Reading Time : 36 minutes

In this text we go into depth about AON Hewitt and Cut-e, who provide gamified aptitude and behavioural assessments used by top employers across the globe. Don’t miss our lowdown on these games and how they work, so you can learn what to expect and start preparing ahead of the real AON assessments.

We at GF are the assessment games practice website. With us you can best practice for your game assessments similar to those developed by AON to prepare for your job assessment.

Are you a recruiter or hiring manager looking for candidate pre-employment assessment tests and tools? We invite you to visit our Assess Candidates website.

Wondering whether you should be practicing to prepare for your gamified assessments? Many large employers are leveraging gamified assessments as part of their recruitment processes (Institute of Student employers, 2018). A few of these major companies include Unilever, HSBC and RBS.

A recent study found that applicants report higher levels of process satisfaction, perceived fairness and organizational attractiveness when the gamified assessment method is used compared to the traditional version

K. Georgiou & I. Nikolaou (2020)

AON Hewitt Assessment Glossary: 

Gamified assessmentsInteractive psychometric tests which measure cognitive ability as well as personal traits and behaviours. 
smartPredictThe series of gamified assessments developed by AON
chatAssessAn interactive Job Simulation / Situational Judgement Test
vidAssessPre-recorded Video interview tool
ATSApplicant Tracking System – Software used by employers to automate screening and progression of candidate applications.

In this article we will cover all the topics to prepare you for your AON Hewitt tests, provide you with our own practice games and help you create a winning strategy to ace the real tests.

In a nutshell:

  1. Prepare for AON smartPredict Gamified Assessments

Understand the AON Cut-e game assessments. Learn what the games measure, what you need to do, how much time each game will take. Ensure that you are using the browser and hardware (e.g. Laptop or Mobile) that is recommended for facing AON game assessments. These games will track your behaviour and time.

Practice games with us similar to those created by AON.

Refine your understanding and technique for AON game assessments by: 

  • Finding a good time to complete the assessment
  • Research the key values that the AON games are being used to assess.
  • Read the instructions carefully before you start, make sure you stay focused throughout the tests.
  1. Practice for AON Cut-e Scales Assessments

AON Cut-e provides various online aptitude tests to assess candidates and find the best fit for an employer. These include:

Research suggests that 50-80% of the candidates do not get past the online assessment stage of the recruitment process. The proven way to get ahead is practice.

  1. Record mock video interviews of yourself

You should practice answering questions that typically come up in interviews for your role. Your answers need to flow and be timely. Avoid filler words. Your verbal communication should be convincing, filled with content that presents you in the best way for the job.

Identify potential interview questions you will face from AON interview questions by finding a similar job description to the position you want to apply for. Prepare for Cut e vidAssess interview by running a mock interview answering typical interview questions. For interview practice, use:

Our video interview practice platform contains predefined competency and industry questions and emulates experience you will have in platforms used in Cut-e Digital interviews. Always record your answers and watch them to develop your interview technique, timekeeping and words used. Repeat recordings until you feel satisfied.

Use the STAR method for your answers and practice each answer several times.

The practice game assessments on our platform emulate the experience of the game assessments you will face when facing AON gamified assessments.

Practice Assessments Similar to AONPractice Now
Game AssessmentsStart Practicing
Verbal ReasoningStart Practicing
Numerical ReasoningStart Practicing
Logical ReasoningStart Practicing
Situational JudgementStart Practicing
Personality QuestionnaireStart Practicing
Video InterviewStart Practicing

Continue reading to get answers to these critical questions:

  1. What is an AON assessment test?
  2. What companies use Cut-e?
  3. How are Cut e tests scored?
  4. How do I pass an AON assessment test?
  5. How do I practice for the AON assessment test?

Ready? Let’s jump right in!

Contents

What is Cut-e?

  • Cut-e is an online assessment provider which specialises in cognitive and behavioural assessment through gamified assessments. In 2017, AON Hewitt or AON acquired Cut-e and has continued to adapt the tests increasingly under the AON Group brand name. Therefore to avoid confusion, we’ll be referring to both AON and Cut-e throughout.
  • AON Cut-e provides 30 million assessments in over 40 languages in 90+ countries.
  • Cut-e uses Ability, behavioural, coding, gamified assessments and virtual interviewing assessment tools to assist employers with acquiring the right talent for the company.
  • Each AON assessment includes practice tasks to help candidates familiarise themselves with each test.
  • AON Hewitt provides assessment packages for specialist roles for:
    • Aviation
    • Commercial Drivers
    • Financial Services
  • Candidates can find their requested assessments to complete on the MapTQ testing portal.
  • The AON vidAssess is a video interview tool which provides valuable benefits for employers and candidates.

Who uses Cut-e assessments to hire?

Many companies across various industries globally make use of AON’s Cut e assessments to assess their applicants during the recruitment processes. These assessments take place during the initial stages of the application process, though are flexible and can be used during virtual assessment centres. 

Here are just some of the companies that currently use Cut-e assessments:

EasyJetJet2
Jurys InnP&G
EYDeloitte
O2Vodafone
SiemensISS

These employers use Cut-e assessment technology to assess their candidates using a combination of aptitude and gamified assessments that measure various attributes including:

  • Memory
  • Cognitive Ability
  • Behavioural Traits
  • Learning

Interested in learning about candidate assessment processes and tools used by 150+ largest companies? Don’t miss our step-by-step employer guides to uncover the top professional tips help you prepare for your job application and get ahead for your dream job.

