Company interview guide
Shell interview process and practice questions
Shell is a global energy company working in oil and gas, chemicals, power and lower-carbon energy, and it hires graduates into technical, commercial and corporate roles. For its graduate programme, candidates commonly report online assessments and a recorded interview, followed by a final virtual assessment built around a case study shared in advance, a short presentation and questions from assessors. Experienced hires often go through recruiter screening and competency-based interviews.
As candidates commonly report it; it varies by team, level and year. Last reviewed 18 October 2026.
The interview process
- 1Online application
- 2Online assessments, often job simulations and questions about how you work
- 3Recorded video interview
- 4Final virtual assessment: a case study shared in advance, a short presentation and questions from assessors
What interviewers listen for
- Analysing a situation and proposing practical solutions
- Drive to achieve, and learning from feedback
- Working well with people from different backgrounds
- Honesty, integrity and respect for people
- A strong safety mindset
- Understanding of the energy transition and commercial trade-offs
Behavioral questions
Tell me about a time you analysed a messy situation and proposed a solution others adopted.
A good answer covers
- The situation and why it was unclear
- How you broke it down and what information you used
- Your recommendation, how you won support and the result
Tell me about an achievement you worked hard for. What drove you?
A good answer covers
- The goal and why it was difficult
- Setbacks and how you kept going
- The result and what it says about you
Tell me about a time you worked in a team of people from different backgrounds. How did you make it work?
A good answer covers
- The team and the goal
- A difference in views or styles and how you handled it
- What the team achieved and your part in it
Tell me about feedback that was hard to hear and what you changed because of it.
A good answer covers
- The feedback and who gave it
- Your honest first reaction
- What you changed and the difference it made
Tell me about a time you stopped or questioned something because it didn't look safe or right.
A good answer covers
- What you noticed
- How you raised it, even though it was uncomfortable
- What happened next and what you learned
Role and technical questions
How would you decide whether a company should invest in a new solar or wind project? Talk me through the factors.
A good answer covers
- Demand, prices and long-term contracts for the power
- Costs, risks, permits and grid connection
- Comparing returns with other options, and the strategic fit
Fuel sales at a group of service stations have dropped. How would you find out why?
A good answer covers
- Checking the data: which stations, since when, which fuels
- Possible causes: prices, competitors, roadworks, local events, service quality
- Testing the most likely causes and proposing actions
In two minutes, explain what the energy transition means for an energy company.
A good answer covers
- The shift from fossil fuels towards lower-carbon energy over time
- Effects on investment, products and customers
- Balancing today's energy needs with lower emissions
A pump at a plant keeps failing earlier than expected. How would you find the root cause?
A good answer covers
- Safety first, then the failure history and operating data
- Checking design limits, installation, operating conditions and maintenance
- A root-cause analysis, the fix and monitoring afterwards
You get a business case two days before a meeting. How would you prepare a five-minute recommendation?
A good answer covers
- Reading for the key question and the numbers that matter
- A clear structure: recommendation, reasons, risks, next steps
- Preparing for tough questions and changes to the facts
A project is behind schedule. How would you balance safety, cost and time to get it back on track?
A good answer covers
- Safety is not traded away
- Options: re-sequencing work, adding resources, cutting scope
- Telling stakeholders honestly and agreeing the plan
Why Shell? Fit and HR questions
Why Shell, and why a career in energy?
A good answer covers
- Something specific about Shell's businesses
- Why energy matters to you, with a personal link
- What you'd like to work on
Which part of Shell's business interests you most, and why?
A good answer covers
- One area, such as trading, retail, chemicals or lower-carbon energy
- What you know about its challenges
- How your skills fit
Tips
- In a case presentation, give your recommendation first, then the reasons, the risks and the next steps.
- Expect follow-up scenarios after a presentation; candidates commonly report assessors changing the facts to see how you adapt.
- Prepare stories that show how you analyse problems, what you've achieved and how you work with others.
- Read about Shell's businesses and its plans for lower-carbon energy so you can discuss them in your own words.
- Test your camera, microphone and connection before any virtual interview or assessment.
Practise it out loud
A mock interview asks the way Shell's interviewers are known to, follows up on your answers and gives you a report. The warm-up is free, needs no account and checks five of these questions as you answer.
About this guide
Written by Orbit from Shell's own public pages and what candidates commonly report. Orbit isn't affiliated with Shell. The questions are practice questions in the style of its interviews, not questions taken from them. Processes change, so check the job post and what your recruiter tells you.