Are you ready to take the next step in your career but unsure how to best showcase your skills and experience? At Travelers, as well as across the job market, countless opportunities are waiting for you. My team wants to ensure you are fully prepared.

Let’s start with how to write a resume. As one of the first pieces of information an employer or recruiter sees about you, your resume is one of your most effective personal marketing tools. It’s crucial that it communicates your qualifications, who you are, and what makes you unique.

Follow our essential resume-writing tips to help your application stand out, whether you’re ready to submit it now or just keeping it updated for when the right opportunity comes along.

Set Your Goals and Determine Your Skillset

Before you can sell yourself, you must know yourself—your work style and what you want out of a role. Consider your career goals, interests, and skills, and make a list. Include your strengths, experiences, and the aspects that have shaped you into the professional you are today. If it helps, complete an online self-assessment. Use the results to determine which skills are most transferable to the industry or company you aspire to join.

• Here are a few competencies you may want to consider including if they relate to you and the role: customer service or consulting skills, project management experience, mentorship/coaching, relationship building, adaptability, creative problem solving, effective communication skills, influencing decision-making, organizational/time management skills, and delegating work or assignments.

Do Your Research

Now that you have your lists of skills and strengths, you can match the most applicable ones to the resume you want to create for a specific role.

When it comes to your resume, it’s not one size fits all. Your resume should be tailored to the job you are applying for. Review the job description you are targeting and highlight the key competencies, required skills, and responsibilities. Match your top strengths to the role and incorporate them into your resume. This will help you stand out to the recruiter or hiring manager.

What to Include on Your Resume

Aside from including the top skills and strengths that align with a role, there are a few additional housekeeping items to note.

• Education and Certifications: Education is an important piece of information employers review on your resume. If your degree is specific to the job you are applying for, be sure to include this section at the beginning of your resume. Otherwise, listing your education at the beginning or end of your resume works just fine. If you have obtained any specific certifications, those can be placed under the education category as well.
• Work History: Your experience section should list your work history in chronological order, with the most recent position at the top. Your most recent position should also include the most detail. Be sure to include numbers or statistics to highlight your strengths, influence, and successes.
• Resume Length: While prioritizing the most relevant experience and skill set, aim to keep your resume to a realistic length—ideally one to two pages.

Given the length limitation and the fact that your resume is a snapshot of the skills that best align with the role you are applying for, including your LinkedIn profile URL offers additional space to expand on professional skills and experiences. If you decide to include the URL, ensure that your profile is active and up-to-date.

What Not to Include on Your Resume

Limiting the length of a resume isn’t always easy, but here’s some good news: there are a few resume sections that are no longer trending.

• Objective or Summary Statements: An objective or summary statement is no longer a requirement. Save space and focus more on showcasing your relevant skills through action statements in your experience section. Reserve summary statements for your LinkedIn profile.
• Interest Section: Interests are also no longer required on a resume but keep them in mind as they can serve as great talking points during your interviews or screenings with your recruiter.

Formatting and Consistency is Key

The appearance of your resume matters. If your experience shines through, but your fonts don’t match or your lists aren’t succinct, the recruiter or hiring manager may doubt your attention to detail. Be consistent throughout your resume with style, font, and spacing. Ensure you use the same tense when writing—your current skills and work experience should be in the present tense, while former experiences should be in the past tense.

Use regular margins and a 10-12-point font in a basic, easy-to-read style. Utilize bullet points to highlight your skills rather than narratives or paragraphs.

A second set of eyes is always a great idea. Have a friend, colleague, or family member check your work to catch any errors or inconsistencies.

Finally, save and send your resume document as a PDF. This ensures all your formatting remains intact. You can also upload your resume to your profile on our Talent Community where our recruiters can see it, and send you relevant career opportunities. Not a member? Join here.  

In Conclusion

We know that getting your resume up to snuff can be daunting, but your time is well worth it because your resume is your first foot in the door. A great resume that aligns with the company and specific role may lead to an interview with the recruiter or hiring manager, giving you an additional opportunity to shine as a professional in your industry. But interview tips? That’s a topic for another blog! Come back soon for more job seeking tips from my team at Travelers.

Brianna Sacerdote is a Senior Recruiter in HR Talent Acquisition at Travelers. With more than 5 years in recruiting, Brianna’s resume tips have helped many employees at Travelers to update their resumes to achieve career growth within the company, and now we bring them to you.

By Lynn Simon-Thomas

Manager, Diversity Engagement

Talent Acquisition

So, you’ve done everything right. You built relationships through networking, you interviewed, and you were offered the position. That’s great!

It’s real. You did it! Now what?