So why do many employers invest in gamified recruitment processes?

Gamified assessments can collect over a thousand behavioural data points and measure competencies such as risk-taking, endurance, perseverance alongside more traditional traits like numerical ability, verbal and logical reasoning, etc. Such behaviour data is also much more difficult to manipulate by candidates.

Keep reading to discover the key benefits of Cut-e gamified assessments for employers.

Why do employers use Cut-e gamified-assessments to hire?

The main 5 benefits of these employers using AON gamified psychometric tests include:

  1. Engage candidates: For higher completion rates and high acceptance rate from candidates.
  2. Accurate and robust psychometric tests: Identify the best fit candidates for the role and company. 
  3. Customisable assessments: Help showcase the company culture and engage with candidates.
  4. Integration with 80+ Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Seamless candidate user experience for a great first impression to the organisation. 
  5. Short test times: AON’s AI-augmented assessments save time, energy and money for hiring managers.

Did you know that 10% of employers now use game assessments as a part of their hiring process? This is precisely because of the impact gamified assessment developers such as AON Cut e claim to have on the hiring experience for employers as well as candidates.

How does the AON online assessment engage candidates?

AON aims to improve the candidate experience of the recruitment process with the gamified assessments. For candidates, each Cut-e test is designed to be:

  • Appealing and interactive
  • Fair and relevant to the job
  • Easy-to-use for all candidates
  • Challenging yet rewarding
  • Accessible for most mobile and desktop devices

Now let’s dive in with an in-depth look into each of the main AON Cut-e assessments that top employers commonly use.

What are the assessments developed by AON? What is a Cut-e test?

There are many unique Cut-e assessments used which are customised to the company, role and entry level.

AON Hewitt provides various tools to assess verbal, numerical or logical ability through gamified assessments, and cognitive ability and preferences through job simulation and work personality assessments. We’ll focus on each of these in turn.

Let’s go through each of the main Cut e tests that employers utilise in their recruitment processes, starting with their gamified assessments.

AON Cut-e smartPredict Gamified Assessments

Quick AON gamified assessment key facts

  • There are four core AON gamified assessments
  • The assessments will measure your cognitive and memory ability
  • Each assessment has a short time limit – 5-10 minutes to complete
  • These assessments will be used at a beginning stage of a role’s application process

What are the core AON gamified assessments?

We’ll go through each of these AON assessments below to uncover what you can expect and how to practice.

  1. Motion Challenge
  2. Grid Challenge
  3. Short-Term Memory Test
  4. Switch Challenge
  5. Digit Challenge

Without further ado, let’s discover more about these assessments!

1. AON Motion Challenge

The AON Motion Challenge test aims to measure the ability to plan ahead and aptitude for solving complex problems.

  • You will have 6 minutes to complete as many tasks as possible
  • You will be provided with a grid containing different sized objects obstructing an exit
  • You must move these objects vertically or horizontally to allow the ball to reach the exit
  • The difficulty may increase as you continue, such as with immovable and larger objects
  • A counter will display the number of moves needed to complete the task.

Important note: You cannot go back to skipped tasks.

AON cut-e motion challenge example
AON Cut-e Motion Challenge Example
Source: YouTube

To practice for your Cut-e Motion Challenge game, develop your ability to prioritise many tasks under time pressure with our own MTA-Tray™ game assessment which we’ve developed to help you ace this AON assessment test. 

Check out below for a sneak peek into our practice game below:

GF MTA-Tray game-based assessment
GF MTA-Tray™ Gamified Assessment 
Source: GF
2. AON Grid Challenge

The AON Grid Challenge assessment measures a candidate’s spatial orientation and memory skills.

  • You will have 9 minutes to complete 9 rounds of varying difficulty.
  • In each round, you will need to remember the correct order and position of dots in a sequence.
  • Before recalling the sequence, you will need to complete 3-5 tasks. This may be identifying whether an image is symmetrical or rotated compared to another image. Alternatively, the task may be whether a 3×3 grid has been correctly changed after lines and dots have been added/removed.
  • After completing the task you will then be required to recall the sequence of dots in order and position shown at the start of the round.
AON grid challenge game example
AON Grid Challenge Game Example
Source: YouTube

Enhance your short-term memory with practice using our Cognition-M practice memory game assessment designed by our experts to help you ace your AON Grid Challenge gamified assessment.

GF Cognition-M game-based assessment
GF Cognition-M™ Gamified Assessment 
Source: GF

Discover more about memory game-based assessments and the best tips that you can use to help prepare for your AON Grid Challenge with our video below:

What are Memory Game Assessments by Arctic Shores, Pymetrics, HireVue? | Ace PwC, Unilever Games
3. AON Short-Term Memory Test

The AON Short-Term Memory Test, as the name implies, measures a candidate’s short-term memory similar to their Grid Challenge game.

  • You will be required to complete 10 tasks in 5 minutes
  • You must remember the shown images in the correct order 
  • There are 2 parts, lasting 8 seconds each:
    • Different images will be shown individually very quickly
    • All images will be displayed and you will be required to select which images had appeared
AON short-term memory game example
AON Short-Term Memory Game Example
Source: YouTube

Important note: Candidates cannot pause the AON short-term memory assessment or return to complete the tasks later. There will be a break of 7 seconds between each task, however the timer for each task will begin automatically afterwards.

For the best preparation for your AON Grid Challenge and Short-Term Memory tests, Go Premium to accelerate your memory practice and spatial reasoning with lifetime assessment practice relevant to Cut-e assessments used by top employers worldwide.  

