GSK Life Job Simulation – Full Guide and Free Practice

A versatile job simulation by HireVue that assesses reasoning and behavioral abilities with a whole arsenal of assessment methods.

The GSK Life Job Simulation is designed to simulate a work environment similar to that of the job you applied to in GSK. The assessment provides an extensive and complex testing experience through a variety of question types and topics.

The following guide dives deep into this versatile assessment, including a comprehensive overview and a Free Sample Practice Test.

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Basic Details

16 questions
Untimed
Situational judgment, reasoning, mindset
Multiple-Choice, ranking, video, written
GSK Life Job Simulation Invitation

Test geek and founder of Aptitude-Test-Prep.com


What Is the GSK Life Job Simulation?

The GSK Life Job Simulation is an assessment used as the second screening stage in GSK’s hiring process, following the World of GSK Assessment.

The test, developed and administered by test provider HireVue, is a multifaceted assessment that includes a whole range of question types and topics, in order to create a comprehensive picture of every candidate.

In addition to standard multiple-choice and ranking questions, the GSK Life assessment will also require you to provide answers in the form of written responses and video recordings of yourself. These responses are reviewed by human team members of test provider HireVue.


Test Structure and Question Format

GSK Life Job Simulation – Summary Table

The following table gives a concise summary of the test. Further below we cover each section in detail.

Note that we also provide a detailed explanation of the assessment’s various question types and topics in the relevant section.

GSK Life Job Simulation Summary Table

Now, let’s dive into each of the 5 sections of the GSK Life Job Simulation.


Section 1 – Warm-Up

The 1st section contains 2 warm-up questions, intended to get you comfortable and familiar with the video and written response question types. This section is not scored.


Section 2 – Work-Related Behavior

The 2nd section of the GSK Life Job Simulation assessment focuses mainly on your work-related behavior. It contains 4 questions:

  • 2 situational judgment questions
  • 2 follow-up mindset questions

GSK Life Video Sample

Things seem a bit vague? Don’t worry! The Free Practice section includes sample questions and answers to make everything clear!


Section 3 – Reasoning

Section 3 of the assessment is designed to assess your reasoning ability. It contains a PDF file with various graphs and texts, and 5 reasoning questions based on it.

GSK Life Job Simulation Numerical Sample 1

Pro Tip

The subject matter of GSK Job Simulation questions will vary, depending on the position you have applied to (finance, engineering, etc.)


Section 4 – Motivations

Section 4 is a short section designed to assess your motivation in applying to GSK, as well as the unique skills and abilities you have. It contains 2 mindset questions that address these issues. You need to video record your answer to each question.


Section 5 – Problem Solving Approach

The fifth and last question of the GSK Job Simulation assesses your general attitude to problem solving. It contains a very basic task description and will ask you to describe in writing several kay points to start solving the issue.


What Does the GSK Life Assessment Measure?

In general, the GSK Life Job Simulation aims to create a simulated environment of the working life at GSK.

The variety of questions in the assessment are designed to assess how well you are expected to cope with such an environment, including:

  • Work-related behavior
  • Approach to life and work
  • Problem solving and reasoning abilities
  • Motivations, skills, and strengths
  • Oral and written communication skills

Test Invitation

The invitation to the GSK Life Job Simulation will be sent to you via email immediately after you have passed the World of GSK Assessment.

Unlike the World of GSK invitation, this invitation is very short and does not disclose much about the actual assessment.

GSK Life Job Simulation Invitation

Free Practice

This free practice is intended to give you an idea of the GSK Life Assessment formatting, content, and level of difficulty.

We have included 2 sample questions of each question type – SJT, Reasoning, and Mindset, so 6 questions total.

Good luck!


Question 1

GSK Life Job Simulation SJT 1

Recommended Answer

The recommended ranking is D, E, A, C, B.

Let’s review every response:

Response A

On the one hand, this response is proactive and shows that you are determined to resolve the issue. On the other hand, it shows a lack of independent decision-making and leadership. As you are going through training to be a team leader, you are not expected to contact your supervisor for such an issue that you are capable of resolving yourself.

Response B

This is the least recommended response. It is a passive response that shows both disregard for the importance of the company policy, as well as lack of decisiveness and leadership, two traits that are essential for a team leader.

Response C

While this response is proactive and shows you care about the company’s policy, it is an overreaction and demonstrates poor communication skills. The issue can be resolved in a much subtler, more appropriate manner.

Response D

This is the most recommended response. It shows that you take the company’s policies seriously, while also demonstrating good teamwork and communication skills.

