Below, Tania describes her experience joining Aon’s M&A Transaction Solutions team as part of the Commercial Risk Consulting Graduate Programme and what day-to-day life is like.
What is your role and how long have you been at Aon?
I joined Aon’s graduate scheme a few months ago, working within Aon’s M&A and Transaction Solutions (AMATS) team. The graduate scheme consists of three sixth month rotations and my current rotation is in the Risk and Insurance Due Diligence team, which sits within AMATS.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
I graduated from King’s College London in July and had a great three years there, despite the pandemic! Outside of work, I enjoy baking, going for walks and spending time with friends!
What inspired you to apply for this role/this company?
I was inspired to apply to Aon for a variety of reasons, but particularly because of everything that Aon does for inclusion and diversity. For example, all the fantastic Business Resource Groups (BRGs) that Aon has, which all support very important areas, including the Multicultural Network (MCN) and the Social Mobility Ally Group, which I have now joined myself as an employee. As well as this, I resonate with all of Aon’s values of being committed, united and passionate.
What has been the single most important thing you learnt so far in your job?
In my job so far, the single most important thing I have learnt is how important collaboration and effective communication with other colleagues is, which is a lot easier to do when working in the office. This makes it so much easier to share ideas, receive advice, ask for help and learn from others, especially as a new graduate.
What would a ‘normal’ day look like for someone in your role?
I would say that a ‘normal’ day for someone in my role would start off with checking emails, and then consist of attending any team/project meetings, working on completing project reports and liaising with other colleagues in relation to this. Within the AMATS team, we complete specialist due diligence reports on behalf of our clients on companies that they may be looking to acquire or sell, for example. These reports evaluate past, current, and future exposures which may impact the transaction. When completing these reports, we also liaise with other colleagues in different teams to gather more specific information, including Human Capital Solutions, Financial Lines, Warranty & Indemnity and Tax, Cyber, and Intellectual Property, which all sit within AMATS.
What do you find most interesting with the sector/industry you’re in?
With the industry I’m in, I find it quite interesting how there is so much diversity in terms of the work you can do, from broking and underwriting to advisory. This just shows how vast the industry is and how there are plenty of options available to explore!
What is the company culture like?
The company culture at Aon is amazing! Before I even joined Aon, I could tell just how important wellbeing, mental health and inclusion and diversity are within the company. At Aon, we have a hybrid working environment, which is flexible for everyone’s needs. As well as this, we have two ‘Global Wellbeing Days’ a year, which are company holidays used to support our mental health and wellbeing. Everyone here is super friendly and always happy to help! As mentioned before, there are many BRGs to get involved with, depending on your interests.
How important is diversity to you and what is Aon doing in this space at the moment?
Coming from a BAME background myself, diversity is extremely important to me. To support diversity within the workplace, Aon has a range of BRGs, including: the Multicultural Network, Mental Health Network, Linking Generations, Gender IQ, the Workability group, Social Mobility BRG, the Pride Alliance and Parents & Carers. Aon has also been a proud partner of the ‘Dive In festival’ since 2015, which celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion in the insurance sector through various events.
Finally, any tips for anyone who’d like to apply for a role at Aon?
For anyone who would like to apply for a role at Aon, my top tips would be to show curiosity, passion, and confidence throughout the application process, particularly in the video interviews and the assessment centre. It would also be good to do some research on Aon and the industry to gain an understanding of it, as well as commercial awareness. Aon’s Early Careers team run some brilliant programmes, such as Diverse Future Leaders, which I would definitely recommend applying to. These programmes will also give you the opportunity to network with current graduates and employees, which is a great way to gain a first-hand insight into what it is like to work at Aon.
-
Find out more about Aon and their current opportunities here.