Job Searching: Be Your Most Marketable Self
At a time when there’s stiff competition for jobs (especially those that are fully remote which tend to have more applicants), standing out is key.
You only get one chance to make a first impression (it’s so true!!), so your LinkedIn profile and resume must be on point:
Your LinkedIn profile should have an up-to-date, high-quality photo. It doesn't need to be professionally taken, but it should be professional-looking.
Your profile should clearly outline your job history and include specific bullets of key accomplishments or responsibilities in each position. This will help you pop up in recruiters’ searches for specific skill sets (i.e. “construction” or “large accounts”).
If you’re more senior in your career (especially if you’ve been at one company for most of it) avoid things in your summary like "25+ year seasoned insurance professional" - it sounds stale and can date you.
Monitor your social media. Make sure that your Facebook, Instagram, etc. don’t have public posts that you wouldn’t want a hiring manager seeing. Your LinkedIn should not include controversial stuff like politics, etc. – there’s a time and place for that stuff, and LinkedIn is not it.
When you do locate a position you’re interested in, do this:
Leverage your network. Before applying for a position, check out that company's LinkedIn page and see if you know someone who works there. Ask that person to refer you in. Having your resume sent to the hiring manager with a personal recommendation goes a lot further than applying through a job portal.
Don't hold yourself back because you don’t check all the boxes if you check most of them. If you are reasonably qualified for a position, what's the harm in going for it? You'll never know if you don't try.
Once you get the interview, remember:
Positivity and liability are king. I would argue that they trump everything else. Someone who is incredibly well-qualified on paper but not likable will never get the job. Someone who is borderline qualified but incredibly likable (and seems sharp enough to learn the missing experience) will often get the job. Likability carries weight, don't underestimate it.
Closely intertwined with likability is positivity. Hiring managers want someone that is pleasant and fun to be around, and seems like a team player. High-quality people attract other high-quality people. A team of “Debbie Downers” is sure to chase away the optimists and a good hiring manager knows they are poison on the team.
SMILE!!!!!! 😀😆😁😊
For underwriting positions: Hiring managers want to hear that you understand that underwriting is often gray rather than black and white. I can't tell you how many times I've had underwriting managers tell me they did not want to proceed with a candidate because they talked so much about how underwriting is simply adhering to guidelines. If it were that simple, insurance carriers would not need underwriters. They want to hear that you understand that guidelines and authority are given for a reason, but that you recognize that there are cases where exceptions can and should be made and you understand how to determine those situations.
Writing profitable business is always going to be the #1 goal for an insurance carrier or broker. So be sure to talk about what it is that you specifically will do to support that effort in your position:
As an underwriter, that means talking about the importance of the relationship you have with your agency partners and how you will work with them to find ways to write business, not to decline it. That you understand the importance of responsive and timely communication. That you're not afraid to pick up the phone versus hiding behind an email.
As a producer, that means talking about your network, your comfort with cold calling, your centers of influence, how you’ve marketed to new clients in the past, where you’ve found success, what amounts of new revenue you’ve produced, etc.
As an account manager or account executive, outline the importance of responsiveness and building strong relationships with clients because you know that retaining current clients is always more profitable than bringing on new ones.