WHO WE ARE.
You Got the Interview! Now What?
By Lynn Simon-Thomas
Manager, Diversity Engagement
Talent Acquisition
I often get calls from friends, colleagues, and family members seeking advice on how they should prepare for an interview after they’ve already scheduled it. Usually, the beginning of the conversation is loaded with anxiety because the mere thought of interviewing makes many people uncomfortable and nervous. On one hand, I can understand because some interviewers put candidates through an experience similar to a Senate confirmation hearing. On the other hand, I find it confusing because when you apply for a job, that usually means you believe you’re qualified to do it based on your experience. And who knows your experience better than you?
That question is the basis for one of the first questions I often ask when interviewing a candidate which is, “Why did you apply to the position?”
- Are you seeking a more challenging role due to a lack of growth opportunity within your current organization?
- Are you feeling stagnant as you watch other co-workers and friends climb the corporate ladder?
- Are you looking for a significant salary increase?
- Or are you just exploring possibilities because a recruiter reached out to you?
Point blank, why are you seeking another job? And particularly, why this job?
I always ask this question because it forces people to take a step back and really investigate the “why” behind their job search. It also inspires honest introspection and self-reflection, which can help determine whether a position may be the right opportunity. When you unequivocally understand your “why” and you are self-aware enough to know your strengths, as well as the things you need to improve upon, you become a much stronger and appealing candidate.
In addition to knowing your “why,” it’s also important that you have a solid understanding of the current job description. Do you clearly understand the tasks you will be asked to complete if given the role? One way to obtain this clarity is to ask the recruiter to share some insights into what the hiring manager seeks in a candidate. Armed with that information, be sure to ask yourself if you truly have the proper skills needed to succeed in the role. If you don’t, that can be okay if you consider the opportunity a “stretch” role and you have the desire to obtain those needed skills.
If and when the opportunity presents itself, be sure to ask potential co-workers to describe the culture within the company and department, as departmental culture can sometimes differ from the overall company culture. Enjoying what you do, and with whom you do it, is extremely important for your emotional well-being. It can impact your daily motivation, drive, and overall contribution to your job and the company. Take an honest look within yourself to uncover what makes you happy in your current job. Try to identify those things that bring you joy at work and make you excited to start your day. The ability to explain what you need from a job, as well as the opportunities you see in your next role, can go a long way towards ensuring the role is right for you.
Finally, once you have a better understanding of the role and what the hiring manager may be looking for in a candidate, you should be able to clearly articulate what you bring to the table through relevant examples of how your current skill set makes you an ideal candidate for the position. Perhaps you helped to improve a vital process that saved your current department a significant amount of money. Or maybe you were instrumental in turning overall customer sentiment from negative to positive. Regardless, when you can demonstrate that you have the expertise and experience to help a potential manager solve the problems they’re currently facing, you dramatically improve your chances of landing the role.
To help you remember these guidelines, I’ve created a short list of tips that can help you ace your next interview.
Interviewing Tips:
- Know yourself.
- Understand why you want the job and how it will help you achieve your professional goals. Be able to clearly state the skills you possess that would benefit the organization, as well as those which you’re working to improve to ensure you’d be successful in the position.
- Understand the opportunity for growth/the career path the position could offer.
- If you can’t visualize how you can advance your career beyond the role, be sure to ask about the potential career path and available support structures that can guide you towards success.
- Attempt to obtain insight into the departmental culture.
- Emotional well-being is vital to success in the work world. Be sure to inquire about the working dynamics within the team to help determine if the opportunity and environment is right for you.
- Always treat the recruiter with respect.
- Never view the recruiter as a simple hurdle to clear en route to the hiring manager. As the “first line of defense,” the recruiter can be the most important person in the interviewing process.
Concentrating on these four things can help you navigate your next interview successfully and remove some of the pre-interview anxiety many people experience. Good luck!
Lynn Simon-Thomas is Manager, Diversity Engagement within Talent Acquisition. Lynn has over 15 years of experience in recruiting and diversity engagement. She serves as the diversity and inclusion subject matter expert focused on the execution of targeted diverse talent sourcing strategies.
