arranging rather than picking options.3,4,5
- What it measures: Your thinking style reads inductive, deductive and numerical reasoning: problem solving, learning quickly and weighing different kinds of information.5,7
- Going back: In Your working style you can change your last response but go back no further. A break mid-questionnaire is fine.5
L.E.K.'s US MBA posting calls this step an online assessment. The L.E.K. sittings on record ran on SHL, which is what the tests below follow; your invitation gives the platform and timing for this cycle.2,3,5
Try the tests
L.E.K. Consulting's two assessments on SHL's screens, as the app draws them: the untimed working style questionnaire, then the timed thinking style test. Each one opens in its own window, with a read of your answers at the end.
Your working style
Three statements about how you work: pick the one most like you, then the better of the other two. After every fifth set, how often a colleague would say you do something. No right answers.
10 sets and 2 questions · untimed, about 1 minute
Your thinking style
The timed part. Plot a graph from a table, join a sequence of codes and work out what an arrow's buttons do, all by dragging and tapping.
3 questions · 4:30 on the clock
What the L.E.K. Consulting online assessment looks like
After you apply
L.E.K. reviews every application. It added a digital assessment to its application in 2020, and its US MBA Summer Consultant posting makes an online assessment part of selection. Expect the invitation soon after you submit: it has come as the next step straight after applying.1,11,2,10
The hub
The assessment opens on one SHL page in L.E.K.'s colors, with a short welcome and four tiles to do, opened in order: two information pages, on your future role and on how to complete the assessments, then Your working style and Your thinking style.5,3
Your working style
A questionnaire on your working styles and preferences. Most questions show three statements: you pick the one most like you, then the better of the two left. Some ask how often a colleague would say you do something. It is untimed; plan on about 20 minutes and try to finish in one sitting, though a break is fine. You can change your last answer, but no earlier ones.5,3,4
Your thinking style
A timed cognitive test of 24 questions in 36 minutes on inductive, deductive and numerical reasoning. You answer by working with each question: scheduling people on a calendar or tasks on a daily planner, placing people in rooms or ranking them from clues, setting pie, bar and line charts, filling the next shape in a sequence and dragging a line through coded nodes. Take it somewhere quiet with a pen and paper to hand.5,3,4
After you submit
Those taken forward are invited to the first round: two 30-minute interviews, each a few minutes of fit questions and then a case. A final round of three cases with managers, principals and partners follows.8,9,1
The assessment at a glance
- Hub A few minutes
- Two information pages, then the two assessments, one after the other.
- Your working style Untimed, about 20 min
- Three-statement sets and "how often" questions about how you work.
- Your thinking style 24 in 36 min
- Interactive inductive, deductive and numerical reasoning.
- Whole sitting About an hour
- Finish the questionnaire in one sitting if you can; the reasoning test runs on one clock.
The step is L.E.K.'s own; the parts, clocks and screens come from the L.E.K. sittings on record. Read your invitation for this cycle's platform and timing.2,3,4,5
Before you open the link
- About an hour of quiet time: about 20 minutes for Your working style and 36 for Your thinking style.
- Read both information pages on the hub before you start.
- Pen and paper ready for Your thinking style.
- A laptop makes the dragging questions easiest.
- A real picture of how you work on a team before you start the questionnaire.
- Your case prep under way: the first round can follow within a few weeks.
The sections, one by one
One assessment reads how you prefer to work; the other measures reasoning against the clock, scored as general ability across inductive, numerical and deductive reasoning against a comparison group.5,7
- Most like you: Three statements about how you work: the best fit, then the better of the two left.
- How often: How often someone who has worked with you would say you do something.
- Calendars and planners: Schedule people on a calendar or tasks on a daily timeline under every constraint.
- Labelling and sorting: Place people in rooms or rank them from clues.
- Charts: Set a pie, bar or line chart so it matches the figures.
- Sequences: Fill the next shape, or drag a line through coded nodes in order.
Here is each part as it appears in Intervyo, opened from the L.E.K. hub on SHL's player, one after the other. Your working style has no clock and no right answers; Your thinking style has one clock for the whole test and a right answer to every question.3,5
1.Your working styleUntimed, about 20 min
A behavioral questionnaire on your working styles and preferences. Most questions show three statements: you click the one that describes you best, then choose the better of the two left, so each set is answered twice. Others ask how often someone who has worked with you would say you do something, against other people. There is no clock; plan on about 20 minutes. You can change your last answer, but go back no further.5,3,4
What it measures: How you prefer to work, built into a profile from the statements you choose over others and how you say colleagues see you. There is no mark.