4. AON Switch Challenge

The AON Switch Challenge is a gamified version of Cut-e Sx which we’ll cover later. This AON assessment aims to measure your deductive logical reasoning skills, attention and resilience.

  • There will be 4 symbols in a row at the top of a funnel. The order of these will be changed by the operator
  • The operator will be one of the 4 digit number sequences in the middle
  • As the test progresses, more operator options will be added
  • Your task is to identify the correct operator which changes the initial state of the symbols to the final state of symbols. 

Important note: You will only have 6 minutes to complete as many tasks as possible

AON switch challenge game example
AON Switch Challenge Game Example
Source: YouTube

Get ahead with your early game assessments practice and crack the code to develop your attention and resilience skills with our PassCode™ practice game to prepare for your AON Switch Challenge.

GF PassCode™ gamified assessment example
GF PassCode™ Gamified Assessment Example
Source: GF
5. AON Digit Challenge

The AON Digit Challenge will measure your numerical comprehension.

  • You will be given 5 minutes to complete as many tasks as you can
  • You will be tasked with completing basic mathematical operations including:
    • Addition
    • Subtraction
    • Multiplication
AON digit challenge game example
AON Digit Challenge Game Example
Source: YouTube

To practice for your AON Digit Challenge, develop your numerical comprehension with our own MathBubbles™ game assessment which we’ve designed to help replicate the skills you’ll need to ace your gamified assessment. Here’s a sneak peek into our practice game below.

GF MathBubbles™ gamified assessment example
GF MathBubbles™ Gamified Assessment Example
Source: GF

Cut-e Scales Verbal, Numerical & Logical Reasoning Assessments

Alongside gamified assessments, AON Hewitt also provides standardised assessment tests for employers. These AON aptitude tests aim to assess candidates on their competencies and abilities through:

Employers may also make use of AON behavioural and personality assessments including the Cut-e:

Keep reading below as we go through how each of these areas will be assessed in the AON online assessments, starting with the Cut e verbal reasoning test.

Cut-e Verbal Reasoning Test

The Cut-e Scales Verbal assessment is a verbal reasoning test which measures your ability to interpret and draw conclusions from information provided in previously unseen written text. You will be required to complete as many tasks from 49 tasks total within the 12-minute time limit. You must decide whether the statements provided are true, false or whether you cannot say based on the provided information.

Cut-e Verbal Reasoning Tip: There is only 1 correct answer to each statement, so make sure to read the information provided within the various tabs carefully before reaching your conclusion. A common mistake candidates make is using their own knowledge when answering. Ensure you only use the information provided within the passage before choosing an answer.

Sign up with GF and take your FREE practice verbal test developed by former SHL experts who developed the tests for 8,000+ companies to prepare for your AON assessments

In the real assessment, you will have around 14 seconds to answer questions like the following:

Cut-e Style Verbal Reasoning Test Example

Cut-e verbal reasoning tests example

Got the answer? Check the bottom of the page for the right answer!

The Cut-e verbal reasoning test can seem daunting with the short time limit, but we at GF have got you covered with our top 5 verbal reasoning tips.

Our Top 5 Verbal Reasoning Test Tips and Tricks

  1. Understand the possible answers: ‘True’ means that the statement is correct given the provided information, whereas ‘false’ is when the statement contradicts the data. You ‘cannot say’ when there is not enough information provided to decide.
  2. Focus on the text: Only use the information provided in your decisions. Do not consider any external information or knowledge you may have for these tests.
  3. Practice reading new texts: invest time in reading, and expand your vocabulary by one word each day. 
  4. Do word puzzles: Spend time completing crosswords and word puzzles. Read broadsheet newspapers and scientific articles too.
  5. Be well rested: Ensure to get plenty of rest the night before. Sit the test where you won’t be disturbed to ensure you can concentrate. You won’t have much time to complete these tasks.

Take a break from reading and check out these 5 top verbal reasoning tips in our short video instead below:

Top 5 Verbal Reasoning Test Tips and Tricks (2024/25) #shorts

If you are looking for practice verbal reasoning tests with answers, worked-solutions and professional score reports including personalised tips based on your performance – then GF has you covered.

Cut-e Numerical Reasoning Tests

There are 2 main Cut-e Scales Numerical tests that employers commonly use for their AON online assessments. These are the: 

What is the Cut-e Numerical Reasoning test?

The Cut-e Numerical reasoning test consists of 37 tasks which you must complete within 12 minutes. You will be provided with various tables, figures, diagrams and charts across several tabs on the page and must decide whether the statements provided are “True”, “False” or whether you “Cannot say” based only on this provided information. 

AON Numerical Reasoning Test Tip: You are able to navigate to each question and change your answers until the test is completed or time runs out. Ensure to explore each of the provided tabs containing the relevant data before reaching your decision per task as there is only 1 correct solution.

Develop your numerical reasoning speed and accuracy with an example numerical test question that we’ve made to help you prepare for your Cut-e numerical test

Remember: During the real Cut e test, you will also need to determine whether a statement is true, false or whether you can’t say depending on the data and your calculations. 

Cut-e Style Numerical Reasoning Test Example

Cut-e numerical reasoning tests example

Don’t forget to check the bottom of the page for the answer to this question. For even more FREE QUESTIONS similar to AON Cut-e numerical assessments, register with GF and take your FREE numerical reasoning test now!