Connect with Lynn Simon-Thomas and other Travelers leaders on LinkedIn.
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WHO WE ARE.
Turn Your Passion into a Career
Tara Kennedy, Claim Customer Services Vice President, has been at Travelers for almost three decades strong. Starting out as a Claim professional trainee, Tara learned about all lines of business and had the opportunity to network and learn skills that she would adapt to work with anyone. After serving in several different roles at Travelers, Tara now leads the Claim Customer Services organization.
According to Tara, the learning didn’t end with her first role. “Through hard work, curiosity and taking risks, I continue to learn through roles with increased complexity and responsibility,” she says.
When asked to give her top three reasons why somebody should join the Claim Customer Services organization at Travelers, Tara says:
- You will be at the heart of our promise to secure, respect and care for our customers when they need us the most.
- Your path forward is yours to create, and we’ll be there very step of the way. From extensive coaching to hands-on training, your career aspirations and development are a team priority.
- You develop and practice skills that are transferrable in just about every position at Travelers.
“I lead a group of diverse, talented professionals,” Tara said, “We look for hard working, customer-passionate people who want to help our customers after they experienced a personal or professional loss.” Tara says.
One of those talented professionals is Kim Tallard, who currently serves as a Claim Operations Specialist after starting her career at Travelers as a Claim Customer Service Representative.
“The role gave me the opportunity to grow my career within Travelers,” Kim says, “Applying my prior knowledge as a Claim Customer Service representative helped greatly with my transition to the Operations Specialist role I’m currently in.”
Tara and Kim both turned their passion for others into a career, finding growth and opportunity along the way. Their stories are another example of the Travelers Promise – taking care of our customers, communities and each other.
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WHO WE ARE.
Celebrating Advancement: Kourtney Mason Becomes Regional Director for Claim Account Executives
Kourtney Mason, Auto Liability Claim Manager, recently accepted a position as Regional Director for Claim Account Executives at Travelers. As she transitioned into the role in March 2022, we sat down with Kourtney to discuss her thoughts on this significant moment, her passion for diversity, equity and inclusion as well as her dedication to one other area of passion and servitude – mental health.
How long have you been at Travelers and what led up to this moment?
“I have been with Travelers for over 10 years. I’ve been a manager in the Claim organization for a little over seven and a half years. I’ve always wanted to serve in a higher level of leadership, which would be a Director role. This Regional Director opportunity came up and I just went for it. I felt like I could add value.”
Tell us about that moment when you learned you were to become a Regional Director for Claim Account Executives at Travelers.
“To be honest, I’m still trying to process so many emotions and come up with a good way to say how I feel but I’m just still so overwhelmed. I’ve been explaining to people that when you come from a background like mine, a person of color and, more specifically, a Black woman, you have dreams and you go for things but there is still a part of you that isn’t sure if you totally believe in yourself. So, when the moment happened, it was so surreal.”
How does diversity, equity and inclusion roll up into your leadership style?
“To me, diversity, equity and inclusion is far beyond race and ethnicity. It’s gender identity, sexual orientation, age, neurodiversity, there are so many different lanes. So, I’ve always had the leadership style of including everybody, making sure everyone feels they are a part of the team, and adapting my leadership style to whoever I’m with. Having one static leadership style won’t relate to everyone; it needs to be dynamic and adaptive. It’s about being authentic, being genuine, listening, and having empathy. I lead with this at work but it’s not very different from who I am at home, at church, at the grocery store or anywhere else. It’s who I am at my core.”
You’ve noted that mental health is something else you are very passionate about. Can you tell us more?
“Personally, I am very open about having anxiety. It took me several years to understand that I had it, but once I did and I began to unlearn the conditioning and pressure from my upbringing, it opened up a whole world for me. I thought, if I feel this way, I can’t imagine the percentage of the population I’m leading that also feels this way.
I co-lead a Diversity and Inclusion/Community Action group within Claim and for several years I wanted to have a platform to discuss mental health. My leaders supported me and gave me that platform and now we host panels and conversations where people can share their stressors, what they’re doing to cope and understand that they are not alone in their mental health journey.
