WHO WE ARE.
VETERAN MENTORSHIP THROUGH AMERICAN CORPORATE PARTNERS
For the past ten years, more than 200 Travelers employees have upheld the Travelers Promise to take care of our customers, our community and each other by mentoring veterans through American Corporate Partners (ACP).
ACP is a nonprofit organization that focuses on helping transitioning veterans and active-duty spouses find civilian careers by matching them with mentors from a broad range of industries. Travelers Community Relations signed on with ACP as its thirteenth corporate partner in 2010 as a way to expand leaders’ and managers’ mentoring options.
Since 2010, more than 200 Travelers employees have engaged in about 600 mentoring relationships with veterans, transitioning military members and active duty military spouses through ACP. To celebrate the partnership’s 10-year milestone, read the first-hand experiences of seven Travelers employees who accepted the mentoring challenge.
Hina, Senior Director, B.I. Technology Analytics, St. Paul, MN
“I’m working with my fifth protégé. One of those protégés served 20 years in the U.S. Army and already had an MBA. During his transition, I helped him gain knowledge about skills he could acquire for the current job market in his field. He was very driven and rapidly was Certified as a Scrum Master and received his Scaled Agile (SAFe) certification. Within six months, he was offered a program management position at a Fortune 500 technology company in Seattle. I get immense satisfaction from sharing my knowledge and experience with others. I help my mentees translate and map their skills from their military background – organizing and executing, dealing with conflicts, evaluating risks, etc. – to the corporate world. I take them through the journey of writing effective resumes and preparing them for interviews. I’ve become a big advocate of hiring veterans. They’re resilient, strong, rigorous and in some ways, I learn from them as much as they learn from me. It’s a truly rewarding experience.”
Daniel, Field Director, BI Construction Risk Control, Chicago, IL
“Having 13 U.S. Marines in my family – including my younger brother – compels me to help veterans. I’ve completed five mentoring relationships through ACP. What all my protégés have had in common is a feeling of uncertainty that their transition to civilian life is really happening. I put myself in their shoes and do a lot of listening. The greatest barrier they learn to work through is adapting to a civilian world that can be ambiguous and full of uncertainty. Their military careers were more ‘black and white’ and involved receiving and following orders. Once they figure that part out, the rest is easier.
I focus on building trust and a personal connection before progressing to giving advice or developing action plans. There’s no better opportunity to give back to the military. It’s very meaningful and provides
opportunities for me to learn something from them.”
Al, Associate Group General Counsel, Hartford CT
“I never served, so this provides me an opportunity to give back to the military. I’ve mentored three protégés so far. I bring them plenty of luck, with two out of the three securing jobs within months. The ACP pairs me with veterans who are interested in attending law school or seeking legal careers. I help with their resumes, letters of intent, how to study in law school, career options and preparing for the bar exam.
I’ve learned it’s helpful to research before meeting with my protégés to understand what they’ve done in the military that can contribute to a successful transition. Helping a military member transition is very satisfying; you’re doing a good deed for someone who has sacrificed so much for our country. Given veterans’ discipline and attributes, you know they’re likely to succeed in whatever career they choose.”
Rob, CAT Team Unit Manager, Denver, CO; U.S. Army & Army National Guard Veteran
“When I got out of the military, I had to assimilate how I acted and how I led others and I also needed to learn a whole new vernacular. It took me a while to adjust to civilian work, so I understand how to help vets, which allows me to continue my contribution to the military.
One of my protégés was a Command Sergeant Major. He had multiple Bronze Stars, but he was fearful about getting out of the military. I helped him build confidence and understand how his resourcefulness, knowledge and experience would serve him. He ended up getting a job in his hometown as the head of recreational tourism.
I invite each of my protégés to be a part of the process, which helps them gain a broader perspective about their own development while transitioning. ACP has been a great way for me to help veterans and to be a part of something bigger.”
