Military families often face unique challenges, including frequent relocations, disrupted careers, and the need to rebuild support systems. For many military spouses, these challenges also include difficulty in maintaining stable employment.
“When an employer knows that you are part of a military family, they understand that you’re not going to be staying there long,” said Vicky Egli, Regional Director, Claim Account Executives. “So, they’re hesitant to hire you, which means that the good jobs, the ones that develop into a career, aren’t always available.”
At Travelers, we recognize the unique skills that military spouses bring—such as problem-solving, decision-making, and empathy—qualities that are invaluable in roles involving customers and brokers. Since launching our robust hiring efforts in 2020, Travelers has provided more than 300 military spouses with portable and lasting career opportunities.
Our latest video follows six Travelers military spouses as they share how they have found opportunity, stability, and community across the company.
“It means so much to have a company that cares enough about this community to create a home for us in a world where otherwise we’re kind of just left out on our own and forgotten,” said Lauralee Lambert, Personal Insurance Underwriter.
Travelers’ commitment to military spouses goes beyond providing jobs; it offers the connection of a supportive community of military spouses, fostering camaraderie and understanding both professionally and personally.
“It’s been a privilege to connect with other military spouses throughout Travelers,” said Jordan Reynolds, Senior Insurance Service Representative. “Having that support system has been the best.”
Watch the full video to hear firsthand from Travelers military spouses, Jennifer, Lauralee, Vicky, Ebonii, Jordan, and Maria.
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Kim: Welcome, everybody, to our first Life at Travelers podcast. I have my guest, Brianna Sacerdote, here with me today. She’s a recruiter at Travelers. Bri, thanks for being here.
Brianna: Thanks for having me.
Kim: Of course. I’m going to be, kind of, picking your brain. A lot of questions that we’ve gathered from social media, from our potential candidates, real candidates. So, we’re going to dive deep. You ready?
Brianna: I’m ready. I’m looking forward to it.
Kim: Alright. Awesome. So first, I would just want to, you know, have you explain your role here at Travelers and how you got here.
Brianna: Yeah. So, I’m currently a Senior Recruiter, and I recruit for the Upper Midwest Claim Center. So, all positions within Claim, ranging from trainees to experienced claim representatives. And I started in the PI (Personal Insurance) Call Center back in 2016, networked and held another role in Employee Relations, and ultimately started job shadowing in Talent Acquisition. So, that’s how I got where I am, and it’s been great ever since.
Kim: How long have you been at Travelers?
Brianna: Since 2016. So, eight years?
Kim: Eight years? Yeah. Wow. That’s awesome.
Brianna: I know. It’s gone by so fast.
Kim: So, getting into the nitty gritty of recruiting and your day-to-day, what are the first things that you look at on a resume?
Brianna: So, for me, a resume needs to be visually appealing. So, without even looking at their experience, I want to make sure it looks visually appealing. I look at format, neatness, make sure all the verb tenses are in the right tense. So, if your current job, we want your current job to say all current and present tenses and all prior jobs to say past. So, I look for that, if you have periods, we want to make sure all the periods are there throughout the resume. But I’m not that, I’m not picky if it’s not that consistent. I really want to get to the nitty gritty of what experience they have, and if they could be a good fit for the position that we’re hiring for. Especially if it’s an experienced role.
Kim: So, formatting-wise, if it’s over a page, are there any kind of, like, you know, details you’re looking for there? Should it be one page? Are multiple pages okay? How short should it be?
Brianna: Yeah. That’s the common misconception is that resumes have to be a page. And that’s, that’s not the thing. I mean, people have a bunch of experience
that they want to include on their resume so, I usually recommend anywhere between 2 to 3 is a good, sweet spot. Sometimes five is just way too long and like, you know, we’re clicking back into the resume pages to really see what, where they’re coming from. So, I think 2 to 3 is the sweet spot, but also, tailor it, you know, tailor it to the job you’re applying for. If it’s, if you have experience on there beyond ten years, maybe start to take things away. That’s not always necessary to include.
Kim: So, my camp counselor job from ten years ago could probably go.
Brianna: Yes, that can definitely go.
Kim: Okay, okay.
Brianna: But it could be a skill. That’s cool that you did something like that. Like, we like to see cool skills as well.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: Yeah.
Kim: And, and at the top, you know, that objective statement or summary that some folks include, is that important because we’re also submitting a cover letter, you know, what pieces are important there?
