Do you have your insurance license and are ready to take the industry by storm? Are you an experienced agent, adjuster, underwriter, or broker looking for an exciting new challenge? Regardless of the level of your insurance industry experience, looking for a new job can be a time-consuming and frequently frustrating process. A big part of the job search process is knowing where to look for insurance positions.
Licensing is an important part of working in the insurance industry. Some companies will require that you hold a current applicable license before agreeing to hire you, while others are very willing to assist you in procuring the appropriate license(s). This requirement can even vary from department to department within the same company, so it will be necessary to check on the licensing requirement for each position when applying.
The following tips and tricks are designed to take some of the headache out of your search, by giving you some guidelines on steps you can take to land your ideal insurance industry position.
Depending on the type of insurance you are most interested in, visit the recruiting departments of various insurance agencies to inquire about available positions. If there are no current vacancies, ask if you can submit your resume to remain on file should future openings match what you are seeking.
Contact recruitment and contract employment agencies that work in the insurance industry. Aligning yourself with a recruiter can give you access to jobs that are often not advertised to the public. The great thing about recruiting agencies is that allow you to “apply” for positions at multiple companies simultaneously with a single resume submittal, since most recruiters will shop your resume around to all of the available openings.
Use the internet to your advantage. Searching for “insurance”, “underwriting”, “broker”, “agent”, “adjuster” or any number of other insurance-related terms on major job boards such as Monster.com and Hotjobs.com will unearth hundreds of available openings – just be aware that competition for these positions is stiff since hundreds of other professionals are looking at and applying for the exact same jobs.
Colleges and universities often have a database of available positions in the school’s Career Center. Career Center advisors are also excellent sources of information on how to network in the industry and get your foot in the door. Schools that offer business, accounting, and financial degrees are especially likely to have insurance contacts. Note though, that many school limit Career Center resource access to current students or alumni.
Network, network, network! Let friends, family, and casual acquaintances know that you are on the market for a new position. Since most companies are much more willing to interview (and potentially hire) candidates who have already been vouched for, it’s important to get the word out that you are available and seeking a new opportunity.
If you aren’t deadset on working in a particular insurance field, take advantage of the wide range of positions available in the industry. Expand your job search to investigate opportunities in:
o Auto insurance
o Health insurance
o Workers’ Compensation
o Other types of business insurance (such as E&O, EPLI, etc.)
o Life insurance
o Home owner’s insurance
Don’t be averse to accepting a contract, junior, or “training” position. This are often a great way to get you foot in the door in the insurance industry. It also gives you a chance to evaluate an organization and department to ensure it is a match before fully committing yourself to a long-term full-time position.
Searching insurance industry-specific job boards for available opportunities is a great way to target only those jobs that in the insurance industry.
Have you just completed your teaching degree and are looking to start your career? Are you a seasoned teacher who is looking for an exciting new challenge? Or are you a professional outside of the education industry who is looking to make a career switch to a teaching position?