How to answer it well
- 1Read all three statements before you click: a click chooses and moves you on.
- 2For "how often" questions, answer as a teammate from a recent project or job would, compared with other people.
- 3Pick what you actually do, not what sounds most like a consultant. A steady picture reads more clearly than one that swings.
- 4Keep moving. The instructions advise no more than 20 minutes, and overthinking makes answers less like you.
2.Your thinking style24 questions in 36 min
SHL's interactive cognitive test: 24 questions in 36 minutes, about 90 seconds each, with one clock for the whole test. There are no options to pick. You mark the dates when everyone is free, drag tasks onto a day timeline, place people in rooms or rank them from clues, set a pie, bar or line chart from the figures, tap to fill the next shape in a sequence, or drag a line through coded nodes.5,3,6,7
What it measures: Inductive, deductive and numerical reasoning: problem solving, learning quickly and evaluating different kinds of information. SHL scores it as general ability against a comparison group.
How to answer it well
- 1Keep a pen and paper to hand, and work the figures out before you touch a chart.
- 2On planners and calendars, place the task or person with the tightest constraint first.
- 3On ranking questions, start from the one value you are given and work outward.
- 4Keep to about 90 seconds a question, and press on rather than count on coming back.
Practice items and how to answer them
Practice set (Intervyo): Your working style"Intervyo practice set in the Your working style format: which statement describes you best? "I break a big problem into parts before I start." "I keep the team's spirits up when work gets hard." "I look for data that might prove my idea wrong." Then: of the two left, which describes you best?"5,3
- 1This is our own practice set in the questionnaire's format; it is not an L.E.K. item.
- 2Think of the last case competition, project or job that got hard. Which of the three did you actually do?
- 3Choose that one, then pick between the two left the same way.
- 4Hold the same picture of yourself for the rest of the questionnaire.
Tip: All three are strengths a case team values, so none is a trap. Answer as you work, not as you think a consultant should.
Practice item (Intervyo): how often"Intervyo practice item: how often would someone who has worked with you say you check with others before changing a plan the group agreed on? Less often than others, about as often as others, more often than others, or much more often than others."3
- 1This is our own practice item in the frequency format; the answer labels are ours too.
- 2Name the person: a project partner, a manager or a club lead. Answer as they would.
- 3Compare yourself with the people around you, which is what the scale asks.
- 4Save the top of the scale for the few things you could back with an example.
Tip: The scale is relative to others, so honest middle answers are normal. A wall of top ratings says less about you.
Your thinking style: daily planner (Intervyo)"Intervyo practice item: your day runs 9:00 to 6:00, with 10:00 to 10:30 and 12:00 to 1:00 already taken. Place four tasks. The client call (1.5 hours) must be in the morning. The data pull (1 hour) must finish before the call. The model update (2 hours) must start straight after lunch. The slide review (1 hour) needs the model done, and your manager leaves at 4:00."5
- 1Start with the task that has the fewest places to go: a 1.5-hour morning call fits only from 10:30 to 12:00.
- 2The data pull must come before it, and the only free hour is 9:00 to 10:00.
- 3The model update starts straight after lunch: 1:00 to 3:00.
- 4The review needs the model and your manager, so it takes 3:00 to 4:00.
Tip: Written by Intervyo in SHL's daily planner format. Not an L.E.K. item. Place the most constrained task first and the rest usually fall into line.
Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)
Written by Intervyo as an example. Data pull 9:00 to 10:00, client call 10:30 to 12:00, model update 1:00 to 3:00, slide review 3:00 to 4:00.
Your thinking style: ranking (Intervyo)"Intervyo practice item: rank four associates by third-quarter sales. Ellen sold $40,000. Dev sold 20% more than Ellen. Femi sold $10,000 less than Dev. Gus sold the average of Ellen's and Femi's figures. Drag the badges from highest to lowest."5,4
- 1Start from the one figure you are given: Ellen, $40,000.
- 2Work outward one clue at a time: Dev is 20% more than Ellen, $48,000.
- 3Femi is $10,000 less than Dev, $38,000; Gus is the average of $40,000 and $38,000, $39,000.