Response E

This response is second best. While you address the issue by filling in the missing information and notifying Shelly (and all other team members) about the importance of the documentation policy, you are not expected to carry out the task on your own. As a team manager, you should hold employees accountable for their mistakes, so Shelly should have filled in the report herself, as in response D.


Question 2

GSK Life Job Simulation SJT 2

Recommended Answer

The recommended ranking is E, A, C, B, D.

This situational judgment question assesses two main themes: teamwork and ownership/leadership.

Let’s review every response based on these two traits:

Response A

This response demonstrates reasonable communication skills and leadership, as well as proactivity and ownership of the task at hand. However, it somewhat lacks teamwork, as you approach each team member separately, thus preventing productive feedback between team members.

Response B

By communicating with your team via email and with no onboarding, this response lacks teamwork. It also lacks leadership, as you “pass the buck” to your team, instead of offering structure and guidance.

Response C

While this response shows good leadership skills and demonstrates ownership of the project, you show lack of teamwork by handing down orders with no room for discussion or feedback from your team.

Response D

This is the least recommended response. By delegating the task to a single member of your team, you demonstrate both poor leadership skills (not taking ownership of the project) and lack of teamwork.

Response E

This is the most recommended response. Firstly, it demonstrates both effective teamwork, by setting up a meeting with everyone on the team. Such a meeting is likely to get everyone involved and create a sense of cooperation. Secondly, it shows proactive ownership of the project and leadership on your part.


Question 3

With reference to the previous question, what traits and competencies do you think you have that will allow you to better resolve the issue at hand?

Recommended Answer

As this is an open-ended mindset question that directly relates to your personal skills and experience, there cannot be any single answer here.

However, here are 3 general tips to consider when responding to such questions:

Start by Recapping the Question

Remember that in the GSK Life Assessment, humans will be assessing your responses to open-ended questions. As such, it is a good idea to start by recapping the main issue of the question before providing a response, for better understanding and context.

Example: “The traits I have that I think can contribute to a team project of data gathering and analysis are…”

Focus on Soft Skills

Soft skills are skills that are applicable to all professions, and revolve around the innate abilities of the individual, rather than acquired knowledge. Examples are communication skills, leadership, empathy, problem-solving, etc.

These traits are usually more relevant and understandable for recruiters, especially in initial stages. If you are a wiz on datasets or time-management platforms, you can mention it, but know that the GSK Job Simulation is generally looking for candidates’ soft skills.

Mention Tangible Accomplishments

It is always better to back up your claims with actual past experience. If it is a job experience, that’s preferable, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be at university, extracurricular activities, or even in your personal life.

So, during your preparation time, think about times in your life where you actually took steps that can exemplify the traits you say you have.


Question 4

While making final adjustments to your presentation, which is scheduled for tomorrow, you find out that Boris, one of your team members, has forgotten to attach a document containing some critical data. With your current team, you believe that two additional workdays will be required to integrate that data into your findings.

Just then, you receive an email from Mary, your direct manager.

Please read Mary’s email and write down your response.

Show Email

GSK Life Job Simulation - Q4 Email

Recommended Answer

This question is a written response question, so there is, naturally, an infinite number of possible answers.

The following is an example of a good response:

Hi Mary and thanks for checking in.

I am fully aware of the importance of the issue, and we are doing our best to provide the best overview of the problems in the line. I will be ready for our meeting tomorrow with all the relevant data.

However, I should notify you that we have just now learned that a human error on the team led to critical data not considered in our initial analysis. Therefore, some additional, last-minute work will be required to integrate that data. In order to keep to schedule, I will assign an additional team member to the project today.

I will be happy to get any feedback on your part.

Best,

John

Here are some key elements to include in your response:

  • Addressing the issue – the main issue here is the integration of the missing data. Any action you take should address it and not ignore it, first and foremost.
  • Transparency – do not try to hide the error that has occurred. Be transparent about it and about the ways you are going to address it.
  • Accountability – it is your responsibility to make sure the task is met, both in quality and on schedule. It is, for instance, not recommended to ask Mary to reschedule your meeting.
  • Solutions, not problems – offer a solution to the problem you have raised. As a team member, you should have the confidence and liberty to solve problems with the means you have.
  • Leave room for discussion – as Mary is your manager, it is important to “keep her in the loop”, and to leave her room to provide feedback or make a different decision.

Pro Tip

Your video and written responses will be assessed by a human recruiter, and not by AI. Therefore, it is highly recommended to consider the things a human would appreciate in your answer, such as:

  • Empathy
  • Accountability
  • Honesty
  • Modesty
  • Proper grammar and spelling
  • Brevity
  • Clarity


Question 5

Based on Mohammed’s email below, what recommendations would you provide?