Check out our below top 5 AON numerical reasoning test tips in our short video below or begin your Cut e assessment practice and buy our numerical reasoning practice tests and gain:

  • Answers and worked-solutions
  • Professional score reports
  • Personalised tips based on your performance
Top 5 Numerical Reasoning Test Tips and Tricks (2024/25) #shorts

What is the Cut-e Scales Eql test?

The Cut-e Scales Eql test aims to measure the candidate’s numerical comprehension. It is identical to the AON Digit Challenge.

  • You will have only 5 minutes to complete as many tasks as you can
  • You must use numbers 1-9 to complete basic mathematical equations such as:
    • Addition
    • Subtraction
    • Multiplication
  • Each number can only be used once per equation
Cut-e Abstract Logical Tests

The Cut-e Scales Logical thinking tests are divided into 4 main assessments. These are:

  1. Cut-e Scales Clx
  2. Cut-e Scales Lx
  3. Cut-e Scales Lst
  4. Cut-e Scales Sx

Continue reading as we’ll cover the basics of each of these and our key tips on how you can practice for these tests below, starting with the Cut-e Clx assessment.

Cut-e Scales Clx test

The Cut-e Scales Clx test will assess the candidate’s inductive reasoning ability.

  • You will have 6 minutes to complete as many questions as possible
  • There will be 2 grids that follow a rule 
  • You must determine which 2 of 4 additional grids follow this same rule

Important note: You cannot return to skipped questions.

Cut-e scales clx example
Cut-e Scales Clx Example
Source: YouTube

Important note: The rules usually apply to the number and position of the symbols within the grid. The colour and shapes of these symbols are not important. These are only to help distinguish between the symbols.

Practice our FREE Logical Reasoning Test and maximise your ability to identify patterns and rules across various symbols, shapes and figures to prepare for your Cut-e Clx assessment test.

Cut-e Scales Ix test

The Cut-e Scales Ix test assesses your logical reasoning ability.

  • You will be provided 9 shapes. 8 of these shapes follow a common rule
  • You must select the 1 option doesn’t follow the rule
  • You must complete 20 tasks within 5 minutes
Cut-e scales lx example
Cut-e Scales Lx Example
Source: YouTube

Cut-e Scales Lst test

The Cut-e Scales Lst test aims to assess your deductive logical reasoning skills. 

  • You will have 6 minutes to complete as many tasks as possible
  • There will be a grid with up to 5 symbols – initially a 4×4 grid, however this will become bigger as time progresses in the test
  • You will need to identify the pattern to choose the correct symbol from the provided options at the bottom which should replace the ‘?’ on the grid
  • The rules to look out for in this assessment may relate to the number of symbols within the rows/columns. Consider these rules carefully when you choose your answer as there is only 1 correct solution per task.
  • Once you have chosen, the answer will appear green (correct) or red (incorrect)

Important note: You can select blank tiles in the grid to place any of the icons (e.g. triangle) provided. Use this to help you work out a pattern and arrive at the correct answer.

Cut-e scales lst example
Cut-e Scales Lst Example
Source: YouTube

Cut-e Scales Sx test

The Cut-e Scales Sx test will assess a candidate’s inductive logical thinking ability.

  • You will be required to complete 12 tasks within 12 minutes
  • There will be 6 tables containing numbers, letters and colours
  • These tables will follow a set pattern with a colour
  • You will be required to work out this pattern and change the colours of the 4 additional tables so that they follow this set pattern

Candidates can navigate and change answers until test is finished/time

Cut-e scales sx example
Cut-e Scales Sx Example
Source: YouTube

How do I pass the Cut-e logical tests?

Here are our 5 most important steps you can take to ace your Cut e logical thinking tests. These are:

  1. Practice Logical Reasoning Tests – Get familiar with logical reasoning tests using practice tests with GF
  2. Utilize feedback reports – Discover the optimal development strategy through feedback provided after completing our practice logical assessments
  3. Remember key logical rules – Look out for how the colour pattern and numbers and letters may affect the rule
  4. Take one question at a time to ensure you get the right answer and focus
  5. Focus – Don’t panic on a question. Move onto the next question as you can return to unanswered questions before the time runs out 

Tired of reading? Take a break and check out our quick video below covering these 5 key tips above that you can use to get ahead in your Cut e logical assessments:

Top 5 Logical Reasoning Test Tips and Tricks (2024/25) #shorts

For the best practice, try our FREE QUESTIONS which assess similar skills to the Cut-e assessments and sign up with GF to take your FREE Logical Reasoning Test now! Or, have a go at this logical reasoning test example question below to accelerate your logical ability learning:

Cut-e Style Logical Reasoning Test Example

Cut-e logical reasoning test example

In the example above you will have ONLY around 45 seconds to notice that:

  • the arrow moves around the diagram
  • shapes change from triangle to circle to square and
  • the long line is either horizontal or vertical, and then to find the right answer! There is a lot of time pressure which often leaves candidates anxious and harms their performance.

Got the answer cracked? Check out if you aced this question at the bottom of the page.

If you are looking for an AON-style Logical Reasoning Test with answers, worked-solutions and professional score reports including personalised tips based on your performance, then GF has you covered.

Read on to discover another AON assessment that you might take during your job application process: The AON ChatAssess Situational Judgement Test.

