The insurance industry is undergoing a major shift. New technologies are emerging at a breakneck pace, making it hard for companies to keep up. Many organizations seek to address this issue by hiring experienced candidates with strong technical skills. However, by unnecessarily limiting their prospect pools, these companies may be missing out on great candidates.
Technical skills are important, but many recruiters recommend broadening their hiring requirements when seeking to fill new roles. Identifying and hiring candidates with strong soft skills can help companies bring in the talent they need today, and investing in robust internal training programs can help them strengthen their talent pool to meet future demands.
When looking for new hires, Crawford seeks candidates with open, empathetic personalities who are eager to learn and have strong soft skills. These are the five soft skills that Crawford believes every new insurance professional needs to be successful.
Empathy
The key to good claims management customer service is the ability to empathize with a claimant during a tough period in their lives. Property damage and the subsequent claims process can be stressful for policyholders, and having someone who truly listens and understands how they feel can make all the difference.
Candidates with strong empathy are able to address each claim with the attention and care it deserves, improving the customer experience and increasing customer retention. Empathy and emotional intelligence are essential skills for employees in any industry, critical to building strong relationships and fostering productive work environments.
Communication
The ability to communicate effectively with customers, coworkers, managers and vendors is essential for any new hire. Candidates with good communication skills have the ability to build meaningful connections and drive their projects forward.
Clear, consistent communication is essential to working efficiently and earning the trust of customers and other employees. Customers who have had positive employee interactions are more likely to remain with your company and refer your business to friends and family.
Writing
Writing is an important skill on its own. Candidates with strong writing skills have an ability to identify the key issues in any challenge, and they are often able to use this understanding to find creative approaches to problem solving — making them valuable additions to marketing and customer service teams.
Analysis Skills
Potential hires with quantitative reasoning experience are skilled at critical thinking — able to process information quickly and efficiently. Candidates with educational backgrounds in chemistry, statistics and even music all possess the analytical skills necessary to make well-reasoned decisions faster.1 They also often have a strong aptitude for technology, allowing them to pick up necessary technical skills more quickly.
Attitude
Finally, perhaps the strongest soft skill that a new hire can bring to a job is a positive attitude. Candidates with a strong work ethic who are eager to learn have the greatest potential to become exemplary employees.
Investments in training programs often yield positive results — like increased employee retention and operational efficiencies — if recruits actively engage in improving their skillset and advancing their careers.
With a good attitude, training can foster job satisfaction and a wealth of new opportunities for driven employees.
In order to foster a skilled and successful workforce, companies need to redefine the ways they look at recruiting. New recruits can have all the raw talent and skills necessary to be successful, but organizations should be prepared to invest in long-term skills training, professional guidance and career coaching.
Crawford believes it’s the power of people that drives organizations toward success. Seeking candidates who are trainable and investing in their long-term growth can help strengthen your business and extend opportunities for your employees to reach their career goals.
Read our latest white paper here to learn more about Crawford’s global training initiatives.
