How to Prepare for an Aon Interview: Process, Questions & Tips

Understanding the Aon Recruitment Process

Aon is a global professional services firm specialising in risk, reinsurance, retirement, and health solutions. Roles span actuarial, consulting, broking, technology, and corporate functions — and the recruitment process reflects that breadth. While exact stages vary by role and region, most early-career and experienced-hire processes follow a broadly similar arc.

Candidates typically move through an online application, one or more psychometric assessments, a video interview stage, and then a final assessment centre or panel interview. Understanding what sits at each stage helps you allocate your preparation time wisely rather than cramming for the wrong thing.

• Stage 1: Online application and CV screening
• Stage 2: Psychometric tests (numerical, verbal, or situational judgement)
• Stage 3: One-way or live video interview
• Stage 4: Assessment centre or final panel interview (varies by programme)

Psychometric Tests: What to Expect and How to Prepare

Aon, like most large professional services firms, uses psychometric assessments early in the process to screen candidates at volume. You may encounter numerical reasoning tests, verbal reasoning tests, and situational judgement tests (SJTs). Numerical tests typically involve interpreting charts, tables, and financial data under time pressure — highly relevant given Aon's analytical work.

Preparation matters enormously here. Practise under timed conditions using reputable test providers such as Practice Aptitude Tests or AssessmentDay. For SJTs, read Aon's values and competency framework carefully beforehand — the 'ideal' responses usually reflect client-focus, sound judgement, and collaborative working.

• Practise numerical reasoning with financial data sets — tables, graphs, percentages
• Read questions twice before answering to avoid careless errors under time pressure
• For SJTs, anchor your thinking in Aon's stated values rather than personal preference
• Use a quiet space and a reliable internet connection — technical issues do not pause the clock

The Video Interview Stage

Many Aon programmes use a one-way video interview — where you record responses to pre-set questions within a fixed time limit, with no live interviewer present. This format is common in large-scale graduate and apprenticeship hiring. Questions at this stage are usually a mix of motivational ('Why Aon?', 'Why this service line?') and early-stage competency questions.

Candidates often underestimate this stage because it feels less formal. Do not. Your answers are reviewed by recruiters and, increasingly, AI-assisted scoring tools that assess structure, clarity, and relevance. Treat it with the same rigour as a live interview: prepare structured answers, dress professionally, and ensure your background and lighting are clean and neutral.

• Test your microphone, camera, and internet connection well before the start time
• Frame yourself centrally with a plain background and good front-facing light
• Speak at a measured pace — nerves tend to speed delivery in one-way formats
• Use brief notes off-screen if the platform permits, but do not read from a script

Common Aon Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Competency-based interviews are standard across professional services, and Aon interviews typically assess themes such as analytical thinking, client focus, collaboration, resilience, and commercial awareness. Motivational questions also feature heavily — interviewers want to understand why Aon specifically, not just why the industry.

Below are representative question types you are likely to encounter, along with guidance on how to structure your answers using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

• "Tell me about a time you analysed complex information to reach a decision." — Demonstrate structured thinking and a clear outcome.
• "Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult stakeholder." — Focus on your Actions and the professional Result, not the other person's shortcomings.
• "Why Aon, and why this particular service line?" — Link Aon's specific capabilities (e.g. Aon United, industry-leading reinsurance practice) to your genuine career goals.
• "Give an example of managing multiple priorities under pressure." — Quantify the stakes and show how you organised your approach.
• "Tell me about a time you contributed to a team achieving something it could not have done alone." — Highlight your specific contribution without downplaying the collective effort.

STAR Method in Practice: A Worked Example

The STAR method gives your answers a clear spine that interviewers can follow and score. Here is how it looks applied to a real-sounding question: 'Describe a time you used data to influence a decision.'

Situation: 'During my placement year, our team needed to decide whether to continue running a quarterly client newsletter that was consuming significant resource.' Task: 'I was asked to assess whether the newsletter was generating measurable engagement and whether the time investment was justified.' Action: 'I pulled open-rate and click-through data from the previous eight editions, segmented it by client tier, and benchmarked it against industry averages. I presented a one-page summary recommending we move to a targeted digest for top-tier clients only.' Result: 'The team adopted the recommendation. Six months later, engagement among top-tier clients had increased by roughly a third, and the team reclaimed around four hours of resource per month.' Notice how each element is specific: a real context, a defined responsibility, deliberate actions, and a measurable outcome.

Research and Commercial Awareness: Standing Out at Aon

Aon expects candidates — especially those joining consulting or broking roles — to demonstrate genuine commercial awareness. This means understanding not just what Aon does, but the macro trends shaping its clients' risk landscape: climate-related risk, cyber insurance, workforce health, and the evolving role of data analytics in reinsurance.

Before your interview, read Aon's most recent annual report overview, their published 'Global Risk Management Survey', and a handful of recent press releases or industry news items. You do not need to be an expert — you need to show curiosity and the ability to connect business trends to Aon's work. Interviewers notice candidates who can say 'I noticed Aon has been expanding its cyber risk advisory practice — that connects to my interest in X' rather than those who recite a generic company description.

• Read Aon's Global Risk Management Survey for relevant client-facing insights
• Know Aon's three core solution lines: Commercial Risk, Reinsurance, Health
• Understand the 'Aon United' strategy — integrated, cross-practice client service
• Follow insurance and risk management news on sites such as Insurance Insider or The Actuary

Practical Preparation Tips and Final Checklist

Strong preparation separates candidates who feel ready from those who actually are ready. The most effective approach combines content preparation (stories, research, STAR examples) with performance preparation — actually practising your answers out loud, on camera, under realistic time constraints. Using a tool like ScreenReady to simulate timed one-way video responses lets you identify filler words, pacing issues, and structural gaps before they cost you in the real thing.

In the final 48 hours, review your key STAR examples, re-read your application so your answers are consistent with what you submitted, and prepare two or three thoughtful questions to ask at the end of a live interview. Asking 'What does success look like in this role in the first six months?' signals maturity and genuine interest.

• Prepare at least five distinct STAR stories covering different competencies
• Practise each answer aloud — silently rehearsing is not sufficient
• Record yourself on camera to catch habits you cannot hear in your own head
• Confirm your technology setup 24 hours before any video stage
• Prepare two or three considered questions for your interviewer
• Review your CV and application form the night before for consistency
• Get a full night's sleep — cognitive performance on tests and interviews degrades with fatigue