ChatAssess Situational Judgement Test

The AON ChatAssess Situational Judgement test or Job Simulation is an interactive Situational Judgement Test (SJT) where you will be tasked with replying to an inbox of messages as part of a job simulation. You will be able to reply to these using predefined options or you may be required to type your responses freely

AON ChatAssess Tip: This job simulation aims to assess your judgement regarding work-related scenarios you are likely to face in the role you are applying for and develop an understanding of your:

  • Behaviour
  • Personality
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Ability to prioritise tasks
  • Time management skills

Important note: These assessments may be timed or untimed depending on the employer requirements, though usually take up to 15 minutes to complete.

The messages you will be required to respond to may include media such as images or videos, and you may receive additional messages during the assessment including replies to your emails. You may also be required to take additional assessments during the AON job simulation.

AON ChatAssess job simulation
AON ChatAssess Job Simulation
Source: YouTube

AON Situational Judgement Test Tip: Make use of the provided information and the details of your contacts for additional context before you reply to your emails. 

How do I pass the AON ChatAssess Job Simulation?

We’ve got you covered there too. Don’t miss our 4 top tips and tricks to ace your AON Situational Judgement Test.

4 Top Tips to Ace AON Situational Judgement Test

  1. Prioritise tasks: Consider the urgency of the request and the contact details to help determine the importance of the tasks. Use these factors to allocate your time effectively.
  2. Keep in mind the company values: It is important that your responses align with the company values that you are applying for, as your assessor would want to go with a candidate who understands their aims. 
  3. Understand the role: Keep in mind the role, responsibilities and powers of the post given to you in the assessment and answer according to these. 
  4. Go for the option that SOLVES the problem: Often the predefined answers seem like appropriate options. They will all have some good qualities – in the end you need to use your own judgement to decide

AON Situational Judgment Test Tip: Remember, there are certain skills which are always sought after regardless of positions, such as: determination, ability to take initiative and lead, integrity, passion and interest, and ability to work in a team.

Discover even more professional hints on how to pass a AON-style situational judgement test with this quick video!

Ace the SJT | 5 Situational Judgement Test Tips #shorts

For SJT practice questions similar to an AON Situational Judgement Test, Sign up to GF and practice against the clock with challenging business situations to develop your real assessment experience and get ahead today.

Now let’s move on to AON’s behavioural assessment; the AON ADEPT15 Personality Test.

ADEPT-15 Personality Test

The AON ADEPT15 Personality test contains 100 items and takes up to 30 minutes to complete, although is not commonly timed. You will find 5 pairs of statements per page, and you are required to drag the slider set between these pairs towards the statement you most agree with. You cannot leave the slider unmoved as a response.

ADEPT-15 Personality Test Tip: You cannot change your answers on the previous page, so make sure you are confident with your answers on the page before moving on. 

See below for what your ADEPT15 test is likely to look like:

AON ADEPT15 personality questionnaire
AON ADEPT15 Personality Questionnaire
Source: YouTube

How to prepare and pass my AON personality test?

Discover our top 5 personality test preparation tips that you can use to prepare for your AON ADEPT15 behavioural assessment or check these out in the short video below:

  1. Answer honestly: it is in your interest and the employer’s that you are not placed in a role you are uncomfortable with
  2. Make your answers consistent: you don’t want to be flagged as someone trying to distort the assessment. You might get further questions at a later stage for verification.
  3. Research the role: Consider the role that you’re applying for and reflect on your personality before taking this assessment.
  4. Take the WPQ: Understand your work preferences using our personality assessment tool using the personalised report.
  5. Find the best job: Use the WPQ learnings to discover what jobs are best suited for you based on your work preferences.
How to Pass Personality Questionnaires | 5 Personality Test Tips

Our WPQ personality questionnaire has been developed by previous SHL consultants who have years of experience in designing and developing psychometric assessments. It provides a detailed report similar to what employers would see

Practice for your ADEPT-15 personality assessment with GF and gain a personalised feedback report which elaborates on your self-perception, sought by top employers and assessed in your AON Adept assessment.

AON Squares and Shapes Assessments

As a job candidate, you may also be required to complete the AON Squares and/or Shapes assessments as part of your employer application process. Let’s go through both of these below and what you can expect.

AON Squares

The AON Squares Integrity test aims to identify how well people handle sensitive data and any counterproductive behaviours in applicants.

  • You are likely to be provided with statements to assess and answer using a scale from: “Holds less true for me than others” to “Holds more true for me and for the others”
  • You may have up to 10 minutes to select the point in the bar where you fall under for the scale for each statement
  • The test aims to assess you on these 6 scores:
    • Caution when taking advantage of opportunities
    • Ensuring thoroughness within completing a task
    • Disciplined when dealing with lower productivity rates
    • Empathy and sympathy
    • Honesty when dealing with uncertainty
    • Reflective on actions taken in past scenarios

Ace Your Aon Integrity Test With These 3 Top Tips

  1. Research – Consider what the employer is looking for. Understand the key values, culture and requirements from the job description before taking the test.
  2. Be honest – Answer each question with the first answer that you think of.
  3. Time keeping – Although this test may not be timed, ensure you keep your response times consistent and quick as this may be assessed as part of your test.

AON Shapes – personality test (behavioral assessments)

The AON Cut-e Shapes Personality test is a customised personality test, tailored to the employer. For this assessment, you will be required to anaylse how each statement describes you. The statements will differ depending on your responses and may find around 3 different statements on each page.

