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Interview hints and tips

How to wow us
in your interview

Video interview dos and don’ts

Video interviews can be tricky and although we love meeting you all through the screen, we understand not everyone is used to this format.

Our ‘Dos’ and ‘Don’ts’ below outline how to make the most of the process, and how to improve your online interview skills. You can also find our insider tips about impressing us at interview, online or face-to-face, here.

The dos

  • Dress for the persona you want to convey

    Think about what might be considered appropriate for the role you’re applying to.
  • Know when you’re at your best

    If you’re a morning person, don’t record your interview in the evening when you’re drained.
  • Test your tech thoroughly before you start recording
  • Research into the company goals, values, and products and services

    Bring these up naturally to show your insight.
  • Remember that employers look for genuinely passionate and energised responses

    In addition to well-structured and meaningful content.
  • Make sure you’re in a quiet location

    Minimise background noise as best you can; soft furnishings help to absorb echoes.
  • Understand your time limit

    The time given for each answer indicates the level of detail required in your response, so before answering, give thought to the structure of your response.
  • Practise, practise and practise again

    Use these tips to figure out how best to present your best self and your sparkling personality.
  • Remember that employers hire people, not robots

    Be your authentic self and highlight why you’re the best person for the job.
  • Take a deep breath and smile before each answer

    This will be invaluable, and helps to clear your mind and give you focus.

The don’ts

  • Read notes to answer questions

    It’s obvious and comes across as inauthentic.
  • Use colloquialisms or swear

    No matter how minor you believe it to be.
  • Contradict yourself

    Remember what you’ve said in response to previous questions, and make sure you are consistent throughout the interview.
  • Force knowledge of the company into your answers

    Avoid dropping key words or phrases when they aren’t relevant. This can make you appear inauthentic.
  • Forget to explain your answers

    Link them back to your own personal example and experience.
  • Keep talking when you’ve said what you have to say

    A short answer is better than an incoherent one.
  • Force examples when they aren’t relevant to the question
  • Ignore technical issues

    If you have a problem, report it to your contact at the organisation. It’s better you highlight an issue than for it to impact your interview.

Insider tips

Some of the above will apply to face-to-face interviews too. We can’t tell you what questions you’ll be getting – our interviews aren’t regimented, that’s not very Aviva! But now you know the dos and don’ts, we can give you some insider knowledge about what we’re looking for in your answers, and what we expect generally…

Keep our values front of mind

If your answers relate to them in some way, we’ll be very happy. A quick reminder:

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

Think of the skills you’ll need

Lots of our questions are competency-based, so make sure you’re familiar with the competencies listed in the job advert. Explain how you’ve demonstrated them in other roles, or life in general.

Think about your weaknesses, too

There’s lots of chances to develop at Aviva, so make sure you’re clear about what direction you want to move in. We want to see you grow with us. We don’t expect you (or anyone!) to be perfect, so be honest when we ask you where you could improve.

Be prepared

For face-to-face interview, gather all the documents you’ll need for your pre-screening checks in plenty of time. Bring questions, too – this is a two-way process!

On the day…

Again, if your interview is face-to-face, make sure you:

  • Plan your route in advance and allow plenty of time.
  • Smile and relax – your body language speaks volumes too.
  • Take time to think about the questions before you answer – we’re looking for humans not chatbots.
  • Feel free to give us examples of your skills from all aspects of your life, not just work.

Some practice questions

Here are some examples of the kind of questions we might ask:

  • What do you like to do in your spare time?
  • What energises you?
  • How would your close friends describe you?
  • Do you most like starting tasks or finishing them?
  • Do you prefer the big picture or the small details?
  • Describe a successful day. What made it successful?
  • What are you good at?
  • What are your weaknesses?
  • What did you enjoy studying at school or university?
  • When did you achieve something you’re really proud of?
  • What do you enjoy doing the least?
  • Do you find there are enough hours in the day to complete your to-do list?
  • What tasks are always left on your to-do list?
  • How do you stay motivated?
  • How do you feel about deadlines?
  • Have you ever done something differently the second time around?
  • Do you think this role will play to your strengths?
We currently have
107 roles across
10 locations, organised into
12 teams.