Prepare for the Aviva Aptitude Tests and Assessment Centre

Aviva has a variety of positions, including the Aviva graduate scheme, internships and apprenticeships. In the application process to any of these roles, you face a combination of aptitude tests provided by Cappfinity, interviews and assessment exercises to help the company determine if you are the right person for the job. This page details the process and how you can prepare.

Firstly, there is the Aviva application form. This pulls together all the relevant information about you and your academic history that Aviva wants to know. This includes the context of your achievements, not just the grades you came out with. It is worth reading the Aviva website very carefully to learn about their core values and other useful information, so that you can tailor your application form towards the qualities they are searching for - make it clear that you really want to work for Aviva in particular (and you’re not just applying because they offer positions for graduates) and it is more likely to be viewed favourably.

As well as having the necessary academic credentials, Aviva wants graduates who have the following qualities:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• The confidence to influence others
• Strong analytical skills
• Real leadership potential
• Curiosity
• Enthusiasm and ambition
• Open-mindedness
• Seeking a challenge

Aviva has specific values (more details of which you can read about on their website), which are:

• Care More
• Kill Complexity
• Never Rest
• Create Legacy

Reading more about what these values mean can help you to get through the hiring process successfully. Aviva recruiters will also be looking to see why you want to join Aviva - so again, a good knowledge of the company will be important.

Once you have completed the Aviva application form and submitted it, you will receive an email confirmation.

When applying for Aviva Graduate Scheme, you must pass several online aptitude tests. Those exams are designed to test your ability to apply your relevant skills and way of thinking to various questions. To make sure you are fully prepared for this crucial stage in the recruitment process, it is highly advised to use practice tests beforehand.

The next step, if you have been successful in the numerical and logical reasoning tests, is the online pre-recorded video interview. The Aviva interview online is designed to let you tell the company more about yourself and your values. Aviva will use this information to decide whether your values fit neatly with their own corporate values.

You won’t know the questions beforehand, but the online video interview comes with full, step-by-step instructions on how to conduct the interview; Also, you’ll be given a practice question to have a go at before you’re ready to start. The best advice is to be open and honest in your answers - it is important that you answer truthfully, so that they can get an accurate measure of whether you will fit in at the company. Passing an interview with a false impression may lead to you being given a job that you are not really suited for.

For some positions, an Aviva telephone interview might be necessary; for others - you may be required to deliver a presentation.

If you have successfully passed all of the above steps, you will be invited to an Aviva assessment centre. This is your chance to show Aviva face to face what you can do and why you are right for a position in their company. You will spend a day there, taking part in a group exercise, which might involve working together on an Aviva case study and then being interviewed by one of the Senior Business Representatives.

In order to gain a full understanding of how you work, you will be asked to participate in a group exercise at the Aviva assessment centre. For many, this assessment involves completing a case study together with a group of fellow applicants. This is an opportunity to show Aviva recruiters how well you work in a team setting. Therefore, make your input heard without being overbearing. Case studies involve working through a lot of information in a short time to find a solution to a problem. The group exercise and case study packs can help you smooth out your skills before the big day to make sure you give a great performance.

The interview is the final step in the Aviva application process. This interview is a mix of both competencies questions and questions more specific to the role you’re applying for.

Typical Aviva interview questions you might be asked include:

• Tell me something about yourself
• Can you give an example of a time when you had to change what you were doing to get the right outcome?
• Why did you choose your degree?

You may also be asked questions relating to the Aviva core values again, such as "How has your past influenced your present?" ('Create Legacy'). If you are given a question about a situation in which you behaved in a way that is in tune with the Aviva values, you will be expected to give a specific scenario from memory, rather than to make up a hypothetical situation. You will be given time to think though! When preparing for your Aviva interview, think carefully about actual experiences you have had, or projects you have been involved in and how these might fit in with the core values.

For in-depth interview preparation, the interview training pack and preparation sessions via Skype with the trained assessors can help you overcome those interview worries.

Aviva has a lot of great opportunities at all job levels but getting that sought after offer can be a challenge. Make sure you are prepared for all aspects of the recruitment process with the right materials.