As you begin your new role, it’s extremely important that you take time to truly understand your responsibilities and determine how you’ll add value to your new team. Below are four tips that can help you navigate your new role and help you be successful.

1. Build strong relationships

You may have heard the phrase, “No man is an island,” or “There’s no ‘i’ in ‘team’.” As cliché as they may sound, they’re both relevant to a new role, as well as your career.

While you will be responsible for completing your assignments in your new role, you will undoubtedly need assistance from others – your manager, co-workers, mentors – to be successful. Strong relationships in your professional life, or any other aspect of life, are built on mutual respect and clear communication. Never be afraid to put in the work necessary to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones.

2. Secure a mentor (or two)

Having a mentor, or mentors, can significantly improve your ability to be successful, not just in a new role, but in your career. A mentor should be someone with whom you would feel comfortable sharing your thoughts, concerns, dreams, and goals. Candid conversations about what is and isn’t going well can be extremely beneficial, especially when you receive honest feedback and guidance from someone you trust.

3. Update your LinkedIn profile 

Building strong relationships involves sharing information, which includes positive career updates. When you land a new role, be sure to make your LinkedIn network aware of your recent career advancement.

In a brief post, use language such as “I’m excited to announce…”, or “I’m thrilled to share…”, or even, “Big news…” to grab their attention. You’ll receive several supportive responses that can enhance your confidence, and you may also reconnect with colleagues from the past who may prove to be helpful in your current role.

4. Utilize resources to prepare for your new role.

Your success is greatly dependent on how you manage your transition, especially within the first three months. There are many books, blog posts, articles and people in your circle that can assist you as you learn your new role, company and work environment.

New beginnings can be both exciting and intimidating, but with a little preparation, a few strong relationships, and some determined confidence, you’ll be successful in no time.

Trust me. You got this!

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.

In 2022, we marked the 15-year anniversary of Travelers EDGE^® (Empowering Dreams for Graduation and Employment). Since 2007, Travelers EDGE has provided a unique, sustainable school-to-career pipeline for hundreds of students. As we mark this milestone anniversary, we look back on the extraordinary achievements our alumni have accomplished and the legacy they have left behind. We reached out to Travelers EDGE graduates to hear their stories and learn about the success they forged for themselves and their families.

“Strength in Diversity” – Belma Pehratović (2020 graduate)

“How you do one thing is how you do everything.”

That’s Belma Pehratović’s piece of advice for future Travelers EDGE scholars. Belma says Travelers EDGE instilled a sense of pride in her that she now carries with her everywhere.

“Travelers takes diversity and inclusion seriously,” Belma said. “And I take that seriously. They don’t just put their name on things and provide financial support – they foster their programs to be inclusive, impactful and helpful to those they affect.”

Belma is a first-generation refugee. She came to the U.S. in 2000 from Bosnia and Herzegovina and has lived in Hartford ever since. She learned about the Travelers EDGE program in her junior year of high school and made it her mission to be selected as a scholar.

The next summer she succeeded and started her first internship with Travelers.

After being selected as a Travelers EDGE scholar, Belma decided to attend the University of Connecticut (UConn), a Travelers EDGE partner school. Not only was she able to choose a school that was the right fit for her, but the program also helped her to choose without immense financial pressure.

“If it wasn’t for [Travelers] EDGE, I wouldn’t have been able to choose UConn,” she said. “The financial burden was lifted.”

Belma emphasizes that Travelers EDGE opened many doors for her but acknowledges that being a Travelers EDGE scholar is also a lot of work.

“We had to start college classes before everyone else through summer bridge programs,” she said. “We had monthly meetings and we constantly had to revise our resumes to ensure we stayed ready and prepared for the job we wanted.”

The program’s mentoring resources also helped sharpen her professional skills. This guidance helped her navigate her way through the corporate world, not just as an employee, but also as a woman working in technology.

“The mentorship that Travelers EDGE provides is great because it teaches you everything,” Belma said. “When I was in college, I struggled with finding mentors from similar backgrounds, that understood the challenges that come with being from a minority group. Travelers EDGE helped me see that the differences in my background can be my strength. I am happy to be here, and I am grateful to work in a company that celebrates and leverages my diversity.”

Belma now works at Travelers in PI as a Data Engineer on the Machine Learning Operations team within Data and Analytics and says she loves it. She reiterates how low the odds are for first-generation refugees to make it as far as she did. She often thinks about how different her life would have been if she had stayed in Bosnia, or if she had not been introduced to Travelers EDGE. This realization has shaped what success looks like to her.

