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Write Better Job Descriptions to Attract Millennials
Write Better Job Descriptions to Attract Millennials
By: www.InsNerds.com
By: www.InsNerds.com
As Baby Boomers start transitioning into retirement, insurers and agencies are struggling to attract Millennials to replace them. One of the causes of the problem is the industry’s reputation of being boring. Looking at a description from the perspective of a young college graduate with no previous insurance experience can be incredibly intimidating. They can be overwhelmingly filled with jargon and acronyms. How does a prospective employee decipher it? They may not be able to.
Here’s a look at how job postings look today and what they could look like to make them more attractive.
Producer:
Which job would you prefer? This current job from Allstate:
“Responsibilities
As an Agency Producer you will support the sales, cross-sell, customer retention and customer service goals of the Insurance Agency. You will do so by calling on prospective clients and generating new sales leads while also developing a deeper relationship with existing customer accounts. Leads will be provided to you, but you will also work to generate warmer sales leads through your own personal networking and prospecting.
Job Functions
• Utilizing Agency marketing systems, or those you may develop, to solicit and sell Insurance and related products
• Coordinating with the agent and/or operations manager to provide assistance in determining proper coverage.
• Providing excellent customer service to policyholders
• Attending networking and/or community events
• Educating and assisting customers
• Maintaining knowledge of new products and initiatives.
Pursuing a program for development of personal and business skills.”
Or this:
“Do you thrive on competition? Does seeing your name at the top of a list make your day? Are you the type of person who makes small talk with others in a queue? Are you excited to learn about others’ lives?
If you answered yes to these questions, an insurance sales position at Allstate might be right for you. We challenge our producers to meet stretch goals on a daily basis. Our producers are paid based on their results and have the opportunity to earn special bonuses if they outperform their peers.”
Underwriter:
Which job would you prefer? This job from Liberty Mutual:
Here’s a look at how job postings look today and what they could look like to make them more attractive.
Producer:
Which job would you prefer? This current job from Allstate:
“Responsibilities
As an Agency Producer you will support the sales, cross-sell, customer retention and customer service goals of the Insurance Agency. You will do so by calling on prospective clients and generating new sales leads while also developing a deeper relationship with existing customer accounts. Leads will be provided to you, but you will also work to generate warmer sales leads through your own personal networking and prospecting.
Job Functions
• Utilizing Agency marketing systems, or those you may develop, to solicit and sell Insurance and related products
• Coordinating with the agent and/or operations manager to provide assistance in determining proper coverage.
• Providing excellent customer service to policyholders
• Attending networking and/or community events
• Educating and assisting customers
• Maintaining knowledge of new products and initiatives.
Pursuing a program for development of personal and business skills.”
Or this:
“Do you thrive on competition? Does seeing your name at the top of a list make your day? Are you the type of person who makes small talk with others in a queue? Are you excited to learn about others’ lives?
If you answered yes to these questions, an insurance sales position at Allstate might be right for you. We challenge our producers to meet stretch goals on a daily basis. Our producers are paid based on their results and have the opportunity to earn special bonuses if they outperform their peers.”
Underwriter:
Which job would you prefer? This job from Liberty Mutual:
Related Article: 7 Ways to Engage Your Millennial Employees
“Responsibilities:
• Analyzes commercial lines accounts to make decisions based on individual risk characteristics, exposure analysis, hazard recognition and controls. Utilizes underwriting guidelines and Company best practices to ensure compliance with state regulations. Within delegated authority levels and continuous process improvement work principles, accepts, rejects or modifies new and renewal business to ensure a profitable book of business.
• Prices business according to Company underwriting and pricing guidelines. Ability to use creativity and underwriting knowledge to write risks and retain business.
• Partners with Territory Managers to support marketing activities by developing ongoing relationships with agents to discuss market appetite, quality and profitability of submissions, service standards, and underwriting and/or product changes. Communicates with agents on underwriting issues including, but not limited to, decisions on cancellations, declinations, exposure concerns, and survey results.
• Partners with Territory Managers to identify issues or patterns and works to resolve or improve them; participates in agency planning and review processes; and may identify sales and marketing opportunities.