Chris, BI Middle Market Business Architect, Hartford, CT; U.S. Air Force Veteran
“ACP’s ‘secret sauce’ is their hands-on engagement; they stay engaged, so that
mentors get as much, or more, out of the experience than protégés do. I’ve mentored at least ten protégés, who have had a wide range of skills and needs. One protégé was an Air Force Academy graduate who was attending the University of Chicago School of Business. I helped him evaluate several offers for summer internships, including one at a large retail chain. I helped him to think about the company behind the scenes, that any large corporation is about data and analytics. It opened his eyes to how many possibilities exist behind the company and job title.
Mentoring has also helped me grow in my career. As I’ve learned more about how large organizations work, I’ve become more confident in understanding what other companies might be looking for in candidates.”
Lisa, Senior Paralegal, Law Office of William J. Ferren & Assoc., Blue Bell, PA
“I’ve mentored eight ACP protégés since 2013. My most memorable was in the military for eight years. She had ‘Ivy League intelligence,’ but still needed encouragement to learn not to settle, to stop doubting herself and to understand her first job didn’t have to be her last. She took that advice and has succeeded in many ways. She earned a scholarship and went on to work on her doctorate. Another protégé had 20 years in the Navy but had never experienced civilian work. She was used to being given and acting on orders. Through mentoring, she learned an enormous amount about herself and how to find a setting that fit her mindset and task-orientation. As a mentor, I listen first and speak second. I try to understand where they are coming from, then guide them into the civilian world in a way that makes sense to them.”
Eric, PI Cloud Architect, Hartford, CT; U.S. Navy Veteran
“I wish ACP had been available when I got out of the military in 1998. I’m currently engaged in my fourth mentorship. My first protégé was a fascinating guy. He came out of the Army and was working on a Ph.D. in computer science. I was able to help him out personally and professionally.
My second protégé needed more help when he got out of the Navy. We did a lot of mock interviews, and I threw him curveball questions. He moved along to a position in computer science support.
As a mentor, I’ve also learned things, like the importance of setting ground rules during the initial meeting. ACP is a fantastic program and lets me give back. It’s a good feeling. I’d advise anyone interested in mentoring to go for it.”
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WHO WE ARE.
Interview Tips from Our Recruiters
“Tell me about yourself.”
“What is your biggest strength? Biggest weakness?”
“Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”
At one point or another, we have all prepared ourselves to answer the cliché interview questions. However, with company cultures shifting and technologies evolving, the interview process is changing every day.
As hiring efforts continue at Travelers, we sat down with some of our senior recruiters to ask what advice they would give to jobseekers looking for opportunities under the umbrella.
Read below to learn their tips for: virtual interviewing, knowing yourself, resume best practices and remembering the basics.
Erik – Virtual Interviewing
With most companies interviewing candidates virtually, Erik suggests that preparation and follow up are key. Communication with the interviewer, before and after the interview, is especially important in a remote work environment. He also reminds jobseekers to not only mentally prepare for their interview, but to make sure their physical space is set up, too.
“Treat these interviews as if they were in person interviews making sure that you dress professionally and that you have a quiet place to be able to interview from,” Erik explains. For more tips, read our article on Preparing For a Video Interview
Lynn – Know Yourself
In order for our interviewers to get to know you, you have to get to know yourself. “The interviewers want to know who you are,” Lynn says.
Lynn advises candidates to know their skillset and make sure to ask questions during the interview to learn if they are a good fit for the job. Be authentic!
Nathan – Resume Best Practices
When applying for a job, your resume is the hiring team’s first impression of you. Rather than listing your previous work experience and respective duties, Nathan suggests building your resume using your experiences and accomplishments.
“That sets you apart before you even get started on your job hunt,” Nathan says. “As a side benefit, it may provide a nice little roadmap during your interview as well.”
Ruth – Remember the Basics
In all the hustle and bustle of new interviewing methods, don’t forget the basics. Ruth reminds our jobseekers to be prepared for technical and behavioral questions, and to make sure to show up with questions of their own. For more tips, check out our infographic on Behavioral Interviewing.
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WHO WE ARE.
Claim Professionals Deliver on the Travelers Promise During Trying Times
Our claim professionals are continuing to deliver on the Travelers Promise, to take care of our customers, communities and each other, which has become increasingly important during the upheaval and uncertainty caused by COVID-19.
