Tips for talking about your insurance career

Speak in everyday, practical, jargon-free language about what you do, and explain your role as you would to someone hearing about it for the first time. Don’t immediately assume that someone knows what a claims adjuster or an underwriter does on a daily basis, or even that he or she grasps the principles behind the industry.

So, as an adjuster, don’t say, “I investigate an insurer’s liability for loss when a claim is made.” Instead, say, “I talk with people who have property damage and help determine how much the insurance company will pay them.” It’s basic, but it allows people to immediately picture what you’re talking about.

Ask a question

If someone asks what you do and your response is, “I’m an insurance broker,” it puts the burden on him or her to come up with another question that keeps the conversation going. Try pitching a softball question such as, “I’m an insurance broker, so I try to find the best policies on behalf of clients. Have you ever used a broker before?”

Tell a story

It’s unlikely that people will understand all the minutiae of your position (or anyone else’s, for that matter), but everyone loves a good anecdote. Before you head to a party, think of one or two of the best stories from the past year, whether it’s an example of a time when you truly helped someone or just something humorous that happened one day.