Brianna: Yeah. So, the summary I usually recommend it’s not, it’s not important or required unless it’s a very specific, unique job that you want to call out a certain experience level then fine, but I want to get to right to the experience and see what you’re coming with. So, typically it’s not required.
Kim: So, work experience and skills are really top of mind.
Brianna: And education.
Kim: And education. Got it. Okay. And, you know, for the cover letter, because a lot of the time when folks are applying for jobs, it’s required. Is it required at Travelers and, you know, how is it weighted? How important is that?
Brianna: It’s not required to submit an application at Travelers. So, the majority of our applicants do just have a resume. Cover letter is really important for me to see, like, if you’re relocating and you want to let us know that you’re relocating, or if there’s gaps in employment, that gives us an opportunity to see why there’s gaps. If you want to call out, maybe you moved back home for family reasons or something like that, so that’s helpful. Or if you have very specific experience, you want to call out in your cover letter, but otherwise that could be used for your resume, so it’s a hit or miss. It’s not required. I don’t ever, I’m not ever searching for a cover letter when someone submits an application.
Kim: Got it. Okay, so we can use a cover letter for those more personal details.
Brianna: Exactly.
Kim: Okay. Got it. Now, a tip that I’ve heard, from a former recruiter was, you know, talk about accomplishments on your resume versus what you do, right? I remember them saying, if I read your job title, right, I know what you do mostly. So, talk about how you do it and talk about those accomplishments. What is your opinion on that? Should we be putting accomplishments or talking more about our day-to-day?
Brianna: I think a mixture of both is helpful. Like accomplishments as far as if you’re excelling in key metrics in the job you’re performing in, we recommend putting those in your resume. We love numbers, percentages, so definitely include those if you’re excelling in a certain area. But I think a mixture of both is really helpful. You don’t want it all to be accomplishments, you know?
Kim: You don’t want to be too “boasty.”
Brianna: Save that for the interview.
Kim: Yeah, there you go. Okay. So, speaking of interviews, or maybe even a step back before the interview, right? We get together our resume, fill out the application, maybe a cover letter, maybe not, and we send that in. Folks on social media, we see it all the time, you know, there’s memes about it, there’s Reels about it, that the application just goes into a black hole, right? And they’re ghosted or they never hear back. What actually happens at Travelers when somebody submits an application?
Brianna: So, when someone submits an application at Travelers, they are reviewed manually. We don’t have a system where it automatically rejects applicants based off of a word they have or don’t have on their resume. We’re looking at your experience manually. So, a lot of factors go into play. It depends on how long the job’s been posted. If you apply right away, the chances of being considered might be a little bit higher. But sometimes you don’t know if, how long the job’s been posted. Even if it says ten days, it could, that could be inaccurate. It could have been unposted then reposted. So, it is really based off of timing and we try to prioritize as soon as possible, but unfortunately, if you apply late to the game, that’s what might lead to that misconception of a black hole. But we do try to reach out to people as soon as we can.
Kim: Okay. And what is the first step? So, when you do reach out to somebody, kind of, what’s the process look like for them?
Brianna: Yeah. So, we’ll conduct a first initial phone interview. So someone would connect with me, another recruiter on our team and it’d be a lot of those behavioral-type questions. So, definitely recommend folks to come prepared for those. Or we also do more talking about your job. So we just want to, not your job but your experience. We want to hear about your experience, your interest in the position, you know, why? Why Travelers? What about Travelers excites you to leave, to come here, but then to leave your current company? So, it’s more of a ‘get to know you,’ but then also, why are you the right fit for the position as well?
Kim: Okay, so that’s that first step and past that, do they start to meet with the actual team they’d be working with?
Brianna: Yeah. So depending how that goes the team and I will collaborate and then we’ll determine next steps. Usually interviews are on video but a lot of teams are now incorporating a lot of in-person interviews. So, you might go to an office and meet with the hiring team. A lot more behavioral-type questions would be asked during that conversation. So, we really, I try to prep my candidates a lot with those behavioral-type questions because there’s a plethora.
Kim: Okay. Okay so Travelers allows for both in-person interviews and, like, virtual video interviews.
Brianna: Yes.
Kim: Okay. Awesome.
Brianna: And I guess depending on the office and what, you know, it’s dependent across everywhere. But yeah, most offices are incorporating in-person interviews again since COVID because that’s all we used to do.