Just before daybreak on a Monday in mid-April, a severe windstorm swept through Charlotte, North Carolina, damaging properties across the region. After the storm passed, Erin Karaffa packed up her drone and her personal protective gear, ready to start conducting property inspections and helping our customers recover.
Within a few hours, Erin, a Property Claim professional in our Virginia-Carolina Claim Center, had spoken to a customer whose home was damaged by a large falling tree. Because of the extent of damage to the attic, Erin couldn’t conduct a virtual inspection, so she set up an in-person inspection for the following day and arrived on site in protective gear, following social distancing guidelines.
“I like to give customers a heads-up and call from the driveway to say, ‘I’m here. Are you comfortable with me coming in? I have a mask and gloves on,’” Erin explained. “I want to make sure they’re prepared. Even though you see a lot of people wearing masks, it can still be intimidating.”
In addition to inspecting the interior damage, Erin used a drone to assess the damage to the roof and then issued the customer’s claim payment via ePay, Travelers’ secure electronic payment system. “The tree impacted a pipe that came out of her roof,” Erin stated, “and it shattered all the way into the attic and down into the crawlspace, so she needed to get a plumber in there right away. ePay helped her do that.”
The customer was so pleased with Erin’s prompt, professional response despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 that she sent a heartfelt letter of thanks. “You had a caring demeanor and were very thorough, professional, diligent and knowledgeable about what to do,” the customer wrote to Erin. “Travelers is fortunate to have an employee like you, especially during this pandemic that our world is dealing with.”
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WHO WE ARE.
Tech Inventors Awarded U.S. Patents for Designing Forward-Looking Solutions
Members of the Car Dealer UAV Team.
For more than 165 years, Travelers’ innovative employees continually ask themselves and their colleagues, “what’s next?” And throughout the years, their curiosity has led to the development of creative solutions recognized by the U.S. Patent and Trademarks Office.
Check out what creativity looks like at Travelers in the following six U.S. patents received this year by members of the Travelers Technology team.
- Electronic Auto Policy ID Card (U.S. Patent No. 10,636,096).Michal Sterzycki and his team are meeting our customers where they are by enabling auto customers to create and download an ID card, receive it via email or text, and save it to their Apple Wallet. The card contains instructions on filing a claim and deep links to the user’s policy info.
- Car Dealer UAV (U.S. Patent No. 10,592,934). Ian Michel, George Lee, Pee T Lim and John Han devised the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to capture images for immediate analysis and damage estimates. Imagine the system being used to efficiently determine the amount of damage to a vehicle fleet at an auto dealership after a severe weather event.
- Digital Forensics Lab (U.S. Patent No. 10,546,133). Krystopher Aurigemma, Roy Emmerthal, Patrick Griffin, Eric Raabe and James Shanley received a patent for creating a system to analyze digital media devices infected with malware, using virtual desktop sessions to provide flexibility in the deployment of processing resources and isolation of threats.
- Mobile Risk Assessment Tool (U.S. Patent No. 10,586,193). Steve Roach participated on a team that identified how real-time video analysis of property conditions can aid the underwriting process. Consider a subject matter expert observing assessor data collection and providing real-time guidance to optimize the data collection process and minimize the need for multiple trips to gather supplemental information.
- Virtual Co-Location (U.S. Patent No. 10,574,942). Doug Roy and Ryan Scanlon introduced the use of an Internet of Things (IoT) device that connects remote workers with their teams using host device hardware sensors and a client software app to communicate status changes in each location.
- Data Archival and Retrieval Tool (DART) (U.S. Patent No. 10,635,688). Venkatraman Raman designed a reusable metadata-driven, sustainable data transfer framework that simplifies data complexities, access, availability and analysis onto a single platform.
Through Travelers’ Innovation Jam Hackathons and day-to-day innovative thinking, our multi-disciplinary teams will continue to put their creative minds together to produce solutions that make a difference in the lives of our customers and each other.
