FDM Arctic Shores Assessment

TL;DR: FDM Group hires graduates, career returners and ex-forces personnel as consultants, trains them, and places them with client companies. The online test is run by Arctic Shores. The evidence comes from Arctic Shores, not FDM: its FDM case study says FDM moved the Arctic Shores task-based assessment to the start of its UK early-careers process, in place of its earlier CV, SJT and reasoning-test sift, and Arctic Shores runs a registration portal for "your application to FDM Group". FDM's own careers pages and current adverts don't describe the stages or name a provider. Its practice graduate programme adverts ask for a 2:2 degree and a commitment to at least two years with FDM. Arctic Shores reads how you behave in short tasks rather than marking right answers, so practice mainly removes the surprise of the format.

This page keeps three kinds of source apart: FDM's own words, Arctic Shores' words about FDM, and what candidates report. Where they don't cover something, we say so. Trust your invitation over this guide.

The stages, in order

FDM doesn't publish a current step-by-step process. This order is pieced together from the sources named in each step.

1. Online application. You apply through FDM's vacancies site. FDM said in 2022 that it recruits "all year round on a rolling-basis" and takes on 1,000 or more graduates a year (FDM, "Your Top Recruitment Questions Answered", October 2022). The current Software Engineering Graduate Programme advert (London) lists the minimum requirements:

• a degree at 2:2 or higher
• communication skills and teamwork
• a demonstrable interest in technology
• commitment to at least two years of employment with FDM
• the right to work in the UK
• flexibility to take client assignments across the South of England (the Leeds advert says the North of England, the Glasgow advert Scotland)

2. Arctic Shores task-based assessment. According to Arctic Shores' case study, FDM had already used its assessment "at later stages of their process". After finding that CVs, video interviews and reasoning tests were "vulnerable to AI manipulation", FDM decided to "move Arctic Shores to earlier in the hiring journey", as "an early-stage screen". The case study says FDM tested this on UK early-careers hiring and is scaling it to its global pipeline. It has been online since at least June 2025. We checked the Arctic Shores portal for FDM again on 4 November 2026 and it was still live: "Welcome to the Arctic Shores assessment registration portal as part of your application to FDM Group." It asks for your name and email, and you must confirm "that this is the same email address I used in my application to FDM Group".

3. Interviews and an assessment centre. FDM hasn't published how the later stages run now. The case study describes the earlier process as telephone interviews, video interviews, and numerical and verbal reasoning tests, followed by an Assessment Centre. It says that once Arctic Shores moved to the front, the pass rate at the final stages rose from 60% to 74%. FDM's own interview advice (2021) says its interview mixes "competency and strength-based questions", and lists example questions such as "Why do you want to work with FDM?" and "Tell me why you are passionate about a career in technology."

4. Offer, training, then client assignments. You join as an associate consultant in one of five practices: Software Engineering, Data & Analytics, Change & Transformation, Risk, Regulation & Compliance, or IT Operations (graduate programme page). Current adverts mention "initial upskilling pre-assignment" accredited by TechSkills. FDM's 2022 article put the first training period at 6 to 14 weeks before you start work for a client.

The two-year commitment

The UK practice graduate programme adverts we checked (London, Leeds and Glasgow) all ask for "commitment to at least two years of employment with FDM". The newer Graduate AI Engineer adverts don't list it. In the past, FDM's contracts required graduates who left early to repay training costs. In May 2022, Graduate Fog, a campaigning careers blog, reported that FDM's chief executive had told graduates the repayment clause would be removed from their contracts. We found no current FDM page that sets out the terms, so read your contract before you sign.

Returners and ex-forces

• Returners Programme. FDM asks for five years of relevant commercial experience, a career break of at least 12 months, and availability to work full time (returners page).
• Ex-Forces Programme. It's open to people from all ranks and branches, and "no university degree required" (ex-forces page).

Neither page describes the assessment stages, and the case study talks only about early-careers hiring. We couldn't confirm whether these routes use the same Arctic Shores screen.

What the assessment involves

What FDM says. Nothing specific. FDM's careers pages and adverts don't describe an online test.

What Arctic Shores says about FDM. The case study says the assessment "measures how candidates behave as they complete a series of tasks", and that FDM's candidates got personalised feedback instead of generic rejection emails. It reports that "84% of candidates reported having a positive experience", that 83% said the assessment "reflected positively on FDM's brand", and that recruiters "saved 82 days of manual screening time" (case study, checked 4 November 2026). Those are Arctic Shores' own figures. It doesn't name the tasks FDM uses or give a time limit.

