SEB Alva Labs Assessment: What to Expect
What SEB says about the Alva Labs assessments in its recruitment process, what Alva's tests involve and how to prepare
What SEB says about its assessments
SEB's recruitment process page says it believes you are more than your CV, and that it therefore partners with Alva Labs and uses tests to make its selection as objective and unbiased as possible, and to let your true potential and personality shine through. It adds that you may also be invited to an IT skills assessment or asked to solve a business case during the process.
SEB names Alva Labs as its partner but does not say which of Alva's tests it sends. Alva's standard pair is a logic test and a personality test, and its invitations list each test you have been asked to take as its own card, so check your invitation before you prepare.
Where the assessments sit in the process
SEB sets out five steps:
What Alva sends
The invitation comes from invitation@alvalabs.io with a link to app.alvalabs.io, where you create an Alva account. Alva's two tests are:
- The Logic Test. 20 matrix tasks, each a 3x3 grid of figures with the bottom right square missing and six options. Each task has its own two-minute limit and there is no overall clock. It adapts to your answers, a task that runs out of time counts as wrong, and there is no going back. Most people finish in 15 to 20 minutes.
- The Personality Test. Short statements about you at work, rated 1 to 5, across five factors and fifteen facets. There is no clock, and every statement has a Skip question button. Alva says there are no right or wrong answers.
You see your results as soon as you finish, in the same report the employer sees. Alva reports both tests on a 1 to 10 scale and publishes no pass mark: each employer sets its own range for the role. Results are tied to your email and can be shared with other employers for 24 months.
Top Tips
Check which tests your invitation lists
Because SEB does not name the tests, your invitation is the only reliable guide. Prepare for each test it shows, and for an IT skills assessment or business case if the role mentions one.
Never leave a logic task blank
Speed earns nothing on the Alva logic test, so use the time on hard tasks, but a task that runs out of time is marked wrong. When the 30 second notice appears, rule out what you can and submit your best guess.
Stay in the test window
Alva's browser proctoring records tab or window changes, other apps and screenshots, and the employer sees the log. Close everything else before you start.
Answer the personality test as you are at work
The personality test adapts, and inconsistent answers lead to more statements rather than a better profile. Read each statement to the end before you rate it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SEB use Alva Labs?
Yes. SEB's own recruitment process page says it partners with Alva Labs and uses tests as step 2 of its five-step process.
Which Alva tests does SEB use?
SEB does not say. Alva's standard tests are a logic test and a personality test, and your invitation lists the ones you have been asked to take.
What happens after the SEB assessments?
If your profile and assessment results meet the criteria for the position, SEB invites you to interviews with the hiring managers and the talent acquisition team. Some roles also include an IT skills assessment or a business case.