Mercedes-Benz was established as a German automobile company in 1926, and since then has grown to become an internationally recognized luxury car brand.
Applicants who want to work at Mercedes can choose to work as part of different divisions in the business, including:
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Cars
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Vans
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Parts logistics
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Financial services
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Insurance services
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Retail group
Mercedes Benz roles are popular for both experienced professionals and early careers, because they offer great career progression, an excellent salary package, and diverse rewards that are designed to support employees in well-being, health, finances, and with recognition.
Mercedes application process
The application process for Mercedes might look slightly different, depending on the role you have applied for, but it usually follows the below structure:
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Find a role on the job search page
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Complete an online application - CV, experience and qualifications, contact details, and a few competency-based questions
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Online Assessments - Mercedes uses SHL tests as pre-employment screeners, and depending on the role you have applied for you could face numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, and/or mechanical reasoning tests.
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Competency-based telephone interview: Questions here will be based on the specific skills and competencies that Mercedes are looking for (more on this below)
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Assessment Center
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Final Interview
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Decision
Why does Mercedes use assessment centers?
The assessment center is an opportunity for the recruitment team and management to have face-to-face contact with applicants, and by putting the candidates through several different types of exercise, the assessors are able to evaluate the applicants on certain soft skills that aren’t always easy to assess using other recruitment processes.
At the assessment center, the applicants have to go through several exercises, some that are completed as part of a group, and others that might be completed individually. Assessors can see which candidates are able to work in a team, communicate with others, and demonstrate leadership capabilities.
What are the skills Mercedes is looking for?
To understand the specific skills and competencies that Mercedes is looking for, you can check out the job description. This is the first place you should look when you want to make sure that you are positioning yourself as the perfect candidate.
Skills in the job description might include things like mechanical knowledge (for a relevant position), or perhaps accountancy.
The competencies that are being assessed during the assessment center are the following:
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Teamwork
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Passion for Mercedes
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Decision making skills
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Leadership qualities
Mercedes assessment center format
The Mercedes Assessment Center is an opportunity for you to visit local Mercedes offices, and network with existing employees, managers, and directors. You will get the opportunity to meet the recruitment team in person, as well as other candidates. In many cases, the other candidates at the Assessment Center might be applying for the same role but they could also be going for other positions.
There are a number of different exercises that you will complete during the day, but it is worth remembering that you will be under constant and consistent assessment by the recruiters.
Mercedes group exercise
The first activity that you will be asked to complete is a group exercise, where you will work with a small group to work through a case study.
You will have 30 minutes as a team to read through several pages containing detailed information about a client, and then you will have another 30 minutes to discuss the data and information and come up with a conclusion as a team.
In this part of the Assessment Center, you will need to demonstrate that you can work as a team, but you will also need to speak out to argue for your ideas. The best thing you can do is speak clearly and not interrupt others, and utilize your negotiation and persuasion skills.
The group exercise is not necessarily about finding the ‘right’ conclusion for the case study; it is all about how well you can work as a team.
Mercedes role play exercise
The role play exercise is a more intense exercise, where as a pair you will be representing Mercedes while the client is being played by an assessor.
You will be given a sheaf of paper-based information, including things like charts and graphics, and you will be expected to sell something to the client.
During the role play, the assessor will put you under pressure, asking you questions. Some of these questions will have answers that are in the data you have been provided, but other answers you will have to use your imagination.
Try and use the data to back up your recommendations, and remember that you are being assessed for your performance under pressure, your leadership, negotiation, and persuasion skills, but also for your confidence and the way you present yourself.
Mercedes interview
There might be more than one interview at the end of the Assessment Center. These will usually take place with a senior manager or a director, and they will mostly be competency-based.
You will be asked to provide evidence of times in your previous experience when you have demonstrated the key skills and competencies that are needed for the role. Some of the questions will be looking for alignment with the values of the business, while others might be looking for your passion and culture fit.
Some of the questions that you might be asked include:
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Tell us about a time where you had to lead a team
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Describe what good customer service looks like
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Talk about a time when you have had to work as part of a team
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Why do you want to work for Mercedes?
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Where do you want to be in five years?
The best way to prepare for the interviews is to know what skills, competencies, and aptitudes are going to be relevant for the role - and that is the information that you can find in the job description.
At the end of the interview, you will have the opportunity to ask questions - so this is where you can present yourself as knowledgeable about Mercedes and their position in the motor industry by asking thoughtful questions; something with a bit more depth than just ‘how many days holiday will I get?’.
Tips for passing the Mercedes assessment center
1. Preparation is key
Be prepared for the day - you want to make sure that you arm yourself with knowledge about the role you have applied for, Mercedes as a brand, and the wider industry.
The more you know about Mercedes, the easier it will be to demonstrate that you have passion for the brand, which is an essential competency
2. Know what to expect
Resources like this are a great way to prepare yourself for a new experience - and you will feel less nervous and more confident when you know what you are in for when you arrive at the Assessment Center.
Learn all you can about each stage of the recruitment process (including the Assessment Center) to give yourself the best chance for success
3. Teamwork
Working as an effective part of a team is not easy, especially when you are working with strangers.
You need to balance getting the group exercise completed while also showing the assessors what you can do. This means that you need to be able to speak up with your ideas, while supporting others to speak too. You will want to argue for what you believe to be true or the best next step, but not speak over others or interrupt.
4. Leadership skills
Leadership and negotiation are key skills in the motor industry, and for Mercedes they are part of development processes for employees - which means that the assessors are on the lookout for candidates in the Assessment Center who can persuade and negotiate effectively and confidently.
Leadership isn’t about taking control and doing everything yourself - or sitting back and telling everyone else what to do, it is about encouraging others and demonstrating the best way of completing a task.
5. Confidence
Going into a new experience, meeting new people, working through tasks, and dealing with an unfamiliar environment is going to be a nerve-wracking experience - and this is worse when getting your dream job hinges on a good performance.
Confidence is important, and you want to make sure that you give yourself the best chance for success - remember, you got this far because the recruitment team liked everything you have done before, so you deserve to get through this part of the process too.