The main 3 Cut-e Shapes Personality tests may include:

  1. Sales
  2. Graduate
  3. Management

The main likely differences between each of these personality tests are summarised below:

  1. Sales:
    • You are likely to be assessed on 24 unique traits
    • You may be required to provide responses to 6 statements
    • This assessment may take up to 20 minutes to complete
  2. Graduate:
    • This may assess you on 18 unique traits
    • You may be required to provide responses to 6 statements
    • This test may take around 10 – 15 minutes to complete
  3. Management:
    • You may be assessed on 18 unique traits
    • You may be provided 8 statements to provide a response to
    • The test may take between 10 – 15 minutes on average to complete

Get your Essential practice for your AON Shapes personality questionnaire with our own Workplace Personality Questionnaire designed by experts to give you real experience with how employers may assess you using personality assessments.

Discover more about how employers use personality questionnaires similar to AON Shapes to hire candidates with our YouTube video:

How Employers use Personality Questionnaires to Hire | 2024/25 Guide | PwC, Barclays, Apple, P&G

How to pass AON assessments?

The AON gamified assessments may be more difficult to practice when compared to the traditional aptitude tests as the standard aptitude tests focus on the result and the result only, whereas results from gamified assessments measure candidate behaviours as well as their results.

However, we discovered FIVE things that you can do to make sure you refine your cognitive abilities and hone your behavioural skills to ace your AON Cut e assessments:

  1. Practice Similar Gamified Assessments to Cut-e

Find out what type of gamified assessment you could be taking. By knowing the main scenario and demands of the assessment, you will feel more confident and familiar with the game, and therefore be better able to focus on completing the tasks.

We offer several practice games that can help you develop the key skills assessed in your Cut-e gamified assessments:

GF Game PracticeRelevant AON Cut-e AssessmentSkills Practiced
Cognition-A™Switch ChallengeAttention
Cognition-M™Grid ChallengeShort-Term Memory TestMemory
MTA-Tray™Motion ChallengeOrganising, Attention, and Multi-Tasking
MathBubbles™Digit ChallengeMental Arithmetic
Flanker TaskShort-Term Memory TestAttention
PassCode™Switch ChallengeAttention and Resilience
BARTRisk-Taking
i-EQ™Emotional Intelligence
  1. Practice aptitude tests similar to AON assessments

Many AON assessment tests still measure competencies the same way as their standardised aptitude tests, so you can practice your abilities for these in a similar way. For each assessment, consider what you will be assessed on to focus your practice.

Our experts have developed many practice assessment tests to help you prepare for the real tests with Cut e assessment practice. Check out the relevant assessments you can practice with us below:

AON AssessmentsPractice with GF Now
Verbal Reasoning TestsStart Practicing
Numerical Reasoning TestsStart Practicing
Logical Reasoning TestsStart Practicing
ChatAssess Situational Judgement testStart Practicing
ADEPT-15 Personality QuestionnaireStart Practicing
GF Practice Assessments

For fully worked solutions, feedback tips and progress tracking on your performance, Go Premium and gain lifetime access to assessments and practice tools developed by industry experts and grow your skills with GF today.

  1. Research what companies look for in you through Cut-e game assessments

Researching the values of the company you are applying for can be a great place to start. Look out for personality traits that they praise in their existing employees, and core competencies that are valued. You may begin by looking on the following:

  • Company Website
  • Company Social Media
  • Company YouTube videos
  • Common online forums. Be aware that these are often opinions, and you should always double check that the source is relevant and recent (posts within 1-2 years).
  • Or, when searching for a company’s values, simply google ‘Accenture core values’ for example.

If you are applying for more competitive jobs, risk-taking and initiative are likely to be some of the top competencies sought after by your recruiters. Therefore, when taking game-based assessments do not shy away from trying to get extra points, though do be more cautious if things do not go easy at first.

  1. Find the right time and place to complete the assessment

Take your AON test somewhere where you will not be disturbed, with a reliable internet connection. Make sure to start the assessments when your brain performance is at its best, and ensure you have plenty of rest the night before.

AON Assessment Key Tip: Use the browser and hardware (e.g. laptop, mobile, etc.) as per recommendations from the employer. Keep in mind that you behaviours (and time) are also being tracked. These assessments typically require sliding, moving, pressing, etc.

Use the platform that gives you the most comfort to complete the assessments without unnecessary stress caused by the hardware or its limits to the interactions you can perform. Remember that these assessments are mobile-friendly!

  1. Read carefully the instructions, stay focused

Even though some assessments may look like a game, they are not games – each is still an assessment. Do not assume you know how the assessment works because you are a pro in Fortnite or another game.

Stay focused. You will not be able to repeat it, and you do not want to lower your chances by not having understood the instructions in depth.

Important: Many employers will not let you re-apply to positions within the company for 6-12 months following a failed assessment. You must ensure you read each question carefully and understand what is required from you before you begin your assessment.

Cut e games do not last long (only up to 20 minutes!) so you need to stay focused for this period of time as there is little or no break during these assessments and they measure various abilities including speed and accuracy.

How do AON tests work? Science behind AON gamified assessments

AON Hewitt aims to assist employers and organisations to discover the best-fit, diverse candidates through their ability tests and tools.

  • Backed by Research: Each Cut-e assessment is designed to be a reliable, robust and research based psychometric assessment to provide the employer with the relevant information to make the best selection decision.
  • Predict on-the-job performance: Behavioural assessments through job simulations provide an insight into the candidate’s performance potential and thought process within the workplace.
  • Reduce Bias: By focusing on more than an individual trait, AON assessments reduce recruitment bias by measuring a variety of factors such as a candidate’s cognitive, social and emotional abilities.

How to prepare for AON Gamified Assessments?

