Chartis (AIG)

I think they're standard SHL tests. Have you done one of those before? You can practice on their website as well.

Yea, ive done the practice tests they seem quite tough!

Have you got one to do for Chartis aswell??

Yeah, I've got to do them by 7/03. I've done a few SHL tests before and they're not that bad.
When is your deadline?

yea same here.

its a bit of a long process...and they only hire 10 in the uk so its quite tough!

Do you know where else you can practice apart from the SHL website, as they seem to keep asking you the same question??

yeah, I know. They've got like 1000 stages. Anyway, it's worth a try.

Yea, it sure is.

where else have you applied??

In insurance...I've also applied to Allianz. Haven't heard from them yet. You?

I've applied at a few finance roles but mainly going through agencies, as some of the grad schemes deadlines are gone.

hi stealth,

did u use recruitment agencies to apply for any actuarial graduate/trainee positions? if so, what agencies did u use?

thanks.

Hey,

I completed the tests...they're not too bad...i don't know about the verbal one 'cause i'm never sure of it, but the numerical one was quite easy...just basic computation, percentages and the usual stuff. you've got to do 18 questions in 25 minutes, so it's not too tight.

Good luck!

Hey smk 123,

well i only use the recruitment agencies to apply for direct entry roles not for grad schemes. Some agencies i use are like reed, hays, poolia, robert walters, cityjobs etc...some of them are ok others just dont get back to you, i think you might have used these in the past??

As for the grad schemes i just go direct to the company website and apply from their, never really used any recruitment agencies for grad/trainee postions.

Hey Vaneela,

Thats brilliant, yea im going to do mine soon for the numerical u get questions on like exchange rates, population, balance sheets, pie charts?? Yea i knw what you mean verbal seems tricky at times...kool let me know how u did hopefully get to the next stage!!

I also have a test that I have to complete by the 07/03...im sure it is the usual SHL type assessment but all depends on their benchmark (although they seem to be using both the application form and assessment results in their final decision *sigh in relief*) any feedback would be much appreciated!

By the way I had an assessment with Allianz (for VaneelaLFAJ) but it might be worth a short getting to Allianz if you dont hear anything soon...they are notorious for having wierd email systems (my own assessment by the way) as I had to get to contact someone in Munich before someone got back to me to say I was invited for an assessment centre...suffice to say I was not successful but the feedback was very insightful! Good luck folks

@Stealth
Yeah, the numerical ones are not difficult at all, don't worry...just practice a bit before and have a go.
@by_special_invitation
Hey, which grad programme did you apply to at Allianz...I thought they close applications on 26 feb ...and after that they'll send replies...I would be really disappointed if they don't get back at me, after all the hassle with answering their weird questions :P

hey @by_special_invitation - it would be great if you can shed some information what kind of feedback you got from allianz??

just that so i can know what kind of things insurance companies look out for so i can prepare in that way. Any information and what you had to do in the assessment centre would be much helpful.

Hi peeps,

im abit of a newbee to this site, i didnt even realise i was registered until my email was already recognised lol!

anyways, just to add to the discussion on Chartis - i too have received an invite for the SHL Tests but i neva seem to do as well as i hoped on the practice tests as there seems to be a lot of information to process in a short time (the numerical tests!). And theres no solutions so you cant tell what you've done wrong!

Has anybody taken the tests for chartis yet, and if so how did you find the questions?

Plus on the email i received it said i needed 45 mins for each test? does that mean there is a practice test before you attempt the real one?

Any advice or help will be much appreciated - Good luck to all!

Hi peeps,

im abit of a newbee to this site, i didnt even realise i was registered until my email was already recognised lol!

anyways, just to add to the discussion on Chartis - i too have received an invite for the SHL Tests but i neva seem to do as well as i hoped on the practice tests as there seems to be a lot of information to process in a short time (the numerical tests!). And theres no solutions so you cant tell what you've done wrong!

Has anybody taken the tests for chartis yet, and if so how did you find the questions?

Plus on the email i received it said i needed 45 mins for each test? does that mean there is a practice test before you attempt the real one?

Any advice or help will be much appreciated - Good luck to all!

Hey,

I took the tests a few days ago...haven't heard back about it though, I'm thinking they'll send out invites to the telephone interview after the 7 March deadline and after reviewing again all the applications.
The tests weren't too bad and they're not longer than the usual ones...yea, the 45 minutes include practice tests, but you first need to do the verbal in order to go on to the numerical.

Good luck!

Hi VaneelaLFAJ,

Thanks for response, much appreciatted!! im planning on taking the test next week, hoping to get a little practice in first. Any recommended tips?

Thanks for claryfing that the 45mins does include practice tests, because i thought i would be sitting at my laptop for 90mins straight when i first read the email? can u do the practice tests (before the real SHL Tests begin) as many times as u like, or can u only do it the once? and can u do the verbal tests, on one day and do the numerical on another or do u have to do it all in one sitting?

yet again - thanks for your input and any advice!

Hi guys - please mention WikiJob when you go for your interviews!!!
Thank you :)
Ed

Hi hits29,

You can practice the Assessment Day and Graduates First tests...I guess you must have come across these browsing this website. Also, you can do a full verbal test and a numerical test on the SHL website.

And yeah, you can do the practice tests as many times as you want...but in order to do the numerical practice you've got to finish with the verbal (practice and actual test)...only after that you can click the link for the numerical. And you don't have to take the tests in one sitting, don't worry. Just log in and have a look.