Kim: Sure. Yeah. I know, life changed so much since then.
Brianna: Yeah.
Kim: And after the interviews, a question we got from social media was, how often do you receive a thank you note, or does a hiring manager receive a thank you note after interviews? And is that important?
Brianna: Yeah, that’s a great question and I actually preach about thank you notes to everybody I talk to. For recruiters, it’s not, I don’t take it as a bad or good thing. If you don’t thank me after a call, it’s really what matters next. So, if you meet with the hiring team and you want to send them a thank you note, we really think that it’s critical. You know, it makes you stand out to the hiring team. You highlight 2 to 3 sentences on why you’re the right candidate for the position, maybe call out a certain level of experience that you have to offer, and it just goes a long way. You might not always get a response from the hiring team, that’s totally normal, but just going that extra step to put yourself out there, let them know you had a great conversation, it does go a long way.
Kim: Now if you don’t hear back, right, on your thank you note, is that because they’re trying to maybe hold back bias or is there something along those lines, or is it more just, right, thank you notes come and go and, you know, what is the response rate and why might they not answer?
Brianna: Honestly, I see more non-response rates. It’s probably because they just don’t want to give any indication. Like if they were to say something like, ‘Oh yeah, it was great meeting you,’ that maybe someone would take that as, ‘Oh, I think I’m going to get the job.’ So, I think they’re really just trying to keep it very high level and neutral.
Kim: Yeah. Okay. That makes sense. That makes sense. So, regarding the interview, some of those hard questions, hard for the candidate to ask, usually around negotiations for salary, benefits. How should a candidate go about asking those questions or can they find that information publicly?
Brianna: Yeah. So, it’s a good mixture of both. So, Travelers I like to think we’re very transparent about putting our benefits out there, what our salary is. Benefits you can find on our Travelers website, so, careers.travelers.com. You can go on there under Life at Travelers, then Benefits tab, all the way at the bottom you’ll see a brochure that you can open up and see all the benefits we have to offer. There’s also a benefit rate calculator that’s on there. So, if you wanted to play and plug and chug information to see how much they’d cost you on average, that’s available.
Kim: Okay.
Brianna: Salary expectations, those are posted on all of our jobs. So, we have a nationwide range, a low all the way to a high number, but it’s not including where any of our candidates are located. So again, it’s nationwide, but you don’t know where your number could fall because we haven’t chatted yet.
Kim: Right.
Brianna: So that comes when you talk to us. One of us recruiters will narrow that down for you a little bit more on what salary we’re going to offer and if it’s in, not exact numbers, but kind of like a range, and if it’s in their range. If it’s not, we ask you to be transparent with us because we would hate to make an offer to you, and then it’s not the number you want. So, we set those expectations very clearly on that initial phone call.
Kim: Okay, so that’s not a taboo subject.
Brianna: No. We’re very transparent and open. It’s a question that we, that we ask you.
Kim: Okay. So other questions outside of salary, benefits, what other questions should a candidate be asking a recruiter? What’s important for them to know that they might not think of?
Brianna: Yeah, those are good questions, too. So, I’ll start with ones that, maybe to avoid with a recruiter. I recommend staying away from the technical kind of questions about the job. Like anything that is very specific about the job, save those for the hiring team. What I do recommend you ask the recruiter, is anything about Travelers, like the culture or career growth, networking opportunities, volunteer opportunities, anything like that is really helpful. If you wanted to talk about the team environment, the team make-up, you know, work flexibility, we will have all that at our fingertips.
Kim: Okay.
Brianna: We feel like we could do every job that we talk about because we talk about it so much but, you know, we’re not that skilled in it. So, we do recommend to keep it more high-level or ask the recruiter, you know, how we got started here, what’s our career journey look like. Same with the hiring team, you know, put the questions on them and what they like most about Travelers.
Kim: Okay and then for the hiring team, it’s more the nitty gritty of the day-to-day of the role.
Brianna: Yeah, because they’re the experts. You know, most managers on the team have done the role themselves. Most. So, you know, I would definitely Save it for them for sure.
Kim: So, from personal experience, I remember people mentioning working at an insurance company. Right? I live near Hartford, insurance capital of the world. Travelers was mentioned and I thought, ‘I’m never going to work for an insurance company,’ right? Sounds boring. Sounds like paperwork. Sounds like there’s just not a role there for me, right? I’m not an underwriter. I’m not in claims. You know, it’s not for me.