If we understand what those around us are going through, we can create empathy and lead each other through it. If we ignore that people are dealing with life outside of work, we aren’t reaching them. Mental health shouldn’t be a taboo topic and I think if we keep fostering an open and safe environment, we’ll find that we’re all uniquely made, and we all deserve the resources and support.”
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
“I am just so grateful and blessed. I never thought I’d be where I am today, working in insurance, but here I am. Travelers is a place for everyone, and I mean that. Whether you are an attorney, an actuary, a nurse, you love math, you love science, you simply care for people, whatever it may be, there is a whole world within this company that will support who you are and what you do. The resources and the support are here. There is a place for you at Travelers.”
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WHO WE ARE.
The Importance of Networking
By Lynn Simon-Thomas
Manager, Diversity Engagement
Talent Acquisition
For some people, making professional connections can be a rather challenging and intimidating task. Then, when you throw in extraordinary times like those in which we’re currently living, the fear factor goes from, “What if I blow this because I say something silly?” to “What if I blow this because I look a mess on camera?” I know, I get it. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.
One thing to keep in mind when you’re networking, whether virtually or in person, is that the other person is just that: a person. Just like you, they are a human being who has dreams and goals, family and friends, strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and, of course, quirks and idiosyncrasies that make them unique and interesting. Who knows? You may have something in common, but you’ll never know if you don’t accept the invite, phone call or email to connect.
Once you’ve made a new connection, it’s important to stay connected, even when you are unable to do it face-to-face. It’s no secret we’ve all had to get used to having more Zoom conversations than we care to count and learning how to “show up” in a virtual environment is an art in and of itself. But just about anything is possible when you focus and commit adequate time and effort.
If you stop to think about it, everyone (yes, even you) has a network. Starting with family and friends, you probably have people you can count on to help guide you with sound advice, as well as those who may periodically seek your advice. Professional networks are no different. They’re just as, if not more, important than personal ones, as they can impact the trajectory of your career path. And just like any living thing, they need to be fed and nurtured to remain healthy. As a Diversity Recruiting Manager, I regularly share articles or just send a note to my connections to say, “Hello.”
In 2021 we started a program called Just Coffee at Travelers to help facilitate network building. The goal was to connect several passive candidates with leaders at Travelers for an informal, yet professional, conversation via Zoom. To ensure both parties remained at ease, we reminded them that the conversation was not an interview, but really an opportunity to make a new connection and build their respective networks. Just Coffee has been well-received by both candidates and Travelers’ leaders, which has shown me that many people are still open to the idea of spending 30 minutes with another human, simply for the sake of getting to know someone new. That’s networking at its finest.
Networking is an art that must be practiced regularly. Below I’ve included a few tips to help you improve your networking skills.
Lynn’s Top 4 Networking Tips:
- Don’t reach out to your network only when you need something. It’s important to stay in contact with your network often, even if you are just saying, “Hello” or sharing an article.
- When someone reaches out to you, do your best to respond in a timely manner. I say “do your best” because I know we’re all busy and sometimes cannot afford to log on to LinkedIn regularly.
- Send a brief follow-up note if you haven’t received a response from someone in a few weeks. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve learned that my message was not received because the person was on vacation.
- Always be authentic with your outreach. Remember to relax, be yourself, and enjoy the meeting, whether with a new connection or an old friend.
Lynn Simon-Thomas is Manager, Diversity Engagement within Talent Acquisition. Lynn has over 15 years of experience in recruiting and diversity engagement. She serves as the diversity and inclusion subject matter expert focused on the execution of targeted diverse talent sourcing strategies.
Connect with Lynn Simon-Thomas and other Travelers leaders on LinkedIn.
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WHO WE ARE.
THE ROAD TO DATA SCIENCE CAREERS AT TRAVELERS
An Interview with Kevin Mahoney, Vice President of Data Science, Travelers
Have you ever considered a data science career within the insurance industry? This may not have crossed your mind before, but you may want to think again.
Kevin Mahoney, Vice President of Data Science at Travelers, understands the data and analytics that drive business decisions within the insurance industry and appreciates the innovative technologies used by our teams at Travelers that help provide the right solutions for the lives and businesses of the customers we’re privileged to serve.