As we look forward and wonder what’s next for our business, are you wondering what’s next for your career in technology?
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WHO WE ARE.
TRANSITIONING TO A CIVILIAN CAREER WITH EASE
A man sitting at office desk in front of laptop hold mobile phone make pleasant business or informal call.
Many of the duties you performed in the service have a civilian counterpart in business and industry, including here at Travelers. Still, the job search process can be challenging. That’s why we want to help you along the way, with practical resume and interview advice that can make your transition from the military easier and more successful.
YOUR RESUME: Making a good first impression.
The goal of your resume is to obtain an interview. It should give potential employers an overview of your background, while highlighting your accomplishments. You want to stand out among your peers. At a minimum, your resume should include your professional experience in a themed or chronological order, as well as your education, achievements and volunteer interests.
GENERAL RULES
- Keep your resume recent and relevant.
- Limit your resume to one or two pages in length.
- Make it concise and easy to read.
- Use bullet points instead of paragraphs.
- Check for and fix spelling, grammar and punctuation errors.
- Include the URL to your LinkedIn profile (if applicable).
- Do not include personal data or photos.
- Use an identifiable file name (First.Last.docx or First initial.Last.docx).
MILITARY-SPECIFIC RESUME TIPS
- Avoid military jargon, as the majority of people will not understand.
- Explain job titles in civilian language. For example: Platoon Sergeant (Team Lead).
- Refer to your transition as a “separation from the service.”
- Use numbers to quantify your experience (size of platoon, dollars managed, value of equipment, etc.).
- Focus on transferrable skills such as leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, attention to detail, process and procedures, and situational awareness.
- Military spouses should identify as such, in order to explain job and location moves.
YOUR INTERVIEW: Getting the job.
Your resume is your chance to make a good first impression. But, the interview is where the job is won!
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
- Research the company on their website and career pages.
- Do an online search for recent company and industry news.
- See how the company performs in their industry and against competitors.
- Prepare a list of questions to ask during the interview.
- Reflect on your greatest strengths and be prepared to discuss them.
- Practice – do mock interviews.
INTERVIEW DAY
- Dress appropriately for the company and job you are seeking.
- Use military time. Arrive 15 minutes early.
- Treat everyone you meet like they are the Commanding Officer.
- Give a strong handshake, smile, and maintain good eye contact.
- Sit comfortably without distractions. Avoid fidgeting or otherwise appearing nervous.
- De-militarize your skills/experiences and offer explanations of military terms.
- Many companies do first-round phone screens; they are an interview so take them seriously.
PHASES OF AN INTERVIEW
This is your chance to set the tone with a sort, interesting introduction.
Tell Me about Yourself
- This is your chance to share your story with a short, but interesting introduction:
“I grew up in ___. I decided to join the [military branch] because____. I had a great experience including___, and learned ___, ___ and ____. That brings me here today to learn more about [company] and your opportunity for [position].”
Question and Answer
- Be prepared for open-ended, behavioral questions about your previous experiences (“tell me a time when…” or “give me an example about…”).
- Give specific answers about your past experience by using the STAR technique: S – Situation/ T – Task/ A – Action/ R – Result.
- Pay attention to non-verbal cues and occasionally ask if your answer was detailed enough, or perhaps too detailed.
- Ask questions based on your research about the company and current industry events.
- Ask about the expectations of the position. For example: “Can you describe what success looks like for someone taking this position?”
The Wrap-Up
- Develop a quick elevator speech to wrap up your key points:
“Based on my visit and discussions today, I am very interested in joining [company]. I believe my ___, ___, and ___ skills position me well to both learn from and contribute to the success of the organization. Is there anything more that I can tell you about my experience, or are there areas where you feel I am lacking?”
- Ask the interviewer about next steps and thank them for their time.
- Be sure to ask for a business card and send a thank you email promptly after the interview.
Chances are, interviews and boards that you have participated in throughout your military care have adequately prepared you to take on an interview in the civilian corporate world. Still, it’s always helpful to have a toolkit for reference. For additional interview tips, read our post about Behavioral Interviewing.
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