“I didn’t have professional role models to look up to – now I have little cousins, ages five and eight, who follow everything I do,” she said. “Now, I measure my success in and outside of work by how good of an example I can set for them. You have to believe in yourself, trust your abilities, and set the tone for generations to come.”

When Hurricane Ian made landfall last September it devastated a large swathe of Florida’s coastline – including Sanibel Island, a small vacation spot about an hour from Fort Myers.

Residents and businesses across Sanibel’s 16 square miles were now in need of help. One such business, a grocery chain that provided essential supplies to Sanibel’s residents and workers, was one of those businesses.

Luckily for the owners of this grocery store, Travelers Claim professionals Kevin L. and Scott C. were already on the case.

The grocery store’s corporate office asked the Travelers team to join their mitigation company in assessing the damage to the store, along with getting any repairs started as quickly as possible.

Kevin and Scott flew down to Florida and started to plan. First hurdle? Getting onto Sanibel Island.

“The causeway had washed away – it was washed away,” Scott said. “The only way onto the island was by hitching a ride with the local fishermen, who you could charter to bring you over.”

Local consultants advised Scott and Kevin to postpone their inspection until the causeway was repaired – in other words, simply sit and wait.

Time was working against Sanibel though. “We knew we couldn’t wait,” Kevin said. “The only other food provider on the island had already been deemed a ‘complete loss.’ This grocery store was essential to providing supplies and food to repair crews and emergency workers.”

Kevin and Scott finally secured a charter, and they were on their way.

The grocery store manager and representatives from the store’s mitigation company were waiting for Kevin and Scott by the docks.

“It was too far to walk to the grocery store, and the streets were impassable for cars because of the storm,” Scott said. “So, they gave us bikes. But there were only 3 bikes, not enough for everyone there plus Kevin and I.”

“They did say there was one tandem bike in the back we could use though,” Kevin said. “Nobody had used it in a while, so we had to inflate the tires.”

Kevin and Scott said they trekked out on their tandem bike together (Scott in front and Kevin in back). As they rode along, they saw the damage that had wrecked the island.

“The devastation was vast. One part of the street was completely washed out,” Kevin said. “There was a lot of debris – debris everywhere, and 3 or 4 feet of flooding.”

Despite this hardship, Kevin said he was moved by the support from the local community. “Eventually we had to swap out the tandem bike for another one. Luckily, residents were leaving bikes out at the edge of their property. They had signs on them that said, ‘Please use and return.’ Seeing that level of support was really amazing.”

Once they arrived at the insured’s location, they immediately got to work.

“Everybody was on the same page,” Scott said. “We identified areas of damage and did an in-depth analysis while the mitigation teams began disposing of trash and drying the inside of the store, essentially salvaging what could be saved.”

At the end of the day, Scott and Kevin were able to get in contact with the grocery store owners and answer their questions. The rebuilding process could begin.

“Other business owners told us later that they hadn’t heard from their insurance companies for months,” Kevin said. “Being on site, putting ourselves out there, we weren’t going to wait for the causeway to be rebuilt. We’re going to do what we’re going to do. We biked alongside our customers and built a connection. We put our feet in the same shoes. I think it built trust that led to a quicker resolution.”

“The owners really wanted to open back up and be the light for the rest of the community,” Kevin said. “They wanted to be there for everyone else—just like the residents who left their bikes out.”

“It takes a village,” Scott noted.

And that village is doing its part to uphold the Travelers Promise, taking care of our customers, communities and each other.

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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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Preparing For a Video Interview

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Video interviewing is becoming more common in the hiring process. Advanced technology and the accessibility of video chat apps and programs give job seekers and employers face-to-face interaction without having to meet in person.

Although your job interview may take place in a casual atmosphere, that doesn’t mean you should have a casual attitude about it. It is still a job interview, with the same implications as an in-person office meeting.

Preparation and set up for the video interview is crucial. Consider this advice as you set up, dress up and take on your next video interview.

Set the stage: Choose a quiet space where you can control the surroundings. If you can, try to avoid public places or spots with background activity. Ensure that your backdrop is simple, clean and well-lit. Face a window to take advantage of natural light or set up a lamp behind your camera. Facing the light will help eliminate distracting shadows from your face and background.

Avoid distractions by cleaning off your desk and keeping a glass of water, a pen and paper and a copy of your resume handy. Close applications that may be running on your computer or phone and set all notifications to “do not disturb.”

Tech check: Find out beforehand what app or video platform the employer would like to use and download if need be. Test the application with your internet, audio and video connections, to ensure its stability. It is a great idea to test with a friend to ensure that everything works properly.

Set up your camera at eye level, leaving 10-20% of the screen above your head empty. If your computer is too low, use books to prop it up. If using your phone or tablet, you can also use books or something stable to prop it up.