Kevin appeared on an episode of The Data Standard Audio Experience podcast to answer the question: “What is data science like in the insurance space?” He described how the law of large numbers and predictive modeling connect to the world of insurance.
“I don’t have to predict exactly what will happen to any one customer, but I really have to be able to accurately predict what will happen in aggregate to millions of customers so I can adequately price insurance policies,” Kevin said during the interview.
He also shared his unique career path from serving in the U.S. Coast Guard to working as a math instructor at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and then onto his 15-year career in data science at Travelers.
“I remember having a conversation with a recruiter at Travelers and he asked me what I wanted to do, and I said I want to do something with statistics,” Kevin recalled.
He went on to say he wasn’t initially sure how statistics fit into insurance but has since learned that data and analytics are central to the industry and having the ability to apply his skills to practical applications has provided a rewarding career path at Travelers.
“You know when it all comes together: the math, the theory, the programming skills, the business challenge, that can be very gratifying to bring all those together and apply your skills to real-world problems.”
Are you a data scientist or a future data scientist considering an insurance career? Listen to the full podcast to learn more about the intersection between data science and insurance at Travelers.
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WHO WE ARE.
Supporting Parents and Caregivers through Self-Care and Wellness
Let’s Get Moving
The power of supporting parents and caregivers isn’t just a movement – it will get you moving. For many of us, self-care continues to be a top priority. Travelers’ Working Parent & Caregiver Resource Group introduced its latest event with excitement, focusing on employee balance through mental and physical health for everyday living. Employee Joelle Rees walked our parents and caregivers through a 20-minute ‘Balance of Opposite Forces’ class that included strengthening, stretching and meditation right from the comfort of our home office!
Say Hello to Joelle Rees, your ‘Balance of Opposite Forces’ instructor
Joelle Rees is one of our talented employees in our Claim Operations organization out of the Ontario, CN office. Joelle was on the Canadian National Gymnastics Team and competed internationally for Team Canada. In 2000, she competed as a Junior in the Pan American Games in Brazil and in 2001, she went to the World Championships in Ghent, Belgium. After her gymnastics career, Joelle worked for Imagination Entertainment and was an Acrobat in Cirque De La Mer at Sea World in San Diego.
Joelle’s passion for the arts led her to continue her journey in teaching and coaching. She has taught both competitive and recreational dance as well as coached gymnastics and sports aerobics to children for many years. Joelle is a certified personal trainer, working with adults and designing sport-specific programming for children. In addition to instructing the ‘Balance of Opposite Forces’ class, Joelle has hosted virtual dance parties for the children of the Working Parent & Caregiver Resource Group.
The Power of Travelers is Us
It is because of passionate people like Joelle that this voluntary organization can provide a supportive environment for parents and caregivers. At Travelers, we are all committed to helping our employees be healthy and productive in every aspect of life. The Working Parent & Caregiver Resource Group is just one of the many resources available to all employees and temporary employees at Travelers. Some of the additional resources include:
- Comprehensive benefits package on day one of employment
- Life Balance program available to you and your household family members
- And More!
If interested, learn more about our exciting career opportunities here.
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WHO WE ARE.
What Does Sustainability Mean at Travelers?
Yafit Cohn is Travelers’ first Chief Sustainability Officer, responsible for leading environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts across the company. Under her leadership and through extensive research and comprehensive conversations with investors and senior individuals across the company – we identified 16 drivers of sustained value, which are discussed on our sustainability website. Each driver contributes to our long-term value, and each is essential to our ability to remain competitive and deliver on the Travelers Promise.
What does sustainability mean to Travelers?
Travelers takes a holistic view of sustainability; we believe that a company’s long-term value creation depends not only on its financial strategy but also on the way it manages various economic, environmental, and social factors.
We recognize that our long-term success requires that we do three things successfully:
- Perform today
- Transform tomorrow
- Make good on the Travelers Promise and fulfill our promise to our customers, communities, and employees – take care of each other
Why is it important for Travelers to put a greater focus on these efforts?