Good luck!

hey guys, just completed the test.wish everyone luck. does anyone know when we hear back bout the results

I'd say we'll hear after the 7th March deadline and after they review again all the applications together with the test results, at least that's what I understood from their e-mail. So, not all who pass the tests are going to be scheduled for a telephone interview.

Hey VaneelaLFAJ RE: the verbal test did you have to do 30 question in 15min, and also are you meant to answer all of them or leave some out???

hey, I'm not quite sure...I think there are more than 15 minutes, but I don't really remember...I think the time available is reasonable and don't worry if you leave one or two out...it won't be a problem.

Here is a note for people like me who aren't so good with their numerical tests....

A New Yorker (or in some versions Arthur Rubinstein) is approached in the street near Carnegie Hall, and asked, "Pardon me sir, how do I get to Carnegie Hall?" He replies, "Practice, practice, practice."

So on that note...PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE and good luck. Adieu!

Hi all,

Forgot to say, I did the tests this week; but dont think i did to well. Missed out a couple of questions on the verbal reasoning and 2 on the numerical test too. Found that on the numerical tests that there was alot of information to computate on the calculator. Not sure how I did, Oh well but good luck to all! Many congrats to all that get through to the AC !

just to add, some of the answers i was getting on the numerical tests neva seemed to be there; so for one or two of the questions i put None of these (as this was an option) did anybody else have the same situation or did you get an answer that did appear as an option? oh well neva mind lol. more practice needed me thinks..... lol.

It is possible that sometimes the correct answer will not appear in the options, but you also have to pay attention 'cause sometimes they ask for an APPROXIMATE answer and so you have to choose the option that is closer to your result...I'm not sure if that makes sense. But if you got the option "none of the above" then it is likely that you made the right choice.

Hey guys, I just wondering are there any other grad schemes that are still open to apply for??

As i think most of the deadlines are gone now??

any help would be great!! thanks

@ Stealth - I am only aware of Zurich still having an ongoing recruitment....and maybe RS&A. Good luck!

hey everyone anything back from Chartis yet?????

No, not yet.

Hey VaneelaLFAJ, you see for RSA have you submitted the application for that??

Just had a look they still taking some applications?? If so have they got back to you yet???

well, I've checked today after reading the post above, but no, I haven't applied. Have you applied?

I applied to zurich though, but I was rejected straight from application :(. I was applying for actuarial roles at the time and maybe that's why.

Did you apply to allianz?

I applied to Zurich but they rejected me after the achilles heel (the tests). I think the grad role was really good but hey we move on.

hey Vaneela, i havent applied to them as well might give them a shot.

I didnt apply to allianz.

hey by_special_invitation for the zurich did have to do a SHL test???

@ Stealth All grad schemes are standard for any grad scheme...therefore YEP! Have u applied yet? Its best to start now if you can

@by_speical_invitation with some grad schemes you different ones such as PSL so was jus wondering.. thanks!

no havent applied yet...

@stealth in all my experience i have only done SHL tests (except for the FSA for which i do not remember what they were) but anyway for other careers in Insurance try http://www.graduatesatlloyds.com/ and do direct applications for the organisations...i had positive feedback

hey guys, i got a phone interview with chartis.......they actually give you a document telling you how good u are compared to the group that did the tests,

Hi all,

I got my test results too...they're actually pretty good and I've been invited to a telephone interview :D

ace123, did they call you to schedule your interview?

hey, congrats on passing the tests, no they haven't called yet, will post when they do call!!

hey,
i just had my interview and there are a variety of questions.
It started off with some CV questions, when will u be able to start? do u need a work permit for london etc.
Then some core questions,
Why chartis?
Why underwriting?
what will you be doing in the first year? and where you expect yourself to be in 3 years time?
Why would chartis be a good insurer for customers to deal with us?

then competency questions!
Describe a personal goal achieved?
A task you carried out knowing you couldnt make any mistakes( it wasnt precisely this, but this was my understanding of it, or what i answered, lol)

Give an example when you have handled a large data set and how you drew conclusions from it?
and what would you do to improve on it?

Leadership questions,
-quite a few of them,
how you deal with people,
how you gain respect of people,
cant remember the rest, sorry!!

The End,

all in 30 mins......nice person on the phone.....
dont think i've done too well.....hesitated on a few competency questions....

good luck to all who have a phone interview.

She also said to expect to hear back within 3 weeks,

Hi Ace123,

Thats really helpful! Thanks for providing the detailed info! Im sure the hesitation wont be a problem, because if you hadnt hesitated then it would have sounded like u were too 'rehersed', so its a more natural response that you gave which is good! Good luck to all, and hope youve made it through ace123!

I hope hesitation is a good thing, lol, but im not holding my breath on this one.....although I would have loved to continue this process, chartis is an absolutely phenomenal company to work for, and the PA scheme is arguably the best graduate scheme around.....The respedct question got me off guard, but in hindsight i can think of a million ways to answer that, lol, the experience has been very beneficial and im going to keep these questions in my head for next time....i've got an AC coming up soon with another firm so full steam ahead on that one....
I wish you the very best of luck,

thanks for the info on chartis phone interview. i've got mine tomorow morning and trying to prepare now, was getting little stressed. got dissapointed with too many job applications and companies so certainly hope this one will work out... good luck to everyone

Can anyone post some more interview questions please? will be much appreciated. good luck to everyone!!