Applying for insurance positions can be daunting. You want to ensure you have all your bases covered, but you also don’t want to give too much information away. As a result, you may wonder what recruiters like Ertan Ikic in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, are looking for when they ask specific questions. This article will answer some of the recruiters’ most common questions about insurance positions.
What is Your Greatest Strength?
When a recruiter asks you this question, they are looking for two things: whether you have the skillset required for the position and can succinctly and confidently articulate your qualifications. To answer this question effectively, start by looking at the job description and pinpointing the most critical skills for the position.
Once you have identified the critical skills required, think about which of those skills you excel at and can confidently speak to. For example, suppose the job description mentions that the ideal candidate will have excellent customer service skills and be able to handle complex customer inquiries. In that case, you might want to note that you have experience dealing with complex customer inquiries and can de-escalate situations quickly and efficiently.
What is Your Greatest Weakness?
Ertan Ikic says this question can be challenging to answer because no one wants to admit they have weaknesses. However, recruiters are not looking for perfect candidates; they are looking for honest, self-aware candidates who continuously strive to improve. With that in mind, when answering this question, focus on identifying a genuine weakness or shortcomings that you have been working on improving.
For example, suppose you tend to get overwhelmed when presented with multiple tasks. In that case, you might want to say that you are working on improving your time management skills to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously without getting bogged down.
What Motivates You?
The best way to answer this question is by giving an example of a time when you were motivated at work. When choosing a model, ensure it is relevant to the position you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a customer service position, you might want to talk about when a satisfied customer left a positive review due to your efforts.
Alternatively, suppose you are applying for an administrative position. In that case, you might want to talk about when completing a complex project on time and under budget motivated you to do your best work.
Why Did You Enter The Insurance Field?
Ertan Ikic says there are a few different ways to answer this question. You could talk about how you have always been interested in the insurance industry and decided to enter the field to learn more about it.
Or, you could discuss how you entered the insurance field because you wanted to help people and make a difference in their lives. For example, you might want to talk about how you decided to enter the insurance field after seeing a family member go through a challenging experience with their health insurance.
No matter how you answer this question, ensure your answer is sincere and authentic.
What Are Your Career Aspirations?
This question is an opportunity to discuss your long-term career goals and how this position fits your overall career plan. For example, you might want to talk about how you hope to eventually become a claims adjuster or a manager so that you can help train and develop other insurance professionals.
Furthermore, you could mention house this position as a stepping stone to another role in the company that interests you. For example, express your aspiration to become a customer service representative to help policyholders with their concerns.
What Do You Like Best About The Insurance Field?
This question is an opportunity to discuss what you find most rewarding about working in the insurance industry. For example, you might want to talk about how you like being able to help people when they are going through a difficult time.
You may also want to talk about how thrilling it is to attempt new ways to tackle complicated problems. No matter how you answer this question, ensure your response is genuine and heartfelt.
What Do You Like Least About The Insurance Field?
Ertan Ikic says this question is an opportunity to discuss what you find most challenging about working in the insurance industry. For example, you might want to talk about how you find it challenging to deal with complex customer inquiries and that you can stay calm and professional even when the customer is angry or frustrated.
Or, you might want to discuss how you find it challenging to work with complex data and that you are always looking for ways to streamline processes so that you can work more efficiently. No matter how you answer this question, ensure your answer is sincere and honest.
Final Thoughts
Answering questions from recruiters can be tricky business. On the one hand, you want to make sure that you give them enough information so that they can see why you’re a good fit for the position; on the other hand, however, you don’t want to give too much information away and end up revealing more than you bargained for. Hopefully, this has clarified what recruiters are looking for when they ask specific questions during the interview process.