  1. The first priority is reducing cleaning shutdown time, then breakdown maintenance, and regulatory inspection as last priority.
  2. The first priority is reducing unscheduled maintenance shutdown time, then cleaning, and regulatory inspection as last priority.
  3. The first priority is reducing routine maintenance shutdown time, then cleaning, and emergency maintenance as last priority.
  4. The first priority is reducing unscheduled maintenance shutdown time, then regulatory inspection, and cleaning as last priority.
  5. The first priority is reducing unscheduled maintenance shutdown time, then regulatory inspection, and emergency maintenance as last priority.

Show Email

GSK Life Job Simulation - Q5 Email

Data Source 1

GSK Life Job Simulation Numerical Sample 1

Data Source 2

GSK Life Job Simulation Numerical Sample 2

Answer and Explanation

The correct answer is B.

To prioritize what shutdown times should be reduced, we first need to know how much overtime every activity takes, compared to the company standard:

GSK Life Sample Question 5 Answer Table

Sample calculations:

* 11.25 = 45 x 25%

** 4.5 = 30 x 15%

As we can see, actual unscheduled maintenance shutdown times are the longest, compared with the recommended time (+6.75 hours), then cleaning (+5.25), and regulatory inspections shutdown times come third (+3.3). Routine and emergency maintenance shutdown times do not pose a problem in line 2.


Question 6

After sending the recommendations to Mohammed and Mary, Mohammed responds with a second email.

Based on the evidence in Mohammed’s email below, rank the following views of O&M employees, from most viewed to least viewed:

  1. Equipment is inadequate.
  2. The presence of a manager could improve productivity.
  3. Manufacturing schedule interferes with work.
  4. Training is not comprehensive.
  5. O&M schedule does not interfere with work.

Show Email

GSK Life Job Simulation - Q6 Email

Answer and Explanation

The correct ranking is E, B, A, C, D.

Below is a summary of the survey data. Bolded percentages are given in the answer options:

GSK Life Sample Question 6 Answer Table

Question Types/Topics

One of the main complexities of the GSK Life Job Simulation is the variety of question types and topics.

In a nutshell:

  • Question Type – the technical formatting of the question. There are 4 question types in the assessment.
  • Question Topic – what the question aims to measure. There are 3 question topics in the assessment.

This section we will uncover the various types and topics of questions you will encounter on the GSK Job Simulation assessment.

You can find detailed sample questions + answers in the Free Practice section.


Question Types

The question type relates to the technical formatting of the question. The GSK Job Simulation includes 4 question types:

  • Video
  • Written Response
  • Ranking
  • Multiple-Choice

Let’s briefly cover each type:

Video

In video questions, you will be required to record your response using your camera and microphone. You will have 2 minutes to prepare your response and 2 minutes to record it.

4 video questions are included in the assessment.

Show Example

GSK Life Video Sample

Written Response

Written response questions include an empty text field where you type your answer in.

5 written response questions are included in the assessment.

Show Example

GSK Life Job Simulation Written Sample

Ranking

In ranking-type questions, you will be required to rank a list of 5 optional answers from most to least. These may be situational judgment or reasoning questions (see more in the question topic section below).

Show Example

GSK Life Job Simulation SJT 2

5 ranking questions are included in the assessment.

Multiple-Choice

This type of questions is most familiar to most test-takers. Here, you will have to choose one (and only one) correct answer out of 5 options.

2 multiple-choice questions are included in the assessment.

Show Example

Based on the evidence in Mohammed’s email, what is the most commonly held view by O&M employees?

  1. Equipment is inadequate.
  2. The presence of a manager could improve productivity.
  3. Manufacturing schedule interferes with work.
  4. Training is not comprehensive.
  5. O&M schedule does not interfere with work.


Question Topics

The question topic relates to the content of the question and the traits it is designed to measure. The GSK Job Simulation includes 3 question topics:

  • Situational Judgment (SJT)
  • Mindset
  • Reasoning

Let’s briefly cover each topic:

Situational Judgment (SJT)

Situational Judgment questions are designed to assess your work-related behavior, and how you are expected to respond to work-related scenarios.

Show Example

GSK Life Job Simulation SJT 2

Mindset

Mindset questions assess your general attitude towards work and life.

Show Example

GSK Life Video Sample

Reasoning

Reasoning questions in the GSK Job Simulation assess your ability to analyze and interpret data and make decisions based on it.

Show Example

GSK Life Job Simulation Numerical Sample 1

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