• Travels, with or without Territory Manager, to assigned agent locations to develop agency partnerships.
• Trains and educates agency staff in Company products, services and underwriting philosophy.
• Promotes the Company’s product and services by speaking to agent or insurance-related groups, and by networking within the insurance community to stay abreast of changes within the industry.
• Actively participates in problem solving activities to define problems, assess current state root causes, design and test solutions, implement solutions, and sustain and continuously improve to permanently eliminate problems.
• Actively participates in continuous improvement by fully engaging in daily huddles, generating suggestions, following appropriate procedures and continuous process improvement work principles, participating in problem solving activities, and utilizing continuous improvement tools to support the work of the team.
• Performs other duties as assigned.”
Or this:
“Do your friends rely on you to know the answers to their random questions? Is one of your catchphrases “let me Google that?” When you’re out and about, do you notice unsafe conditions or people taking unnecessary risks?
At Liberty Mutual company, our underwriters are encouraged to do their homework. They serve as an advisor to producers and make million dollar decisions on behalf of the company every day. In this role, it is essential to have a thirst for knowledge and a love of research. Beyond that, the ability to explain complex or abstract concepts is a necessity.
• Analyzes commercial lines accounts to make decisions based on individual risk characteristics, exposure analysis, hazard recognition and controls. Utilizes underwriting guidelines and Company best practices to ensure compliance with state regulations. Within delegated authority levels and continuous process improvement work principles, accepts, rejects or modifies new and renewal business to ensure a profitable book of business.
• Prices business according to Company underwriting and pricing guidelines. Ability to use creativity and underwriting knowledge to write risks and retain business.
• Partners with Territory Managers to support marketing activities by developing ongoing relationships with agents to discuss market appetite, quality and profitability of submissions, service standards, and underwriting and/or product changes. Communicates with agents on underwriting issues including, but not limited to, decisions on cancellations, declinations, exposure concerns, and survey results.
• Partners with Territory Managers to identify issues or patterns and works to resolve or improve them; participates in agency planning and review processes; and may identify sales and marketing opportunities.
• Travels, with or without Territory Manager, to assigned agent locations to develop agency partnerships.
• Trains and educates agency staff in Company products, services and underwriting philosophy.
• Promotes the Company’s product and services by speaking to agent or insurance-related groups, and by networking within the insurance community to stay abreast of changes within the industry.
• Actively participates in problem solving activities to define problems, assess current state root causes, design and test solutions, implement solutions, and sustain and continuously improve to permanently eliminate problems.
• Actively participates in continuous improvement by fully engaging in daily huddles, generating suggestions, following appropriate procedures and continuous process improvement work principles, participating in problem solving activities, and utilizing continuous improvement tools to support the work of the team.
• Performs other duties as assigned.”
Or this:
“Do your friends rely on you to know the answers to their random questions? Is one of your catchphrases “let me Google that?” When you’re out and about, do you notice unsafe conditions or people taking unnecessary risks?
At Liberty Mutual company, our underwriters are encouraged to do their homework. They serve as an advisor to producers and make million dollar decisions on behalf of the company every day. In this role, it is essential to have a thirst for knowledge and a love of research. Beyond that, the ability to explain complex or abstract concepts is a necessity.
Claims Adjuster
Which one would you prefer? This job from EMC:
Which one would you prefer? This job from EMC:
Related Article: Why I Work in Insurance: A Millennial Perspective
“JOB DESCRIPTION
Exercises independent judgment in the investigation, negotiation, and
disposition of general liability, property and auto claims within
limitations of authority in the client contract and according to claims
handling instructions within the contract
Promptly investigates, evaluates, negotiates, settles and/or resolves
claims and losses
Reviews the loss notice and policy to verify coverage, deductibles, loss
payee/mortgagees and confirms that the loss date falls within the coverage
period
Takes statements from clients/claimants/employees/witnesses
Sets adequate reserves to cover company and client exposure-probable
ultimate cost reserving
Communicates with clients/claimants/attorneys to negotiate the settlement
of claims and losses
Issues payments within check authority limit”
Or this one:
“Are you the friend who always knows just what to say in a difficult situation? Do you enjoy putting things right? Do you have a passion for helping those in need?
