IBM’s global application process for candidates involves these five steps:
Since we hire in most regions worldwide, the process might be a little different for some countries. If you’re ever unsure of the status of your application, you can check on it in the candidate portal.
When you find a role that interests you, the first step is to complete your application online. To help us stay connected, we recommend that you join our talent network when applying.
Real IBMers, who are experts in screening resumes and specialists in their respective fields, will read your application.
We might ask you to complete some of our online assessments, which will vary depending on the role you applied to.
Don’t worry—we have designed our scientifically validated assessments to be engaging, fair and relevant to each role. We use assessments to measure skills and abilities that do not commonly emerge from interviews. This stage in the process allows you to truly demonstrate who you are and what value you can bring to the role.
At IBM, we’re proud of more than 100 years of work we've done on diversity, inclusion and equality in the workplace. That legacy, and our continued commitment to advance equity in the workplace, informs our assessment approach. We recognize the value that a diverse workforce brings to IBM and our IBMers, which is why we don’t have a blanket policy or procedure when providing individuals with disability accommodations or adjustments for assessments or interviews. Instead, at the beginning of the assessment process, we provide guidance on the expectations for your assessment experience.
If you are a person with a disability, you can confidentially self-identify and provide details on your accommodation or adjustment request to complete the assessment process.
Our team will then review the details of your needs and work with you on accommodation or adjustment options for your application.
Some examples of the types of assessments we might ask you to complete, depending on the role you applied to, include a coding assessment, a video assessment or an English language assessment. Rest assured, no roles require you to complete all of them.
We present you with a multiple-choice or a coding interface to solve a few coding challenges, depending on the position you applied to. This assessment helps us understand your level of programming knowledge and ability.
This type of assessment helps us get to know you better and evaluate your skills through a series of interview questions. Your webcam and microphone capture your responses.
This text-based assessment presents you with a series of multiple-choice questions. It helps us better understand your English proficiency.
If you've successfully completed the assessments, the next stage might involve us inviting you for an interview or for an assessment center visit.
Both are a great opportunity for us to get to know each other better; there’s no need to worry—at IBM, we’re a friendly bunch. For this stage of the process, we recommend doing some research into IBM and the area you want to work in. This is your chance to show us how much you want to work for us. Come prepared with any questions that you want to ask us, as it's also your opportunity to interview us. In the meantime, you can check out our careers blog for useful information.
If we invite you to more interviews, we might conduct them over the phone, through video, or in person, and more than one IBMer might interview you. If we invite you to an assessment center, we will likely ask you to participate in several group exercises, with the potential for an in-person interview on that day.
We rigorously train and certify our hiring managers and talent team on interviewing best practices and unconscious bias to ensure you get the most out of your application journey. Our interviews involve a combination of job-related behavioral and situational questions to better understand your capabilities and prior experiences.
We keep you regularly informed of any updates to your application status along the way. If you would like feedback after an interview, we're happy to help—just ask.
After your final interview, we contact you to inform you whether you were chosen. If you were, we then send you the appropriate documentation you need to complete to begin your onboarding journey with us. You are then onboarded as an IBMer, leading the way in this new era of technology and solving some of the world’s most challenging problems.
Given the volume of applications we receive across the globe, it’s not always possible for our talent team to contact you directly if you are unsuccessful in your application. We do our best, but if you’d like to receive extra feedback, feel free to contact your recruiter.