Employer profile: Aon, a worldwide professional services firm

Aon has 60,000 employees in 120 locations all over the world. Find out what it means to work in a global professional services firm and how you can apply.

Nikki, from Aon's early careers team, tells us all about the company and how to apply.

What does the company do?

At Aon, we give clients in over 120 countries advice and solutions to make better decisions to protect and grow their businesses. We exist to shape decisions for the better.

We work in three main areas: commercial risk (like insurance and reinsurance), wealth solutions (like pensions and investments), and health solutions (like employee rewards and talent performance).

Our programme Aon at One with the Community encourages our employees to get involved in supporting local communities. You can become a Community Champion and set up events like bake sales, food bank collections, and fundraiser social events. We drive a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and able to be themselves at work.

Where do your employees work? 

Our head office is in London, but we have over 15 UK locations in places like Chelmsford, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. Each office location offers social activities like sports and clubs. 

Can you describe what your workspace is like?

All of Aon’s offices are modern and open plan. We hotdesk which means that instead of having an assigned desk, you can sit anywhere within your department's allocated area. This is great, as you get to meet a variety of colleagues and learn from their different skill sets. All of our offices have lots of meeting rooms, break out areas, and kitchens, and our larger offices have their own cafés as well.
 

What are some of the most common roles at the company? 

The majority of our apprentices progress into client-facing roles within insurance, reinsurance, investment, or pensions. These roles focus on client service administration and supporting client management activities for more senior team members. Day to day, that can mean working with customers, carrying out admin tasks, or inputting data so our records are accurate. It’s a role where you quickly learn about our business and the processes we follow, whilst building strong relationships with clients and work colleagues.

What is the most common entry level role at the company?

One of the most common entry level roles at Aon is a client manager. Within this role, you receive lots of on-the-job business and technical training, to help you develop the skills to excel in your career and meet our clients' needs. Day to day, you support the delivery of client work with the help of more senior team members. And you undertake admin tasks that contribute to client satisfaction and profitability. Client managers work as part of a team and attend weekly update meetings with their colleagues. 

How can someone join your company at entry level?

A common entry level route is to become an apprentice with us. You’ll get to work with internal and external clients, provide customer service, and play an active part in client satisfaction.

You could join us straight from college as a full-time apprentice, where you’d learn on the job whilst gaining a professional qualification. Or if you want to attend university, we offer summer internship, placement, and graduate programmes if you gain a 2:1 or above. Our graduate programmes are in roles like actuarial consulting, tech and data, broking, or people and HR.
 

What are the entry requirements for these roles? 

There are no set entry requirements to join our work experience programme. But to join us as an apprentice, you’ll need between 104 and 112 UCAS points, depending on the business area you want to join. Those UCAS points can come from any level 3 qualification that you’ve studied at school. Our apprenticeship programmes are only open to those with the right to work in the UK.

To apply to our graduate, intern, and placement programmes, you must be on track to achieve a 2:1 in your degree. For our actuarial graduate roles, we look for an A or A* at A level and a degree in what we call a ‘highly numerate’ subject, like maths or economics. For some roles, we may list some preferred degrees, but we consider applications from students with a degree in any subject.

What skills do you look for in applicants for entry-level roles? 

We look for a desire to deliver excellent customer service, strong communication skills, a curiosity, enthusiasm and motivation for finding solutions, and teamwork skills. You’ll also need to show the willingness and commitment to complete your professional qualifications.

One of the main ways we look for these skills is through a group exercise which takes place at our virtual assessment centre. In our interviews, we also ask candidates to give specific examples of when they’ve displayed our required skills in the past.

Does your company offer work experience or internship opportunities?

If you want to gain some work experience with Aon while you’re studying, we offer a one-week work insights opportunity for Year 12 and 13 students. This takes place during the February and October half terms, as well as some dates during the summer holidays. You’ll learn more about Aon, financial services as a sector, and get advice and guidance on CV writing and interview skills.

Aside from researching the role and company, what is one top tip to help someone apply successfully for an entry-level position at your company?  

I’d recommend taking part in our work experience programme. It’ll give you invaluable insight into the world of financial services, as well as the different career opportunities available at Aon. In addition, have a look at our website. We have lots of great information about the areas in which we work, along with our values and culture. You’ll also find up-to-date information on our LinkedIn page – this could help you understand the types of clients and work we undertake. 

What can students be doing right now to build their experience?

In order to be successful at Aon, you need to be client focused, a good team player, and willing to learn. There are many ways you can gain some experience in these areas before you join. You could get involved with teams or societies at school or college, which can give you experience of working as part of a team. And any hobbies or interests you have outside of your studies will show your willingness to learn. 

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