A key part of success in game-based and gamified assessments is being prepared to face a new task and be able to focus your attention using only the provided information and instructions.

Start your AON assessment practice with us at GF, where we provide practice game-based assessments and aptitude tests designed  to help you get familiar with the AON Cut-e tests used by top employers worldwide.

Take a look below at 6 of our 8 games you can practice with GF tailored to help you practice and prepare to ace your Cut-e gamified assessments:

  1. Cognition-M™ – Cognition-focused game predominantly looking at the ability to recall information. Relevant for preparation for the AON:
    • Grid Challenge
    • Short-Term Memory Test
  2. Cognition-A™ – Cognition-focused game assessing one’s ability to overcome the Stroop Effect. Relevant for preparation for your AON:
    • Switch Challenge

Did you know? The Stroop Effect is experiencing difficulty naming a specific colour when it is used to spell the name of a different color, e.g. the word ‘green’ with red text colour. This has been found to slow reaction times.

Stroop (1935)
  1. MTA-Tray™ – Game focusing on the ability to attend to multiple sources of information, an aspect also assessed by an In-Tray/E-Tray assessment. Relevant for preparation for the AON:
    • Motion Challenge
  2. MathBubbles™ – Bubble-popping game tapping into one’s mental arithmetic in reaching target numbers. Relevant for preparation for the AON:
    • Digit Challenge
  3. Flanker Task – Attention-based game to gauge selective attention and executive control. Relevant for preparation for the AON:
    • Short-Term Memory Test
  4. PassCode™ – Code-cracking game looking at the ability to focus and attend, as well as bounce back and show resilience. Relevant for preparation for your AON:
    • Switch Challenge

Practicing with these assessments will allow you to get familiar with what your AON assessments will measure, help you interact with the features of each and discover the suitable device for you in time for the real assessment with the employer.

And that is all the key info you’ll need for the AON game-based assessments! Let’s now move on to find out about the AON vidAssess interview tool.

What is the AON vidAssess?

AON vidAssess is an asynchronous video interview platform, where the interviewee will be required to record their answers to provided interview questions. These responses will be transcribed from speech to text. Words and phrases taken from the candidate responses will then be scored across set job-relevant competency areas using a natural language-processing AI.

But what is a video interview? Let’s find out more with this short video on the key facts you’ll need to know: 

What is a Video Interview #shorts

What questions are asked in an AON Video Interview?

Employers can select from over 600 pre-recorded interview questions or design their own with customised response settings for candidates, including the:

  • Duration of these responses
  • Interview questions used
  • Competencies to be assessed

To give you an idea of what questions you could expect in your Cut-e vidAssess interview, check out our short video where we reveal 5 of the most common interview questions that employers ask.

5 Most Common Interview Questions #shorts

The key competencies assessed are based on the AON ADEPT-15 personality framework. This framework measures the following 15 aspects of personality within 6 key workstyles:

Work StyleAspects of Personality
1. Task styleDrive – Whether the candidate is more relaxed or focused for their goals
Structure – Are candidates focused on the detail or the big picture?
2. Adaption styleConceptual – Are candidates more practical or abstract in their approach?
Flexibility – Are candidates consistent or flexible with their working?
Mastery – Does the candidate prefer simply doing or improving a method?
3. Achievement styleAmbition – Is the candidate content with achievements or striving for even better?
Power – Does the candidate see themselves as a contributor or controller?
4. Teamwork styleCooperativeness – Does the candidate work best independently or in a team?
Sensitivity – Is the candidate stoic or compassionate when dealing with co-worker problems?
Humility – Is the candidate more proud or humble in their contribution to a group?
5. Emotional styleComposure – Is the candidate more passionate or calm when dealing with stress?
Positivity – In response to scenarios, do candidates show a concerned or hopeful response?
Awareness – Are candidates insulated from feedback or are self-aware?
6. Interaction styleAssertiveness – Are candidates more cautious or socially bold?
Liveliness – Is the candidate’s personality more reserved or outgoing?
AON adept 15 assessment model
AON ADEPT-15 Personality Model
Source: AON

Recruiters and hiring managers are then able to review the report generated with the video on the competency scores graded on a scale of 1 to 5. The employers are able to adjust the scoring on these scores based on additional information to provide human validation before making a decision.

How to pass AON Video Assessments?

Before you take your AON video interview, ensure that you follow these top 3 tips to help you ace your interview:

  1. Find a similar job description to the position you apply for and practice answers to typical questions in front of a mirror or record yourself on a smartphone

Prepare for your interview with the Practice Essentials with GF and discover many of the typical interview questions you may be asked during your AON vidAssess interview using our Question Identifier Tool (QIT)

  1. Gain feedback by having a friend of yours watch over your recording.
  2. Use GF’s video interview practice platform to help you improve with timed recordings, replay, practice dozens of questions for various jobs similar to those used by Cut e.
AON video interview example questions
Video Interview Free Graduate Questions

GF has 13 unique series of video interview questions to provide you with a real interview experience across 11 different industries. Gain lifetime practice with our practice video interview tool and gain personalised feedback to improve your performance!

Why practice Cut-e video interview questions?

To succeed in your AON Cut-e video interview you need to practice your answers. Here are several reasons that you should prepare for your interview beforehand:

  1. Familiarise yourself with speaking about your experiences. Discover how to naturally include the key job description keywords and company facts of interest to you into your answers.
  2. Improve your time keeping skills as you do not want to run out of time in your interview. Practicing helps improve your ability to adjust to the limited time given by your employer to answer.
  3. Practice will allow you to show good performance in your spoken and body communication. It is vital that you speak clearly as your recording will be reviewed many times and will be transcribed into text for the AI review.