Brianna: Right.
Kim: So, you know, we obviously both found our way here, you know, what would you tell folks about the roles we have here? What would people not expect to find as a role at an insurance company?
Brianna: Yeah. And it’s crazy because I didn’t have that idea either that I would work for an insurance company. My dad worked in insurance his whole life, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m not going that route.’ And here I am and, like, loving it, obviously.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: So, a few roles that you wouldn’t expect that we have to offer at Travelers are pilots, we have a couple of private jets, so we would need to hire a pilot for that.
Kim: Right.
Brianna: Nurses, we have nurse case managers mostly in claim. We have architects. We have fitness and wellness instructors, event planners, forensic scientists.
Kim: Wow.
Brianna: Chemists in Risk Control.
Kim: Yep.
Brianna: So, yeah, it’s a wide variety that you wouldn’t think of.
Kim: You just think of, you know, underwriters and claim reps. So, yeah, very interesting.
Brianna: It’s awesome.
Kim: And recruiters.
Brianna: And recruiters for sure. Yeah, the opportunities are endless. It really does not matter what you went to school for. You can find a place for you here.
Kim: Yeah. And is there a lot of movement internally in the company? I know you joined via the call center, right? And now you’re a recruiter. Does that happen a lot?
Brianna: I think it does. And it’s also what you make of it. So, that’s what I tell candidates, too. It’s like, you know, where can I go here? Well it’s really where you want to go. You make the most out of your career. You make that career path for you. You make your own networking opportunities. So, if you wanted to do whatever you want to do, you have that opportunity here. We have so many different people and departments to work with.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: So, yeah.
Kim: We got a question from social media regarding being an undergraduate, right? You’re not currently applying yet. How can folks who are in college now, prepare for a role at Travelers?
Brianna: Yeah, so, there’s a couple different ways that I recommend. I mean, number one, and it’s the most convenient, is attending your college career fairs. I think that’ll give you a wide variety of different companies, maybe what areas you’re interested in, or might not even be aware that you’re interested in yet.
Kim: Right.
Brianna: So, definitely start there. Set up your LinkedIn profile. I’m sure you can talk a lot about LinkedIn.
Kim: Yeah, we talk a lot about LinkedIn.
Brianna: LinkedIn is so important. You can network with people. Start there and you never know who you’ll be connected with. We have tons of internships here, so, just browsing our careers website, seeing if there would be anything you would be interested in after college is helpful. We have so many trainee and entry-level job opportunities so, checking out our website, seeing if they ring a bell to you, and if so, have that be your way in when you graduate or before. Start applying like a month before or something like that.
Kim: Yeah. And I’ve heard you mention networking a lot. Would you say networking is a big part of it?
Brianna: Yeah, networking is huge. I mean, I don’t think I’d be where I am without networking, so, I try to advocate that for everybody else and I try to be that network for other people as well.
Kim: Yeah. So, for folks who are getting ready to, you know, come to Travelers or they’re currently interviewing.
Brianna: Yes.
Kim: We talk about the culture and that sort of thing, but, some of those specific questions, right? Is there a dress code at Travelers?
Brianna: Oh, yeah. So, I think, I think you and I started around the same time in Talent Acquisition. So, it was somewhere around that time they changed the dress code to ‘dress for your day,’ where you were now able to wear jeans and just like, you know, dress for your day. What’s on your calendar that day? Do you have all virtual meetings? Do you know you’re not going to be on camera? Just dress appropriately. If you are meeting new clients or a new team or anything in-person, have an interview, then dress appropriately for that. So, that’s the guidance that we do tell our candidates.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: When they ask about dressing appropriately for work. But there’s no defined, like, you have to wear a business attire every single day. There’s nothing that outlines that.
Kim: Again, it’s just that insurance, kind of, stigma. Right? It’s suits and, yeah, the whole deal.
Brianna: I wear jeans every day.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: So, I mean, yeah. It’s awesome.
Kim: Yep. Okay, awesome. Bri, any cool recruitment stories? I mean, you’ve obviously talked to so many people. Have you had interesting backgrounds or folks, you know, come from, you know, different places and end up where they didn’t think they were or?
Brianna: I have. So, one of them actually, I, someone reached out to me on LinkedIn. I wasn’t even searching for anybody.
Kim: Okay.
