If you're looking to land a job in the insurance industry, you should know that in these tough times, hiring managers want to see more business development and financial modeling experience on your resume. So, whether you’re applying for an underwriter or a business analyst post, a resume that showcases these skills can easily put you on the short list of candidates. Follow these tips to build a job winning insurance resume:
Don’t describe job responsibilities. Steve Waterman, managing director of Nexus Recruiting Group, that works with Wells Fargo Insurance Services says, "Every insurance recruiter knows what a typical [underwriter] does," adding that it’s better to list how you've excelled at your job.
Sell by the Numbers. "The biggest problem we see with insurance resumes specifically is lack of enough numbers," says Waterman. "Since insurance is so much about numbers, candidates have a tailor-made chance to include as many pertinent numbers as possible on their resumes: numbers of premiums, revenues, loss ratios, number of clients, growth of book of business, etc."
Package your accomplishments. Don’t just bullet point a list of accomplishments. Arrange them chronologically in story form. Explain what you did and the outcome. “Stay away from the gimmicks,” advises Lisa Andrew, owner of Red Sapphire Consulting. “Usually, it’s apparent when the candidate put more time and effort into the look of his or her resume rather than the content.”
Keep Job Titles Generic. Job titles vary by company, so keep yours simple and general. Avoid jargon that is too specific by company, area or department.
Be honest in employment history. Don’t try to conceal recent employment gaps or play games with hiring dates. Most are easily verified, and “stretched information” can eliminate you as a candidate. If you've been out of work for over a year, do some volunteer work or take a teaching post at a college to close any prolonged workless gaps.
List your quantitative skills. More companies are increasingly looking for people with financial modeling and analysis experience and skills. So if you have these, list the projects and achievements in these areas.
Underscore business development. Highlight any business development experience, even if it’s not entirely related to insurance. Sell any successes in how you brought in new businesses and contributed to the growth of your previous company or department.
List certifications, licenses and special training. If you belong to any special organizations or have specialized training in financial modeling or business analysis, include this in your resume. Many insurance areas require some type of licensing before working in insurance sales, so mention any applicable licenses. Include the organization you attended for training and how long you’ve held your license.
Show “Out of the Box” thinking. Describe how you solved a problem using creative or unconventional means. Recruiters and hiring managers are looking for leaders, idea people who approach a problem and solve it in a unique and cost-effective way.
As a note, if you're a Nexxt member, you also have access to the Career Portfolio, which can give you another option for visualizing your career. If you're logged in, you can also click on your name in the top right part of the page to access and edit your Career Portfolio.
Image courtesy of Michal Marcol/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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