Customers, employees, and prospective hires have been showing greater interest in sustainability-related information. For us, it’s a no-brainer. Showcasing our drivers of sustained value is key to explaining our core belief that our long-term success depends not only on our business strategy and competitive advantages but also on keeping our promise. Only by faithfully keeping the Travelers Promise will we earn the support of key stakeholders essential to creating shareholder value. And only by successfully creating shareholder value will we earn the resources we need to keep the Travelers Promise. One is not possible without the other.
How will Travelers track and quantify the success of our sustainability efforts?
Our success will be apparent when our stakeholders appreciate Travelers’ deeply rooted recognition that long-term success depends on a commitment to all stakeholders. For us, sustainability is not a branding exercise — it’s how we conduct business and create shareholder value.
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WHO WE ARE.
Cancer Survivor’s Story of Strength
Kimberly H., Senior Sales Executive at Travelers, went in for a routine colonoscopy in January 2021 and left the appointment with the news that she had stage 4 colon cancer.
“I remember waking up and finding out,” Kimberly said, “I was shocked. These things always happen to someone else, never to you. I had been healthy my entire career.”
In 2019, Kimberly’s doctor had recommended she get the scan the following year as typical proactive health protocol. With the COVID-19 pandemic in full force in 2020, Kimberly pushed the appointment off. When her doctor found out, he urged her to go in 2021. “I called my doctor right after I found out the news and thanked him,” Kimberly explained, “If he hadn’t been so professionally demanding, I probably would’ve put it off for another year.”
Doctors quickly discovered that the cancer had already spread to Kimberly’s lungs. She underwent two surgeries to remove as much as possible and was assigned six months of chemotherapy post-op. “I was fortunate to only have to go through six months of chemo,” Kimberly said, “I saw stage 4 patients who were assigned 12 months ongoing. I had bought two wigs thinking I’d lose all my hair. I didn’t. I was lucky in many ways.”
Kimberly was on medical leave for nine months during treatment and is now in No Evidence of Disease (NED) status, also called remission. She is back at work, assisting Travelers’ agents and doing what she loves.
When asked how she stayed resilient during that time, Kimberly smiled. “My team and insurance industry partners were amazing,” she recalled, “They sent me cards, flowers, emails, prayers, meals – an overwhelming amount of support. Halfway through my chemo treatments my husband said we needed a bigger refrigerator to hold all the cards!”
It wasn’t just the emotional support that assisted Kimberly during this difficult time. It was the financial support as well. “Long-term disability is a benefit that you never think you will use,” Kimberly said, “I was so grateful that I had it. I didn’t have to worry about my job or my income while I was out. I could just focus on my health.”
Travelers’ comprehensive benefits program offers short- and long-term disability coverage, medical, dental and vision plans, paid time off, 401k Savings Program with company match and so much more. “The company has been great to work with,” Kim reflected, “During my leave, they reached out and helped me understand the LTD process, file paperwork, and even connected me with cancer support groups after treatment. I am one of the biggest advocates for our benefits package. I’m so thankful for my colleagues, my agents and for Travelers.”
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WHO WE ARE.
THE POWER OF BEING TRUE TO YOURSELF
In this Power of Travelers Is Us video, you will meet Jhavier L., a Software Engineer at Travelers.
While he understands and values the importance of sharing his authentic self at work, it has been a journey to grow his comfort level. He attributes his Travelers managers and mentors for guiding him along the way.
“Being earlier in my career, I don’t want to overstep or make anyone feel uncomfortable and I’m trying to kind of like find the space between which parts of myself should I leave at home,” Jhavier says in the video. Throughout his career under the umbrella, his membership of the Travelers Pride and Allies Diversity Network facilitated mentor relationships that encouraged him to be more open with his team.
“[My mentor] is teaching me that you bring your entire self to work. So I think the true benefit of Travelers as a whole, even outside of the diversity networks, is that you still have spaces on your day-to-day job with your main team where you can feel comfortable and share who you are.”
Within an inclusive community and with the guidance Jhavier has received, he has found Travelers to be a company where he can grow his technology career and a workplace culture that invites all unique ideas, perspectives and people to the table.
“[My mentor] has helped me to understand the importance of being seen and visible so that people would have more respect for your identity in different spaces.”
Watch the full video to hear more about Jhavier’s journey.
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