Brianna: He reached out to me and told me he applied to a position within Worker’s Comp. So, I spoke to him and we had a great conversation. He ended up getting the job for that position and, before that, though, he’s an ex-police officer, which we do see a lot within claim.
Kim: Wow.
Brianna: A lot of ex-police officers or ones that are retired, want a change in career, they’re interested in Claim because there’s a lot of transferable skills.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: So, he ended up getting a job and then let me know that he got another job in TIS, which is, like, our investigative services.
Kim: Yep.
Brianna: So, it just goes to show that a background in being a police officer can translate to Claim, but then also the investigative team. And I’m sure he never expected to work at an insurance company during his career. So, that was pretty cool.
Another one, one person I hired, he applied for, I believe, a Property Trainee position, which are very common entry-level positions. And he, the day I called him to extend the offer, he got told that his job was getting, like, eliminated or realigned. Something along those lines.
Kim: Yep.
Brianna: And it was going to be effective on our start date. So, he was like really emotional that we offered him the job effective the day that his job was going to change and it was just a really cool opportunity.
Kim: Yeah, that eased his mind there.
Brianna: Yeah.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: It really eased his mind and you just, it makes you, like, really appreciative of the work that we’re doing and, you know, it goes a long way.
My last one is cool. I went to this local gym in town and the woman I worked out with, I never knew that her husband applied to a job that I screened him for, and it was a great conversation. He ended up getting the job. I never met him, but I saw him at a local grocery store and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, that’s the guy I hired.’ So, it was really cool, full circle to see him.
Kim: Yes.
Brianna: In person. And he’s thriving and he’s been here for a couple of years but, like, you would never expect someone you work out with to now have their husband working at the same like, so.
Kim: There are just folks from Travelers in your local community.
Brianna: Yeah, just a small world. You just realize how small of a world it is.
Kim: Totally.
Brianna: So, so many opportunities is the main point.
Kim: Yeah, during COVID, I had signed up to grocery shop for an elderly couple.
Brianna: Oh yeah, I remember that.
Kim: Yeah, and, I think I had been delivering groceries to them for maybe a month before we talked and the woman I was literally giving groceries to was a Travelers retiree.
Brianna: That’s crazy.
Kim: It was just a wild story. And, yeah, so, we bonded pretty hard over that, after that point.
Brianna: Oh, that’s awesome.
Kim: They still email me now and they’re like, you know, ‘How’s Travelers? It’s been five years but, you know.’ So yeah, I agree, it’s a small world.
Brianna: It is.
Kim: It’s a tight network.
Brianna: It really is. And everyone knows us. So it’s awesome.
Kim: Absolutely. So, personal question for you.
Brianna: Yeah.
Kim: You’re sitting here with me. You are seven months pregnant right now?
Brianna: Yeah. Six, seven.
Kim: Six, seven months. Okay, so, and you already have a little one at home.
Brianna: I do, my daughter.
Kim: And you had her while you were at Travelers? Is that correct?
Brianna: I did.
Kim: So this is your second time, going through a pregnancy while working at Travelers.
Brianna: Yeah.
Kim: What is it like, you know, being a mom at Travelers? What support do you have? And your maternity leave, your team, all that sort of stuff?
Brianna: It is. It’s truly awesome. I never feel like I’m not supported. My management, leadership, I just feel so supported and I cannot imagine being in this situation anywhere else.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: You know, obviously with kids, things come up, they get sick, daycare closes. We have to be flexible, so, the work arrangement, the flexibility, is amazing for us. The three days in the office, two days from home, it’s super nice. We just implemented, I think within the last two years or so, a new diversity network called Working Parents and Caregivers (& Allies) and I’m a part of that, which is awesome, but you don’t have to be a parent or a caregiver to be a part of it. It’s just for you to come to and be supported.
Kim: Be an ally as well.
Brianna: Yeah, and be an ally. We have speakers come from the hospital, Hartford Hospital, to talk about just daily things parents go through and ways to cope with it.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: So, I just feel really supported in that sense because we have another group here who is focusing in on that now.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: I think we need that.
Kim: You have your village at work, too.
Brianna: Yeah you have your village, other other moms on my team, obviously dads, so, we’re all going through the same stuff and it’s so nice to be a part of it here.
Kim: That’s awesome. I’m so glad to hear it and congrats on the upcoming baby.
Brianna: Thank you. We’re so excited.
Kim: We’ll miss you while you’re on maternity leave.
