Careers at British American Tobacco (BAT)
British American Tobacco was founded in 1902, and since then has developed a culture based on development, leadership and resilience.
The possible career options at BAT include sectors as diverse as manufacturing and science – and the application process for each role might be slightly different.
Some career options at BAT include:
- Human Behaviour Scientist
- Operations Manager
- Analyst
- IT
- Senior Counsel
- Supply Chain
- Engineer
- Corporate Finance
British American Tobacco (BAT) Application Process
-
1
Online application form
-
2
Culture questionnaire
-
3
Cognitive assessments
-
4
Telephone interview
-
5
Leadership preference questionnaire
-
6
Face-to-face interview
-
7
Assessment centre
There are multiple stages to the British American Tobacco application process, and some may not be included, depending on the role and location.
The process might seem long-winded, but as an industry leader, BAT receives a high volume of career applications and needs a means to find the best candidates from a large talent pool.
To begin the process, candidates can find roles on the British American Tobacco job search page. Much of the early stage of the application process is entirely online, and can take some time to get through.
BAT online application form
The first stage in the process is the online application form. This is a standard form that needs to be filled in accurately.
You attach your CV to the form. Make sure that your CV highlights any experience and education/training relevant to the role you are applying for.
BAT Pymetrics Games
British American Tobacco uses Pymetrics games as part of its assessment tool when pre-screening candidates. The Pymetrics game is used to assess a person’s ability to make decisions under pressure and to help screen job candidates.
The game, which takes about 20 minutes to play, measures 90+ different cognitive and emotional traits which fit into these nine categories:
- Attention
- Decision Making
- Effort
- Emotion
- Fairness
- Focus
- Generosity
- Learning
- Risk Tolerance
It then creates a profile of the player that can be matched with specific job roles within the company.
The games you will participate in can vary depending on the role you’ve applied for but this is a comprehensive list of what you might face:
- Balloon Game
- Tower Game
- Money Exchange Game 1
- Money Exchange Game 2
- Keypress Game
- Hard/Easy Task Game
- Digits Memory Game
- Stop Game
- Arrows Game
- Lengths Game
- Cards Game
- Faces Game
Culture questionnaire
A culture questionnaire is used to establish whether the applicant shares the same views and traits as the organisation, and that their ethos is in line with the company’s goals.
The questionnaire is a series of sets of traits and values, and the applicant must choose which they consider least important, and which most important.
This is an important stage in the application process, as BAT wants to find employees who can help reach the goals of the company, while sharing the same ethos.
Usually, this is a pass or fail assessment; if unsuccessful you would not be invited to the next stage.
BAT Aptitude Tests
The cognitive assessment series tests the applicant on their reasoning abilities, to assess their competence for the role.
There are several different cognitive tests available, and BAT tends to use numerical, verbal, and logical reasoning tests in its application assessments.
BAT numerical reasoning tests
Numerical reasoning tests assess mathematical ability through charts, percentages and other numerical operations. Your data interpretation in a numerical reasoning test needs to be quick and accurate, since you’re working against the clock.
Success at numerical reasoning demonstrates that the candidate has strong knowledge of mathematical functions, and can apply that knowledge to make correct choices.
Numerical reasoning assessments are used in applications where the candidate will be working with numerical data, such as in finance, research and analyst positions.
For more about numerical reasoning and practice tests, see our numerical reasoning page.
BAT verbal reasoning tests
In a verbal reasoning assessment, the candidate needs to read some text and decide if a given statement about the text is true, false, or if there is not enough information to decide. This test assesses the candidate’s comprehension skills and their ability to extract information from a written source.
Verbal reasoning skills are about more than reading ability: they test a candidate’s ability to think constructively. They are not based on knowledge or learning, so the answers should be based exclusively on the text – which can be a stumbling block for some candidates.
To get the best out of a verbal reasoning test, and any cognitive assessment, it’s a good idea to practice. For more, look at our verbal reasoning page, where you can access in-depth information and practice tests.
BAT logical reasoning tests
Logical reasoning tests assess a candidate’s ability to draw logical conclusions from given information. They are usually posed as a problem that needs solving, and to be successful the candidate needs to understand and interpret the information, then apply logic to reach a conclusion.
Logical reasoning can include: deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, diagrammatic reasoning, abstract reasoning and critical thinking. Practicing the format and layout of these various logical reasoning tests can give you confidence in the assessment, and help you understand the right way to answer.
Telephone interview
Depending on the role applied for, this can be an assessment-based interview or more of an introduction to the job. The telephone interview may be the first time that you as a candidate will have a conversation with BAT, so be sure to prepare thoroughly.
Leadership preference questionnaire
British American Tobacco, like many large corporations, operates with an ethos of leadership – so this assessment offers candidates a series of scenarios that require leadership to resolve.
The candidate must describe how they would deal with the problem to resolve it in the most appropriate way. This demonstrates the candidate’s ability to lead and their leadership style.
Face-to-face interview
In-person interviews are great for both candidates and employers to understand each other better. Interviewers might ask some difficult questions, but this is an opportunity for the candidate to show their strengths and experience. Candidates are also welcome to ask questions at this stage. Different interview lengths and formats will apply depending on the role.
Assessment centre
The final phase of the application process is an assessment day. Applicants who have made it through the previous stages are invited to attend, and will be given individual and group assessments related to the role they are applying for.
At this stage, another face-to-face interview usually happens, this time with the Head of Department (who will usually be your manager should you get the position). This is a great time to really shine and make a great impression, as well as ask any additional questions about the role or company.
