• Publish Date: Posted about 4 hours ago

How can insurance become a career of choice?

If you talk to people working in insurance, you’ll often hear the same story over again when asked how they got into a career in the sector – “I just sort of fell into it…”Very few people set out saying, “I want to work in insurance”, yet once they arrive, many stay for years (even decades). Why? Because behind the “grey suit” stereotype, insurance is full of variety, opportunity and genuinely meaningful work.Working with some of the biggest and most innovative insurance providers every day, we think it’s time we stopped treating insurance as a happy accident and started presenting it as what it really is: a career path of choice.Why doesn’t insurance feel like a first-choice career?If we're totally honest, there's some very misconceived perceptions out there:“Insurance sounds boring” - People often picture piles of paperwork, long phone calls and little creativity“It’s just selling policies” - Many don’t realise there are roles in tech, data, pricing, marketing, product, sustainability and more“It doesn’t feel very meaningful” - Compared to healthcare or charities, insurance doesn’t always look like a “purpose-led” space“I don’t see people like me in those roles” - Lack of visible diversity can quietly tell people, “This isn’t for you!The reality is very different. Insurance is essential for everyone. It helps people and businesses recover when life goes wrong: after a flood, a fire, an illness, a cyber-attack, or a car accident. It’s about rebuilding lives, not just renewing policies. We just don’t always tell that story clearly enough.UK insurance: varied, meaningful and future-proofSo what does a career in insurance actually look like?Yes, there are traditional jobs like underwriting and claims, but there’s a lot more:Data & analytics – using data to understand risk, prevent fraud and price fairlyTechnology & digital – building apps, online journeys and automationCustomer & experience – designing better, more human interactionsMarketing & communications – telling stories, building trust and brandSustainability & risk – helping people and businesses adapt to climate change and new risksOn top of that, the industry is:Stable – people will always need protection and support when things go wrongGlobal – skills in insurance travel well across countries and marketsStructured – there are clear qualifications and professional development pathsFor someone starting out in their career or even changing career, that’s a powerful mixWhat today’s candidates really wantIf insurance wants to be a career of choice, it has to align with what people are actually looking for in a job, especially younger and more diverse talent.Here are four things that mean a lot to the candidates we are speaking to right now:1. A sense of purposePeople want to feel their work means something.How insurance can respond:Share real stories: how a claim helped a family get back on their feet, or helped a business reopen after a disasterTalk about your role in resilience – helping communities and businesses survive shocksHighlight work in areas like climate risk, financial inclusion and community projects2. Growth and learningNew talent wants to know: Where can I go from here?How insurance can respond:Show clear career pathways: “Start here… and here are the roles you could step into next”Offer structured learning: apprenticeships, graduate schemes, professional exams, mentoringMake development an ongoing conversation, not just a yearly appraisal3. Flexibility and wellbeingWork-life balance, hybrid working and mental health support are now basic expectations.How insurance can respond:Offer hybrid and flexible working where roles allow it (and shout about it in job ads)Train managers to lead with empathy and inclusionMake wellbeing support visible: mental health first aiders, EAPs, coaching, peer networks4. Inclusion and belongingPeople want to see that they’ll be welcomed, respected and able to progress.How insurance can respond:Be open about your diversity and inclusion goals and your progressSupport employee networks (for example, gender, ethnicity, LGBTQ+, disability, carers)Make sure diverse voices are visible in your marketing, recruitment and leadershipTelling a better story about careers in insuranceTo reposition insurance as a career path of choice, the industry needs to tell its story in a more human way.Refresh the way you talk about rolesInstead of: “We are a leading provider of insurance solutions seeking a dynamic individual…”Try: “We help people and businesses recover when things go wrong. In this role, you’ll be the person who… [real impact].”Focus on:Who you helpWhen you show up in people’s livesWhat difference that makesShow real people, not just stock imagesShare short videos or blog posts from (real) people at different levels in your organisationAsk them to talk honestly about how they got into insurance, what they’ve learned, and why they’ve stayedInclude early-career voices, career changers and people from under-represented groupsGo where future talent isVisit schools, colleges and universities (not just business courses)Turn up at tech events, data meetups and diversity-in-careers eventsPartner with organisations that support social mobility and under-represented talentPractical ways to attract early-career and diverse talentHere are some concrete tactics organisations can start using now.1. Open up more entry routesApprenticeships – great for those who don’t want the university routeInternships and placements – give people a taste of the industryGraduate schemes – rotate across teams so people can find their best fitRecruit-Train-Deploy Models - work with specialist RTD providers who will recruit and train talent and deploy them to your business fully skilledReturner programmes – welcome back those who’ve taken a career break2. Make job adverts more welcomingCut out the jargon, technical terms and insider acronymsFocus on skills and potential (not just specific degrees or years in insurance)Check adverts for biased language that might put some groups off applying3. Improve the hiring experienceUse structured interviews and skills-based questions to reduce bias.Make sure your interview panels are diverse where possible.Give candidates clear information so they know what to expect — especially if they’re new to the sector.Building clear career pathways in insuranceAttracting people is only half the job. If you want them to stay and grow, you need to show them a future.Show the “ladder” (and the “jungle gym”)Not everyone wants (or is able) to climb straight up in their career. Real careers have twists, pauses, changes of direction and experiments. For some people, the most fulfilling path isn’t a vertical ladder at all – it’s a “jungle gym” where they can move sideways, try new roles and build a broader set of skills.By showing both options clearly – the traditional ladder and the more flexible jungle gym – you make it easier for people to see themselves growing with you in a way that actually fits their life and ambitions.Create simple visual career maps for key areas: claims, underwriting, operations, tech, etcShow different routes: specialist, generalist, leadershipCelebrate lateral moves as much as promotions - they build broader, stronger talentInvest in learning that feels realBlend formal qualifications with on-the-job projects, mentoring and coachingGive people chances to join cross-functional projects or innovation initiativesLink learning to progression, pay and recognition so people can see it mattersTurn “I fell into it” into “I chose it”To make insurance a true career path of choice, as an industry we need to:Reframe the story – from “I ended up here by accident” to “I chose this because it’s meaningful, varied and secure”Align with modern expectations – purpose, flexibility, growth and inclusion aren’t “nice to haves” anymoreOpen the door wider – more entry routes, more inclusive hiring, more visible role modelsMake careers visible – so people can see not just their first role, but the path aheadDone well, insurance becomes more than a safe option. It becomes a place where people can build long, interesting, impactful careers — on purpose.Specialist Insurance RecruiterGerrard White lives and breathes insurance. We speak to insurers daily to understand their hiring challenges and help bring exceptional talent into the industry. If you are an insurer looking to hire, or if you are interested in exploring a career in insurance, reach out to our specialist insurance team.01892 553355 | info@gerrardwhite.com