- 4Write all four down before you drag a single badge.
Tip: Written by Intervyo in SHL's ranking format. Not an L.E.K. item. Close values like these are where a rushed guess goes wrong.
Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)
Written by Intervyo as an example. Dev ($48,000), Ellen ($40,000), Gus ($39,000), Femi ($38,000).
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How long to hear back after the online assessment
The assessment comes early, and recent US processes have moved fast after it: from the assessment through the final round in one to two months, or less.8,9
Apr 2026 (lateral hire)
Lateral Associate, US
Prompted to take the assessment as the next step straight after applying, and told it would take 20 to 30 minutes.10
Mar 2026 (lateral hire)
Lateral Associate, Chicago
A skills test and a personality test, then a first round of two cases with associates and a final round of three with managers, principals and partners. One to two months in all.9
Dec 2025 (lateral hire)
Lateral Associate, New York
The L.E.K. digital assessment, then an email about two weeks later to schedule the first round. Less than a month in all.8
Sep to Nov 2026 (summer 2027)
Summer Associate, US
Applications closed around Aug 31, 2026, with first rounds set for September and October and final rounds for October and November.12
L.E.K. added a digital assessment to its application in 2020 and reviews every application it receives.11,1
Best guessExpect the invitation within days of applying and the first-round email about two weeks after you submit the assessment. If three weeks pass with nothing, keep preparing cases and check your application portal.
What happens after the online assessment
Online application
One office, a resume, a cover letter and an unofficial transcript.1,12
Online assessmentYou are here
This page. Required by L.E.K.'s US MBA Summer Consultant posting and taken before the first round: Your working style, untimed, then Your thinking style, 24 questions in 36 minutes.2,3,5,8
First-round interviews
Two interviews of about 30 minutes, each a few minutes of fit questions and then a case.8,9
Final-round interviews
Three cases with managers, principals and partners in recent US processes; some final rounds include a 60-minute written case.9,12
Online assessment vs first-round interviews
The assessment reads how you work and reason on your own; the first round asks you to talk through a case with an interviewer.
FAQ
Does L.E.K. Consulting have an online assessment?
Yes. L.E.K. added a digital assessment to its application in 2020, and its US MBA Summer Consultant posting says candidates will be required to complete an online assessment as part of selection. It comes before the first-round interviews.11,2,8
What is on the L.E.K. online assessment?
Two parts on SHL, opened from one L.E.K. page: Your working style, a questionnaire on how you prefer to work, then Your thinking style, a timed reasoning test of interactive questions on calendars, planners, rankings, charts and sequences.3,4,5
How long is the L.E.K. online assessment?
Your working style is untimed and takes about 20 minutes; Your thinking style is 24 questions in 36 minutes. Allow about an hour for both.5,3,4
Is there a right answer in Your working style?
No. It is there to help L.E.K. understand your working styles and preferences, so read each question carefully and pick the answer that best reflects you. Honest, consistent answers read best.5
Can you go back in the L.E.K. assessment?
Only one step in Your working style: you can change your last response, but no earlier ones. Your thinking style runs on one clock, so keep moving rather than count on coming back.5
Online assessment at other firms
Sources
Firm pages first, then dated candidate reports. Last checked Nov 10, 2026.
- 1L.E.K. Consulting: Apply
- 2L.E.K. Consulting: U.S. Summer Consultant - 2027
- 3AssessmentPass: LEK Consulting (UK) 2025 Online Assessment Walkthrough · prep site
- 4AssessmentPass: LEK Consulting (UK) 2025 Online Assessment · prep site
- 5AssessmentPass: L.E.K. Consulting 2024 Online Assessment (Real Questions) · prep site
- 6SHL: SHL Verify Interactive: Inductive Reasoning, assessment fact sheet
- 7SHL: SHL Verify Interactive G+ Report (sample candidate report)
- 8Candidate report on a public forum: Lateral Associate interview, New York (Dec 2025)
- 9Candidate report on a public forum: Lateral Associate interview, Chicago (Mar 2026)
- 10Candidate discussion on a public forum: Initial L.E.K. online assessment, Lateral Associate, US (Apr 2026)
- 11CaseInterview.com: L.E.K. Consulting [2026 Profile] · prep site
- 12Extern: L.E.K. Consulting Internship 2027-2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply · prep site
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