Brianna: I know, I’ll miss you guys.
Kim: But, we’ll be excited. We need pictures, so, send them our way.
Brianna: Alright. Definitely will.
Kim: Bri, anything else that, you know, we didn’t cover today? Kind of, like, more informally that you think we should, candidates should know? Or do you think we, kind of, covered the gamut?
Brianna: I do, I think we covered everything, but, Travelers is, the opportunities truly are endless. And I say that all the time on LinkedIn, like, to check out this job. The opportunities are endless. It’s true, I’m an example of that. I’ve started in the call center and here I am recruiting. You would never think that those two correlate, But, if you’re looking for something or you just want to grow and have a lifelong career, I mean, this is the place. So. Yeah, I have nothing but good things to say.
Kim: Well, thanks for being here and, for our listeners, can they connect with you on LinkedIn if they want to know more? Okay.
Brianna: It’s under Brianna Sacerdote, so.
Kim Okay.
Brianna: I look forward to getting a bunch of requests.
Kim: Alright. Awesome. We’re going to make you an influencer.
Brianna: Thank you. I hope so. Thanks for having me.
Kim: Thank you.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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In the first six months of 2022, Travelers Europe planted over 2,000 trees thanks to employees volunteering hours through a partnership with onHand.
onHand is a volunteering platform designed to connect its users with local volunteer opportunities called “missions.” Employee participants earn one tree for their first mission and for every ten missions completed, with the opportunity to earn extra trees by participating in competitions.
Common missions in the app include calling an isolated individual to say hello, running errands for those in need, and making sustainable swaps like choosing reusable coffee cups or opting to air-dry clothes. Each activity completed via the app contributes to trees in the ever-expanding “Travelers Europe forests” – located in regions around the world severely impacted by deforestation including Mozambique, Nicaragua, and Madagascar, as well as reforestation projects in Scotland.
During the past year, Travelers Europe has also purchased additional saplings to boost environmental sustainability efforts, including offsetting carbon produced by several internal events and planting trees on behalf of customers and brokers in gratitude for their continued partnership.
“Working with onHand forms a key part of our sustainability activity,” says Matthew Wilson, CEO of Travelers Europe. “Planting 2,000 trees is a gratifying milestone, and I’m thankful to all of the employees who helped us reach it”.
Over the next six months and beyond, through the continued generosity of our Europe employees, we look forward to larger forests and smaller carbon footprints.
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Erin, an Auto Liability Unit Manager in our Corporate Claim department, leads her team with the goal of achieving excellent customer service. Through their management of auto accident injury claims, Erin says they strive to handle all claimant communications with compassion, respect and empathy.
It’s the same culture of compassion, respect and empathy that Erin also finds herself in as an employee at Travelers.
Erin is quietly affected by mental illness, something she only recently realized is considered a hidden disability.
“I suffer from general anxiety, panic attacks, and have faced depression in the past,” Erin said.
She became aware of her anxiety nearly 20 years ago while experiencing her first panic attack in college. At the time, family struggles, schoolwork, multiple jobs, and the general pressure of being a student were all piling on.
“I was spreading myself too thin. Exaggerated worries, doubt, and negativity consumed my every thought,” Erin said.
Since then, her journey into understanding and living with her mental health has been one of self-discovery. Through counseling, the support of her family, making self-care a priority and working in a caring environment, Erin has found life and career success.
“Even with struggles, you can achieve your goals and become successful if you learn healthy ways to overcome them,” Erin said.
Today at Travelers, she faces challenges using learned coping tools and the support from her mentors, leaders, and friends at work. She says they offer encouragement through public speaking responsibilities, interviews, and taking career risks – all areas where she may have otherwise struggled.
“The collaborative culture at Travelers helps you get to know your peers. Building those interpersonal relationships makes me feel trust, and with that trust, I am more willing to put myself out there,” she said.
Erin’s involvement in Travelers’ Diversity Networks (DN), including the Disability & Allies, Women & Allies and the Black and African American & Allies DNs, has also helped her connect with peers who share the same goals of promoting empowerment, inclusion and allyship.
“The Travelers DNs are a great way to meet professionals you may not have met otherwise,” she said, “It offers a great way to connect with a group of individuals who care about a common mission.”
Benefits and wellness offerings at Travelers have also helped Erin access support when needed. Travelers provides wellness resources, referral services, and confidential counseling services to all employees and their dependents.
