I often talk with insurance agent clients who are incredibly frustrated with hiring. Many of them feel upset that their job postings are getting no qualified applicants―tons of resumes, but no one who would be a fit. These agency leaders have the right idea about who they want to hire, but they might not be executing job ads in the best way.
Allow me to break down how you can hook an ideal team member:
Step 1: Know What You Want To Attract
This article is part of our new Future of Work Guide. Click on the image to view the full guide.
If you’re looking for a rockstar team member, you need to think about who you want to attract. We don’t really do this in insurance. Often we hire out of desperation, not preparation. That’s not a good approach to any big decisions.
In insurance, we need to get focused on who we want so we can create a job posting that attracts that person. If you get sharp on who you want to attract you can craft a job posting that will speak directly to them. This increases your chances of finding the right fit!
There is an exercise that I completely looked down on until two months ago: visualization. Sit in a quiet place and really imagine what the perfect team member would have. Think about their approach, values, tone, attitude, anything that this person would have. Once you’re done thinking and imagining, write down everything that you saw and thought about. Now you have a starting point to find your ideal candidate.
Step 2: Write Your Post
Imagine if you were online dating (I’ve been with my husband for 15 years, but I live vicariously through friends) and your dating profile had no picture, nothing special, and instead included a list of demands of your ideal mate. Do you think that would land you many dates? No.
Like a dating profile, your job posting needs to share your values, your fun side, and what you have to offer to a potential candidate. In order to make your agency attractive and compelling, you should include things that would hook candidates. What makes your agency fun, what incentives do you have? Do you do any special trips or training sessions?
Now this is a change. In the past, hiring was all about what you needed. Nowadays, you need to welcome a potential candidate into your culture. There should be pictures, a video, and details about how cool you are. Remember, this is a process of using the law of attraction to get the right people to look and reach out.
Step 3: Open or Closed Mind
While it’s important to have an idea of the types of candidates you want to attract, if you are hiring, you should also cast a wide net. Don’t overthink it. We recommend a phone interview first. If it’s not a fit, wrap it up. But remember, an interview is not a job offer―you have to keep an open mind. This includes considering people with no insurance experience.
In today’s competitive job market, insurance agency job postings are an opportunity for you to stand out, instead of being just another boring insurance agency job ad. Try to advertise to the right people, show what you have to offer, and keep an open mind about candidates from outside the industry.