If your biggest thrill comes from solving problems or putting a smile on another’s face, you’ll fit right in with the adjusters at EMC. Our number one goal is to put our insured’s back where they started after a claim. Our adjusters deliver that promise every day.”
Better job descriptions directly relate insurance functions to the candidate’s everyday life in a fun and easygoing way. The prospective candidate can see themselves succeeding at these actions, and their interest will be piqued. They’ll wonder how a staid old insurance company will provide these types of experience on a daily basis. Once the job description has them curious, you’ll be able to tell them all about your company’s culture and ideals which will open their eyes to the wonderful possibilities of an insurance career. These are just examples we came up with kind of quickly, get your existing Millennial employees in those areas to help you come up with fun job descriptions for their jobs!
Exercises independent judgment in the investigation, negotiation, and
disposition of general liability, property and auto claims within
limitations of authority in the client contract and according to claims
handling instructions within the contract
Promptly investigates, evaluates, negotiates, settles and/or resolves
claims and losses
Reviews the loss notice and policy to verify coverage, deductibles, loss
payee/mortgagees and confirms that the loss date falls within the coverage
period
Takes statements from clients/claimants/employees/witnesses
Sets adequate reserves to cover company and client exposure-probable
ultimate cost reserving
Communicates with clients/claimants/attorneys to negotiate the settlement
of claims and losses
Issues payments within check authority limit”
Or this one:
“Are you the friend who always knows just what to say in a difficult situation? Do you enjoy putting things right? Do you have a passion for helping those in need?
If your biggest thrill comes from solving problems or putting a smile on another’s face, you’ll fit right in with the adjusters at EMC. Our number one goal is to put our insured’s back where they started after a claim. Our adjusters deliver that promise every day.”
Better job descriptions directly relate insurance functions to the candidate’s everyday life in a fun and easygoing way. The prospective candidate can see themselves succeeding at these actions, and their interest will be piqued. They’ll wonder how a staid old insurance company will provide these types of experience on a daily basis. Once the job description has them curious, you’ll be able to tell them all about your company’s culture and ideals which will open their eyes to the wonderful possibilities of an insurance career. These are just examples we came up with kind of quickly, get your existing Millennial employees in those areas to help you come up with fun job descriptions for their jobs!
Related Article: Insuring Tomorrow: Engaging Millennials in the Insurance Industry – The Book
Here’s a real life example for a job at the Motley Fool:
“Certified Financial Planner
Do you wake up every morning and check your favorite financial blogs before checking if the kids ate all the Froot Loops? Does your heartbeat quicken when you see that your issue of theJournal of Financial Planning has arrived in the mail? Does your heart sink when you hear another story about conflicted brokers passing themselves off as financial planners when they’re really just salesmen peddling products? Do friends and family come to you for financial advice, and then afterward say, “Wow, I’ve never heard that explained so well. I finally understand what I should do. Here, take this pie I baked in your honor.”
If so, then consider joining an incipient band of Fools that is striving to disrupt the Financial “Advice” Industrial Complex for the good of all America.”
If they can do it, why can’t we?
Once you have a fun job description there’s a lot more you can do to really liven up your job postings, here’s a great article from LinkedIn Talent Blog to really take them to the next level.
“Certified Financial Planner
Do you wake up every morning and check your favorite financial blogs before checking if the kids ate all the Froot Loops? Does your heartbeat quicken when you see that your issue of theJournal of Financial Planning has arrived in the mail? Does your heart sink when you hear another story about conflicted brokers passing themselves off as financial planners when they’re really just salesmen peddling products? Do friends and family come to you for financial advice, and then afterward say, “Wow, I’ve never heard that explained so well. I finally understand what I should do. Here, take this pie I baked in your honor.”
If so, then consider joining an incipient band of Fools that is striving to disrupt the Financial “Advice” Industrial Complex for the good of all America.”
If they can do it, why can’t we?
Once you have a fun job description there’s a lot more you can do to really liven up your job postings, here’s a great article from LinkedIn Talent Blog to really take them to the next level.
