Hiring Timeline
The insurance and risk management industry tends to hire early for both internships and full-time positions, with many programs opening in August, September, and October. Students should be prepared to start searching and applying for roles as they start the Fall semester. Due to this hiring timeline, the Walker Business Connections career fair, tends to be the largest fair we host each year.
While there are generally more positions available in the Fall, there are still opportunities that arise throughout the year. Staying on-top of the job search and regularly looking for networking opportunities is key for this relationship-focused industry. Make sure you stay in contact with Dr. Marlett and Dillon in the Brantley Center to stay up-to-date on new roles!
Resume Guides
Crafting a strong, skill-focused resume is key to moving through applications. When crafting your resume, make sure you are highlighting your transferrable skills and traits that will help you learn while starting an internship or in a full-time role. Many students do not have direct insurance experience during their college experience, employers recognized that and look for students have a rough foundation of transferrable skills that they can teach and show how to be successful for their organization.
Business Career Services have crafted a variety of guides for students to review when creating their resume. Employers have helped guide this resume format and it is widely accepted by employers throughout the industry. Follow this link to see examples, videos, and guides to crafting your resume.
If you have questions about your resume and want to talk to someone about adjusting it, reach out to Dillon (waschenbachd@appstate.edu) in the Brantley Center.
Cover Letter Guides
A cover letter is a step up from a resume, and should be used to provide context and make direct connections to the role description for the job or internship one is applying to. Due to the added specificity of a cover letter, one should make a different cover letter for each job description that requires one.
Business Career Services have crafted guides and models for how a cover letter should be formatted and the information to include. Follow this link to view these informational guides!
If you have questions about writing a cover letter and want to talk to someone, reach out to Dillon (waschenbachd@appstate.edu) in the Brantley Center.
Interview Resources
Interviewing can be nervewracking and tricky however, through knowing some helpful tips and practicing, it can be made easier.
Many of the questions students see are "Behavioral Questions". These questions are used for companies to get you know your characteristics, traits, and transferrable skills. Telling a story using the S.T.A.R Method is incredibly helpful in framing your responses. Follow this link to learn more about the S.T.A.R Method!
As an App State student, you are able to utilize Big Interview, which is a video interviewing service to help you practice answering questions. This is specifically helpful when interviewing in a digital format.
Business Career Services has a variety of worksheets and practice questions for students to use to develop this strength. Follow this link to view these resources!
If you want to practice interviewing or have questions about best practices, please reach out to Dillon (waschenbachd@appstate.edu) in the Brantley Center.
Job Boards
- Handshake- As an App State student, you have access to a great job board called Handshake. This is where many companies post jobs to specifically target students looking for internships or entry level positions
- Linkedin- Linkedin is a great place for networking but has also become a huge job board. We see less internships posted here but students have been able to find many full-time positions to apply to.
- Gamma Iota Sigma Job Board- This national organization is focused on providing resources to RMI students across the country, this job board is curated and helpful for roles in insurance, risk management and actuarial sciences
- Strategic Partners and Board of Advisors Career Websites- The Brantley Center is donor support by some of the largest insurance organizations in North Carolina, the United States, and the World! Take a look at these direct links to their career websites.