What candidates report (not FDM's words). A Glassdoor review from March 2025 for an FDM graduate developer role says the interview came after two tests, "a technical skill test and a game-based aptitude/behavioural" test. That is one candidate, and we could only read the review's search snippet, so treat it as a hint rather than the rule. Newer Glassdoor snippets point the same way. A UK review page updated in October 2026 quotes a candidate saying "the recruiting stage was mostly behavior questions and the technical assessment on HackerRank was easy to average" (Glassdoor UK). The global page summarises the process as four rounds starting with "a quick phone interview" (Glassdoor), though it mixes countries and roles. Again we read only the snippets, and Glassdoor rates the graduate programme's interview process 2.7 out of 5 (graduate program reviews). Expect a coding or technical test on technical streams, alongside the Arctic Shores screen.

How Arctic Shores works in general. You play a handful of short tasks. Arctic Shores' own guidance gives about 5 to 15 minutes each, and the employer chooses which tasks you get. Your results are compared with other candidates, and you receive a feedback report. Our Arctic Shores assessment guide covers every task candidates report, with sources.

What you can practise

Because nobody publishes FDM's task list, prepare for the format in general:

• Tasks with right answers or a clock, where knowing the rules early helps: Predict (guide), Security lock (guide), Direction (guide), Order (guide), Balance (guide) and Ticket (guide).
• Behavioural tasks, with no winning style: Energy (guide), Balloon (guide) and Team Sales (guide).

What first attempts look like. Among players' first attempts on GamePrep (October to November 2026), the median raw score was 56% better bets on Predict (163 players), a 118 ms timing error on the Security lock (71 players, lower is better), 83 points on Direction (54 players), 19.5 level points on Order (48 players) and 9 level points on Balance (78 players). These are people practising, not FDM applicants, and Arctic Shores compares you with its own norm groups. The full spread for each game is on our score benchmarks page.

Be realistic about what this does. Arctic Shores measures behaviour, so practice won't change your profile or guarantee a result. What it does is stop you losing the first rounds of a timed task to learning the controls. In the behavioural tasks, play the way you'd actually work. FDM moved to this assessment precisely because AI tools could answer its old tests, so don't try to get help with it.

For the interviews, FDM's 2022 article lists the seven strengths it looks for: Driven Performer, Logical Resolver, Opportunity Seeker, Resilient Achiever, Adaptable Delivery, Relationship Builder and Curious Learner. Prepare an example for each from work, university, volunteering or a hobby. If you get a recorded or live video interview, rehearse answering aloud with our video interview practice.

How to prepare

• Apply with the email you'll use for the assessment. The Arctic Shores portal asks you to confirm it's the same address as your FDM application.
• Do the assessment somewhere quiet, on a stable connection, when you're alert. Arctic Shores invitations show an estimated time.
• Ask for adjustments before you start. FDM says applicants who need adjustments, "such as extra time or alternative methods of assessment", should speak to its recruiters (2022 article). Arctic Shores invitations include a support contact too.
• Check the location and commitment lines in the advert. Each practice graduate programme advert names the region you must be willing to work in, and asks for two years.

FAQ

Does FDM still use Arctic Shores? Arctic Shores says so: its case study describes FDM using the assessment as an early screen in UK early-careers hiring, and its FDM registration portal was still live on 4 November 2026. FDM's own pages don't name any test provider, so check your invitation.

Does FDM still use numerical and verbal reasoning tests? Arctic Shores' case study says FDM moved its early-stage sift from CVs, SJTs and reasoning tests to the task-based assessment. Candidate reports from 2025 and 2026 mention a technical skill test, one of them on HackerRank, so your route may include a coding or technical test as well.

How long is the graduate programme commitment? FDM's UK practice graduate programme adverts ask for "commitment to at least two years of employment with FDM". Read the contract for the exact terms.

Do I need a computing degree? No. The graduate page says a bachelor's degree, "preferably STEM-related", but FDM encourages "anyone with a passion for tech to apply". The practice programme adverts set a 2:2 minimum.

GamePrep is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with FDM Group or Arctic Shores. We provide practice only — no leaked questions or answers. Hiring processes change — verify against your invitation.