Using headphones will help prevent echos in the audio and a microphone will help your voice come through clearly.

Dress the part: You may be in your bedroom or kitchen, but you still need to look like a professional. Wear what you would wear to an in-person interview at the company, from head to toe. You will feel and act more professionally if you look the part.

Steer clear of very bright, distracting colors or prints, like stripes, that may cause a visual glitch on camera. Avoid jewelry that makes noise or causes a glare.

During the interview: Similar to an office interview, you want to convey optimism and positive body language. Maintain good posture with your feet on the floor and your back straight, with arms rested on your desk or lap.

Eye contact is essential. When you are talking, make sure you are looking at the camera and not the screen. When listening, smile and nod to show you are engaged. Use hand gestures when it feels appropriate, keeping your movements small and close to your body. Avoid fidgeting, touching your face or looking away from your device.

At the end of the interview, be sure to thank the interviewer for their time and follow up the next day with a thank you email.

If things don’t go to plan: Make sure you have a secondary way to contact your interviewer. If you lose audio, video, or internet connection, call your interviewer and see if you can continue by phone or reschedule.

If an unexpected noise or disruption occurs, simply apologize for the interruption, ask for a moment to step away, or wait for the noise to subside. Mute your microphone and secure the space before beginning the interview again.

With these tips, along with your traditional interview prep, you will be well on your way to making a great first impression.

Shot of a young businesswoman using a laptop at work

Managing your career can be an arduous task, but a very necessary one. While managing one’s career is a priority, many people will exhale after landing a job, settle into it and then stay in that job even after years of frustration or doubts about their career path. Who says you have to stop pursuing a “career” that is meaningful, gratifying and has some semblance of what you dreamed of or dressed up as during Career Day in elementary school?

There is something powerful about transferring what is in your head, what you dream about and what you envision, to what is on a piece of paper. A study done by Dominican University psychology professor, Dr. Gail Matthews, shows that those who write out their goals are 42% more likely to achieve their goals. You know what is even more powerful than writing down your goals? Following through with them. And it all starts with how you see and manage the 50 or so hours you spend working each week. There is no exact answer because we are all uniquely different, but these three principles can serve as maintenance or help you start managing you career – we call them The Three P’s of career navigation.

Passion

Passion is what gets you going.  It is that “thing” you do until your brain hurts. It keeps you up at night, and then you wake up only to do it again. Steve Jobs famously said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” The best way to accomplish this is by starting with your passion. Otherwise, you will waste a lot of time trying to find it.

Now you are probably asking yourself, “How do I find it?” Again, there is not have a “one size fits all” answer, but you can start with these questions:

1. What would I do if I didn’t have to work?
2. What issue in society do I want to solve?
3. What comes easy to me?

Purpose

Often, we hear the words “passion” and “purpose” used synonymously. However, we like to think of passion as the catalyst and purpose as the totality. If passion is what gets you started, then purpose is what keeps you going. If we organize our life around our passion, we can turn our passion into our story, and then turn our story into something bigger – something that matters and is purposeful. The concept of purpose can be difficult, however here are some building blocks to figure it out:

1. Who are you? What do you stand for and what qualities, beliefs and personality traits make you authentically you?
2. What do you do? Your default answer may be to describe your occupation, but I am asking about your calling. Another way to phrase the question is, what is the one thing you feel supremely qualified to teach others?
3. Who do you serve or who do you do it for? Who are the people you’re helping to achieve happiness, fulfillment and significance?
4. What do they want or need that they come to you for? How can they benefit from your skillset, network or/and knowing you?
5. How do others change or transform as a result of what you give? What impact do you want to create?

Preparation

The Roman philosopher Seneca said, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” If passion is your “what” and purpose is your “why,” then preparation is your “how.”

However you define success, and whichever ladder you choose to climb, it’s inevitable that you will face some adversity and setbacks in your professional pursuits, but it should not be for a lack of preparation. Here are a few tools that have helped me along the way:

1. Conduct informational interviews with as many people as you can to learn about their career journey, secrets to success, influences and inflection points. Never stop learning.
2. Operate in your current job as if you are already in that next job. Stay a step ahead of the “game.”
3. Block out time at the end of the week to review meetings and deliverables for the next week. Dedicate a max of 15 minutes to each future meeting to go over the audience, purpose and meeting agenda.

Put your career in the right perspective. Breaking your career plan down into small action steps will keep your focus on your passion and your goals. Your career is a journey with many inflection points. Put pen to paper, begin with an end in mind, and start by figuring out your what (Passion), why (Purpose) and how (Preparation).

“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.