“Travelers does a great job offering a safe place to seek support,” Erin said, “There are so many resources available for employees.”
Erin says her whole team may not be aware of the depth of her challenges. Still, she does share openly when she feels anxious and, in her experience, feels her honesty encourages others to feel more comfortable being open at work.
“I want to show how far we have come with the mental health stigma. A lot more people struggle with mental health than we probably realize and I am here to say that I can relate firsthand to those struggles.”
After losing a family member to mental illness and hearing more mental health-related stories shared by colleagues and leaders at Travelers, Erin felt compelled to share her story.
“I wanted to share to help someone, anyone,” she said, “Anxiety is part of my story, but it is not the whole story. If I help one person, then I am grateful.”
Resources
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In 2008, Travelers created Diversity Networks — voluntary organizations led by employees dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. Open to all employees, the networks help foster the retention, development and success of our employees through networking, mentorship and community volunteer opportunities.
We recently sat down with members of our Disability & Allies Diversity Network to learn more about the impact of their involvement.
Claim Account Executive Tara DiBilio pours drive and passion into the Disability & Allies Diversity Network (D&A DN) at Travelers. Residing in Dallas, Texas, Tara has left an everlasting mark on the program.
The D&A DN originally caught her attention because of her degree in education and her interest in the neurodiverse community. She is now the Learning and Development Co-Lead for the D&A DN and currently spearheading an American Sign Language program for all eight Travelers Diversity Networks. She also attended the Disability:IN conference where she and two other employees accepted the DEI 100 Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion honor for the fifth year in a row on behalf of Travelers. She says the conference has expanded her knowledge and understanding to an even greater degree. Shortly after joining the D&A DN, Tara was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Her personal experience led her to create the MS group within the DN which serves as a support system for herself and other members that have or know loved ones with the condition. She says, “It created the desire in me to become much more involved.”
Since her enrollment, Tara says her involvement has completely changed her perspective on disabilities and everyday life. It’s become important to her to make sure that even newer members within the DN feel included enough to share the same sentiment. She assures, “I have a deeper understanding of the need to spread acceptance, empathy, and a safe place for everyone.”
State Product Director Saphire Hathorne, from Ricardson, Texas, connects her personal life to her participation in two Diversity Networks at Travelers.
As a black woman, she found a supportive community within the Black & African American & Allies Diversity Network that gave her a platform to discuss and overcome challenges in the workplace. Her firm commitment to our Disability & Allies Diversity Network originated from her desire to learn how to best prepare her son with Williams Syndrome for the corporate and social world post-high school. She says, “After he got out of high school it was very difficult for him to find a job, even though I knew the skillset he had.”
She is constantly inspired by working with others who face similar challenges to her son and do not let their disabilities hold them back from achieving their goals. She says, “I hope to one day see more employers realize that a person’s abilities are far more important in the workplace than their disability.”
Since joining the D&A DN, Saphire has developed strong relationships in and out of the company. She’s had the opportunity to be mentored by senior executives and finds it immensely rewarding to volunteer. She also had the chance to attend the Disability:IN conference amongst her peers.
Saphire reminds us, “We’re all human beings. Everybody has something to contribute to this world. I’m glad I have the opportunity to work for a company that encompasses values of people with different walks of life.”
Though he is a loyal member of all eight Diversity Networks, Alan Wirkman has developed a personal and profound connection with Travelers’ Disability & Allies Diversity Network. Appointed affinity coach of the D&A DN, he is constantly creating new strategies to make a difference.
As a parent with a child that has a neurodiverse disability, Alan was motivated to learn more about how to support his family at home and at work. He says, “You spend most of your days at work and the people that you work with become a part of your family. It’s important to understand the challenges they have and to learn about experiences that you may share.”
Alan’s leadership position within the DN has allowed him to grant and receive incredible opportunities. He recently attended the Disability:IN conference. At the conference, he was able to interview people with disabilities and prepared them for a successful job interview. Alan says, “We have to be understanding of accommodations. We need more people comfortable with sharing the accommodations they need. It’ll change our culture, and we will continue to have some really strong talent.”
Alan continues to grow his awareness within the disability community. As a parent, a colleague, a mentor, and a leader, he understands that his support and compassion towards others can foster change and create a safe place in the world and the workplace for people with disabilities to be unapologetically themselves.
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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?”
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:
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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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:
“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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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:
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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