Interview Tips for Commercial Account Managers & Underwriters
Focusing in such a niche space means I see lots of the same stuff day in and day out. 90% of the roles I work on are commercial agency service or commercial underwriting. Here are some of my best interview tips for those positions:
For Commercial Account Managers
Experience 🗝️
While your background might be diverse in terms of lines of coverage handled, sizes of accounts, etc., it's important to highlight the portions of your role that most closely align with the position you're going for. For example, if you handle a book of large accounts but have some small business mixed in there, emphasize your expertise and affinity for the larger stuff. If you handle non-profits but also construction accounts and the position is focused primarily on non-profits, describe how much you love working with those types of accounts, how you find it personally fulfilling, and your deep expertise with the kinds of coverages they need. This is not a suggestion to lie about your background, but rather focus your resume and talking points to show how your background best aligns with the new position however you can.
Team Player 🧑🤝🧑
Highlight ways you’ve been a problem solver in the group. Perhaps you suggested a new workflow that was more efficient? Or stepped up to assist when a teammate was out? Stories sell – especially success stories! Have you mentored other colleagues? Managers love a “team player”. They also welcome candidates who are capable of more than simply the role immediately in front of them – aptitude and ambition go a long way!
Continuing Education 🎓
If you’ve been in the industry for 5+ years and don’t have a single designation, you’re at a disadvantage. Of course you’ll learn something from taking CIC, CISR or CRIS courses, but just as important as the knowledge gained is showing that you’re committed to learning and growing in your field
For Commercial Underwriters
Decision-Making Skills 🧠
Insurance companies continue to increase their use of technology. As they do, small commercial and personal lines will continue to be gobbled up by automation. That means that the positions that will be most viable at insurance carriers going forward will be medium to large commercial focused. Companies will give you guidelines, but it is up to you to determine how well an account fits those guidelines and how to condition it accordingly.
Speak to the fact that underwriting is often gray. That is, you are given guidelines to help guide you but ultimately it is the human brain that has to make a decision - not only whether or not to quote or decline the risk, but how to make it acceptable. Whether that's forms, pricing, certain lines of coverage, etc. And making the business decision to bend more for some agents on certain accounts than others.
On numerous occasions, I have gotten feedback from companies that a candidate said that all they had to do was give a “yes or no” based on the company guidelines - but that's not what a hiring manager wants to hear. (If it were that simple, they wouldn't be hiring you!) Make it clear that you are comfortable making decisions and outlining a thoughtful narrative as to why you are making this call.
Personality 😂
This is an obvious one but – agents want to work with underwriters who are likeable, easy to talk to and establish rapport with and, frankly… just give a crap. When all else is equal, people will always lean toward working with the person who’s easier and more pleasant to do business with for a product or service, it just is what it is.
Responsiveness 📲
Talk about the importance of strong customer service and how you deliver that to your agency partners. You answer your phone, you return emails. Simply put, you find ways to write business, not decline it.