How do I ace the AON Cut-e video interview?

  1. Read the job description carefully and make a list of the important keywords.
    • Keep your pre-prepared notes nearby during the interview and try to incorporate those keywords into your answers.
  2. Take the interview in a place you will not be disturbed, and ensure you have a stable internet connection. Set up before the interview to ensure the device is working with all the necessary equipment, such as a microphone and camera.
    • AON video interviews can be taken on most mobile phones, laptops, tablets and PCs.
  3. Demonstrate your enthusiasm and confidence through your body language and tone of voice to show you are professional and right for the role. Impress your interviewer with displaying your confidence through:
    • Eye contact with the camera
    • Talk smoothly and without interruptions
    • Dressing smartly appropriate for the employer’s culture
  4. For competency-based questions (CBI), use the STAR technique to structure your answers to questions about how you resolved a situation or led a project.
  5. Open and close your answers properly: Do not close the answer abruptly. Always finish your answers by returning back to the question.
  6. Monitor your time so you are not cut off in the middle of thought or a sentence. 

For the best practice, we recommend you practice using the GF video interview preparation platform to overcome stress and anxiety by recording yourself answering most common recruitment questions and improving your professional answers using personalised feedback.

Discover more insight into the STAR technique and how you can use this method to nail your AON video interview with our short video interview tips video below.

How to Answer Competency-Based Interview Questions (STAR Technique) #shorts

Why do Employers use AON vidAssess video interviews in recruitment?

Employers use the AON video interview tool for a variety of reasons, many of which apply across many industries and job fields. Keep reading as we’ve listed the top 6 reasons employers globally use the AON Cut-e video interview tool:

  1. You can easily share the AON pre-recorded interviews without the hassle of coordinating schedules
    • Candidates can respond from any location, removing the need for allocating travel time
    • For example a recruiter can share the interview with a line manager or other people participating in the process
  2. Fast interviewing of high volumes of candidates
    • AON vidAssess can help employers interview much higher volumes of candidates than the traditional face-to-face interviews in a short period of time
    • An employer may be able to interview hundreds or even thousands of applicants within a timespan of several days
  3. Flexible Timeframes with Pre-recorded video interviews that can be taken at any time
    • It increases candidate flexibility and the recruiting managers can make decisions at their own time
    • It makes it much easier to interview candidates across time zones
  4. Reducing Risk of Bias by creating a set of standard questions that go to all applicants which:
    • Demonstrates greater flexibility and fairness in the interview process
    • No candidate can gain a significant unfair advantage over the other due to personal experience/relationship with the interviewer
    • AON’s AI-driven approach towards hiring candidates reduces the probability of a biased selection process and ensures the same, uniformed level of treatment for all candidates
  5. Efficient in hiring the best candidate for the role through predefined questions focusing on competencies and behavioural criteria
    • Building a diverse workforce by assessing a blend of skills, knowledge, experience, language and approaches using set criteria
  6. Accessibility for candidates. The AON video interview tool is designed specifically for use across cell phones, mobiles, laptops, tablets and PCs The platform is intuitive, easy to use and simple to set up

Don’t miss our summary of quick answers for all you need to know some of the top questions people ask about the AON Hewitt/Cut-e assessments with our FAQs below.

AON Cut-e Assessment FAQs

What are AON assessment solutions?

AON provides various assessment tools and psychometric tests for employers across various industries including financial services, manufacturing, commercial drivers and aviation. AON assessments are commonly used for early careers and graduate entry level positions. In 2017, AON acquired Cut e to expand their assessment solutions.

How long is the AON assessment test?

The Cut-e games may last up to 20 minutes on average. You may be required to take a combination of AON assessments each which will take around 5-10 minutes to complete. The assessments you will be required to complete is likely to depend on the employer and the job role you have applied for.

What is a Cut-e assessment?

The Cut-e assessments are a collection of various assessments and tools which measure behaviours, cognitive abilities and soft skills through interactive or gamified assessments:

Are AON tests hard?

The AON Cut-e assessments are designed to measure various hard and soft skills and are customisable in difficulty depending on the employer and entry level of the role. AON tests have short time limits and require concentration to complete. To ace these assessments, ensure to read these questions carefully and practice to familiarise with the questions used.

Help familiarise yourself with AON assessments by practicing with GF today!

How do I pass an AON assessment test?

Here are our top 5 quick tips to help you ace your AON assessments:

  1. Practice similar assessments
  2. Research what the employer requires
  3. Find the right time to take the test
  4. Ensure you have the recommended equipment 
  5. Read the information carefully

For the best AON assessment practice, register with GF and get ahead.

Practice and Register with GF to ace your AON exam first time

Do you want to pass your AON Cut-e assessments first time? Sign up for tools offered by GF, the only aptitude practice test experts that provide tests to over 100 UK universities and their students, and also across Asia and continental Europe.

Go to GF now and select from the range of products we offer at no risk. We offer a comprehensive premium package with a full set of assessment tools for job candidates (numerical, logical, verbal reasoning, situational judgment tests, assessment centre exercises and more). Buy with peace of mind without commitment to a full 100% money back guarantee if you do not pass your job tests.

Correct answers to example questions:

Verbal Reasoning Test – B

Numerical Reasoning Test – D

Logical Reasoning Test – C